TOWN Hall bosses at Warrington are to set up an advisory group to study alternative options for the re-development of Walton Hall and Gardens.
A wide range of interested organisations will be invited to join the group, which will explore ways regenerating and managing the estate on a sustainable basis.
These options will then become the basis for a major public consultation exercise.
The move – which some see as almost a U-turn by the authority – follows widespread public concern over the 
borough council’s proposals for the Walton estate, involving a partnership with a hotel group which would convert the hall into a hotel.
Coun Bob Barr, (pictured) the council’s executive member for planning and regeneration said: “At its meeting in June the council’s executive board agreed to a widespread and thorough consultation with the public on a plan for the estate.
“This involved a hotel in the hall and improvements to all the facilities and the gardens. It would bring in outside money, create up to 200 jobs and reverse a lack of investment over many years.
“Walton is a ‘jewel in the crown’ but has become somewhat tarnished and lack of investment could harm people’s enjoyment of the estate for current and future generations.
“But we have listened to what residents and campaigners have been saying. We welcome this democratic challenge and reflected on how we should take account of the strength of public feeling. There are concerns about whether or not we should have a luxury hotel in the grounds and the nature of the long lease being put forward.
“People are worried about possible limitations on public access to the grounds and what might happen to this in the future despite safeguards in any legal agreement. It is vital that the consultation process addresses all these concerns fully.”
Executive member for environment and transport Coun Alan Litton added: “A more fundamental concern is that only one scheme had been taken forward for consideration. There is strong public support for considering other options that would allow us to take greater account of what the people of Warrington want for Walton.
“It is absolutely essential that any proposals must have the support of the citizens of Warrington. While no decisions have been taken about the future, there is a perception that the consultation would have no influence on an outcome which had already been decided. This is totally wrong but the perception is damaging.
“We propose to set up an advisory group containing a range of interested parties. This group would explore alternative options for regenerating and managing the estate on a sustainable basis. These options will then become the basis for the consultation exercise in which we hope as many people as possible will get involved.”
3 Comments
Can we hope that this new idea of consulting Joe Public may become the norm rather than the exception. It is about time our elected representatives realise that they are not governing, but the appointed Officers are. Most of them don’t live in Warrington, have no allegiance or love for the Town, are kept at constant temperature throughout their working life, at our expense, and we find ourselves in constant battle with their proposals. Maybe the new coalition government’s sort out will percolate down to Local Government level, to all our benefit ?
Remember that the majority of these councilller are on the local government gravy train and, as long as they either get backhanders from developers and their oversized salary and pension, they won’t give two hoots about what the people of Warrington think. When the number of these parasites are reduced then the people will start to have more of a say on what happens to our town.
What a load of pure bull!!!! Anyone seeing this as a U turn must be completely blind to what is really going on!
“TOWN Hall bosses at Warrington are to set up an advisory group to study alternative options for the re-development of Walton Hall and Gardens“. Yes, and what a real ‘set up’ that will be!
”A wide range of interested organisations will be invited to join the group” rather like the focus groups from their other consultation projects no doubt! Just how many of these ‘interested organisations’ will have the general publics rather than the Executive Boards interests at heart?
“These options will then become the basis for a major public consultation exercise”
Which means it is only after they have carefully contrived a set of options, of which only the one which they prefer will appear feasible, will they ‘consult’ the public so the public consultation is in fact merely an exercise!
Cllr Bob Barr said: “At its meeting in June the council’s executive board agreed to a widespread and thorough consultation with the public on a plan for the estate”.
What the Exec board actually agreed was;- to forge ahead with the Contessa deal, to further work with Myerscough College re a base on the site, to have a consultation on ‘the gardens’ (as they’ve already made a decision on the hotel aspect which will take quite a large part of the grounds, ‘the gardens’ are probably the bits that will be left.)
They decided to ‘engage’ with the existing tenants re ending their occupation of the premises. And they also decided to approve the ‘approbation’ of the remaining part of the estate still covered by the restrictive covenant – which will in effect get the grounds re-classified as development land.(which will enable them to do whatever they want on them!)
“But we have listened to what residents and campaigners have been saying”. What a joke!
These decisions, which were taken directly after listening to the public show quite clearly that they had completely ignored the campaigners and petitioners and planned to forge ahead regardless. It is only for the fact that 5 of our councillors actually did listen to public opinion and called the decision in to scrutiny that these decisions were not immediately implemented. On the 29th July the Scrutiny Committee will meet to give their opinion on the Executive Board’s decision. It remains to be seen which of our Councillors on this committee will fulfil their obligations to the electorate and vote with due regard for public opinion.
Only a recommendation to put the issue before the full council will suffice.