dippyhippy Posted March 22, 2014 Author Report Posted March 22, 2014 Afternoon Biomech! Right at the beginning of this thread, I said that even if you don't give two hoots about the building, the way in which this "deal" is being done should ring alarm bells! Those bells are obviously ringing in your head! With regard to The Boys Home, it was still being used as a functioning building up until a matter of days ago.....as a building of great historical local interest, I do believe it should be spared the bulldozers! With regard to the fire station....I don't begrudge them a new one, not at all....just think that other options for where it should be sited need to be considered. As I have said previously, there doesn't appear to be any joined up thinking around this. Lets gather all the facts, then and only then, can we make an informed decision about the fate of both of these buildings. I am hoping Mark Hubbards public meeting will give us that opportunity, and the veil of secrecy surrounding this will be lifted! By the way, the photo you posted??? The old Bulmers Woodpecker Club? I wouldn't be jumping up and down about that....but I honestly feel The Working Boys Home deserves better!!! Quote
Cambo Posted March 22, 2014 Report Posted March 22, 2014 I take your point biomech although I agree with dippy I don't think you can compare the bulmers woodpecker club with the working boys school! Does anyone recognise where this is? Just shows wot can be done by keeping the old along with the new!! Quote
dippyhippy Posted March 22, 2014 Author Report Posted March 22, 2014 Ah! The old General Hospital! They did a great job on this! Even the old Victoria Eye Hospital has been spared - and still looks beautiful as you walk past..... And look at what has been achieved at All Saints Church?? The old and the new, hand in hand. Quote
dippyhippy Posted March 22, 2014 Author Report Posted March 22, 2014 Aylestone Voice - have you heard back from your local councillor about sharing the email you were sent?? It would be great to have as many opinions as possible! Quote
Aylestone Voice Posted March 22, 2014 Report Posted March 22, 2014 Personally I have got involved in this because I think there are greater benefits to the people of Hereford if the site (whether you keep the building or not) is used for housing. I don't know what is inherently wrong with the existing fire station building and why other locations have been ruled out. Is there evidence that the fire station cannot be brought up to whatever standard is required? As expected this is turning into a debate covering a number of related issues which confuse the issue from my point of view:- =Fire service cuts =Who gets the old fire station =What happens to the old fire station =The Council "stitching up" the fire brigade Purely in the context of my involvement these are of little interest I do know that not all of the site would be sold in any event as some 25% at the rear is to be retained for Children's Services. Quote
dippyhippy Posted March 22, 2014 Author Report Posted March 22, 2014 Afternoon! Yes, there are many strands to this, some intertwined, some not so much! I have asked if a refurbishment of the current fire station is completely out of the question, but have not had a response about that point. I would hope that discussions can take place about alternative sites, but time is really not on our side.....I would like to think that given the interest this thread has generated that the public meeting Mark Hubbard is arranging will be well attended, and people take this opportunity to make their views known. My first concern is that The Boys Home is saved!! Quote
Cambo Posted March 22, 2014 Report Posted March 22, 2014 Yes i am in agreement with that ,the aim is to save the boys home…but if HWFRS agree to the purposed land swap with HC than we all know wot the out come will be!! So a public debate is a good idea & possibly a case can be made as to alternative location for a new fire station? Quote
dippyhippy Posted March 22, 2014 Author Report Posted March 22, 2014 Hopefully we will not have to wait too long until Cllr Hubbard announces the date of the public meeting, and who is going to be invited to speak. There is literally only a few weeks until the April 14th meeting, so really the sooner the better! Quote
dippyhippy Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Posted March 23, 2014 Good Morning Posters!! Day 10 ......and over 3000 page views!! Incredible stuff! Thanks to everyone who has taken the trouble to read this thread, and/or leave a comment....it's very much appreciated! Quote
megilleland Posted March 23, 2014 Report Posted March 23, 2014 from HEREFORD & WORCESTER Fire Authority Minutes Tuesday 18 June 2013 (page 36) Hereford Fire Station 21. Officers of the Service have been in extensive discussion with Herefordshire Futures, an organisation leading on the regeneration of Hereford City. Two sites have been examined in detail as part of a major link-road development scheme, but unfortunately neither satisfies minimum requirements for a new fire station location. Officers are now examining other options including development of the existing site. What are the minimum requirements? Where were the two sites rejected? Since this date what other sites have been being considered, other than Bath Street, which I assume is the existing site referred above? In view that Marcelle Lloyd-Hayes (IOC - Tupsley ward) and Bob Matthews (Independent - Credenhill) are Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Authority Members, has Cllr Mark Hubburd (IOC - Central ward) got together with them and Jim Kenyon (IOC - Tupsley ward) to discuss what is going on? Quote
