S.Wales Evening Post - 31 October 2005
Specialist consultants have cost Swansea Council a massive £4 million in the past 14 months.Tax payers in the county have had to foot the bill for the expert advice taken since the Lib Dem, Independent and Conservative coalition came into power. The figures have been released after a Freedom of Information request by the Post.
Around 50 consultancy firms have benefited from the cash, costing each Swansea resident around £17.Swansea Council has defended the use of consultants saying they are a necessary part of local government.Council leader Chris Holley said he was surprised by the figure and would be looking at it in more detail.
He said: "What we are doing is we are going to do some research and break these figures down.
"This is the total amount of money that has been paid out, but we are concerned about the rational for why some of these figures have been included in a list of consultants' fees."
Councillor Holley said some of the bills included in the list, such as the £565,387 for council auditors PriceWaterhousecoopers, were paid for with direct grants from the Assembly and was something every authority had to do.
A number of private firms were also brought in by the council to advise on a variety issue.
Lawyers Pinsent Masons has received £591,000 in the past 14 months while technology advisors the Society of Information Technology Management was paid almost £1 million since July 2004 for their work on the eGovernment programme.
A spokesman for Swansea's Labour group said he agreed with Mr Holley that some roles would not be best filled by employing full-time staff and that consultants had to be brought in for some cases.
He said: "It is a startling figure but without knowing what this money was used for we cannot say whether there this was money well spent.
"But £4 million is an exceptionally large figure. At a time when the council is pleading poverty and things like the Citizens Advice Bureau is in doubt, it doesn't seem to make financial sense.
"We will be asking questions about these figures."
Mike Jones, the Swansea branch secretary of the Small Business Federation, said that the council needed to be open about its use of consultants.
He said: "Whether you are a small business, a large business or even a city council, you need to have a business plan.
"Sometimes expert advice is needed and so I wouldn't say the money has necessarily been wasted. Having said that, I wouldn't say it has been well spent.
"The council needs to be as open as possible about these payments and ensure they are getting value for money for tax payers."
RESIDENTS GIVE CITY CENTRE THE THUMBS DOWN
S.Wales Evening Post - 28 October 2005
Swansea city centre has been given a big thumbs down by city residents, according to the council's own research. The survey backs the Post's own findings from its latest Set The Agenda questionnaire.
It found that city centre shopping was the biggest gripe with residents. A massive 80 per cent of respondents said that the shopping experience had got worse in the last 12 months.
However, it has emerged that the warning signs were already there for council leaders, who carried out their own research in April this year.Those findings revealed four in 10 people thought the city centre had deteriorated.
Around 50 per cent said their had been no change and just one in 10 thought things had got better.It was recently revealed that some 50 city centre shops are either closed, closing or advertised to rent.
The findings come on the back of a fight to put the heart back into the city centre.
Peter Birch, of Swansea Independent Traders' Association, said he had not seen any action since April.
He said: "It's quite a clear indication. 40 per cent is a very big number of people who are not happy with the city centre."I have not seen any improvement at all. Nothing seems to be happening.
"It's all right pushing paper but it's action that we need."
Mr Birch said recent announcements from the council were more encouraging, however.
"They have said that there is not going to be any more out-of- town development at the business parks. We will have to see if they stick to that.
"As retailers, we have been let down for the last 10 or 12 years.
"There have been some high- profile closures in the last six months.
"The administration has known that people are not happy with the state of the centre for six months.
"But they have not done anything to reverse that.
"I think that if there had been some hope for retailers then the ones that have left may have given us a second chance."
The council's survey also found that over 40 per cent of respondents rated the city centre as either fairly poor or very poor in terms of shopping.
It came ahead of last week's announcement that the old David Evans department store in Princess Way is going to be razed early next year.I
t was also announced that it would be replaced by a new retail six-store scheme.Council leader Chris Holley said there had been a lot of work going on behind the scenes.
He added: "We have got to have a legal framework to work to and it is no good saying something if we are not sure we can deliver.
"It has taken this amount of time, because we have had to clear our thinking after coming into power.
"I feel that 18 months since we came into power is not bad.
"We have had to get it right and overcome past failures. What's happened has happened and is history.
"What I'm saying is that we are taking steps to make sure things get better."
Swansea city centre has been given a big thumbs down by city residents, according to the council's own research. The survey backs the Post's own findings from its latest Set The Agenda questionnaire.
It found that city centre shopping was the biggest gripe with residents. A massive 80 per cent of respondents said that the shopping experience had got worse in the last 12 months.
