Just when Ferret thought it couldn’t get any worse, another serious consequence has arisen from the meddling and brainless interference of Jim Kenyon and District Councillor Ian Womersley.
Ferret readers and Ian Womersley’s Facebook readers (before he decided to hide away and removed himself from Social Media) will recall how he not only bragged about his vision of creating another Waterpark (without the water of course) on the site of the former Sports Complex on Kirkby road in Hemsworth, but also how he led a march of a “thousand people” in opposition to the proposed sale. Ferret has to assume that He was also against the huge improvements to the area that have followed, including the Hemsworth Community Centre, the Fitzwilliam Community Centre, The Sandygate Sports facilities and the Cemetery road sports facilities.
These are only some of the larger improvements that are directly or indirectly attributable to the sale of the derelict site.
Readers are also aware of Jim Kenyon’s attempts to disrupt the sale also, that lasted for many, many years. He combined this with disruptive tactics designed to stall Town Council business.
All of which proved to be very expensive for this Community.
Unfortunately there was another casualty resulting from all these vendetta and self promotion escapades and a very expensive one, both financial and personal for members of our township.
This was the affordable housing component of the section 106 agreement.
Ferret believes when the first agreements were made about 12 years ago for this site’s redevelopment, the affordable housing contribution was set at £750, 000.
Following the first unnecessary delays and the changing prevailing financial situation and no doubt combined with the extra costs incurred for the site, the affordable housing contribution was lowered to £400,000 in 2016.
A massive financial loss of £350,000 and an even bigger loss to the people of this community who needed help getting on the financial housing ladder.
Unfortunately it gets worse, not only have Independent Hemsworth Town Council lost the outstanding Section 106 sports money of £350,000 but also the affordable housing component has been reduced again in the latest proposed Section 106 agreement.
Reduced is not really the correct word as it has been reduced to ZERO or NIL or Nothing.
Another £400,000 of money that would have helped some of our people, or community, our sons or daughters live in a home of their own, GONE.
Gone, resulting from skewed dreams of vanity projects and vendettas.
Ferret hopes Kenyon and Womersley feel “proud” of this great achievement and hang their heads in shame but very much doubt they will.
The only recourse to try to alter this situation is to lobby WMDC to alter the agreement but given the prevailing cost changes from 2016 to date and the current financial climate, this is highly unlikely to happen.
Ferret would suggest we contact the District Councillor with first-hand knowledge of this despicable and deplorable episode in our community’s history and that is:
Councillor Ian Womersley.
That is of course, if you can find him or he bothers to answers his emails.
Ferret hopes that come next May’s Council Elections, readers will also remember to look closely at who is not only standing at Town Council level but at District Council level also.
Let’s make the real sting happen next May…
Why on earth is this community having to wait and rely on elections next May, surely there must be enough evidence now to launch full investigations into the Independent run HTC. Why are the auditors not passing findings on and more in-depth investigations into the HTC finances being sought now .The community is reading daily a total lack of transparency a total misappropriation of this communities funds all showing that to certain councillors the community counts for nothing and until they are stopped it will continue so action is needed now not in May when this community will be BANKRUPT so as residents and precept payers we need to support the decent councillors we need to attend the HTC meetings speak up challenge what is going on challenge what is being spent it’s our money not a personal finance pot we can only change how it’s being run by coming together as a community and make a stand now not in May yes votes will count but a lot of damage can be done and caused before then so time to help bring in the changes now stand up for what is right and what our community could be .