£400,000 bill for Bradford's City Park events criticised (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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£400,000 bill for Bradford's City Park events criticised
7:00am Monday 11th February 2013 in News
By Dolores Cowburn, Bradford Chief Reporter
Bradford's City Park
City Park events have cost taxpayers £400,000 since the flagship area opened in March, the Telegraph & Argus can exclusively reveal.
Since it opened on March 24, there have been 25 events, attracting 223,600 people to the park including the City Park launch which cost £76,500, the Garden of Light that cost £77,500, and the Christmas lights switch-on which cost £61,000.
The Council, depending on budget agreements, has earmarked £250,000 for City Park events for the next financial year starting in April.
The £400,000 is from March to December, 2012.
It comes days after the park picked up its seventh award for City Park.
The park, built at a cost of about £24 million, won Project of the Year at the Urban Design Group Awards in a ceremony at the Royal Overseas League in central London.
Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Bradford Council’s executive member for culture, said that the £400,000 was value for money to the taxpayer because it showed investors the positive side of Bradford.
“It is a shop window for the city,” she said.
“When we are talking to investors we can show images. It is all part of economic development therefore it is an important investment.
“The BBC is staging a Bollywood event with their own money this year proving that partners are attracted to that space.
“It is to show Bradford to the best advantage.
“The Ice Sculpture trail generated positive national newspaper coverage with full colour pictures. And the Garden of Light, from an artistic company which works internationally, generated positive TV coverage for Bradford, not to mention the great pictures and coverage in the T&A. I’m really pleased with these figures from the first year of operation of events in City Park.
“It’s great that people have enjoyed the events that have been staged here but of course the real economic value for Bradford is the additional spend that the visitors bring in to the city centre when they come to an event.
“To pick just one of many the BBC’s Bollywood Carmen event on June 9 is going to be huge.”
But it has led to criticism from Idle Councillor, Jeanette Sunderland, (Lib Dem) who said that she believed £125,000 had been earmarked for events in the first year.
“At a time when people need help to get washed and dressed and are having their services threatened the Council need to watch every penny and every penny they spend counts,” she said.
“At this moment in time we have spent £28 million for not very much return. What we need to see is Westfield coming back to Bradford.”
Conservative group leader on the Council, Coun Glen Miller, said that it was important to have city centre events and those promoting Ilkley, Keighley and Bingley.
“I think it is a lot of money and we need long-term fixes, not short-term ones that this Labour council is doing,” he said. “Austerity measures we find ourselves in after the last Government means reductions need to be made across the board.”
Comments(51)
angry bradfordian
says...
7:43am Mon 11 Feb 13
Now we've spent another £400,000 on events they are suggesting that it's attracted 223,000 people. I'm assuming that it's not 223,000 on top of the original estimate so it's not even £2 per head for the events.
And if Councillor Hinchcliffe is so certain it was 'value for money' why doesn't she give an example of a specific potential investor who has actually invested in the city as a direct result of City Park? I think we all know why she can't.
thatsnotmyname
says...
7:52am Mon 11 Feb 13
I bet if you looked at other city public enfertainment costs it will be around the same.
It's welcome to be able to show off the city with something that looks good and.wins awards.
collos25
says...
7:55am Mon 11 Feb 13
holden caulfield
says...
8:19am Mon 11 Feb 13
Answers on a postcard to be dropped along with the rest of the litter that is daily swept up from the City Park.
Outraged English Subject
says...
8:19am Mon 11 Feb 13
Fur coat no Knic….
JAtkinson
says...
8:22am Mon 11 Feb 13
I hope whingers and whiners won't make it impossible for the excellent events team to put on events as equally exciting and innovative in coming years.
£400k? Money very well spent. More of the same from the events team, please.
Mo Bradford
says...
8:26am Mon 11 Feb 13
Getting people into the city to see what.... To do what............
Hope it helps! :) (Councillors)!!!!!!!
!!
angry bradfordian
says...
8:28am Mon 11 Feb 13
holden caulfield wrote:Completely agree.
we were told that the City Park would bring extra people into the City. Is there any evidence that the 223,600 attracted by the events brought extra revenue into the City Center? How many shops were prevented from closing because of that extra revenue? What are the continuing running costs projected to be over the next ten years? Do journalists ask questions anymore?
Answers on a postcard to be dropped along with the rest of the litter that is daily swept up from the City Park.
