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'We don't have the money to transform Mechanics' says Swindon Council

3:10pm Saturday 29th November 2008 in News Photograph of the Author By Sarah Hilley

The Mechanics' Institute The Mechanics' Institute

CASH strapped Swindon Council would transform the Mechanics’ Institute – but it has not got the money.

So says council leader Rod Bluh.

He made the comments after publication of an independent report that said the council had not probed alternative pots of cash for the restoration of the much-loved building.

The council cannot afford to buy the historic building in the Railway Village but has been in talks with English Heritage and owner Mathew Singh on its future restoration. But the conservation body has objected to the restoration plans – and Mr Singh’s latest plan is to build luxury flats and a conference centre.

Now a Planning Inspectorate report on the Swindon Central Area Action Plan says it has seen no evidence that other sources of cash have been explored to restore the building as a centre for learning, cultural and social activities.

It says the council must demonstrate alternative ownership and a cultural learning centre is not feasible before it can look at other uses of the building.

Coun Bluh said: “My priority is to make sure the Mechanics’ Institute is regenerated. But the authority does not have the capital or revenue. If we had the capital we would put it into schools.

“It is not our building and not in our ownership. It is a very complex issue.

“If it was easy, it would be sorted out by now, but it is not easy. The longer it continues it is not good for Swindon’s image or regeneration.”

The building in Emlyn Square was rated in a report last year as being in a poor condition with a priority ‘A’ risk.

Charity The New Mechanics’ Trust has been campaigning for the resurrection of the building as a community resource.

Chairman Daniel Rose said: “We consider that this latest decision throws the council’s past actions and policy into disarray.

“The inspector clearly understood the trust’s argument that plans for a hotel are not a form of ‘public access’. The trust is considering ways in which we can now move forward urgently to ensure that this landmark legacy of the Swindon community’s past achievement figures boldly in the plans for Swindon’s future.”

He plans to get in touch with Mathew Singh, the council and MPs to discuss the purchase of the building with grant money and fundraising cash.

Comments(25)

Mum's The Word says...
3:56pm Sat 29 Nov 08

Let me know Daniel if you want any fundraising done!

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flicky says...
3:59pm Sat 29 Nov 08

That is a good idea. Would others be interested in fundraising...and how much money are we talking about?

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Mum's The Word says...
4:42pm Sat 29 Nov 08

Flicky it's a few million! But hey great minds. We should get together with New Mechanics and do it!

http://www.facebook.
com/home.php?#/group
.php?gid=16096720316

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malkym1 says...
5:27pm Sat 29 Nov 08

I'm not going down this road again!! Don't want to upset MTW - lol! - mind you upsetting Flicks? Well uummm!! now there's a thought???? Nah! Best Nuke it eh Mum's (rofl lol!)

Seriously why not approach Mr S to keep the outside facade and let him do what he likes inside?

Mum's are you seriously suggesting you think you can raise enough dosh to restore all of the MI to its former glory -inside & out? I wish you luck if you are but I reckon predicting tonight's lottery winners might be easier!

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malkym1 says...
5:31pm Sat 29 Nov 08

PS -and ...if you do find the money to purchase the building through grants and fund-raising how on earth are you going to find the dosh to restore it!

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Mum's The Word says...
6:00pm Sat 29 Nov 08

I know just the man to restore :) Anything is possible Malkym darling, reach for the stars

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Bobfm says...
6:45pm Sat 29 Nov 08

I think if I were Mr Singh, I would hand it over to the trust and tell them to get on with it.

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Bones says...
7:51pm Sat 29 Nov 08

This is frankly scandalous. Swindon Borough Council have been pulled up by central government on a policy they have pursued for years, a failed policy that has left the MI to rot and the people of Swindon have lost out. To cap it all off Bluh would rather fob us all off by avoiding the issue. Its not about the Council not having the money, we accept that, the government inspector's comment is that the council is not supporting the people of Swindon by actively and genuinely seeking external funds to achieve the aim of restoration. The same external funds that towns and cities across the country are using for their regeneration programmes. They have failed us and they continue to do so by refusing to accept mistakes and work to fix them.

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Donkey says...
11:11pm Sat 29 Nov 08

The previous Labour administration had a great idea for raising the cash to build the new library ... up the Council Tax a bit, but the electorate showed exactly how much they wanted this new building at the time by susequently voting them out, with the help of Conservative propoganda against the CT increases of course!

Why don't the Tories raise the Council Tax to pay for the refurbishment of the MI, though since Council Tax will probably be into double figures next May, as it is ... they would not risk it even with no elections next year in Swindon?

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ourtone says...
7:49am Sun 30 Nov 08

Then knock it down.

