Middlesbrough Council Approves Asset Sell Off To Avoid Bankruptcy

[newyddion]

Well the overspend is mostly as a result in Children's services and adult social care.

The real job is to stop the overspend, some of the £33m expected as a result of the sales will be used to stop the overspending by doing things differently, like looking after our own children in care rather than using very expensive private provision, bring in more of home to school transport in house rather than using private transport companies and keeping more of our people in their own homes rather than using very expensive private care facilities.

We are not selling assets because we want to, we are doing all that we can to come up with a long term solution to the problem that Preston and the Tories have left in.

Have you seen the film 'Dave'

You and Chris Cooke should have a lads night in and watch it!

 

[SilentProf]

Is there any news on what’s happening with the Crown building?

 

[newusername]

The Municipal golf course and driving range up for sale.

With a covenant to guarantee use as a golf course.

But I'm not sure why the council want to preserve 65 hectares in an urban environment for the enjoyment of c.200 people per day when they could sell the land for the development of c.3,250 homes for say £100m and when built out receive c.£9m in council tax revenue every year.

 

[TheLodger]

Is there any news on what’s happening with the Crown building?

The crown building is in the hands of Houchen's crazy mayoral development corporation (MDC) despite the fact that Preston spent £750,000 of council's money buying it, only for him to hand it to Houchen for free a few weeks after! The council won't receive one penny of it's money back thanks to Preston.

 

[TheLodger]

With a covenant to guarantee use as a golf course.

But I'm not sure why the council want to preserve 65 hectares in an urban environment for the enjoyment of c.200 people per day when they could sell the land for the development of c.3,250 homes for say £100m and when built out receive c.£9m in council tax revenue every year.

This is something I am deeply concerned about and are bringing representations regarding this (Not for plans to sell it off for housing) but I believe that the course should be kept in councils ownership, so the townsfolk benefit from it rather than potential rich new owners.

 

[Jonny_Rondos_Disco_pants]

With a covenant to guarantee use as a golf course.

But I'm not sure why the council want to preserve 65 hectares in an urban environment for the enjoyment of c.200 people per day when they could sell the land for the development of c.3,250 homes for say £100m and when built out receive c.£9m in council tax revenue every year.

The field on the left as you drive in could be sold to a builder for a good few hundred grand. The rest should stay.

 

[row_7]

What about the rest of the real estate that Preston spunked money on?

The Binns building, Cleveland Centre, Captain Cooks square - surely that's gotta be worth a few quid?

 

[newyddion]

What about the rest of the real estate that Preston spunked money on?

The Binns building, Cleveland Centre, Captain Cooks square - surely that's gotta be worth a few quid?

I mean we have many under used resources in the area.. The Binns Building could be all the things that the Arc in Stockton isn't.. a gallery, a performance space, a cinema for independent films, a genuine social meeting space with food and drink.. a place.. the best of the areas local creatives, the best of our universities creative departments.

I've always thought that the University of Teesside is a much under used resource.. all the money that the council spends on architectural drawings, legal services, accountancy.. etc etc.. why could they not be part of the coursework for the many degrees our fantastic university offers? Genuine live working projects done in a working environment for the benefit of the local community. There needs to be much more collaboration between the council and our assets.. our grassroots talent.

The crown building is in the hands of Houchen's crazy mayoral development corporation (MDC) despite the fact that Preston spent £750,000 of council's money buying it, only for him to hand it to Houchen for free a few weeks after! The council won't receive one penny of it's money back thanks to Preston.

Can we not look into these contracts? Why is the council using public money to purchase assets for private entities.. that are then not being used or worse still falling into disrepair? We have lost so many great venues and demolished so many great potential venues.. The Westgarth, The Arena, The Cleveland Scientific Institute, The Odeon Building.. again with collaboration, can we not have a skills based colleges utilise their student as a workforce to update and renew these big projects? Leaning on the job, real life skills.. shouldnt that be what we're all about?

 

[thewanderer]

With a covenant to guarantee use as a golf course.

But I'm not sure why the council want to preserve 65 hectares in an urban environment for the enjoyment of c.200 people per day when they could sell the land for the development of c.3,250 homes for say £100m and when built out receive c.£9m in council tax revenue every year.

Correct opinion. Complete waste of urban land.

 

[TheLodger]

What about the rest of the real estate that Preston spunked money on?

The Binns building, Cleveland Centre, Captain Cooks square - surely that's gotta be worth a few quid?

The council always owned Capt Cook Square.
Cleveland Centre is in profit, I think to be fair to Preston the council did manage to purchase that at a good value cost. We will go further by moving out of properties we are renting and into properties in the Cleveland centre that we own, which will give us even better value. And we have plans for Binns building which hopefully will be announced soon.

 

[SilentProf]

The Cleveland centre was bought very cheaply. If it's making money in it's current state, it could be a big asset in the future. There's no point just selling off anything worth a few quid. It has to be done in the right way. I don't envy anyone making the decisions. The golf course seems an obvious one for me though. Even with finances as they are, it should be simple enough to split it into sections and fund housing there in stages. The locals won't be happy but it would help massively with the budget issues. I can't imagine the golf course is making much of a profit if any and there are plenty of other courses locally.

