Ferret has been contacted by a resident who had previously made representations to Hemsworth Town Council regarding the possible use of the former allotment site at Fitzwilliam, as a Rugby league centre.
They were apparently told that the land had already been sold and the proceeds from the sale had been earmarked for use at the “new” sports complex at Kirkby Road Hemsworth.
As we all now know, this folly was Mr Jim Kenyon, Chair – Independent Hemsworth Town Council and District Councillor Mr Womersley’s pipe dream going back to 2008 and it mattered not one iota to them that the sites sports facilities had already been replaced to a far superior standard at Sandygate Lane Hemsworth as agreed and approved by Sport England and others, with additional improvement work also being undertaken on Cemetery Road, also situated in Hemsworth.
Ferret has concerns with this for a number of reasons:
Has the land already been sold?
Normally Ferret would think not, but given the amount of business conducted behind closed doors by this council and not all the Councillors are informed of the decisions taken, this cannot be taken for granted.
Why should the sale of a very large area of land in Fitzwilliam be used solely in another area of the Township, without public consultation and on projects that are already very well catered for?
Despite no official acknowledgement from Hemsworth Town Council, we know that their attempt to rescind the sale of the land at Kirkby Road to Saul Construction Limited has ended in humiliating failure, with us the precept payers, having to bear the brunt of this expensive and ill thought out “dream” of Kenyon and Womersley.
Ferret has also been made aware of another twist to this tale, Mr Womersley actually approached the previous Town Council about the Fitzwilliam Club Terrace site and its use for Rugby.
The council agreed to look further at his proposal and asked him to submit his plans in writing to enable the full council to meet and formally consider and evaluate the proposal.
Ferret can confirm that No proposals were ever submitted by Mr Womersley.
So, what altered Mr Womersley?
Was it too much trouble, as usual to put pen to paper on behalf of this community?
Was it too much trouble to attend even one further meeting?
Why did you put your and Mr Kenyon’s “dream” before the needs of another area and section of our community?
Why did neither you nor Mr Kenyon bother to read the legal advice already available at Hemsworth Town Council before even embarking on the attempt to rescind a deal that had been signed in 2011?
Even if you had been successful you would have left this Township owing in excess of £3 million pounds and looking at a bill of £6-8 million pounds to create an unnecessary facility with a probable cost of half a million pound per annum in running costs.
Why did you abandon Fitzwilliam and Rugby league?
Typical Womersley, it’s way passed the time he should put pen to paper and resign. If it’s not too much trouble for him of course.
I believe the land is up for sale and instructions have been given to a Wakefield estate agents. The asset stripping of this council is now naked and laid bare for all to see they already tried to sell the spare land afronting the Newstead allotments and only gave up on it when faced with local opposition. They’ve only had control of the reigns a short while and have tried to sell every available asset in Fitzwilliam and for what I ask,to provide facilities at the far end of Hemsworth facilities they already have, first class ones at that. No doubt the sale of the land in Fitzwilliam will go some way to alleviating the considerable legal bill already run up by the profligate day dreaming headbangers who currently run HTC. If these are let continue there’ll be no assets left in the entire town it’s utter madness and disgustingly negligent how they’ve handled the public’s finances and that’s being kind