BOURNEMOUTH Borough Council has defended the decision to spend £1,750 hiring a TV presenter to open a library, saying the cost did not fall on the council tax payer.

A Freedom of Information request by the Sunday Telegraph revealed fees paid to well known people for appearances at events across the country.

It discovered that £1,750 was paid for wildlife presenter Chris Packham to open the Hub in Kinson in March this year.

But the council said it was not paid for with council tax payers’ money, as claimed in the newspaper.

Carolyn Date, service and strategy manager for libraries and arts, said: “Chris Packham’s appearance was funded through the £1.8million Lottery grant won by Bournemouth Libraries to replace the library at Kinson which is now part of the Kinson Hub.

“There was a small amount of money in the budget which was approved by the Big Lottery Fund to be spent on publicity and promotion of the new library.

“Chris Packham was approached because the new building has excellent green credentials and a very good BREEAM (BRE Environmental Assessment Method) rating which was of interest to him so he agreed appear and be part of the promotion for a reduced fee.

“All in all the day was a success attracting much interest and consequently increasing awareness of the new facility. ”

Cllr Phil Stanley-Watts has blasted the expenditure as a waste of money in times of austerity.

He said: “I’ve nothing against Chris Packham – he’s probably one of the best nature presenters in the country – but I think paying celebrities to open establishments when you’ve got the Mayor and other people is not really good enough.”

The Town Hall Celebrity Rich List found that in total 140 English councils paid at least £1.3 million to celebrities over the past four years.

Top of the tree were £10,000 fees paid for appearances by former Commons speakers Betty Boothroyd and Olympic athlete Daley Thompson, while a more modest £1,000 was paid to former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton to present sports awards.