Aldi asked to fund Newport art not town team
German retail giant Aldi has been told to think again about its plans to give cash to fund a town manager in Newport if its plans to open a supermarket there are approved.
Telford & Wrekin Council has said it would not be appropriate for the budget supermarket giant to give £10,000 to Newport Town Team as proposed.
But Aldi has promised to give the money anyway, despite Telford & Wrekin's advice.
Aldi pledged to contribute more than £250,000 in total to the area if its supermarket in Audley Avenue gets the go-ahead. That included the money for the Town Team and £12,626 for community radio station Nova FM.
Telford & Wrekin Council has suggested that the £25,000 offered for the two projects should be spent on "public art".
In a letter to Aldi, planning officer Gareth Thomas said: "Neither proposals would meet community infrastructure levy tests in relation to the use of conditions and obligations.
"I would again urge you to reconsider the matter. One option would be to provide a financial contribution, circa £25,000 to the council for it to administer for the purposes of public art provision."
But Aldi today pledged to honour its offer to the Town Team and the radio station – as well as funding public art.
A spokesman for Aldi said: "We're disappointed that these two significant community initiatives aren't eligible to receive this contribution through our planning obligations. However, as a gesture of goodwill, Aldi will honour its commitment to Nova FM and the Newport Town Team."