dippyhippy Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Posted March 23, 2014 Do you know, Megilleland, I'm not so sure..... To me, when they say "existing site" I take it to mean where they are now.....if that IS the case, then it would appear that a complete refurbishment and upgrade programme, IS considered a possibility. (Something they have remained rather quiet about!) This report is dated 9 months ago....plenty of time, you would think, to have consulted the people of Hereford! Quote
dippyhippy Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Posted March 23, 2014 I still can't get my head around why Hereford Futures have been in such "extensive discussions", considering that at this point in time, they were being wound up. Quote
SON OF GRIDKNOCKER Posted March 23, 2014 Report Posted March 23, 2014 Although the Editor of the Hereford Times feels that the Working Boys Home debate on this site has elevated the Bath Street buildings to 'totemic' status, the subject's 3000+ visits would seemm to indicate that a great many people are concerned about the plight of these handsome buildings. There have been remarkably few dissenters. On Wednesday, Hereford & Worcester Fire Authority is due to meet behind closed doors to decide where it would like to site its new fire station. To aid members' deliberations, may I suggest that part of the large car park behind the city's soon-to-close Odeon would be an ideal location? Here are 7 reasons why it should be considered in preference to the Bath Street site on offer. It connects with a wider carriageway (less traffic jams at times of emergency call-outs) and has no fewer than three entrances, one of which will be only 50m from the eastern end of the proposed Link Road (ensuring rapid cross-city movement). It is in earshot of far fewer residential properties, and in both urban planning and conservation terms Commercial Road wins hands down over Bath Street. And in the fullness of time (when the housing market is buoyant once more), H&WFA can put its redundant St Owen Street fire station on the market for potential conversion into flats - a far more 'sustainable' solution than razing it to the ground to create an unwanted municipal car park. Quote
Cambo Posted March 23, 2014 Report Posted March 23, 2014 That's brilliant grid knocker you raise a lot of valid points as to why the bus station site is a better alternative than that of bath street!! I wonder if we can get someone to present this option @ H&WFB meeting on Wednesday? Quote
Cambo Posted March 23, 2014 Report Posted March 23, 2014 Penelope Creeley’s family transformed this fire station into their home; the tower at the rear of the building, once used to drain fire hoses, became her kids’ favorite hangout. Although this is an old fire station in the USA it just proves that with a little imagination skill & determination wot is achievable!!! Quote
dippyhippy Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Posted March 23, 2014 That's just lovely! I wouldn't mind living there! With regard to the public meeting, we need to be clear about which points we want answers to. 1. Is the fire station beyond repair? 2.Have developers been asked for their opinion on The Working Boys Home. 3. Would the bus station/cinema site not be a better option? etc. etc. etc. In other words, we need to get organised folks! Quote
Cambo Posted March 23, 2014 Report Posted March 23, 2014 This is wot they did with the old fire station in Bournemouth. So with a little imagination skill & determination the diversity of potential to covert old buildings is endless! Welcome to the Old Fire Station - The Old Fire Station www.oldfirestation.co.uk Quote
Cambo Posted March 23, 2014 Report Posted March 23, 2014 Hi dippy the three points you've raised are good ones & once it is decided want points need answering how do we go about raising them @ a public meeting? do we put someone forward to ask about said points or will it be a written request? Quote
SON OF GRIDKNOCKER Posted March 23, 2014 Report Posted March 23, 2014 Re Dippy's Q2, a close friend e-mailed Cllr Harry Bramer asking him this very question a week ago. To date - total silence! Perhaps TwoWheels can shed some light here: if a building in the council's ownership become surplus to requirements (eg: Bath Street Offices), wouldn't you think that that nice rolly-polly Mr Pickles would expect the council's Property Services Division to invite expressions of interest in the said property, thus ensuring that the asset (our asset) is disposed of for the best price possible? I would be extremely surprised if the developer who converted the old General Hospital (I believe it was Laings) has had a phone call from Cllr Bramer. Quote
