Not content with a spring holiday in Cannes, members of the York Council Cabinet are now set to buy themselves a pleasure boat.

£100,000 is being reserved to fund a project which would see a redundant barge converted into a floating arts centre.

While many might question whether there is a shortage of arts venues in the City (many secondary schools now have performance space, as do the Higher Education establishments), what must be beyond argument is that anything in York City centre that can float is likely to do so (if only temporarily).

It is difficult to think of a more vulnerable location than a barge given the impact that climate change is having on flooding patterns in the city. Many houseboats have already been cut off for over 3 weeks this autumn and one narrow-boat sank in September; hardly the basis for a dependable entertainment venue.

If there is a need for more space, then the soon to be vacated Guildhall annex or the Bonding Warehouse are more likely venues. The latter at least – although likely to be inaccessible for a couple of weeks a year – won’t sink!

The proposal is that a venue will be created from a reclaimed river barge and will “integrate a café bar with performance and exhibition space as well as retail and workshop activities”. The cost of the renovation project is put at £275,000.

The Council report fails to indentify the income streams necessary to sustain what would be, potentially, a very expensive venue to run and maintain (the last – non floating – arts centre in the City went bust 20 years go)

The money is coming from the “Economic Infrastructure Fund”. Already £12.12 million of this has been spent with most of it being borrowed.

The repayments on the additional debt have already added nearly £1 million a year to the amount that Council Taxpayers will have to find.

It seems that huge increases in the fees for Council services are planned, together with cuts to public services, to help to pay for the new debts.

NB. The Council is also considering using £338,000 from the fund to increase Council wages to the minimum “living wage”.

573 Council employees would have their pay increased to £7-45p an hour. Most are cleaners and mid day supervisors in schools.

This would mean borrowing money to fund ongoing day to day expenditure.

That is halfway down the greasy pole to bankruptcy and a proposal that the District Auditor should be taking an interest in.