Lottery funding the spa gardens
I read in the Evening star today, that Doreen savage and Andy Smith are hoping to appoint the contractors to rejuvenate that gardens by April, this year.
All fine, but what happens once the gardens have been rejuvenated etc?
Who is going to look after them, and keep the, in top top condition that they will be handed over to us? We have seen a decline in the gardens over the past few years , more and more, sycamore trees, brambles, weeds etc, apart from any sweeping and cleaning of the path ways and steps etc. so once we have these new gardens etc, who is caring for them? Or is it a case that in say another 5 or 10 years we will be back to square one again, with run down gardens and very little maintenance?
Also on the subject , why do we need a shelter in the gardens beside the town hall? We had a shelter here some years ago, which went into decline and was eventually knocked down? So why put one back again? Surely the money could have been spent else where?
Maybe Doreen or Andy can let us know their thoughts on this?
All fine, but what happens once the gardens have been rejuvenated etc?
Who is going to look after them, and keep the, in top top condition that they will be handed over to us? We have seen a decline in the gardens over the past few years , more and more, sycamore trees, brambles, weeds etc, apart from any sweeping and cleaning of the path ways and steps etc. so once we have these new gardens etc, who is caring for them? Or is it a case that in say another 5 or 10 years we will be back to square one again, with run down gardens and very little maintenance?
Also on the subject , why do we need a shelter in the gardens beside the town hall? We had a shelter here some years ago, which went into decline and was eventually knocked down? So why put one back again? Surely the money could have been spent else where?
Maybe Doreen or Andy can let us know their thoughts on this?
Comments
So, let's blow £2,750,000 on plants that will all be dead inside 24 months, rather than making the whole of the seafront more attractive.
Badly done. Badly done indeed.
Interesting that to subsidise the Spa was 250k a year, which they cannot find, yet we can spend 250k of lottery funding on flowers that sas you rightly say, will be dead in no time because they won't be able to afford to maintain them.
Hey.. at least they will make a pretty surround to the boarded up and vandalised Spa Pavilion. That's if it doesn't have a mystery fire.
Just saying...
Yes you are right there, what a lovely surround it will make for the vandalised Spa Pavilion, of course the mystery fire is always an option, as we have seen so many times before with our derelict buildings in Felixstowe.
It would be nice to hear the comments from one of our local councillors as to how and who will be tending and looking after the gardens once they have been replanted etc.
I am sure that our Councillors read these opinions and it would be nice to hear from one of them.
Next thing we will be expecting democracy. Asking locals how THEY would like the money spent on THEIR town? Never happen.
As I regularly spout.. it's about time we wnet back to an Urban council in Felixstowe, and stopped having our money spent in Southwold and Aldeburgh.
Just saying ..
The likes of Savage ., Smith and others should at least listen to the locals, They appear to have the right , or so they think to decide our town's future and that is their decision and ignore the people.
Yes we should have an Urban council definately.
Crying shame it would be, but it just shows the desperate mis-management of our assets by those who should be preserving them. Not sure the suggestion of financial gain should be considered.
My constant drum beat is purely that 'they' do not listen to local opinion, nor have enough regard for what those who sought to elect them expected from them. All we get is hard luck stories about govermnent cuts that get reflected in very visible cutbacks of services (grass cutting, street maintenance, theatres etc).
Yet they continue to sit on huge reserves 'just in case'. Just in case of what? That we need some of them to save local assets? That we need them to maintain standards that have slipped? Apparently not.
Just what exactly do they sit on umpteen millions of pounds of what is basically our money for?
Come the next election, I have no idea who I could vote for.
As for the rest of your post ... spot on!
Regarding the closure of the Spa and the increase on rent for Huts and Chalets.
As the letter writer states, one more nail in the Coffin for Felixstowe, Suffolk coastal, lets make it the most unpopular place on the East Coast.
Take the cash and plow nothing back in.
Lets hope that the New Pier will generate so life back into our Town
It is only a conversation I heard, but according to this source, only £150'000.00 is actually going on plants etc and these will be mainly shrubs, grasses etc, easy maintenance , so out of the complete funding or more than two million plus, we can see that consultancy fees, shelters etc take the majority of the cash.
What a farce. Who decided this and why were the towns people not asked their options.
I have commented in here and on other forums, plus letters in the Star on this risiculous waste of Lottery money on consultants etc. Of course, in proper fairness, I understand that part of the deal is the cost of salaries for those who will do the work; we all tend to forget that people havve to earn a living.
BUt whatever, it still wrankles hugely that only 10% of this funding will in the long term show any real benefit. I like it as it is and cannot se the point in hard times of spending the money there. BUt Lottery grants are specific and cannot be used for 'more demanding' projects.
Sign of the times I am afraid
Yes agree with you, however I met someone the other , whilst out walking etc and they were surveying the gardens for and on behalf of the probation services and have been asked to supply Community people(probation etc) to assist in the removing and I assume replanting etc etc.
Therefore wages kept at a minimum I would assume.
Too much spent on Consultants, planning managers etc.
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