Every time an event occurs such are the ice sculptures, the pop-up cinema, the Olympic torch or the Positive Bradford event we are told how many extra people they are attracting to the city.
Then we get press releases telling us how many extra people the City Park has attracted as though they are all different people.
Andy2010
says...
8:31am Mon 11 Feb 13
Save2020
says...
8:32am Mon 11 Feb 13
angry bradfordian
says...
8:38am Mon 11 Feb 13
JAtkinson wrote:I fail to see why this is money well spent.
The events I went to (including all of those mentioned above) were amazing! Each one was simply stunning, engaging, interesting and so different to anywhere else I've been. I was proud to be a Bradfordian and enjoyed talking to people from far and wide who'd come to see my city. I doubt any provincial city, so overlooked by its central and regional executives, and certainly none in the north of England, put on such wonderful displays.
I hope whingers and whiners won't make it impossible for the excellent events team to put on events as equally exciting and innovative in coming years.
£400k? Money very well spent. More of the same from the events team, please.
We were told that spending £24m of public money was going to get millions of people from all over the country descending on Bradford. Now we need to spend another £400,000 on to try and to get people in because it's pretty obviously that no-one's going to come just to look at a pond.
There is zero evidence that this money has attracted any additional investment to the city. How many jobs and tax would need to be crated to get back the £400k?
Stanglienne
says...
8:43am Mon 11 Feb 13
angry bradfordian wrote:She does give an example... The bbc's upcoming carmen. Just because it's not a shop or office doesn't mean it's not an investment!
So the park cost 'about' £24m of public money because it was going to attract millions of extra visitors to the city centre.
Now we've spent another £400,000 on events they are suggesting that it's attracted 223,000 people. I'm assuming that it's not 223,000 on top of the original estimate so it's not even £2 per head for the events.
And if Councillor Hinchcliffe is so certain it was 'value for money' why doesn't she give an example of a specific potential investor who has actually invested in the city as a direct result of City Park? I think we all know why she can't.
We're not going to get business into bradford by wishful thinking alone. These events are Bradford's defibrillator and worth every penny imo!
bradfordian
says...
9:18am Mon 11 Feb 13
Cooperlane2
says...
9:18am Mon 11 Feb 13
£125k ,£250k or £400k?
It's only taxpayer's money, no need to really have a grip on finances.
Outraged English Subject
says...
9:23am Mon 11 Feb 13
Cooperlane2 wrote:Correct.
£24m or £28m?
£125k ,£250k or £400k?
It's only taxpayer's money, no need to really have a grip on finances.
Mr Bradford
says...
9:24am Mon 11 Feb 13
Mr Bradford
says...
9:26am Mon 11 Feb 13
angry bradfordian
says...
9:26am Mon 11 Feb 13
Mr Bradford wrote:But it's not £400k for 25 events.
400k for 25 events is very good value for money. They attracted a quarter of a million people, and the events I went to did wonders for businesses there with bars and restaurants very busy.
It's £24 million plus £400k for 25 events.
Tosh2011
says...
9:32am Mon 11 Feb 13
Now it's too late, the big shops have almost gone, we don't have free parking, the remaining shops will also close in a matter of time.
Face it we don't have a reason to come into the heart of Bradford anymore.
The council said investment would come, we'll I don't see the investment coming, awards and BBC coming to hold a Bollywood dance is not investment.
Cooperlane2
says...
9:43am Mon 11 Feb 13
Avro
says...
9:47am Mon 11 Feb 13
The Council might as well have chucked 400k plus the £24+ miillion cost to build, into the Westfailed hole in the ground!
How many of the 223,600 people were simply passing through the park?
There is no way of gauging exactly how many made a specific journey to visit the park or any of the events, because the counters also clock those passing through!
There is no evidence that any business' are booming as a result of these pie in the sky numbers.
Why are the Council holding back on publishing the true cost of the City Park?
Does any one know when the main fountain display is set to go off, does the Council even know?
The fact is that nearly 12 months after its opening, it still has the reflection of the Odeon eyesore and the city centre has progressivley got worse!
Joedavid
says...
10:07am Mon 11 Feb 13
flashdonut
says...
10:11am Mon 11 Feb 13
JAtkinson wrote:Couldn't agree more!!!!!
The events I went to (including all of those mentioned above) were amazing! Each one was simply stunning, engaging, interesting and so different to anywhere else I've been. I was proud to be a Bradfordian and enjoyed talking to people from far and wide who'd come to see my city. I doubt any provincial city, so overlooked by its central and regional executives, and certainly none in the north of England, put on such wonderful displays.
