SALFORD is to sponsor the prestigious BBC Philharmonic orchestra to the tune of £20m. The deal - which will see the money paid out over the next eight years - has been hailed as bringing a `wow factor' to the city.

The orchestra will move from Broadcasting House in Manchester to the mediacity:uk site at Salford Quays, which will house five BBC departments under the corporation's major relocation to the north.

The BBC Philharmonic was due to move to the site anyway but the council says the sponsorship deal will see the name of Salford taken around the world and see some of the country's top musicians working with local schoolchildren. The orchestra will be branded with the words: `Making music IN Salford'

But leaders of community groups said the cash should have been spent on vital services in a city, which is officially the 12th most deprived of 354 council authorities across the country.
One said: "We shouldn't be concerned about bringing kudos and more people into the city. We should be firstly concerned about helping those that are already here and suffering."

Council chief executive Barbara Spicer denied the deal was part of the contract struck with the BBC. But the M.E.N. understands it was crucial in luring the corporation to Salford ahead of a rival bid from Manchester.

The M.E.N. has learned the money for the sponsorship deal will be paid from a special government grant to places that achieve rapid growth in businesses. The cash is not currently ring-fenced and could have been spent on anything the council wanted.

Complex

Income from the grant is set to increase sharply thanks to mediacity:uk - the purpose-built complex at Salford Quays that will house the BBC departments including sport and children's TV, and create up to 15,000 new jobs.

A spokeswoman for the council, which currently spends £200m a year on services, said the deal was intended to allow the BBC Philharmonic to do more community work with schools.

She added that payments were starting now to allow the orchestra to begin work immediately - even though the BBC's move to Salford won't happen until 2011. Council leader John Merry said: "Many prominent British cities have an orchestra they can call their own and now Salford is joining that prestigious list.

"The partnership will create incredible opportunities for children in the city that will otherwise not be available."

Tory group leader Karen Garrido said she `warmly welcomed' the BBC Philharmonic and Norman Owen, for the Lib Dems, said the deal would bring `a wow factor' to Salford.

Mrs Spicer said it was a fantastic opportunity to promote the city internationally. The deal would see £1.5m paid this financial year building up to £3m in the final years.

But Kevin Ainsworth, of the Seedley South Residents Association, said: "Instead of spending money investing in music they should spend it on improving people's homes and lives."

And a spokesman for Claremont Community Association said: "This is the council that currently can't find enough speech therapists for vulnerable children and don't have enough cash to mend a city full of potholes. I totally disagree with spending money this way. Surely the people of Salford could have been asked first whether they wanted £20m to be spent in this fashion."

Richard Wigley, general manager of the orchestra, said: "The Philharmonic is delighted to be collaborating with Salford council, who share our international aspirations. We look forward to creating musical experiences with people of Salford in our brilliant new studio."

The BBC Philharmonic was formed in 1922 and known as the 2ZY orchestra, as it performed for a Manchester radio station of the same name.

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