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Park budget is £350,000 in red
Date published: 04 February 2013
A MASSIVE overspend on the refurbishment of a picturesque park has left council chiefs looking for £350,000 to settle the bill.
The £1.4 million transformation of Shaw’s Dunwood Park bust its budget - and Oldham Council, which administered the works and supervised the contractors - has been forced to find the extra cash.
Just over £1 million was granted by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund for the redevelopment with the rest of the money coming in grants from the council.
A report to the council’s Cabinet says changes to the specifications were to blame for the overspend.
Of the £350,000 overspent, £200,000 was for additional work such as drainage and disabled access.
The transformation of Dunwood Park was sparked by a Lottery grant. Work began in April, 2011.
The park now has three new tennis courts, a bowling pavilion, a community hall, new flower beds, a grass stage area and even a duck-feeding platform.
Council leader Jim McMahon said: “The silver lining for the public is that there is a fantastic community facility that people are enjoying today.”
The Friends of Dunwood Park were instrumental in helping the council win the Lottery cash, as it had to demonstrate community support for the scheme.
Claire Nangle, head of Strategic Regeneration and Development at Oldham Council, said: “We‘re still in negotiations with contractors about the final costs but we estimate the overspend will be in the region of £350,000.
“About £200,000 of that relates to additional work not in the original scope of the project, including significant drainage work.”
Comments
Also, on the drainage subject, it was never going to be a good idea to chop down as many tree's as they have. The open spaces created on the steep banking have caused a lot more water to come down onto the footpaths. There are many streams crossing the paths as a result and its a no go zone if the temperature drops below freezing. I like whats been done around the bowling green etc but I think the rest should have been left alone in its natural state. I strongly opposed the ruthless treefelling
a 25% overspend on any project indicates incredibly poor prpoject planning & management. No doubt absolutely no action will be taken against those responsible at Oldham Council.
Measly words from McMahon, a total lack of leadership, authority & influence. Parjer should be stepping in & taking action.
Brilliant example of the incompetance of OMBC. All you had to do was watch the cost and work out how to spend a grant of just over million pounds. No planning involement who would have spotted the fact that drainage is an issue. Who is going to fund the overspend?
It's OK Oldhams Labour council has plenty of other peoples money to throw around, and it doesn't care how it wastes it!
Socialism only works until you run out of other peoples money!
Thats another 20 employees out of a job then.
Yes, and back in 2010 when the initial meetings were set up about the regeneration I wrote to Oldham Council to express my concerns about the drainage systems in the park. They knew then, and I presume still know who is responsible for the breakdown in the drainage systems at the bowling green end of the park - and are not prepared to do anything about it. It does not bode well.
I couldn't see where £1.4 million was spent the last time I walked through the park - so for this to now jump to £1.75 million is incredible. Come on OC I think a bit better of an explanation is needed both to the Friends of DP and the public in general of Shaw.
Once again they show themselves utterly incapable of working to a budget. But hey they don't care because all they do as whack up our council tax!!!. Utter disgrace, the lot of them.
so those responsible for the major overspend will be heald accountable. right?
those high level members of staff who signed off the scheme will be punished or sacked?
nah! that'll never will happen as we all know.
frying pan manufacturers need to speak to oldham council as they possess the best "non stick" substance on the planet!
nothing ever sticks to them!
in a private company a sales rep has to have a receipt for every expenses incurred.no receipt.no money.if a company finacial director had that massive overspend he wpold have got his p45.what about the jobs.lions led by donkies.
ecco fatto
Timberwolf, I have asked repeatedly over the last 5 years why there have been so many trees felled and been met with no response. It is totally stupid to open out the wooded bank like they have and the resulting shedding of the base woodland will take many years to knit back together. Even now, the number of blackberry bushes and other shrubs have died. Complete mismanagement of parkland and open spaces that have left no legacy for the future but a "poor" one.
Also, could not agree more on the "duck feeding" platform, total waste of money. the ducks don't venture past the bottom of Buckstones Road for fear of their lives with all the dogs off the lead running down the steps and into the River Beal. Laughable. Perhaps they really meant to build a dog-diving platform!
Great negotiation skills not!!!! everyone looking for business and trimming quotations to gain the business. This lot could not negotiate their way out of a toilet cubicle. Love the comment of "The Silver Lining" that will only come when this bunch of non businessmen voted out of office.