dippyhippy Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Posted March 23, 2014 Evening All! Cambo, I posted a few days ago, asking Mark if questions would be taken from the public, but I haven't had a response to that question yet. I am thinking we may have to send in written questions, but until we know for sure,I am as much in the dark as you as to what format this meeting will take. There could (hopefully!) be many others with questions they want answers to, so we need to be succinct and to the point, in raising the issues we are most concerned about. If they are to be written questions, I would suggest The Mighty Grid Knocker words them - the man is a genius! Quote
dippyhippy Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Posted March 23, 2014 Two Hundred Comments!! Absolutely Fabulous! My Posting Pals, you have done yourselves proud! Quote
Cambo Posted March 23, 2014 Report Posted March 23, 2014 Then I second that motion the mighty grid knocker to write down the questions we want answers too! Quote
megilleland Posted March 23, 2014 Report Posted March 23, 2014 Cambo, on 23 Mar 2014 - 5:38 PM, said: Welcome to the Old Fire Station - The Old Fire Station www.oldfirestation.co.uk A fine building adding interest to the street scene, better than a car park! Quote
dippyhippy Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Posted March 23, 2014 Then I second that motion the mighty grid knocker to write down the questions we want answers too!Wouldn't it be funny if he wrote them in Latin....???Grid Knocker is a bit good at that sort of thing!! Quote
Biomech Posted March 23, 2014 Report Posted March 23, 2014 This thread moves too fast for me :PJust wanted to pipe up and say yes, I do agree with you all. I don;t think the boys home is the right place for a fire station and the posted examples of things done right I've always agreed with. I've been to the old hospital before and it's lovely. Quote
Cambo Posted March 23, 2014 Report Posted March 23, 2014 It sure does megilleland… & to think Hereford doesn't really have a venue to hold top acts since they stop having them @ the leisure centre?! Quote
dippyhippy Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Posted March 23, 2014 Aww! Thanks Biomech! Your support is very much appreciated! Quote
dippyhippy Posted March 23, 2014 Author Report Posted March 23, 2014 Hi GridKnocker, just a thought.... My dear friend Pat Morgan gave a fairly detailed account of getting "best value" for surplus council buildings, in a letter she wrote to the Hereford Times. The letter is still up on the Your Say page.....along with 34 comments, and an extremely good poem, if I do say so myself! Have a look, and if you can post a link up to this, that would be great!! Quote
SON OF GRIDKNOCKER Posted March 24, 2014 Report Posted March 24, 2014 I'll take a look. And I've started drawing up the list of questions. Quote
megilleland Posted March 24, 2014 Report Posted March 24, 2014 Here you are Dippy. From Hereford Times - Friday 1st November 2013 in Letters Cllr Patricia Morgan, Cabinet Member, Assets and Corporate Services, Frome Ward, Herefordshire Council, says asset sell-off was done in best way WITH reference to your article on sales of council assets (October 17), Herefordshire Council like many other councils owns many assets ranging from tiny parcels of land to offices such as Plough Lane. Herefordshire Council has a duty to manage the asset portfolio so that it uses county taxpayers’ money to best advantage. Inevitably over time, some of the assets have become surplus to requirements either because they are not delivering a sufficient return and/or that they are no longer strategically important to support the delivery of services. Currently the council has a policy for the disposal of surplus assets which has been in operation since 2009. The assets recently sold at auction were part of a series of three auctions to sell off surplus assets under the current policy. The first was in July and a third is planned for February next year. This is not some “fire†sale but a planned approach to ensure best value for the taxpayer. There are many ways to sell assets but the key driver must surely be ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. The use of an auction using a government procured supplier is a tried and tested method available to councils and government departments for asset disposal. It offers relatively low fixed price commission; is highly competitive as tendered by the government’s procurement service; ensures local, national and global coverage; requires no tendering process so HC incurs no procurement cost; demonstrates best practice and value for money, promoted by the cabinet office; and reduces bureaucracy with instant access to service and very quick turnaround. The results of the two auctions have confirmed that this has been a good decision. All lots at both auctions sold within 24 hours. All reserve prices were met and many substantially exceeded. A competitive auction attracted local, national and international interest. All money raised at the auction from sales must go into the corporate capital pot. This money can only be used to offset debt or fund a capital project. If debt is offset this can support the revenue position as interest payments will be reduced. Cllr PATRICIA MORGAN, Cabinet Member, Assets and Corporate Services, Frome Ward, Herefordshire Council. I have saved the comments in case HT remove this letter. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.