However, it has emerged that the warning signs were already there for council leaders, who carried out their own research in April this year.Those findings revealed four in 10 people thought the city centre had deteriorated.
Around 50 per cent said their had been no change and just one in 10 thought things had got better.It was recently revealed that some 50 city centre shops are either closed, closing or advertised to rent.
The findings come on the back of a fight to put the heart back into the city centre.
Peter Birch, of Swansea Independent Traders' Association, said he had not seen any action since April.
He said: "It's quite a clear indication. 40 per cent is a very big number of people who are not happy with the city centre."I have not seen any improvement at all. Nothing seems to be happening.
"It's all right pushing paper but it's action that we need."
Mr Birch said recent announcements from the council were more encouraging, however.
"They have said that there is not going to be any more out-of- town development at the business parks. We will have to see if they stick to that.
"As retailers, we have been let down for the last 10 or 12 years.
"There have been some high- profile closures in the last six months.
"The administration has known that people are not happy with the state of the centre for six months.
"But they have not done anything to reverse that.
"I think that if there had been some hope for retailers then the ones that have left may have given us a second chance."
The council's survey also found that over 40 per cent of respondents rated the city centre as either fairly poor or very poor in terms of shopping.
It came ahead of last week's announcement that the old David Evans department store in Princess Way is going to be razed early next year.I
t was also announced that it would be replaced by a new retail six-store scheme.Council leader Chris Holley said there had been a lot of work going on behind the scenes.
He added: "We have got to have a legal framework to work to and it is no good saying something if we are not sure we can deliver.
"It has taken this amount of time, because we have had to clear our thinking after coming into power.
"I feel that 18 months since we came into power is not bad.
"We have had to get it right and overcome past failures. What's happened has happened and is history.
"What I'm saying is that we are taking steps to make sure things get better."
ADVICE BUREAU IS ON VERGE OF CLOSURE
South Wales Evening Post - 27 October 2005
Swansea Citizens' Advice Bureau is at breaking point and facing the prospect of closure, it has emerged. Bosses say spiralling costs and years of council under-funding are putting the service it provides to the people of the city in danger.
The stark warning has come from CAB bosses who say the current situation cannot be allowed to continue.With a 40 per cent hike in rent, increasing staff costs and funding difficulties that have already resulted in service cuts and redundancies, there are genuine fears that only more funding will safeguard services.
Jackie Preston, who has managed the city's CAB for 13 years, said crisis time had arrived
."The situation is extremely serious," she said today. "We've had to turn people away because we just don't have the advisers.
"It's heartbreaking because all we want to do here is help and people come to us thinking that we will be able to do something for them.
"Finances are incredibly tight. I don't know how much longer we can carry on like this.
"We used to deal with more than 200 people a week but we have had to cut down our opening hours through lack of staff and other resources. We need more money - it's as simple as that."
The bureau's three full-time staff, six part-timers and 42 volunteers have to deal with a variety of problems covering areas like discrimination, relationship breakdowns, tenancy agreements and health and work dismissals.
But their office is now only open for a total of 10 hours a week due to lack of money - not demand.
The warning comes just weeks after CAB Cymru revealed the city's operation was among the worst funded in Wales.CAB officials are now pinning their hopes on a November 14 meeting with council cabinet member for finance John Newbury.
Swansea CAB trustee board chairman Bill Arnold said: "We are meeting Councillor Newbury very soon to sort out next year's funding."
Earlier this month the branch expressed its distress at the increase in numbers visiting the office because of benefit problems.
Councillor Rene Kinzett, who chairs the council's finance cabinet advisory committee and is a trustee of CAB Swansea, said today: "I hope that the forthcoming meeting between the council's finance chiefs and the local Citizens' Advice Bureau will agree on a way forward to solve the current problems of funding CAB services in Swansea.
"The council and the CAB need to be assured that any future funding arrangements are fair, transparent and offer good value for quality services to local people."
A council spokesman added: "We have been in contact with the CAB and planning to meet next month."
Swansea Citizens' Advice Bureau is at breaking point and facing the prospect of closure, it has emerged. Bosses say spiralling costs and years of council under-funding are putting the service it provides to the people of the city in danger.
The stark warning has come from CAB bosses who say the current situation cannot be allowed to continue.With a 40 per cent hike in rent, increasing staff costs and funding difficulties that have already resulted in service cuts and redundancies, there are genuine fears that only more funding will safeguard services.
Jackie Preston, who has managed the city's CAB for 13 years, said crisis time had arrived
."The situation is extremely serious," she said today. "We've had to turn people away because we just don't have the advisers.
