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18/11/09
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We have a local vision which joins people and places.
We have a willing and committed group of people within this community.
We have "Broken Britain" and a changing world-scene screaming at us to do something responsive, something preventative and something lasting.
AUCTION DETAILS: November 24 2009, RH SEEL Auctioneers, Guide Price £320K
Potted History
Voluntary hours x four people x two & half years = in the thousands
Professional hours given = three hundred plus
- Architect. Graphic Designer. Business Planner. Graphic Artist. Chartered Surveyor. Solicitor.
First public meeting March 2006
The (then) Town Council gave residents group £2000 to look into feasibility of need. This funding gave birth to a Campaign.
Dec '06 Local Authority Chief Executive meets delegates.
-Summer '07 mooted as date for disposal of the asset.
* Lease or transfer of ownership not seen as an option
* School used for LEA storage space 2006-2009
ACCLtd - under direction of The Co-Op Centre Wales - establish legal model in readiness for a SHARES ISSUE
- 5000 leaflets distributed - door to door
With Summer approaching [disposal of asset] and £14k worth of pledges
Residents decided to have a Street Party to demonstrate the depth and strength of local willing
* 23 June 2007 Street Party *
More than 100 -from infants right through to Octagenerians - attended. Pledges rose to £15k
Shares Issue : 190 people have bought shares x £100 each
Note: -This number does not reflect support of other family members.
- The total sum doesn't take into account those unable to pledge to buy a share/s.
Summer 2007 passed and the school was not sold. Campaign to raise awareness continued. [Marion Pearse was elected to the Town Council, representing the Grofield Ward as an Independent. Elected for my personal stand on wellbeing and social care.
Laurie Jones commenced treatment for cancer
November 2007 Marion Pearse successfully applied for funding from UNLtd, the people who support social entrepreneurs.
£3,230 to build capaign capacity
DECEMBER-JAN 2007 - PRODUCED BUSINESS PLAN BASED ON TWO BORROWING SCENARIOS Based on a children's nursery. Using existing portakabins. HEAVY RAINS in 07/08 DAMAGED THE PORTAKABINS BEYOND REPAIR. Destroyed borrowing.
- The Film "Voices of Abergavenny" made in association with MONTV
* I wanted to make a film to capture some of the 'voices' willing the project to success.
* Film is a good way to reach more people.
- The site that hosts the film has been hit almost 5000 times (ref MonTV)
May 6 2007 Premiere
2000 invitations distributed to the public and a special letter went to all Councillors
Eighty people came to see the Premiere. Thirty or so new faces.
End 2006 Marion Pearse learns that England will benefit from an asset-transfer to community groups fund. I suspected it would come to Wales.
June 2008 Dep Minister for Regeneration announced funds were to come on stream to aid the transfer of assets - buildings and land - to community groups who want to take responsibility for developing social businesses which underpin sustainable local regeneration. Builth Wells. M Pearse in attendance.
August 2008 MCC submitt Outline Planning Application No.DC/2008/00023
Conversion of main building to residential. Development of existing play yard and car park for residential.
*46 recorded letters of objection from local residents
*Most supported the endeavours of local people to retain as a community facility
Planning committee approved but limited number to 12 units (if my memory serves me)
March 2009 ACC Ltd submitt Outline Planning Application No. DC/2009/00102
Conversion of the existing school into a community centre and community 'enterprise' centre and development of a children's nursery and workshops in the grounds.
*27 on-line statements & 8 hand-written letters of support for a Community facility on the site
Approved May 6 2009 * Good number of members' support from the floor
June 2009 - submitt an outline application to the Big Lottery (as still no news of asset-transfer)
September 8 2009 - phone call from MCC Estates dept to advise that the building will be auctioned 24 Nov 2009
Sept 8 - Oct 30 2009
An approach was made to Abergavenny Town Council Projects Committee by H Buhaenko & L Jones to ask the town to consider holding an asset in trust for community development and community use. A partnership between Magor & Undy Council & MCC have managed to secure a loan sanction from WAG for a £400K loan through the Public Works Loan Fund.
[The council was advised that a similar venture in Abergavenny would add about 75p per week to an average D Band home.]
- Subsequent action the following day, taken by a single individual [from the Chambers] gave ACC Ltd it's stongest indication yet as to the level of opposition and mis-interpretation, towards buying the school - therefore Directors made a conscious decision to keep the focus pinned to the goal - and not to be lead into a fruitless paper-exercise when the door had already been firmly closed. We stand by that decision as indeed our limited capacity prevents otherwise.
[The business plan is a living, changing document. Our business planner is on another continent. The economic downturn, the changing social picture and the loss of the portakabins have dictated.
October 14 2009 The proposal being made to the council was to visit the site - with an architect and a surveyor @ our cost was denied. The discussion took place with no member for Grofield ward present. Voted against 7 to 3 and barred from returning to the Chambers until April 2010.
Scant detail of the Community Asset Transfer fund appeared on BIG LOTTERY website telling viewers that details would be available at the end of October.
Meanwhile, details for date of the ANNOUNCEMENT became known by network users and two places were booked to take part in the workshop.
November 4th Minister Leighton Andrews announces the full details of the
COMMUNITY ASSETS TRANSFER FUND.
Fast Track Round : for groups ready to go. While we are a very very long way down the track - our chief obstacle remains ~ buying the building.
The fund is worth £800K. Capital and Revenue funds.
Consultees/Mentoring/Meetings/Training Sessions 2007-2009
- The CoOp Centre Wales
- Barry Spiers, Sbectrwm
- Jonathan Brown, Land For People
- Peter Williams, Development Trusts Association
- Geraldine Delaney, Heritage Trust Association
- Gareth Bickerton, UNLtd
- Ash Poddar, FreshTies
- Carnegie Trust / Rowntree Foundation /
- Planning Aid Wales/One Voice Wales/Business In The Community/Business Eye
- GAVO / BRYN Y CWM Community Forum / Cross Sector Partnership / Rural Community Action/ Communities First
- National Council Voluntary Organisations - Sustainable Funding Conference, London
- Dr Doug MacKenzie-Mohr, Fostering Sustianable Behaviour / Planed / Andy Middleton, Do Lectures
With kind thanks to...
* Lord Rowe-Beddoe * Cannon J H Winston *
* Niblett Architecture * John Cranna Structural Engineer *
* V. W for the Business Plan * R Jones & Assoc. * MonTV *