 

[newyddion]

The council always owned Capt Cook Square.
Cleveland Centre is in profit, I think to be fair to Preston the council did manage to purchase that at a good value cost. We will go further by moving out of properties we are renting and into properties in the Cleveland centre that we own, which will give us even better value. And we have plans for Binns building which hopefully will be announced soon.

So good..

I bet you've seen it.

 

[newyddion]

With a covenant to guarantee use as a golf course.

But I'm not sure why the council want to preserve 65 hectares in an urban environment for the enjoyment of c.200 people per day when they could sell the land for the development of c.3,250 homes for say £100m and when built out receive c.£9m in council tax revenue every year.

Where does it end? Clareville Stadium shouldnt have given way for housing, a whole host of beautiful Victorian buildings shouldnt have been demolished, solid housing stock.. flattened.

The starting point shouldnt be our most valuable assets every time.. we need to do the best with what we've got and that should have always been the case.

 

[newyddion]

When your former mayor's administration spends almost all of the £21 millions reserve then you suddenly have to make major major savings. I am told it is prudent to leave £9m in the bank for any eventuality, you know like Covid. But when the new regime looked into money box all they found was pennies.

I be wonder how much could be saved.. by the amalgamation of the five separate unitary authorities of Tees Valley/Teesside/Cleveland?

 

[Emmersons_BrazillianDong]

I mean we have many under used resources in the area.. The Binns Building could be all the things that the Arc in Stockton isn't.. a gallery, a performance space, a cinema for independent films, a genuine social meeting space with food and drink.. a place.. the best of the areas local creatives, the best of our universities creative departments.

I've always thought that the University of Teesside is a much under used resource.. all the money that the council spends on architectural drawings, legal services, accountancy.. etc etc.. why could they not be part of the coursework for the many degrees our fantastic university offers? Genuine live working projects done in a working environment for the benefit of the local community. There needs to be much more collaboration between the council and our assets.. our grassroots talent.

Can we not look into these contracts? Why is the council using public money to purchase assets for private entities.. that are then not being used or worse still falling into disrepair? We have lost so many great venues and demolished so many great potential venues.. The Westgarth, The Arena, The Cleveland Scientific Institute, The Odeon Building.. again with collaboration, can we not have a skills based colleges utilise their student as a workforce to update and renew these big projects? Leaning on the job, real life skills.. shouldnt that be what we're all about?

I'll be the first to say you post some nonsense on here Newy, but I can't agree with you any more on this one bud. Absolutely spot on

 

[Redlips]

the former property developer mayor, bought the Crown for 1.5m without a survey

The roof is falling down and it is now a liability. That is criminal with a 8m deficit.

 

[JackG]

I mean we have many under used resources in the area.. The Binns Building could be all the things that the Arc in Stockton isn't.. a gallery, a performance space, a cinema for independent films, a genuine social meeting space with food and drink.. a place.. the best of the areas local creatives, the best of our universities creative departments.

I've always thought that the University of Teesside is a much under used resource.. all the money that the council spends on architectural drawings, legal services, accountancy.. etc etc.. why could they not be part of the coursework for the many degrees our fantastic university offers? Genuine live working projects done in a working environment for the benefit of the local community. There needs to be much more collaboration between the council and our assets.. our grassroots talent.

Can we not look into these contracts? Why is the council using public money to purchase assets for private entities.. that are then not being used or worse still falling into disrepair? We have lost so many great venues and demolished so many great potential venues.. The Westgarth, The Arena, The Cleveland Scientific Institute, The Odeon Building.. again with collaboration, can we not have a skills based colleges utilise their student as a workforce to update and renew these big projects? Leaning on the job, real life skills.. shouldnt that be what we're all about?

It could house the Grace Brothers Experience, with Bernie Slaven's ar$e on permanent exhibition

 

[mercury_redstone7]

I be wonder how much could be saved.. by the amalgamation of the five separate unitary authorities of Tees Valley/Teesside/Cleveland?

No thanks, I wouldn't like a county or request a city of xxxxx status. The Unitary Authority is good for all. It allows each town to develop its own areas to suit its citizens.
Middlesbrough will sell off some of its buildings assets to private business or developers. depending on what its flogging I can`t see it being a problem. The better nick they are in the better price they will get.

They need shot of the ABC to begin with.

 

[HolgateCorner]

I was absolutely shocked when I heard. Or appalled and disgusted more like.

I’m surprised you were surprised.

There is an almost guilty pleasure by voters in this area in choosing odd candidates to vote into power as some kind of strange rebellion against the perceived political establishment.

It results in crooks and cranks getting their hands on the purse strings.

 

[asredastheycome]

With a covenant to guarantee use as a golf course.

But I'm not sure why the council want to preserve 65 hectares in an urban environment for the enjoyment of c.200 people per day when they could sell the land for the development of c.3,250 homes for say £100m and when built out receive c.£9m in council tax revenue every year.

Yeah let's build homes everywhere. When they start building on the CoE and Royal Estates land I might agree with you. But until the I ask are you a builder.