CONSULTANTS drafted in to “temporarily” run Basildon’s Towngate Theatre could be here to stay.

Basildon Council handed the Charcoalblue company a £53,000 contract to run the facility, in St Martin’s Square, for six months.

Officers now want to extend the contract by another two months, until Friday, March 27, with Kevin Blake, deputy leader of the council and councillor responsible for leisure and arts believing the partnership could continue in the long term.

The two-month contract extension will cost the council £32,000.

Mr Blake said: “When we have something which isn’t broke, why fix it?

“Some of the shows which they have put on have been absolutely brilliant. It’s not just about that, the ambience is great and they have just got everything down to a tee.

“It is moving forward at a very fast pace thanks to the contacts Charcoalblue have and we’re keen to keep that momentum going.”

The Tory administration turned to Charcoalblue, which is involved with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre and Glyndebourne Festival Opera, following the sudden exit of long-term manager Graham Sandford.

He quit his job following a review of the Towngate Theatre, which called for improvements to the way it was run.

Nigel Smith, deputy leader of the opposition Labour group, accused the Tory administration of “back door privatisation.”

He said: “This is very unsatisfactory.

“The Towngate has been a very successful theatre under council control and management, and I think the best way forward is to get a new manager in place.

“The consultants sound to me like an incredible waste of public money.”