Office politics

Prospect Leicestershire's £100,000-a-year, 10-year lease at the city's most upmarket office complex is a typical example of the kind of excessive public spending seen under the Labour Government.

That was the view of Conservative city council leader Ross Grant after it emerged taxpayers could be asked to fork out £343,000 for the offices in Colton Square to stand empty for three years when the economic development agency moves out as part of its merger with tourism body Leicester Shire Promotions. That is unless another occupier can be found for the 4,000 sq ft ground floor offce space.

The lengthy lease, signed in May 2009, has eight years left to run, but can be broken in May 2014 at a cost of £35,000. This and the £308,000 rent bill will be split equally between the city and county council.

"It's totally unacceptable that somebody signed this," bellowed Coun Grant.

But just who signed the lease? The county council, which was then, as now, controlled by Tories. Oops.