Agenda item

The Deputy Mayor stated that the issue of public speakers had been discussed at the pre-meeting earlier in the day and it had been agreed that the seven speakers who had asked to speak on the motion contained on the agenda should be asked to do so for up to three minutes each, as per the usual practice.

The speakers registered, in order were:

Mr Huffadine-Smith

Mr Giddins

Mr Jwanczuk

Mr McKeever

Ms Davenport

Mr Spears

Mr Townsend

Mr Huffadine-Smith addressed Council as summarised herewith.  He was sad to see the item brought to a special meeting of the Council.  He had checked with the Chief Executive who had confirmed that the meeting was not a breach of Purdah. Mr Huffadine-Smith thought that the intention was mischievous and conveyed no dignity to the election process or fair play.  He was aware of the publicity surrounding Delpare tea rooms so that no one really knew what had happened there.  He wished that the issue could be left until after the elections and then be dealt with fairly in the public eye.

Mr Giddins, Chair of Delapre Abbey Preservation Trust (DAPT) and member of Friends of Delapre Abbey (FoDA) addressed Council as summarised herewith.  Consultation on the proposals for Delapre had been very extensive and people had been aware of what was proposed and Council members at the organisation’s AGM in late 2014 had indicated there was cross party support.  It had been known that buildings would be lost as part of the proposals.  FoDA and DAPT had worked hard to keep people informed.  The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant had been made jointly to NBC and to DAPT for the restoration of Delapre Abbey.  The issues were a distraction for the officers and for the project when £800,000 had to be raised through fundraising activity.  A restaurant would be provided and money raised would be put into making the project sustainable.  NBC had met its commitments, now including the provision of a pop-up catering facility.  Mr Giddins paid tribute to the Trustees of FoDA who had had to leave office.  It was proposed to establish a new Delapre Alliance to support the restoration of the Abbey.

Mr Jwanczuk addressed Council as summarised herewith.  He was the chair of a community group in Far Cotton.  He referred to a letter from the Leader of the Council he said many people had received, stating that NBC had not closed the tea rooms but had stepped in to provide a facility when they had been closed.  Mr Jwanczuk said the letter referred to the costs of running the tea rooms, which he disputed and said the tea rooms had contributed financially to the project which they could not have done had they run at a loss, and to “scare stories” being circulated.  Mr Jwanczuk stated that FoDA had made decisions contrary to their constitution and had produced no minutes since January 2015.  He implored members not to be “whipped” and to overturn the decision regarding the tea rooms.

Mr McKeever addressed Council as summarised herewith.  He welcomed the regeneration of Delapre Abbey and felt the community should be at the centre.  There was great sadness at the divisions currently.  He paid tribute to the work of FoDA and hoped they would be the preferred bidder for the restaurant.  He stated that any facility in the stable block was bound to fail.  He considered the motion and second amendment to be a reasonable way forward.

Ms Davenport addressed Council as summarised herewith.  She had been a volunteer in the FoDA office and said she had every day met people outraged with the proposals.  She stated that FoDA had stifled democratic debate, including amongst its staff, telling them it put the HLF grant at risk.  She stated that the HLF had not been informed of the depth of feeling in the town by the Council and therefore thought people were happy with the decision and she believed this had put the HLF grant at risk.

Mr Spears addressed Council as summarised herewith. He had written two books on Delapre Abbey and been involved in a study of the Abbey.  He believed the community centre aspect was key.  He appreciated NBC giving rooms in 2007 for use as tea rooms.  This had become a community focal point.  He was looking forward to FoDA volunteers working with DAPT.  DAPT was around the third such body in approximately eight years.  Council officers had lodged figures for the HLF grant and with volunteers had met the HLF and similar bodies and this had led to the grant awarded to NBC.

Mr Townsend addressed Council as summarised herewith. He stated that since he returned to the town ten years ago many features had been swept away and money wasted.  He stated that the tea rooms should have been kept open and money spent on them.  He stated that the facility had been closed and a lot of money wasted on it.