This follows my piece in June concerning Bradford Council’s plans to blow £15m masquerading as a sporting strategy based on a hugely flawed document.
I subsequently engaged in a series of emails with the leader of the Council. My main points were that this was good money after bad, followed clear party political lines and ignored large parts of the district.
In a week where the public’s opinion of politicians has sunk to new lows, evidence here of the same qualities we have all come to detest. Its a bit of a long one but stick with it; the original article can be found here.
The strategy document can be found here. Remember it is your money.
7/6/19 To: Cllrs Hinchcliffe, Pennington & Sunderland
I write to you concerning this document and the resulting “strategy” announced this week in the local paper. Anyone who has played sport at grassroots level for any length of time will notice glaring errors …and assertions that are simply pure fantasy…. barely a decade since millions were wasted at Myra Shay and yet you propose to do the same again. Small wonder this city will remain as divided as it is. …we will be doing our best to alert the general public to what I am sure will be a complete waste of public money, doled out it would appear, on lines far apart from sporting need.
17/6/19 From: Cllr Hinchcliffe
Thank you for your email…Bradford Council has worked with Sport England and the National Governing Bodies for Sport on the Playing Pitch Strategy that was presented to the Council Executive last week. The Sports Pitch Investment Programme is aimed to deliver the outcomes of the strategy and meet the needs identified through the rigorous consultation undertaken during the preparation of the strategy document. All grass roots clubs in the Bradford District had the opportunity to feed into the process and their responses have been taken into account in the strategies (sic) outcomes.
The sites chosen for the first phase of the Pitch Investment Programme were done following consultation with potential user groups but also to maximise the usage through accessibility to all sections of the community. Myra Shay is one of three sites that have been identified as district hubs, the others being Wyke Community Sporting Village and Marley in Keighley. A further 5 sites will be identified in due course as local multi-sport hubs with several other smaller site (sic) receiving improvements to help deliver grass roots sport across the district.
17/6/19 – SW
Thank you for your reply albeit you don’t tell me anything I don’t already know. Indeed, the second paragraph merely repeats detail provided in the original newspaper article. The Council may well have worked with SE and the relevant NGBs but you have a flawed document and do not seem able to grasp the importance of this. Nor do you seem able to understand that pouring even more millions into Myra Shay looks poor value given recent significant investment barely over a decade ago.
With specific regard to cricket, the assumptions made in the document to underpin the planned investment are, frankly, delusional. I understand the ECB has an ongoing programme of installing community non-turf pitches in Bradford. Last year I inspected several of these – I am advised that there have been five to date and the locations are: Park Avenue, Myra Shay, Haworth Road, Hudson Avenue and Woodhall Playing Fields – I now understand the second round is currently being discussed with up to a further six wickets to be installed this summer? Can you confirm this and the chosen locations please?
It is also my understanding that the Council and ECB are working on proposals for a new urban indoor cricket facility within the district? Likewise, can you either confirm or deny and, if this is the case, where will this be in light of several existing facilities? If you are going to commit millions of public money to a “strategy” then perhaps best to rely on hard facts than a cobbled together document? I await your reply with interest.
1/7/19 – Cllr Hinchcliffe
Thank you for your response, the up and coming project at Myra Shay has been developed following the consultation around the recently adopted Playing Pitch Strategy and other works and is being developed to meet the sporting needs of the area. The facility at Myra Shay has provided both a great sporting facility but also a community hub that is used by a variety of teams and groups. The proposed development will further enhance the facility and open the site up to a wider audience.
In regard to your comments regarding cricket, I can confirm the officers are in discussion with the ECB on the locations for several new non turf pitches (NTPs) across the district. Furthermore, I can confirm the ECB are looking at investing in the district for a new indoor cricket centre. As with the NTP’s, the sites are currently being evaluated for suitability and no final decision on a location has been reached.
The playing pitch strategy was undertaken using a robust methodology that is used across the country. The resulting sports pitch investment strategy will provide a sustainable network of outdoor pitches and facilities that will meet both the current demand and encourage further participation in physical activity and sport.
2/71/9 – SW
You fail to answer the key questions but place all your faith in a document that cost the Council over £25k and is so flawed it defies belief. Perhaps you rely on the general public’s apathy and ignorance? For your convenience let me restate the questions posed in my email (17/6).
1 – millions have been poured into Myra Shay and yet you are repeating the cycle. Why when maintaining and securing these facilities is clearly an issue?
2 – Bradford is a beneficiary of the ECB South Asian Strategy but, between you, £50k has already been blown on NTPs positioned, in the main, in ridiculous locations. Let me suggest that your responsible Dept make representations to the local leagues as to how to spend the ECB (Sky) money coming your way?
For example, plonking a NTP in the middle of two football pitches adjacent to a main road – Hudson Avenue – is utter madness. Or how about you do some joined up thinking and look to primary schools? Perhaps the winners of the annual schools competition from each ward may win one to get cricket back into schools? In other words, consult with people who know what they are talking about rather than choosing the most suitable postcode.
Finally, as far as your assertion of the use of a robust methodology that is simply laughable. Simply throwing money at pet projects will never encourage further participation in physical activity and sport especially as our schools have such woeful facilities and lack any sporting ethos at all. Stop playing politics with our money.
5/7/19 – SW
I treated myself to an afternoon reading your expensively commissioned report from cover to cover. I make two additional points for you to consider given your assertions – highlighted for convenience – made 1/7 concerning the money pit that is Myra Shay.
The report (p66) makes the following comments:
Cricket – “A standard quality square consisting of two grass wickets. The pitch is available for community use but is currently unused.”
Football – “Three adult pitches, one youth 9v9 pitch, one mini 7v7 pitch and two mini 5v5 pitches, all of which are standard quality. The adult pitches and mini 5v5 pitches currently have actual spare capacity whereas the mini 7v7 and youth 9v9 pitches have no additional capacity at peak periods. Good quality ancillary facilities.”
Is it not natural to wonder why a) the cricket pitch is “unused” especially given the outlay barely a decade ago and b) when “spare capacity” is available and the facilities are “good quality” why the need to spend millions?
Regarding cricket let me refer you to p22 – “ECB, YCB and CBMDC to establish a suitable site for an Urban Indoor Cricket Centre to align with a key priority action in ECB’s South Asian Strategy which provides access to year-round cricket facilities in urban areas; reducing the challenges of availability, quality and cost.” In other words, to be postcode driven.
Finally, the Council commissioned a report from the same consultants in 2014. Why has it taken you five years to act, notwithstanding, commissioning yet another report at yet more cost. These are matters in the public interest so I look forward to your detailed reply.
Footnote
Just before we went to print a reply came from the Council via a Phil Barker, the councillor having had enough of me I guess. Here are some extracts:
…Myra Shay has been identified as a possible District Hub…No final plans have been drawn up for the site and officers are still working on the needs assessment for the area. No financial figures have been put against the build at Myra Shay nor as to what facilities may be built there.
So why go sounding off in the local rag if you have decided nothing?
The previously adopted Playing Pitch Strategy, from 2014, was deemed inadequate by Sport England. SE recommended at the Autumn 2017 PPS Steering Group meeting that a new strategy should be prepared in line with current best practice and changes in assessment criteria to ensure that the Council had a robust case for delivering sport across the district.
In total they blew over £54k of public money on these two reports.
Time for a beer!
Martin Patchett says
You won’t print it but you will agree overpaid wankers
Steve says
I did print it 🙂