Ferret readers will recall the “master plan” that was cabal hatched and led by Ian Womersley to “safeguard” the Waterpark, by giving it away to a Trust.
This was despite the fact that there had never been any threats or attempts to remove the Waterpark from Council ownership since its creation in the 1980’s.
In actual fact the only person who had stated he wanted ownership of the Waterpark was Gordon Eccles, who along with his wife Jean was elected to Hemsworth Town Council in May 2019.
Articles by Ferret explained that far from guaranteeing the safety from sale of anything placed into a trust, the trustees would have the power to dispose or do whatever they wanted with the site.
We can all speculate who the Trustees would have been and what they would have done.
The Town Council would be powerless to do anything about it once it had been handed over to the trust.
The future of the Waterpark is more safe while the Town Council are the owners and answerable to the electorate.
Disgraced former chair and bankrupt Jim Kenyon, was fully aware of the limitations of Trusts, as he had been involved with the Diamond Jubilee Working Man’s Club, which was situated on White Apron Street in South Kirkby.
This building was originally a Doctors Surgery. When the Doctor retired he left the building in a trust to the people of South Kirkby.
Prior to its closure it was operated by Empress Leisure, who also ran The Beeches Public House in Hemsworth, managed by none other than Mr Jim Kenyon.
Ferret believes it eventually closed down due to non-payment of bills. Poor budgeting and financial ineptitude could well have contributed.
Does this remind anyone how Hemsworth Town Council business has been conducted since May 2019?
Many have commented how it seems we are headed for a financial situation that may require the selling of assets to balance the books.
Planning permission was sought to build five town houses on the Diamond Jubilee site and it has now been sold.
There seems to be so many coincidences with this and our Water Park. The people, the running up of debts…leading to eventual closure and then it being sold for profit.
So much for it being safe in the Trust as originally intended.
However there is another sting in the story, Ferret understands that there is clause conditional to the sale that names beneficiaries who will receive financial benefit should the site be sold and developed, and now that it has been sold some people of our township and elsewhere may like to take this opportunity to recoup some outstanding money that is owed to them by Mr Kenyon.
Perhaps the Department of Works and Pensions may like to show an interest as well.
To Trust In A Trust: The Kenyon, Womersley And Eccles’ Way…
Well would you?
Trust they probably can’t even spell the word,but TRUST in the parishioners of this community ,TRUST things with serious implications will always come to light and trust me the community will always win.