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Block67 · Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:08 pm Post subject: THE BOWL-£26,000 ALREADY WASTED?

Hi all,
the wife and I attended a meeting at the fire station to discuss the future development of the local bowl (area for the kid to skateboard, bmx etc). Various council members/workers, police, etc, were in attendance, as well as some of the local kids. After the meeting, we were all asked to go outside and see what had been done.
I was amazed, and thoroughly disgusted, at the flippant waste of money (£26,000) for a dodgy bit of fencing and the cracks filled with cement, not forgetting the drainage that still doesn't work. As far as I am concerned, the job wasn't worth half that, and for that kind of money, I was expecting to find it totally resurfaced with a new layout for the kids.
The reason that I say this is that last last year my wife and I attended a meeting with some of the above after talking (yes, talking) to the local children to see what they wanted done about it. The meeting then was a total waste of time, as the owner of a landscaping business we offered our services free on the priviso that the materials were supplied AND also had some of the local kids interested in helping remake the bowl, but that suggestion was disregarded. The materials for the job (including finishing off the now incomplete fencing(they ran out of money?), total resuracing and redesigning would of been less than half of that ridiculous amount.
It would appear that they are now planning to spend even more money on it, doing what god knows, or how much longer it will take. The kids need something doing now really, not in another 12 months for yet another bodge job.
My interest in all this: my kids are now too old and fed up with it, but it would be nice to get it sorted for my granchildren and other local kids before they too get fed up with bureaucracy and "preffered" tenders.
Ps, please remember that our labour was offered FREE, we had no intention of lining our own pockets.
Your opinions on this matter would be appreciated, and I do have photo's of the bowl last year, and what cost £26k this year!.....perhapsI ought to contact the local paper???

Top Dog · Site Moderator Joined: 06 Jun 2007 Posts: 1570 Status:

Prehaps you could ask them for a run down on exactley how the 26k was spent?
It does seem a lot of money for the work inwhich you have mentioned.
Have you got any petitions running,If you have get as many local people to sign to show the council that you have local backing.
Good luck. Big Smile

GTB · Bentlian Oldboy Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 865 Status:

I agree with Top Dog on this, Block67, I would ask them (politely at first) for a breakdown of the costs involved in carrying out this contract, that way you can see where and how the money was spent. From what you say it sounds like some of it was just a patch-up job rather than new-build. :?

Bear · Bentlian Oldboy Joined: 13 Jun 2007 Posts: 822 Status:

Block 67 if the work was paid for from council funds you are entitled under freedom of information legislation to a full breakdown of the costs. I think in this instance it would be in the interests of all the tax payers of Calne to find out exactly where the money went.

GTB · Bentlian Oldboy Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 865 Status:

Hear hear!

GTB · Bentlian Oldboy Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 865 Status:

Any update of this?
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Block67 · Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 7:58 am Post subject:

Nope, after basically wasting twelve months trying to do our best and getting nowhere, the final insult was the sheer cost that was wasted basically just on fencing, and a surveyor???? (just for a fence?)
I no longer run my business anymore due to illness, so I wouldn't be able to offer the help that was previously on the table, and as a direct consequence, have lost all interest and faith in this project.

Local lass · Calnetalk Oracle Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 2566 Status:

thats just daft Roll eyes

Geddi · Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:17 pm Post subject:

Just came across this. There is more on here than is easy to get through fast.

I agree with you Block about the amount of cash wasted. As a man who spent most of his working life working on building projects, including ground work, I was gob smacked at such a botch job done. I am wondering who the tenders were who put in bids for the job?

I am aware you've lost all interest, but I am sure I know one or two people who can wiggle through this. If I find more I will post it here.
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Democracy is dead.

Local lass · Calnetalk Oracle Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 2566 Status: