PROPOSALS about what £50m will be spent on in Bishop Auckland has been set out in a fraught public meeting that saw residents express concerns over Durham County Council “falling short of the mark” when it comes to consultation and communication, while the regional authority was also accused of “neglecting its moral obligations”.
During last year, the town received two funding pots from the Future High Street Fund and Stronger Towns Fund – that equated to just over £50m.
Since the investment was announced for Bishop Auckland, questions have remained about what the multi-million-pound deals would bring to the area – leading to anger and frustration among residents, who want answers on how the millions can transform the town.
Read more: REVEALED: The plans for Bishop Auckland after securing £72m
However, last night (February 18), a public meeting was called to bring together representatives from Durham County Council, the Stronger Town Board and philanthropist, Jonathan Ruffer.
The meeting was called by Bishop Auckland Town Council to add clarity on what funding has been awarded, what projects the funding will be spent on, what happens next, and a public question and answer session.
It was announced during the meeting that £32.2m handed to the town will be invested in the bus station (£11.8m), Kingsway Car Park (£12m), Spanish Gallery (£105k), hotel development (£1.1m), various public realm works (£936k) and a property reuse fund (£1m).
But it was a £3.2m investment at 9-11 Newgate Street that generated the biggest buzz of the evening, which councillors and agencies hope can lead to a food, drink, and entertainment space on the main shopping street of Bishop Auckland.
As for the rest of the money, £15.7m will be spent on the Kynren section of the town, £8.1m for town centre diversification, £900,000 on the Durham Dales Gateway, £1.3m on Springboard to Employment, £3m on Tindale Triangle infrastructure and £1.7m on South Church workspace.
Within the meeting, multiple questions about the consultation that was sought during the early stages of the funding were asked – with Geoff Paul, head of development and housing at Durham County Council, admitting that the authority “got it wrong” and committed to “doing better” when it comes to communicating to the public.
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However, this didn’t stop Mr Paul and several county council officers getting a grilling from the public that ended, which amounted to around 180 people on the evening.
During one point during the evening, Mr Paul and the council were accused of “masking over the problem” and “settling for less” after saying that they only asked 965 people about the £50m funding before making several decisions about the projects; something that was called “woeful” by the public.
In other parts, the council officers were interrupted by residents, who repeated the phrase “too little, too late” – in reference to the fact that projects had been agreed without public knowledge.
Speaking at the meeting, one concerned resident said: “I don’t see how the county council can ever say that they have an idea about what the people of Bishop Auckland want because, as far as I see it, they’ve asked 965 people and that’s it.
“It’s almost criminal that they’ve not got an accurate sub-section of people in Bishop Auckland.”
Mr Paul responded by saying: “It’s unfortunate that only 965 people were asked about their opinion, but consultations sometimes do throw up low turnouts. We do admit that more could have been done during the consultation. I can’t change the past, but I can look to bring a great future to Bishop Auckland.”
Read more: Plans to transform Bishop Auckland into world-class visitor destination
There was also some inclination that, through the projects, there is potential for 3000 jobs to be created across Bishop Auckland in the future, as well as an annual spend of £240m from visitors. It’s estimated that 1.5 million tourists could be visiting the town by the end of the 2020’s.
Despite the impressive spending figures banded around about employment, tourism spend and project spend, criticisms were made about what could be done for those that don’t have the finances to spend £10 for a ticket to the Spanish Gallery or other attractions.
With emphasis put on the cost of living, where it’s sometimes a choice between ‘heat or eat’, some residents were left unimpressed by the suggestion that millions could be spent on eateries, but some in Bishop Auckland can’t afford to eat every day.
One resident at the meeting said: “It’s all well and good banding about all of these pieces about the millions spent, but Bishop Auckland is one of the most deprived places in the UK and the gap between the rich and the poor is getting larger.
“Can we do something for the poorest in society because it’s sometimes tough enough to put food on the table for these people, and it’s becoming a crisis in this town.”
David Land, chair of the Stronger Town Board, reassured everyone present that there would be “something for everyone,” by saying: “We’re trying to get more diversity onto the board and get new ideas to bring forward. I understand the concerns of residents and I share those concerns.
Read more: Bishop Auckland to see 'multi-million pound' investment
“We may have been guilty of not communicating in the past but hopefully it’s a thing of the past.”
Meanwhile, philanthropist, Jonathan Ruffer, who has attempted to transform Bishop Auckland since starting to invest in the town in 2011, attacked Durham County Council of “legally falling short” and “covering up” the projects the £50m will go on.
In the last ten years, it was announced by Mr Ruffer at the meeting that he’s spent £50,00 a day on the town, which equates to £200m. This includes on restaurants, hotels, the Spanish Gallery, Auckland Castle, and other investment projects.
Mr Ruffer said: “The £200m I’ve spent on Bishop Auckland is not a regret, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. I can’t express this enough, the £50m we’re discussing tonight doesn’t belong to me or Durham County Council, it belongs to you.”
Cllr Rob Yorke, who represents the West Auckland division at Durham County Council, even turned on his own council at the meeting – calling them “negligent” and accusing them of trying to silence the people of Bishop Auckland during the consultation.
Further discussions about the funding and what ideas members of the public have for the town are expected to follow at the end of February and start of March.
Bishop Auckland Town Council has also called on more partnership working with Durham County Council in the future, with Cllr Lesley Zair saying: “If Durham County Council were serious in engaging with us, they’d have done it by now.”
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