Latest re Cashes Green Hospital site

I received a response from Marlene Rodney (Department for Communities and Local Government) re my letter to Yvette Cooper and Hazel Blears re the Cashes Green Hospital site.

Photo: two weeks ago leaves still on trees - now none!

See earlier letter to Ministers on blog by using search engine - Ms Rodney replied stating that English Partnerships "have not reversed their decision as no decision has yet been made" and that the "English Partnerships board refused to approve the scheme because the model does not offer value for money" and "We are considering the options about how the scheme might progress."

Here is my response:

Dear Ms Blears and Ms Cooper,

Re Cashes Green Community Land Trust Pilot Project

Thank you for your reply dated 30th November from Marlene Rodney. I hugely welcome your continued interest in this project and wondered whether you would be able to answer the following questions that are being asked locally by constituents in the area of this proposed project.

There has been much enthusiasm locally following the extensive consultations over the last couple of years and people are now finding it hard to understand why there is a hold up on this project despite the widespread support.

1. I understand a 'value for money' report was requested for the community despite the original reports containing considerable information regarding the community value of the proposals. I can understand that you need to be sure but I would now welcome confirmation that the community interest in this site has raised its value?

2. In June 2007 English Partnerships were quoted in a press release that David Warburton, English Partnerships' Director for South West England, said; "We welcome this approach for a Community Land Trust pilot project. It provides for significantly lower entry prices for home ownership in perpetuity by utilising what is known as a Mutual Home Ownership model and it will help us achieve high quality, well designed, sustainable and affordable places for people to live." We are still unclear as to why they may have changed their mind. We would welcome a view on why?

3. One local resident posed the question: "Is it not the case that this site, an old hospital site, is in effect already owned by the community?" I would welcome your comments to feed back on this and also concerns expressed locally that the Government (English Partnerships) is trying to make money out of community assets?

4. Hazel Blears has said much about the value of community engagement, urging local authorities to seize the chance to transfer power to residents. One quote from last month notes: "One of my worries is that community empowerment ends up as so much blah, and our task is to put some flesh on the bones. It’s a challenge because if you give people power other people have to give it up. The top message I have given to my department is that I want community empowerment to be one of our top priorities. If we can’t use the resources we have got to make a difference on this agenda, I don’t know when there will be a better time. Our task is to try to change the system so people can do things and the system can help them do it rather than stand in their way. That will require a massive shift in local government and certainly in central government as well." Another quote condemns councils that involved residents in regeneration only to push them aside when policies changed: "If there’s one lesson we have to learn, wasting that kind of capacity of people at local level is a sin. We have to think again and again and again about how we keep people involved."

How can the Housing Minister the Rt Hon Yvette Cooper best build upon this in the Cashes Green case?

I look forward to hearing from you,

Yours Sincerely,

Cllr. Philip Booth,
Stroud District councillor for the Randwick, Ruscombe and Whiteshill ward,