DerekJackson
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Sheefag you need to realise that this was NOT a new company they created from their existing staff and assets that belonged to the Council (us as ratepayers).
If anyone starts a business up from scratch they would clearly produce a cash flow budget and ensure there was sufficient in the bank balances/loan finance to cover first year trading one off establishment costs. In this case the Council said it would be zero impact on the Council finance– this clearly is not the case on this occasion.
My other post about Sprouts is exactly the same – nil cost to the Council
Wait until you see the figures for how much will have to go into the Arts Hub over an above the figures shown in the budget it will pail the cleaning and nursery project into insignificance.Andrew – were you not part of the ruling group that decoded to press a head with the City status bid–
The St Joseph’s site is owned by the Catholic Diocese – so if the Sontley Road site was sold they would have funds to put to a new project. The Anglican Church in Wales has an Education Trust Fund worth over £12 million that was partly from the proceeds of church lands sold that have now been built on down Holt Road. On addition the sites of St. Giles and St. Annes are owned by the respective faith group.
This potential ‘bundle’ could result in faith based education being transformed as other faiths may wish to link in as well.The Council are very quick to condemn buildings which are then found not to have been as bad a s first thought.
2 years ago Plas Madoc Leisure Centre had to close as it needed to much spending on it — well that report was totally discredited with non existent leaks etc and the building now remaining open.
18 months ago Waterworld was supposedly needing £100k to be spent — what happens a Leisure Trust comes along and the next thing is that it is saved?
I am sure there would be others readers of the threads could highlight..The overall track record of Councillors and \Officers controlling large capital projects is not good — look at the massive over run of budget on the super schools for Clywedog and Rhosnessni.
The Groves is another example of using photos of selected parts of the building to condemn the structure– it is only a few months ago when Coleg Cambria spent a large amount on plans for the building that did not involve demolition — how can mass deterioration occur over three months?
The only difference is Coleg Cambria using a set of architects that were creative rather than some other outfit the Council have selected having given them a brief which is to conclude the building needs to come down.The information that was in the Public domain has always been an Educational covenant on the land- possibly but could be leased to a private education establishment – but the Council seem to be about big capital receipts from selling off the family silver.
St Josephs has the highest standards in Wrexham is correct but they also are bursting at the seems so would make sense for a move– perhaps even the establishment of a multi faith school — it is already Catholic and Anglican – there are bound to be some personal links between some of the Executive Board and St Joseph’s.
Without St Josephs in Wrexham propping up the overall town results Wrexham Town Education would probably be in Special Measures (apologies to teachers, pupils and Governors in the other schools who are now starting to improve standards through lots of hard effort)There is no logic to build another town centre school as the increased capacity agreed this week for Alexandra and Plas Coch should surly take into account projections- an extension to an existing school is cheaper.
Is this however more to do with replacing one of the existing schools within the town area and then sell the old land to build on.
Problem solved with what to do with the Groves site
Problem solved about how to fund a school
Problem solved to cope with increased pupil numbersOptions 1- close St Giles and St Josephs and create a through school on one site.– St Giles borders the current vacant site on St Giles Way to create one single plot. St Josephs has potential to have high land value given it’s location.
Option 2- ????Between the Arts Hub, Police Station, Schools and down turn in shops creates a box of jigsaw pieces but who has the picture to find where they all fit!
Could someone please explain how a building that has been closed for 13 years suddenly has an asbestos problem as the Leader of the Council stated this morning– as a duty of care should this nit have been known from day one when it was first moth balled — if it is an issue now was it an issue when pupils where there during the rebuilding of Clywedog and Rhosnessni. How many pupils and teachers have been contaminated over the years?
Emotion wont keep this building open!! What should be investigated is the health of those that have used the school over the years.The finances for this whole project needs to put together in a proper accountancy format with a red , amber , green categorisation of the income streams. That would start to visually show what a disastrous proposition this is. There cant be a single business advisor or accountant that could support the financials as most would either be red or amber as far as being secured. The uncertainty level is sky high.
The variables for the income on this project account for at least 80%- but the expenditure is known for about 80% – this creates a 100% risk level of whether the ‘business’ would be able to pay its way.
The Wales Audit of Wrexham Council next year is really going to be interesting as to how they can endorse the actions of this Council.Ddraig – can agree with most of what you are saying BUT and it is a very big BUT at a time of so many other services being cut shouldn’t we the ratepayers of Wrexham get asked whether we want millions spending on the building and £100k a year there after spending on this project rather than schools and Social Services.
The more you look at this the more you realistic the figures don’t stack up- take all the emotion out of everyone’s rhetoric and look at the business case.
It can be built only if there is over £2million of Arts Council funding — it will then loose money £80k upwards even after doubling the visitor numbers to 100,000 and doubling the car park charges–
The issue for me is what is the maximum level of subsidy that ratepayers would allow to go into this venture- and make a business case to meet this figure.