Perhaps they should start charging dog walkers as they are the only ones who dont mind the poo and lack of wildlife now in there.Objected to the wasteful spending initially and do so more now.Wont be long before someone sues them for falling off the climbing mound while drunk either
For once I agree with Timberwolf .
The park has been decimated , it looks like the tree equivalent of a "Regain" advert .
Bet the amount of wildlife has plummeted too .
Always the same , change countryside/animal habitats it to attract people and the animals leave or die .
Used to enjoy a walk through after a day on the moors
Could someone give Flake a nudge , his tune has been stuck for well over a year now !
Well I suppose Cllr McMahon's quote says it all “The silver lining for the public is that there is a fantastic community facility that people are enjoying today.” A silver lining paid for by and at the expense of the taxpayer, something you and your officers clearly forgot to take into account when this project went bust! Will Cllr McMahon count this overspend as compensation for Royton getting a new leisure centre or is this another excuse for his administrations disgraceful council tax rise?
See Labour, See Spend, See Council tax rise 3.5%
Oh... it's a duck feeding platform is it? I thought it was for slaves to load their carefully toted bales of cotton onto river steamers, or for cheering crowds to wave their straw boaters at the participants in the local regatta. Either way, it's a total waste of brass. I welcomed the park being restored to where it was 20 years ago, before OMBC let it go to rack and ruin in the first place. It's a pity that most of the money has gone on presentation rather than substance.
In response to Timberwolf, MyNames..., and Dave Warby. This is part and parcel of the problem with OMBC's blinkered approach. They struggle to tell the difference between parks and countryside, lumping them together under one roof (metaphorically speaking....). The attitude to countryside and wildlife habitat is to 'tidy it up', or 'make it look neat', just like a park. Hence the lack of decent undergrowth, and the removal of all the felled wood, which is vital for a healthy woodland.
'socialism only works untill you run out of other peoples money' I suppose Cameron has you full backing then Flake.
How come the overspend was for disabled access? Surely equality issues would be central to the whole plan, or was the back of that particular envelope a bit on the small size. No mentions of statues I see.
No ernie Cameron does not have my backing in any measure! I don't suppose you would expect that a 'Tory' prime minister taking advice from an ex Labour would! It seems a large percentage of Tories would like to see the back of him too.
Why do men always assume that other posters are also male if it's not spelled out in the nick? Aren't women allowed to have an opinion?
Let's put this down as an over ambitious project initiated by a Lib Dem administration favouring their Shaw and Crompton enclave.
NobblySan . . . you've got it in one! Love the idea of boats coming up the river and cotton-toters! Seriously, though the number of people who have talked to me about the decimation far outweighs the ones who dumped all these "statues and mounds" in there. I notice there hasn't been a comment from the Fiends of Dunwood Park yet? I await with baited breath . . .
wonder if had the project been done on or below budget. shaw may have been able to retain its swimming pool!
be that would have been the caase.
i can think of at least two key people that should be held accountable for this mess.
both seem to be rather quiet at the moment.
one still remains in ombc and the other was replaced by mr mcmahon.
names dont even need mentioning. everyone knows who "they" are.
JMTS, over ambitous project? What on earth do you mean? It spiralled out of control during Labour admin and that council never listened to the "grass roots" enclave!
"Perhaps they should start charging dog walkers as they are the only ones who dont mind the poo and lack of wildlife now in there"
I am a dog walker, I do mind poo and I don't understand why and what I should be charged for? I am also very fond of the wildlife. What a silly comment.......
JMTS, tut tut tut..........typical Labour response.
@JMTS.
i'll just remind you of labours Old Town hall cinema, replacement sports centre, new landscape area outside sixform college and the old art gallery projects.
all over ambitous projects which like Davewarby states the current labour council are not listening to the "grass roots" people of oldham who would use such facilities.
still awaiting the proper response from the council on the new sports centre now they've realised their proposals where unfit for purpose!
Have Your Say
Honestly, how would these Buffoons within the council ever survive if they were to find themselves working in the private sector? Mistakes like these would earn you the chop.
The duck feeding platform ensured a duck was never to be seen there again and the grass stage area is nothing but a quagmire. No doubt the contractors will get their money even though much of the work is shabby. Oldham council will pay up where as a private customer would be wanting things put right first.
By timberwolf @ 04/02/2013 12:50:49