"It's heartbreaking because all we want to do here is help and people come to us thinking that we will be able to do something for them.
"Finances are incredibly tight. I don't know how much longer we can carry on like this.
"We used to deal with more than 200 people a week but we have had to cut down our opening hours through lack of staff and other resources. We need more money - it's as simple as that."
The bureau's three full-time staff, six part-timers and 42 volunteers have to deal with a variety of problems covering areas like discrimination, relationship breakdowns, tenancy agreements and health and work dismissals.
But their office is now only open for a total of 10 hours a week due to lack of money - not demand.
The warning comes just weeks after CAB Cymru revealed the city's operation was among the worst funded in Wales.CAB officials are now pinning their hopes on a November 14 meeting with council cabinet member for finance John Newbury.
Swansea CAB trustee board chairman Bill Arnold said: "We are meeting Councillor Newbury very soon to sort out next year's funding."
Earlier this month the branch expressed its distress at the increase in numbers visiting the office because of benefit problems.
Councillor Rene Kinzett, who chairs the council's finance cabinet advisory committee and is a trustee of CAB Swansea, said today: "I hope that the forthcoming meeting between the council's finance chiefs and the local Citizens' Advice Bureau will agree on a way forward to solve the current problems of funding CAB services in Swansea.
"The council and the CAB need to be assured that any future funding arrangements are fair, transparent and offer good value for quality services to local people."
A council spokesman added: "We have been in contact with the CAB and planning to meet next month."
'FITTEST CITY' TITLE CALLED INTO QUESTION
South Wales Evening Post - 26 October 2005
Swansea's title of Britain's fittest city has been called into question after it emerged a flagship sports facility is years behind schedule.
Sport stars are having to travel to Neath to train because a high-profile facility in Swansea is not fully operational, according to one group who say it is not fit for use. Swansea Harriers say the new athletics development in Sketty Lane has a number of problems.The city was recently awarded the top fitness accolade after a survey of sports venues and those taking regular exercise.
Swansea Council said it was delighted with the award and praised the city's sports facilities.
Cabinet member for culture, recreation and tourism, Gerald Clement added: "Being active is a crucial element of health for all ages, and this is something the council recognises, both in terms of providing facilities and initiatives to encourage everyone to get fit."
He added: "We have built state-of-the-art athletics facilities alongside the Olympic-size Wales National Pool, in which our national Olympic and Paralympic medal-winning sports stars train, and in which children enjoy free swimming sessions."
However, Gwilym Evans, chairman of the Swansea Harriers' athletics team, said: "Councillor Clement seems to have forgotten that the running track is years behind schedule and is still not open.
"It has some problems with it and cannot be used.
"The indoor facilities are not complete either. The pole vault area is unusable and the throwing area has problems."
Mr Evans said the council had taken credit for the track despite the fact it has never been used.
"It was supposed to be open last October, then we were told the beginning of August.
"People may have seen those comments and thought they could use the track, but that is simply not the case".
A spokesman for Swansea Council confirmed that the track was still not finished.
Swansea's title of Britain's fittest city has been called into question after it emerged a flagship sports facility is years behind schedule.
Sport stars are having to travel to Neath to train because a high-profile facility in Swansea is not fully operational, according to one group who say it is not fit for use. Swansea Harriers say the new athletics development in Sketty Lane has a number of problems.The city was recently awarded the top fitness accolade after a survey of sports venues and those taking regular exercise.
Swansea Council said it was delighted with the award and praised the city's sports facilities.
Cabinet member for culture, recreation and tourism, Gerald Clement added: "Being active is a crucial element of health for all ages, and this is something the council recognises, both in terms of providing facilities and initiatives to encourage everyone to get fit."
He added: "We have built state-of-the-art athletics facilities alongside the Olympic-size Wales National Pool, in which our national Olympic and Paralympic medal-winning sports stars train, and in which children enjoy free swimming sessions."
However, Gwilym Evans, chairman of the Swansea Harriers' athletics team, said: "Councillor Clement seems to have forgotten that the running track is years behind schedule and is still not open.
"It has some problems with it and cannot be used.
"The indoor facilities are not complete either. The pole vault area is unusable and the throwing area has problems."
Mr Evans said the council had taken credit for the track despite the fact it has never been used.
"It was supposed to be open last October, then we were told the beginning of August.
"People may have seen those comments and thought they could use the track, but that is simply not the case".
A spokesman for Swansea Council confirmed that the track was still not finished.
