CHECK your facts,council leader Sir Harry Jones has told an AM who criticised city chiefs' preparation for Newport's new arts centre.

His attack came after John Griffiths, Assembly Member for Newport East, said in Saturday's Argus that the council should get on with the centre's opening.

We revealed that while a star-studded opening night is planned for Cardiff's Wales Millennium Centre, New-port's planning is lagging behind.

The £104m Cardiff centre has a team of 20 planning opening night for winter 2004, and they are even drawing up events for the first two years. But Newport has no such plans yet, even thought it is set to open months earlier in a new £13m riverside building.

Sir Harry said Mr Griffiths should have asked what was going on before speaking out. He denied that Newport was trailing behind Cardiff.

The council felt the comments were unfair and Sir Harry told a council meeting on Tuesday: "There's an expectation (by the media) that AMs and MPs are the centre of all knowledge and understanding.

"I don't blame them - none of us have all the answers all the time. I would say to them: ask before you speak."

Mr Griffiths said afterwards that he did support the arts centre scheme. "It's a very important initiative for Newport," he said.

"I applaud the council for taking it forward and doing everything to make it the success it will be."

Glyn Jarvis, cabinet member for culture and leisure, said initial interviews for an arts officer were unsuccessful, but a second round was being started.

A spokesman for Newport council said: "The centre is on track to open with an exciting and diverse range of activities. A team of six marketing and programme staff are now being recruited."