COUNCILLORS were quizzed over the “tragic” decision to slash £89,000 from Salisbury Arts Centre’s budget on Thursday.

Wiltshire Council is axing all its funding for the venue which is the only target for arts cuts in the county.

Arts centre board member Peter Williams asked Salisbury Area Board if the decision was fair and whether “people from the local community, especially young people, families, and disabled people should be disproportionately affected.”

Opposition councillors criticised the move.

Area board chairman Ricky Rogers said he was against the cuts and had “wrongly assumed” the £89,000 would be spread across all arts providers.

Vice chairman Brian Dalton did not support the decision and said he hoped the arts centre would not close.

The council has said two thirds of its arts budget is spent on Salisbury Arts Centre, Salisbury Playhouse and Salisbury International Arts Festival.

Councillor John Walsh said: “I think just sheer fairness indicates it should have been cut three ways.

“It’s very sad and tragic and I hope we won’t make that mistake again.”

Councillor Ian Tomes said he did not believe the arts would have been cut under Salisbury District Council because of their cultural and economic importance to the city.

But Tory councillors Richard Clewer and Mary Douglas defended the decision.

Cllr Clewer said the council had made all the back-office cuts it could and was now having to cut “some of the things people see”.

He said the council was right to protect services that directly impacted on people’s lives ahead of arts and advised asking cabinet member Stuart Wheeler the reason behind the decision.

Cllr Douglas admitted the “strange” decision had surprised her, but added: “I think it’s because we care about young people, families and disabled and older people that we have cut arts as opposed to some of the more direct services.”

Mr Williams said he was “astounded” some area board members had said “take it up with somebody else”.

“You are our councillors and we take it up with you,” he said. “You should be champions for us.

“Where is democracy in Wiltshire?”

Despite losing 12 per cent of its budget, the arts centre has healthy reserves and is not facing immediate closure.

It is not yet know what effect the cuts will have on the venue.

An online petition to reverse the decison has gathered more than 1,000 signatures.