In the case of areas like both Sidmouth and here in Weymouth and Portland, where tourism is the main local business, it sometimes seems as if supporting private business is all that these council's see to be their main concern. As most of the councillors do tend to be local business people (hotel owners etc) this is probably not too surprising.

Not a summer weekend goes by here without a festival of some sort. Either orgainised directly by the council's tourism dept or part funded by them. With the money that many local folk pay, who are not directly connected with tourism at all....