View Full Version : Easton Community Centre
bristol_citizen
10-04-2005, 06:29
Has anyone got an opinion on Easton Community Centre?
Here's a link to get you started...
http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire/display/22287/index.php
I don't know what to think, really. I've read a lot of the stuff on Bristol Indymedia, and it seems like a classic case of mismanagement and/or fraudulent practices going on. If there had been a regular audit of the books, this just wouldn't have been allowed to happen. It's interesting to me because I know Robin Moss and Rupert Daniel from my days in the Labour Party (although not well enough to comment on whether they've been up to anything dodgy) and I know Roy Norris as he went out with a friend of mine for a quite a while.
fat hamster
10-04-2005, 07:08
Thread about ECC here (http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=107381).
fat hamster
10-04-2005, 07:44
From the report on Indymedia:
Many council tax payers will now be left wondering why an organisation with no audited accounts, a lack of professional financial support and - by the management team’s own admission - having no management accounts but “boxes and boxes of paper” instead was allowed to continue receiving tax-payers money.
As the chair of a neighbouring (much smaller) community group I want to point out that it's much easier to get funding for exciting projects than for "core" activites like admin and accounting. I'm not seeking to justify the mismanagement at ECC, but I can imagine how easily it happened...
The ECC thing looks to me like a classic case of arrogance and mis management by people who thought that thier jobs as public servants spending public money meant that they were above worrying about the real world of profit and loss. Perhaps they thought they were fire proof cos the council funded them and would bail them out whatever.
It is amusing that one of the managemnt team was a 'Dick Turpin', hoho.
bristol_citizen
12-04-2005, 09:51
It's interesting to me because I know Robin Moss and Rupert Daniel from my days in the Labour Party (although not well enough to comment on whether they've been up to anything dodgy)
Really? And did they know each other? And how long ago are we talking?
Gerry1time
12-04-2005, 10:36
The ECC thing looks to me like a classic case of arrogance and mis management by people who thought that thier jobs as public servants spending public money meant that they were above worrying about the real world of profit and loss. Perhaps they thought they were fire proof cos the council funded them and would bail them out whatever.
I don't know anything about this specific case, but as a now ex council employee i can finally state that that analysis of the general ethos couldn't be more accurate if it tried.
Really? And did they know each other? And how long ago are we talking?
Late 80s/early 90s. I'm not sure if they knew each other as Rupert was in Bristol West LP and Robin Moss would have been in Bristol East LP. I can't say I knew either of them particularly well.
fat hamster
09-05-2005, 08:11
Info from Indymedia via the Bristol Social Forum e-list - may be of interest to those local to ECC:
The following info comes from
http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire/display/22698/index.php
Please note there is now a sign on the notice board outside the Easton
Community Centre giving info on this meet. The ECC is at Kilburn St, off
Easton Rd, Easton, BS5.
ECC public meeting (again)
by Town Crier
Following on from cancellation of the secret 'stakeholders' meeting at the
Easton Community Centre on 7 April (see
http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire/display/22287/index.php), BCC's
regeneration Division are holding a 'public meeting' on 10 May.
The previous meeting was cancelled at short notice, after it was made
'public', and local residents were invited to attend. However as they
didn't fit the bill as 'stakeholders', the Council chickened out citing a
'heated environment surrounding the election'! For that act of deviousness
(cover-up) they were roundly condemned.
Now Ashy McKay (Ashy_McKay@bristol-city.gov.uk tel 0117 9223293), in a
letter dated 29/4/05, has written:
"Dear Colleague, Bristol City Council Regeneration Division has arranged a
Public Meeting at Easton Community Centre on Tuesday May 10h, 6pm -8pm, to
outline future arrangements for the building and enable local residents to
air their views. Ashy McKay, Bristol City Council's Head of Regeneration
will chair the meeting. Also in attendance will be Councillor Helen
Holland, the current Executive member of External Affairs & Regeneration,
Councillor Robin Moss and Councillor John Kiely.
I look forward to seeing you there. Yours sincerely etc etc"
But who has been invited, how many 'colleagues' does he have, and how
public is 'public'? The meeting has certainly not been publicised, to the
local residents at least. Not even a notice on the ECC's front door. Won't
this be one of those public meetings where the council tell us what they
have decided, and then ask for, before ignoring, the responses of local
people? Probably.
Local residents, indeed all past & potential centre users should go. It is
a public amenity fought for by the community. And those that have ultimate
control over it need to be brought to book. That means the council
(especially in the absence of the completely disappeared Easton Community
Association), who closed it, and are now running it in the short-term.
Given the recent elections, it could be a dramatic night - who will
actually turn up from the council? Will Moss dare to come as a 'local
resident'? Will they tell us who they have given the centre too? Will we
put them in the stocks?
Be there
fat hamster
16-09-2005, 12:22
From the Voscur e-bulletin:
The Future Of Easton Community Centre
Hear proposals for the future management of Easton Community Centre. On Tuesday 20th September, there will be 2 chances to hear from organisations bidding for the management of the Centre, at either 2pm or 7pm, in the main hall, Easton Community Centre, Kilburn Road, Easton BS5 6AW. The bids will also be displayed in the main foyer until Friday 23rd September for comments and feedback.
Contact: Ian Quaife (BCC Community Development) Tel. 0117 903 6413
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