WELSH Conservatives today accused Wales Millennium Centre management of a "cavalier, high-handed" approach to public spending.

In a strongly worded criticism of the centre, Assembly leader Nick Bourne AM claimed the WMC is using a legal technicality to avoid revealing details about its operations and efforts to avoid a cash crisis.

Shadow Heritage Minister Paul Davies AM has also expressed his astonishment that a publicly funded body is trying to dodge scrutiny of its use of public money.

The centre has received tens of millions of pounds in support from taxpayers since it was established, including £37mn from the Assembly Government to construct the building and a £13.5mn bail-out from the Labour-Plaid administration in Cardiff Bay last October.

The WMC also receives other public money from organisations such as the Arts Council.

Mr Bourne made a Freedom of Information request to WMC chief executive Judith Isherwood regarding the centre's operations.

He also asked for correspondence with the Assembly Government over an unpublished auditors' report which said the £106mn Cardiff Bay venue was in danger of insolvency.

Ms Isherwood has rejected Mr Bourne's FoI request.

Nick Bourne AM said:

"I am absolutely staggered by the cavalier, high handed attitude adopted by the WMC to an issue of significant public interest.

"Tens of millions of pounds of taxpayers' money has been poured into this project and the public has every right to know how that money has been spent.

"The recent £13mn bailout from the Assembly Government indicates that the centre's operations have not been working effectively for some time.

"If public money is being used to rectify those failings then we have every right to know when management were first aware of the problems and how they set about resolving them.

"A major organisation such as the WMC cannot use legal technicalities to avoid public scrutiny.

"I am extremely concerned that a curtain of secrecy is being drawn down over this whole affair, both at the WMC and in the Labour-Plaid Assembly Government.

"Given the amount of public money that has gone into this project we need open transparent and comprehensive reports about what the Assembly Government and WMC management have done to help the centre out of its financial black hole."

Shadow Heritage Minister and Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies said:

"It is absolutely astonishing that the governing body of the WMC refuses to give elected representatives information which should be in the public domain.

"The centre has received substantial amounts of taxpayers money over many years.

"As we represent the public it is out duty to ensure this information is in the public domain. The people of Wales deserve to know how their money has been spent.

"As the Official Opposition in the Assembly we will continue to hold both the WMC and Assembly to account for their actions."