JaneJ
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PW ask how much is it costing to run Ty Pawb compared with budget and where has the funding come from to cover the shortfall?? How many traders in Ty Pawb are on rent free or reduced rent to maintain occupancy? These points interlink with the bigger marketing budget Jimbow refers.
Perhaps PW will respond to Jimbow on what has happened to all the funding that has come to Wrexham for the markets yet clearly there has been no investment — Perhaps PW would like to put on record how much of the funding intended for the markets has actually gone into propping up the finances in TY Pawb?
Well I will first acknowledge that Cllr Wynn is one of the very few Councillors who have been prepared to put their head above the parapet and gauge views. Yes Plaid have nailed their colours to the mast but how many of the others have bothered to ask any of their electorate.
However! PW has a number of flaws in his argument-
National chains will invest in a city more than a market town — incorrect and no evidence to show this as many key shopping streets in different cities are facing the same problems at ‘Market Towns’Why is it after £100sK spent by the Council (Yes PWs colleagues on the Council Executive) on various reports about the town little has been achieved yet PW and many others in the Council – Elected Members and Senior Officers are now banking on 2 Actors investing in the Football Club. PW talks about crowds of 10,000 (really ) clubs are dependent on away club fans coming as well yet these are only a few hundred even when the actors are present. How many people who attended the match when the two of them were watching where watching the football on the pitch, how many spent all their time watching the stand/actors and how many went because they thought they would be on the Netflix film being made. Also even with a crowd of 10k the income will hardly cover the weekly running costs of the club. Even if by a miraculous chance Wrexham progressed year on year it will be 7 years before Premiership!
Wrexham as Capital of North Wales is unlikely to be accepted by those living in Gwynedd and Anglesey or even closer to home Flintshire- we don’t just have a North/South divide but an East/West as well.
And finally as non of the Councillors – Independent or Party Political included anything about city status in their last election documents they should all be engaging with the public — yes current Councillors need to remember that there is an Election in May and a number of current Members have already said they are not standing and if the electorate vote the same way as in the General Election we may be looking at the Conservatives having the largest number of Members on the Council.
So gaining City status will not cost anything!!
“We also asked about the new costs associated with a successful city status bit, Mr Bancroft replied, “There are no costs that we envisage that we have to undertake. We don’t have to necessarily rebrand, that’s our choice in terms of whether we want to do that. So all those decisions are independent, again, of city status, there is not a requirement to spend money as a result of city status happening.”
No rebranding costs
No promotion and marketing costs
No increase in salary levels (make your own mind up whether areas that have a city command higher salary!)https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/town_hall_rich_list_2021
No costs to keep the street clear of rough sleepersDoesn’t bode well for the potential of a city bid (if decided to submit) – if Westminster don’t wish to invest in Wrexham through this funding that was rejected last week for the ‘Western Gateway’ and now crumbs off the table of a couple of hundred thousand when a £40+ million fund for Wales should have brought in at least £2million on a pro rata base. Either background Politics or poor bid writing. Either way looks like Wrexham has definitely not had its share.
The point was the map followed a random boundary that was set 100’s years ago after fighting for lands. I was trying to highlight the whole Wales/England division that has been reflected during the whole pandemic. Political boundaries do not mean infections stop at the edge – surly for the sake of overall clarity it should have been a joint England / Wales Government statement.
Congratulations to South Clywyd – commiseration to Wrexham Town project — just shows the hype around our Hollywood stars has not filtered through the Political corridors of Westminster– no money for the Western Gateway, No money for Footballs ground redevelopment, no money for the Railway station Transport Hub- all good projects but unless Ryan and his Hollywood buddies bring open cheques with them this week to the game these wont happen for a considerable time.
Not sure if BBC are ding sloppy reporting oin whether the Civil Servants are unsure of the map of Wales but they quote “Redevelopment of the Theatr Brycheiniog Arts Centre in Wrexham” – no we are nit getting another Ty Pawb this project its actually based in Brecon!!
Jimbow – looks like you may be correct – I had always been under the impression from Councillors I had spoken to a few years ago they made no contribution —
Co n t r i b u t i o n s
Elected members who participate in the LGPS will pay a 6%
contribution to the Scheme. The local authority’s scheme of
members allowances must specify which allowances attract
pension contribution e.g. contributions can be payable on the
basic allowance, any special responsibility allowance or both of
these allowances.
The Council is required to pay a rate of contribution,
expressed as a percentage of employee’s or elected member’s
pensionable earnings or allowances. The Council’s contribution
rate fluctuates and is designed to maintain the solvency of the
Pension Fund. The Council’s contribution rate is reviewed
every 3 years by the Pension Fund’s ActuaryThe Councillors are part of a non contributory pension scheme- i.e. they don’t have to pay anything the amount that goes in is a % of the wage/allowance.
Re the % of voters if you break that down most Councillors are elected with less than 15% in their favour
One of the biggest issues at Local Councils is that there are so many ‘independent’ Council Members who cannot be brought to account as they don’t have a manifesto apart from statements about what they will do for ‘their’ own community. At least when Party politics was stronger they put out a manifesto and clear commitments – if they did not deliver then they could be challenged.
It would not be so bad if all the Independents once they had formed their Group in order to claim the higher paid Executive Board positions put out a full statement of intent. Also many Councillors think their role is just to deal with their own community issues they fail in taking on corporate responsibilities for such things as Education, Social Services etc.
