CAMPAIGNERS are questioning a £3.18m estimate for repairs to Woolston Neighbourhood Hub and calling for a further independent technical review – but Warrington Borough Council says it stands by its existing assessment and does not believe another review is necessary.
The future of the closed community facility remains the subject of debate, with the Save Woolston Neighbourhood Hub Community Group raising questions about the scope and cost of work identified in a condition survey by consultants Turner & Townsend (T&T).
The survey puts the total estimated cost of repairs at £3.18m, with £2.07m categorised as dealing with “immediate issues”.
However, campaigners argue that the £2.07m figure includes a number of items they describe as non-hazardous, questioning whether all the proposed work needs to be completed before the building can safely reopen.
The issue was raised at a recent Warrington Borough Council meeting, where representatives of the community group questioned the scope and cost of the proposed works.
Andy Jackson, on behalf of the Save Woolston Neighbourhood Hub Community Group, said the central question was whether the council would agree to an independent technical peer review of the T&T survey.
Questions over what constitutes immediate work
Among the items identified by the group as non-hazardous but included within the £2.07m immediate works estimate are:
– £215,000 for improvements to walkways, road surfaces and the car park.
– £150,000 to replace suspended ceiling systems with mineral fibre tiles.
– £100,000 for further investigations into rising damp.
– £50,000 for lighting replacement.
– £40,000 for a communal-area air-handling unit.
– £32,500 for replacement electrical equipment.
– £29,500 for repainting timber elements, doors and glazed units.
The group says the inclusion of these items raises questions about how the proposed works have been prioritised and whether every element needs to be completed before reopening can be considered.
The survey also includes allowances of 15 per cent for professional fees and 10 per cent for contingencies, which the group says add approximately £660,000 to the overall estimate.
Campaigners want a clearer breakdown distinguishing work required to address the health and safety issues that led to the Hub’s closure from other repairs, replacements and longer-term maintenance.
Campaigners call for further independent scrutiny
The community group says it formally submitted its critique of the Turner & Townsend report to the council on October 15 but has yet to receive a response.
It is calling for an independent technical peer review involving the council’s relevant technical officers and representatives of the group.
The proposed review would examine the scope of the recommended works, how individual items have been classified and whether the estimated costs are appropriate.
It would also seek to establish which repairs are essential to make the building safe to reopen, which could be undertaken subsequently, and the likely costs and timescales involved.
Mr Jackson said the intention was not to dismiss genuine safety concerns or the need for necessary repairs, but to ensure decisions involving substantial public expenditure were supported by appropriate technical scrutiny.
The group believes councillors and residents need a clear explanation of what work is required, why it is necessary and when it needs to be completed.
Council says existing independent review is sufficient
However, Warrington Borough Council says it has already commissioned an external independent review of the costs, following a request from the community.
A council spokesperson said: “We remain committed to working with the community to find a solution for the future of Woolston Neighbourhood Hub and as requested by the community we commissioned an external independent review of costs.
“The review was completed in August, and the findings were published in full on our website.
“We stand by the findings of the report, which we believe provide an accurate assessment of the total remediation costs and we do not see the need for an additional review to be commissioned at this stage.
“However, we are also, as requested, in the process of arranging access to the site for a small number of suitably qualified members of the campaign group.”
The council’s position is therefore that the existing independent review provides an adequate assessment of the costs, while the campaign group believes further technical scrutiny is needed to establish which elements are essential before the facility can reopen.
Access to the building being arranged
The council’s confirmation that it is arranging access to the site for suitably qualified campaign group representatives could provide an opportunity for further discussions about the condition of the building and the proposed remedial works.
The group is also seeking a formal response to its October 15 submission and wants residents to have access to information explaining the difference between immediate safety requirements and other proposed expenditure.
Copies of the Turner & Townsend condition survey, the group’s critique and previous council summaries are available for public comparison.
The future of Woolston Neighbourhood Hub remains unresolved, with both sides maintaining their positions over the extent and cost of the work required.
The key issue for residents is when a clear way forward can be established, what the eventual cost will be and whether the facility can be brought back into community use.
