Staffordshire’s new Conservative Council has backtracked on promises to grant Knutton’s Village Farm a lease for the popular project next to the local Sure Start children’s centre, a refusal which now means it has lost a £50,000 good causes grant from the National Lottery.
The project, which been three years in the making, fought off stiff competition to win the ‘People’s Millions’ grant from the Big Lottery fund in a West Midlands telephone poll, televised on ITV, at the end of November, 2008.
Thousands of people phoned in with their support, with the active help and participation of the County, when it was run by Labour, at the time.
The money was to contribute to the first phase of the farm, with a barn and animal paddocks on the otherwise unused land owned by the County.
The project team had also hoped to bring in construction firm BAM to help at much reduced rates, while the company was finishing off Newcastle’s brand new £60 million college nearby on Knutton Lane.
Following concerns about dithering and delays, expressed by the team and parents before Christmas, local MP Paul Farrelly tried to get information from Conservative County Leader Philip Atkins.
After receiving no response over two months, however, he contacted the Lottery, which has now confirmed that Staffordshire’s refusal to grant a lease meant that Knutton Village Farm did not qualify for the money under Lottery rules.
‘I just met an official wall of silence at the County. Employees, I know, were also warned off speaking out for fear of their jobs. This is quite disgraceful. It’s one thing to change their policy, it’s another not to have the guts to say so openly,’ Paul said.
‘Local people, and parents and children at the centre, feel badly let down. I’m now demanding that the County firstly makes good the Lottery grant that has been needlessly lost, and secondly is honest and open about the future of the project.’
‘A lot of hard work has been put in by volunteers to turn this into an attraction not just for Knutton, but for children to visit from miles around. The tragedy, too, is that another deserving cause in the region has also lost out, as the runner-up in the telephone contest does not automatically get the money.’
‘There’s a wider issue, too. There’s no-one from Newcastle in the new County Cabinet, which oversees big decisions, even though we’re the biggest district in the County. That means, unlike before, there’s no-one to look after our interests. I warned about this after last May’s elections, but the Conservatives have simply not listened.’
To view a copy of Paul’s letter to the County Council about Knutton Village Farm, just click here.
Pictured above: Paul joins a protest by parents at the Sure Start Children’s Centre in Knutton about the County’s letdown.
Timeline of events, established by Mr Farrelly so far, of the refusal:
September, 2008: Lottery fund receives confirmation from Staffordshire County Council (‘SCC’) that it would grant a lease to Knutton Village Farm (‘KVF’), so it qualified under Lottery rules as stand-alone project.
Lottery fund receives confirmation from Staffordshire County Council (‘SCC’) that it would grant a lease to Knutton Village Farm (‘KVF’), so it qualified under Lottery rules as stand-alone project.
"SCC support KVF Project and have obtained agreement from the Director Management Team to lease the land to KVF. The relevant legal documentation is being processed and a copy will be forwarded to you as soon as it is available," the County wrote.
November, 2008: KVF wins public vote and £50,000 lottery grant in ‘People’s Millions’ telephone poll.
KVF wins public vote and £50,000 lottery grant in ‘People’s Millions’ telephone poll.
January, 2009: Lottery discusses outstanding documentation with the County, including the lease, which had been agreed, and the necessary planning permissions for the project.
: Lottery discusses outstanding documentation with the County, including the lease, which had been agreed, and the necessary planning permissions for the project.
May, 2009: County changes from Labour to conservative after the local elections.
County changes from Labour to conservative after the local elections.
August, 2009: KVF team are still waiting for the lease, which had been due to go through the County Council Property Board on 16th July, a meeting which was delayed.
KVF team are still waiting for the lease, which had been due to go through the County Council Property Board on 16July, a meeting which was delayed.
Mid-October, 2009: Still no lease forthcoming. KVF had been trying to secure one for 25 years, but the Lottery confirmed just five years would do.
Still no lease forthcoming. KVF had been trying to secure one for 25 years, but the Lottery confirmed just five years would do.
Mid-November, 2009: The County Legal Department was due to sign off on the lease on Monday, 16th November, allowing the Lottery money to be paid over. Nothing happens, however, and concerned people contact local MP Paul Farrelly. He never receives a response from the County, however, despite reminders.
The County Legal Department was due to sign off on the lease on Monday, 16November, allowing the Lottery money to be paid over. Nothing happens, however, and concerned people contact local MP Paul Farrelly. He never receives a response from the County, however, despite reminders.
January-February, 2010: Off-the-record discussions with County officers indicate a political U-turn over KVF, so he approaches the Lottery for chapter and verse.
Off-the-record discussions with County officers indicate a political U-turn over KVF, so he approaches the Lottery for chapter and verse.
Mr Farrelly learns that although the County’s Legal team were prepared to authorise a lease, the Property Department was not. As part of the total project, a new service road would be needed in the future. Originally, KVF were to construct the animal feeding enclosures first and be given two years to get the road built.
Now, however, the County was saying the road had to come first, that a new business plan is needed and that funding for the road was no longer available. It was also now refusing to accept the first, Lottery-funded phase as a stand-alone project.
Despite the concerns being raised, no-one at the County stepped in to stand up for the project and the Lottery money was lost.