Featherstone Make a Difference Forum

Politics => Jon Trickett MP => Topic started by: yetion1 on March 28, 2008, 08:51:37 pm



Title: A Request for John Trickett M.P.
Post by: yetion1 on March 28, 2008, 08:51:37 pm

 The M.P.S. job as far as I understood was to let our parliament know what is happening at a local level. The statement you recently made in the commons regards the Featherstone town council precept, which was published on your own web site differs from the press and the facts. I am sure that you will raise the matter again and inform the leader of the house that you gave incorrect information. Could you also mention the labour council that intends to increase our council tax by £100 per year for the next 4 years, to cover their debts?
While you are there could you also inform the house that you are concerned with the head of labour controlled WMDC, Mr. Peter Box who wishes to take the only remaining chance, its regeneration money to pay of its own debts incurred by bad management, totalling £29 million.
One last thing you could do for Featherstone is ask Peter Box to give us the clock café/ town hall for free or even a trial run. It is the only foreseeable way to produce an income for the town’s future as labour wants the rest.



Title: Re: A Request for John Trickett M.P.
Post by: yetion1 on August 14, 2008, 09:17:54 pm
sorry forkhandles but after picking myself off the floor and standing back a moment there is obviosly people who do not know what the "clock cafe" was.
the Featherstone town hall of today was once called the "clock cafe". it was a juke box cafe that was alive and full of life. my friends wife was born in it by accident. the town hall will not be another cafe.


Title: Re: A Request for John Trickett M.P.
Post by: karen on August 17, 2008, 09:59:53 am

what do ou think they should use it for


Title: Re: A Request for John Trickett M.P.
Post by: yetion1 on August 17, 2008, 01:55:46 pm
the town hall could be the centre of our communitty Featherstone. this is what a quick plan shows it could produce,

FEATHERSTONE TOWN HALL/ CLOCK CAFÉ

Business plan, 2008 for the purchase, running and maintenance.

Brief,
The building is a late 1800s design. The building is steeped in history and boasts home to the clock café clock maintained by WMDC. This is a clock provide by the people in early 1900. The building is large and described as a town hall with 2 storeys and is brick built with slate roof. The building sits within its own grounds surrounded by a high wall. On one of the walls is a tiled mural that depicts aspects of the town and is a major asset of the town. The land inside is a large tarmac area and car park that contains a number of out buildings in poor condition. The building has recently had a large amount of restoration paid by WMDC to provide a home for the local town council, neighbourhood action team and police that cost around £200k. It is also used by WDH and other council groups for storage. Its estimated value is between £400k and £600k.
WMDC have announced that they wish to now sell the building and have given the town council first choice. The building was owned by Featherstone for many years before they gave it to WMDC for free.

Ideas,
 The purpose of my interest is first and foremost to keep the building as it stands for the sake of the town’s history. As it is the last of its kind in the town I believe in an interest towards preservation, modified with commercial income as no one wishes to pay more tax. After that what ever commercial venture that must be procured to keep the integrity of the site must be looked at on a scale of feasibility.
The main ideas run as,
a.    To pay a one off tax to buy/ renovate the property and provide a positive income paid back into the town within a set time scale of years resulting in positive income.
b.    The building is sold and private development then comes in at the most profit making type. This would undoubtedly mean flats and development on the seating area up to the traffic lights and removal of the tiled sculpture.


Private development for profit,
The building and land are, and will be very attractive to many developers. A full knock down is likely and many flats. The area is not suitable for many commercial ventures other than using the existing buildings.

Private development for the town,
 The ultimate goal would be to provide a window that enables the public to pay for its purchase and then on own the building. Better still would be WMDC donating the building to the town for free. The general running of this could be conducted by a group of individuals that would work with the town council. The building and land are at present in such a good state that with little cost alterations could be made that would divide the building into units sufficient enough to repay a mortgage and then within a short time span refurbish the outside units to produce more income.



Present income
Town council                                           £400.00
Police                                                       £400.00

Total present income                               £800.00 per calendar month

Phase 1 development costs
Upper floor conversion
The upper floor is made of a corridor with rooms off it. To establish 3 office units with shared toilet and kitchen would take minimal costs estimated at £4000.00. This is for electrical supply, locks and decoration.

Ground floor conversion
The ground floor at present houses the town council in 2 rooms and police in a room at the rear. The town council could work from 1 room. This would relive 1 room. This obviously would be another office space source of income. It would also suit a museum of Featherstone that could be paid for from grants. Again minimal costs to split the rooms with locks and separate electricity would be all required. Estimate £2500.00.

Outside buildings
Within the rear yard are 3 well built out buildings/ garages of fair size and repair apart from the roofs and doors? The roofs and doors will require replacement and separate electric supply installed. Estimated costs for this are,
Roof                                                        £3500.00
Doors                                                      £2000.00
Electrical supply                                     £1800.00

Total estimated repair cost of garages    £7300.00


 Estimate of rent income per month after development
Town council   Grd flr                             £400
Police               Grd flr                             £400
Office               Grd flr                             £400
Office 1 1st floor1                                     £300
Office 2 1st floor                                       £300
Office 3 1st floor                                       £300
Garage 1                                                   £160
Garage 2                                                   £160
Garage 3                                                   £160

Total estimated from rent per month       £2580.00
Total estimated yearly income                £30960.00



Estimated Yearly costs at £350k purchase price,
Loan repayments                                     £20400.00
Insurance                                                 £1500.00
Fire service                                              £270.00
Alarm service                                          £270.00
Pack testing                                             £150.00
Rates                                                        £2000.00
Water                                                       £150.00
Electric                                                    £2000.00
Maintenance                                            £1000.00
Tax on rental income                              £2600.00

Total estimated expenditure                    £30340.00
If the building was donated then instantly Featherstone town council would receive a positive income and development could take place immediately. There would be very small costs if not none to the tax payer.

Phase 2 development
The outer yard/ car park could be home to a number of council machines that could be charged a rent.

Enough area of land suitable for building expansion is available, thus adding to the rental income.


Title: Re: A Request for John Trickett M.P.
Post by: Willow on August 17, 2008, 05:27:18 pm
Sounds good to me, but just how are you going to get the town council to pay the same rent if you take half their space away.


Title: Re: A Request for John Trickett M.P.
Post by: yetion1 on August 17, 2008, 05:50:20 pm
good point. to first explain this is NOT the town councils document. it is my own quick look over view and math.
£400.00 per month is a fair figure for the council chamber that could house the town clerk and office. the posabilitty of a museum in the office or other parts could be run by the town council with grant aid. shared units could reduce cost to the town council and gain a new venue for the town.
the figures i have given show a mortgage. if the building were donated back then a whole other equation would emerge.
come what ever the building could make money, give us more local service and reduce tax in one go.