Mayor slams Reform-led council's AI arena review
BBCNorth East Mayor Kim McGuinness said the fact a Reform UK-led council was thinking of not building an arena because of AI was "absurd".
Construction of the Gateshead venue was originally due to begin in autumn 2023 but has faced multiple setbacks, with the Labour mayor pledging millions of pounds towards the project earlier this year.
Council deputy leader Fiona Pearce said support could be withdrawn if it was deemed to be poor value. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service she had asked AI to analyse figures for the development, with its conclusion being it would be "better value to leave a hole in the ground".
Leader Nick Allan later said the comment "was taken well out of context".
"We have made no decision on the future of the proposed arena," he said in a statement.
"The comment about AI was taken well out of context. Fiona Pearce was describing her efforts prior to the elections, to look into the project. She used AI to source the information which wasn't available to us at the time.
"No decisions will ever be made under the auspices of AI."
'Vanity projects'
Reform took control of the local authority following the elections in May, ending 52 years of Labour rule.
The proposed site of the arena, between the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and Glasshouse, was cleared by the council several years ago.
More than £20m was spent building a multi-storey car park to serve the unbuilt entertainment complex.
Reform said the party wanted to put an end to "vanity projects" in Gateshead.
"If it is an investment that is going to have a return and if it is going to benefit the people of Gateshead, then it is 100% worth doing," Pearce said.
"If someone cannot provide it with a return on investment, and you usually look at five years for a good return on investment, and it doesn't look like the people of Gateshead are interested in it anyway, then there is a decision made."
But McGuinness asked what respect it would show for the people of Gateshead if there was a "hole left in the ground".
She said: "I think that's shocking, I think it's absurd."
'Banal statements'
Allan, elected as council leader last week, said the issue was whether the project would "contribute positively to the economy of Gateshead".
He called for "detailed assurances and forecasts" on areas including return on investment, improved transport to the venue and benefits to the local economy.
"As things stand, the road systems in Gateshead are not fit for purpose and access will be curtailed unless we see long term, meaningful change," he said.
"As far as we're concerned, the jury is still out and the mayor needs to produce a better thought out argument rather than make banal statements about what she thinks we will - or will not - do and what - or not - she believes is our motivation."
