About Taxpayers' cash totalling hundreds of thousands has been ploughed into two plush seafront businesses, the Echo can reveal.

A total of £100,000 has been given to businessman Mark Baumann to open up his swanky steak and lobster outlet Bourgee on Marine Parade, as part of a grant from Southend Council.

Another £100,000 has also been given to Antonia Waite, daughter of former council leader Anna Waite, to convert a sun-shelter in the Leas, Westcliff, into a restaurant – a project that has courted controversy and has not been given full planning permission.

The grants have come from the Government, but concerns have been raised as to why smaller businesses haven’t been given the money instead.

Julian Ware-Lane, who represents Milton Ward for Labour, said: “It does not sound like Bourgee is a struggling restaurant so there are questions to be answered.

“How is this money going to benefit the taxpayer who is funding it? I’m also intrigued as to what the demographic process is to deciding this.

“Literally no-one wants the rotunda on top of the sun shelter and I’d be interested to find out what their views are on that when they are reminded that they’ve paid for it themselves. It paints quite a messy picture.”

£1million was ploughed into opening the steak and lobster outlet next to the Kursaal last month, in a move that has created 40 full-time and part-time jobs.

Although the number of jobs to be created at Miss Waite’s restaurant, to be called Oyster Creek Kitchen, has not be revealed, it could be assumed that it will open up at least ten roles.

That means the council has spent £200,000 in taxpayers’ cash on creating around 50 jobs – or £4,000 per job.

James Moyies, leader of the opposition Ukip party on Southend Council, said: “I would like to know more details as it is an extraordinary amount of money.

“This money should be spent on creating new jobs for Southend and smaller businesses that are just starting up.

“I’m not sure it should be spent on restaurants competing with other restaurants in the town.”

Businesswoman Miss Waite has already got planning permission to convert the shelter in Western Esplanade into the eatery, but has courted controversy after she announced plans to put a rotunda on top, which will serve alcohol and be open until 11pm 100 days a year.

She got the lease for the building after beating off 14 other applicants.

More than 40 Westcliff residents have objected to the plans.

Ronald Colman, of the Overcliff apartments above the shelter, said: “The money should be spent on sorting out the cliff instead as it is dangerous in parts.

“It will affect our view and create a lot of noise for the homes around here.”

 

Seven-man panel decides the cash allocations

A seven-organisation strong panel decide what the grant money is spent on.

A total of £1.8million has been made available from the Government to Southend Council, in a process that is audited by professors at Lancaster Univeristy.

A total of seven people from the Essex Chambers of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses, Southend Association of Voluntary Services, Southend Business Parternship, two unnamed businesses in the town, and a council officer decide on applications.

Businesses are invited to bid for the cash and applications are reviewed on their merits.

Indepedent Ron Woodley, leader of Southend Council, said: “Southend Borough Council successfully bid for £1.8m of central government funding to supply grants to help support small businesses and create and safeguard jobs in our Borough. Any qualifying small or medium enterprise can apply for a grant provided they have a South Essex postcode and can fulfil the jobs-creation criteria.

“The panel considers the overall total of jobs created and safeguarded and the value of these in relation to the amount of funding being sought.

The authority also responded to criticism about giving Antonia Waite the lease to the Leas sun shelter, despite her council connections, by arguing it was let through an open market process, marketed by Dedman Gray and Sorrells.