Wirral Council’s Cabinet asked to agree to consult on Birkenhead Town Centre changes and to outsource the running of the Floral Pavilion and 2 golf courses
Wirral Council’s Cabinet asked to agree to consult on Birkenhead Town Centre changes and to outsource the running of the Floral Pavilion and 2 golf courses
Cllr Phil Davies (Leader of Wirral Council) (27th November 2017) Cabinet Strategic Acquisition Programme Europa Buildings
The agenda and reports for the next meeting of Wirral Council’s Cabinet were published today (16th November 2018) on Wirral Council’s website and contain a number of items that’ll be of wider interest to people.
What has Wirral Council been spending money on in 2017 and 2018?
What has Wirral Council been spending money on in 2017 and 2018?
Below are scans of copies of invoices I requested from Wirral Council during the recent 30 day public inspection period.
The first invoice is from a property and construction consultancy called Lancaster Maloney for £112,531.20 for “condition surveys” at recreation buildings at various locations including Guinea Gap Fitness Centre and Europa Pools.
Wirral Council’s Cabinet met on the 18th December 2017 and agenda item 10 was titled “Strategic Acquisition Programme – Birkenhead Market”. One of the councillors on the Cabinet (Cllr Phil Davies) is also a ward councillor for the ward of Birkenhead and Tranmere that Birkenhead Market is situated in. Continue reading “What’s happening to Birkenhead Market in 2018?”
Birkenhead Market lease Birkenhead Market Limited Wirral Borough Council plan number 2 internal floor plan
St John’s Market in Liverpool has been hitting the headlines recently, but rumours have been swirling round Birkenhead Market about its future too.
Birkenhead Market is in Birkenhead and Tranmere ward, which is represented by Cllr Phil Davies (Labour), Cllr Jean Stapleton (Labour) and Cllr Pat Cleary (Green).
This piece however is not written from a party political perspective, but to address some of what’s going on.
Wirral Council as far as I know still own the land the market is on, but there are then at least four limited companies (Birkenhead Market Limited, Birkenhead Market Holdings Limited, Birkenhead Market Regeneration Limited and Birkenhead Market Services Limited) with interests plus the interests of the stallholders.
For those reading my blog who are into forensic accounting, according to the latest accounts for Birkenhead Market Limited and Birkenhead Market Services Limited there’s also a £3.948 million bank loan with Royal Bank of Scotland PLC which is secured by way of a charge and debenture on the company (explanations in the comments as to what these mean would be useful).
In a box in my office from a previous citizen audit, is the lease between Wirral Council, two of the companies above and the stallholders.
Interestingly, Birkenhead Market Regeneration Limited (which was a change of name 2 months ago of Ellesmere Port Regeneration Limited) and Birkenhead Market Holdings Limited (which was a change of name last month of Concept Student Developments Limited) both have an office address at the new Liverpool headquarters of Vermont.
After one false start over the Birkenhead Town Centre regeneration, both these companies changed name shortly after Wirral Council’s launch of the Wirral Growth Company earlier this year.
Market traders are naturally concerned about what will be happening to Birkenhead Market.
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A number of other major developments are ongoing, including:
Negotiations are ongoing with Neptune Developments for the sale of three sites at Europa Boulevard to provide a replacement swimming pool and fitness suite, Budget Hotel, Food court and Fast Food Drive-through. Allied to this as Phase 2 will be the grant of an intermediate lease of
Birkenhead Market to Neptune to safeguard its continued operation, with a view to the eventual grant of a restructured lease to facilitate the development of a smaller market which will, in turn, release land for the reconfiguration of The Grange.
The proposal to establish the Isle of Mann University ICT Faculty in Birkenhead is still being worked on. This will utilise the Conway Building and Municipal Building in Cleveland Street. Proposed Heads of Term have been prepared in anticipation of confirmation from the University that funding is in place.
In other words, Wirral Council plan to grant Neptune an intermediate lease of Birkenhead Market, then "develop" a smaller market so that some (or all) of where Birkenhead Market is at present can be sold to become part of the Pyramids and Grange Shopping Centre.
Will will the promised consultation with the public over Neptune’s plans for Birkenhead Town Centre happen?
Meanwhile across the road from Birkenhead Market, Wirral Council look set to lease the Conway Building to what’s down in the report as the "Isle of Man University", but is more likely to be the Isle of Man College at the University of Chester.
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