Wrexham Council Look to Public For Input on How to Make Savings of £5m
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I think that I would abandon the Arts Hub and sell off the Peoples Market building to developers or reconfigure it as an extension of Market Street Car Park (and add a Shop Mobility site).
Prior to doing that I would negotiate an agreement with the owners of the Henblas Street shopping development to open a state of the art Market within either the British Home Stores or the T J Hughes property (providing VVP money could be procured). When I say Market, I actually mean something far different from the stereotypical image of one and could be developed on a modern template with the type of Craft and Arts (for the marketplace) features so common in the US and Europe.
If the former action was revenue generating and the latter cost neutral this would be a good way of making savings. Given that the Arts Hub (as proposed) is going to make a huge loss over several years (if not for ever) it makes sense to explore more exciting developments…that might actually stack up. Using the BHS store would allow Queens Square to come into play and if the Council and the MP/AMs could get the Rates of any proposal written off this could be a viable site. Llanelli are already doing something similar
The Council proposal makes virtually no reference to income regeneration other than rate increase. Neither does it include anything about capital receipts from the sale of various properties- They had £1 million plus from the Moneypenny site, they currently have a report going through about the sale of two local farms.
What did they pay PWC for all their cost cutting ‘expertise’ – did they not get the savings they were contracted for after being paid millions for the work.Whatever input from the public is provided we can rest assure that 99.9% will be ignored by the main decision makers in this council.
One thing that is sure to happen is another council tax increase with the same bland excuses as given in previous years, pay even more for less as we are all in it together and we are seen as cash cows with deep pockets.
Still this council is becoming ‘lean and mean’ in their own eyes, you only have to look at the fancy job titles that a percentage of the employees have (or make up).
Yes the councillors listen to our views (NOT) and this council has an open door policy except when decisions have already been made behind closed doors so I would assume that another public input is highly anticipated.The Moneypenny site was purchased by Clwyd County Council and was inherited by Wrexham County Council on reorganisation, at the time of purchase it was envisaged as a technology site. Perhaps the income from this site will form part of the Council’s £1.5 million capital spending they have agreed for the Arts Hub.
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