THE organisers of a three-hour silver jubilee celebration of laser and

light for the Forth Road Bridge have been warned that it may have to

spend nearly half its #45,000 budget on providing a manager for the

event.

The event is planned for early September, but a confidential report

from the bridge general manager, Mr Bruce Grewar, warns that the

majority of applications received are asking for sums between #200 and

#300 a day, plus expenses and a commission on any sponsorship.

''With an estimated 60 days' work the basic costs excluding expenses

would be between #12,000 and #18,000,'' he said.

But the revelation triggered a protest from a Conservative member of

the Forth Road Bridge Joint Board, Councillor Tom Ponton, who said it

was the equivalent salary of at least #72,000 a year, and created a

nonsense of the whole event.

A special sub-committee of the board was set up earlier this year to

co-ordinate the plans, and planned a mini tattoo and a civic reception

in addition to a laser show and floodlighting for the bridge.

The sub-committee is composed mainly of Labour councillors from

Lothian region and had been told that while extra funds could be secured

by selling commemorative souvenirs it would be necessary to consider

commercial sponsorship.

But in his report, to be discussed at a private meeting today, Mr

Grewar said: ''With an event lasting about only three hours it would

seem unlikely that we could raise sufficient sponsorship to offset the

employment of one of these firms. We have not made the budgetary

provision for this level of expenditure on event management.''

Councillor Ponton said it would mean spending half the expenditure for

the celebration on a manager to organise it.

''It is a nonsense and it would be as well to call the whole thing

off. Even the chief executive of Lothian region, who has a far more

responsible position, does not get a salary of #72,000 a year.''

However, Councillor John Wesley, who chairs the board said: ''At this

stage we haven't decided on anybody. We don't know what the costs will

be. We will try to explore every avenue to make this a successful

event.''