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RFM says...
9:58am Sun 30 Nov 08

Bones said: "The same external funds that towns and cities across the country are using for their regeneration programmes."

I would rather any such funds be used to improve education in the town - either building new schools or renovating old ones before any money was spent on the MI. Far more important to have well educated children than somewhere for the WI to meet up!

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sid1 says...
10:16am Sun 30 Nov 08

When Swindon Works closed the council could have taken ownership for £1, so they only have themselves to blame for the current mess, by the way who is Daniel Rose, I cannot remember his name from my Railway days, we need people a railway past to be involved.

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Bobfm says...
10:49am Sun 30 Nov 08

Here is the classic dilemma, many will be up in arms about the state of MI, but asked whether they want to put their hands in their pockets to save it, most would probably say no, it's privately owned.

Given that HMG have condemned ( for obvious political reasons) the councils stance, perhaps our to MP's could call on the South West RDA to put up the funds for the Trust to buy it and restore it, £15 million should cover it. Slightly cheaper than the new shopping complexes now proposed.

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Mum's The Word says...
11:20am Sun 30 Nov 08

Sid, perhaps you could join the New Mechanics Trust if you have a railway history? I am sure that they would welcome you with open arms with your kind of history and experience. Please do get in touch. Here is the link to the site
http://www.new-mecha
nics.com/2003/07/24/
this-is-our-heritage
/

Kind Regards
Beckie

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Robh says...
11:37am Sun 30 Nov 08

Can I just remind everyone that The MI became a dilapidated shell under many years of Labour control. If they had taken some action it wouldn't have reached the point of no return. When the Tories took over restoration was really a lost cause.

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malkym1 says...
1:06pm Sun 30 Nov 08

Robh wrote:
Can I just remind everyone that The MI became a dilapidated shell under many years of Labour control. If they had taken some action it wouldn't have reached the point of no return. When the Tories took over restoration was really a lost cause.
Spot on RobH -exactimondo - Bates, Small, & Co. - old Eeyore's conveniently forgotten that in his rantings on here!


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I Too says...
1:18pm Sun 30 Nov 08

Why not use the fifty two million pounds canal money?

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I Too says...
1:55pm Sun 30 Nov 08

Why noy use the fifty two million pounds canal money ?

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I Too says...
1:58pm Sun 30 Nov 08

I have no idea why the first comment didn't appear for half an hour, but surfaced when I posted the second one. Still at least my spelling was ok the first time

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I Too says...
2:08pm Sun 30 Nov 08

Muse Developments has signed up to deliver a £350m scheme on land between the station and the town centre.

The development, called Union Square, will include 160,000sq m of offices and homes.

Now a Planning Inspectorate report on the Swindon Central Area Action Plan says it has seen no evidence that other sources of cash have been explored to restore the building as a centre for learning, cultural and social activities.

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Always Grumpy says...
5:49pm Sun 30 Nov 08

Donkey wrote:
The previous Labour administration had a great idea for raising the cash to build the new library ... up the Council Tax a bit, but the electorate showed exactly how much they wanted this new building at the time by susequently voting them out, with the help of Conservative propoganda against the CT increases of course!

Why don't the Tories raise the Council Tax to pay for the refurbishment of the MI, though since Council Tax will probably be into double figures next May, as it is ... they would not risk it even with no elections next year in Swindon?
You can pay more council tax if you like, but keep me out of that one. I already pay more than enough and get very little benefit from it and I certainly do not want to pay any more for lame duck enterprises.

If the council want the money, then they can stop giving grants, housing subsidies and the like to the scores of unmarried mothers and serial dossers in the town.

Previous Labour administrations have wasted more than enough money in the past under the evil Bates regime that would have refurbished the Mechanics a dozen times.

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erniebond says...
7:33pm Sun 30 Nov 08

Quite right Donkey.
Then the Conservatives turned around and claimed that they funded the new library.

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Dick-Turpin says...
9:38pm Sun 30 Nov 08

Are we going to see 2.5% reduction on the services that we pay for through the council?

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Mum's The Word says...
10:33pm Sun 30 Nov 08

I too

Sensible person!

Pls would you consider joining? Great minds and all that ...

http://www.facebook.
com/s.php?k=10000000
4&id=51484301124&gr=
2&sid=482a8e7d2119d2
9259466a6b67e1be70&n
=-1&o=4&s=10&hash=47
5a9402a278a825b7b884
55fdda4521&sf=p#/gro
up.php?gid=160967203
16&ref=ts

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still an oldcrone says...
12:04am Mon 1 Dec 08

Hi MTW whats that about MI on facebook?

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