mb1 wrote:The thing is Masked Woler that the college has already largely separated from the town. They changed their name from Ware College to Hertford RC, when they don't even have a campus in Hertford. They used to run a wide range of courses which, in the evenings, were available to people in the town - languages, car maintenance, maths, all sorts of things. They were an active part of the town. That stopped a long time ago. Their plan for cash generation ignored any considerations about what was appropriate for the site, so they angered a lot of people. By and large, I doubt now that many people would mind if they did vanish off elsewhere, although of course that is an empty threat from their principal as they don;t have the cash to go and build a new campus. If they want the support of the people of Ware, they need to show some involvement and support in the town of Ware.
Many of the classes moved to Turnford where they have new facilities - I know because I still attend mine there and have done for years.
As for cash - isn't that the point, by selling off the whole Ware site they could raise the money to complete the development of Turnford (isn't that pretty much what the threat is?)
I would think the people who rely on the college for their income would mind - most of the rest couldn't care either way and were probably not aware of the plans anyway, in my experience most residents have no idea what is going on.
Well, well, well...thanks to Martin for the steer to the newly posted Application. What a fascinating expose.
Funding
2.42 The College has worked extremely hard in pursuing all potential avenues of funding
for the required improvements, including consideration of grants, loans and use of
reserves. The College has secure a Government grant of £3.5m towards the project.
It has succeeded in securing this, whilst few other colleges have been able to secure
any funding at all, reflecting the very difficult climate for obtaining such funding. The
current funding climate is highly unlikely to changes for the foreseeable future, given
the need to repay national debt. A condition of the funding is that there is the
necessary ‘match funding’ from other sources. It is also a condition that the new
College building is open by September 2015. This means that planning permission
must be granted by April 2014.
2.43 Because the proposed enabling development has failed to secure planning
permission in February 2014, the College has no choice but to fund the shortfall in
match funding itself by utilising limited reserves. This has not been an easy decision
for the College and involves taking a risk financially. However, an equal risk would be
presented if the College lost the grant funding and failed to address the condition of
the buildings at the Ware Campus. The College will need to pursue residential
development proposals on the surplus land at the Ware Campus at a later date, given
this financial position.
So, the College is not going to abandon Ware, it has not lost the potential for funding from the Government and it is able to proceed with its Campus development by using its not insignificant reserves, plus some other funding accessed at risk. Residential development will be applied for later, but without the 'force majeur' tactics shown to local residents between September '13 and February 2014.
Financial Viability
7.8 As noted at section 2 of this document, the College has been very fortunate in
securing a Government grant of £3.5m, conditional on completing the proposed
development sufficiently quickly. It has also committed the maximum level of reserves
that it is able to. Because the enabling residential development was not approved in
February 2014, the College has had to take a risk in finding funds to cover the
shortfall. The College will need to pursue residential development proposals on the
surplus land at the Ware Campus at a later date, given this financial position.
The residential development, when it comes, will now be less intense, as it will not be hostage to the driving need for financing threatened before. It will be more thoughtful as to space and parking, and more in line with the immediate environment and the evident needs of individuals and families in Ware needing to move out of the many flats and apartments in town to family homes with gardens. Sanity dawns.
Interesting that there is repeated criticism of the withdrawal of funding for Phase 2 of the redevelopment back in 2008. No mention of the overspending of considerable sums in 2008/9 to correct design and building errors, which cost it a year of lost time (who remembers the tower crane standing tall and idle for 12 months?) and was the most significant reason why the modernisation had to stop, not the Government of the day realising it really did have no money left to spend.
Many of the classes moved to Turnford where they have new facilities - I know because I still attend mine there and have done for years.
As for cash - isn't that the point, by selling off the whole Ware site they could raise the money to complete the development of Turnford (isn't that pretty much what the threat is?)
I would think the people who rely on the college for their income would mind - most of the rest couldn't care either way and were probably not aware of the plans anyway, in my experience most residents have no idea what is going on.
Exactly right Masked Woler. What's the use to Ware of a college in Turnford called HRC - absolutely none.
Interesting Scottman that they had the money all along and just didn't want to use it. My impression of the college leadership and its regard for Ware continues to dip.
mb1 wrote:Interesting Scottman that they had the money all along and just didn't want to use it. My impression of the college leadership and its regard for Ware continues to dip.
That's not how I read it at all, they say they will be taking financial risks to get the money, presumably from other areas. In my view trying to not do that is good management.
(ps I find the college in Turnford very useful - given it's the only one I know in the County (and beyond) which still offers my course)
They had the money in reserves and now they've used it. Hardly a big risk, they just have to rebuild the reserve. Standard practice. I'm sure the Turnford College has good courses, but the fact remains they used to have useful courses in Ware and now they don't.
Last I heard they had over £15m in reserves so not sure in reality what their 'risk' is ? Another subtle sell to the public to gain sympathy for their future financial needs ?
As has been mentioned this ALL stems from the mismanagement of the last phase of development. So I would take some of what is now being quoted with a small pinch of salt.
So, local residents have now received letters from East Herts Council Planning to say that Herts Regional College (land owner) and Charles Church (proposed developer) are Appealing to the Secretary of State against the Council's refusal of an application for planning permission. The Appeal will be determined by the Public Enquiry procedure.
It seems that at the heart of this is the fact that the Council's Planners recommended acceptance of the plans, but the Council turned them down.
Scottman wrote:So, local residents have now received letters from East Herts Council Planning to say that Herts Regional College (land owner) and Charles Church (proposed developer) are Appealing to the Secretary of State against the Council's refusal of an application for planning permission. The Appeal will be determined by the Public Enquiry procedure.
It seems that at the heart of this is the fact that the Council's Planners recommended acceptance of the plans, but the Council turned them down.
And there was me thinking the Planners worked for the council and should therefore be in step with what the council would want ?
I take it these are the same planners that advised Premier Inn to ditch their proposed pitched roof in favour of a flat one only to have that turned down at Council as they would favour a pitched roof design ?
I thought Planners could only recommend acceptance based on the development following council rules and as far as I know the proposal didn't follow those rules relating to parking. Maybe the planners were the ones in the wrong and it's their decisions / ability to do their job that should be questioned.
Let's hope the decision stays the same and that department is asked to explain their actions.
I understand that HCC and the developers are using a property solicitor, who is challenging the Planning Committee's failure to follow its own Planners recommendations.
What is interesting is that the planners misapplied their own parking policy guidelines. One of the residents is trying to get that basic error corrected.