I hope whingers and whiners won't make it impossible for the excellent events team to put on events as equally exciting and innovative in coming years.
£400k? Money very well spent. More of the same from the events team, please.
I have worked since leaving school. i was that unfortunate I got a job before the six weeks holidays had passed. I have paid taxes since.
.
So that gives me a right to say well done to the council. 400k? Well spend 800k if it is up to me. That 'pond' is the best thing to happen to the city for a long time. It brings hundreds of people to teh centre. Sure, there's no shops and teh Odeon is an eyesore. But it is a start.
.
The lights switch on was as mad as a drawer full of frogs, but great viewing.
markjoe
says...
10:40am Mon 11 Feb 13
flashdonut wrote:I would agree with that too, and I have a similar work history to yourself apart from I was working whilst I was at school.
JAtkinson wrote:Couldn't agree more!!!!!
The events I went to (including all of those mentioned above) were amazing! Each one was simply stunning, engaging, interesting and so different to anywhere else I've been. I was proud to be a Bradfordian and enjoyed talking to people from far and wide who'd come to see my city. I doubt any provincial city, so overlooked by its central and regional executives, and certainly none in the north of England, put on such wonderful displays.
I hope whingers and whiners won't make it impossible for the excellent events team to put on events as equally exciting and innovative in coming years.
£400k? Money very well spent. More of the same from the events team, please.
I have worked since leaving school. i was that unfortunate I got a job before the six weeks holidays had passed. I have paid taxes since.
.
So that gives me a right to say well done to the council. 400k? Well spend 800k if it is up to me. That 'pond' is the best thing to happen to the city for a long time. It brings hundreds of people to teh centre. Sure, there's no shops and teh Odeon is an eyesore. But it is a start.
.
The lights switch on was as mad as a drawer full of frogs, but great viewing.
The impression of Bradford from people outside of the city is not the most positive so this is a great way of showing off some of the positives of Bradford.
It is extremely difficult to measure how much effect this has on the city centre whether this be people into the city or money spent in the city but what you can see is that it is something that is unique to Bradford and as mentioned is a start. It is going to take time to make a bigger impact.
Apollo
says...
10:52am Mon 11 Feb 13
collos25 wrote:£31 million is what it cost.
The council has still not produced public accounts for the building of the City Park.Are they frightened that the public will see just how much it really cost and how how much it should have cost.
Avro
says...
10:54am Mon 11 Feb 13
Joedavid wrote:Burried beneath the pond lol
£24m for the park, what happened to the £6m overspend?
Albion.
says...
11:00am Mon 11 Feb 13
I don't particularly thing that the costs of the various events have been excessive, but I do think that those who choose to attend them should be asked to contribute towards the costs.
Avro
says...
11:38am Mon 11 Feb 13
Thee Voice of Reason
says...
11:49am Mon 11 Feb 13
bradfordian
says...
12:08pm Mon 11 Feb 13
angry bradfordian
says...
12:21pm Mon 11 Feb 13
bradfordian wrote:Most of the UK population complained about the cost of the games I seem to remember.
Did anyone complain when the olympics cost millions? Bradford did not make a penny from it.Instead of putting Bradford down, get out there and do something or stand as a councillor if you think you could do better.
It cost £9,325m (approximately 267 City Parks) but in the 7 weeks of the games provided a £750m increase in consumer spending, £1140m increase in economic output and £229m in income of London residents. It also attracted 300,000 foreigners and 5.5 million day-trippers. So that's a quarter of the cost paid back in just 7 weeks.
If you add in the improved transport infrastructure, 10,000 new homes and a month long advert for the country that every nation with a TV would have seen and it's not bad value.
What has our £24m paid back in the same time? The odd article in the trade press, somewhere new for drunks to congregate and a new branch of BetFred.
Steve30d
says...
12:24pm Mon 11 Feb 13
bradfordian wrote:If the council continues to spend money like is has done they're likely to end up with a *lot* of trouble next year due to the changes in council tax , from VERY irate disabled people who happen to be of working age, and can't work. and so couldn't reasonably stand for councilors as per bradfordians comment above.
Did anyone complain when the olympics cost millions? Bradford did not make a penny from it.Instead of putting Bradford down, get out there and do something or stand as a councillor if you think you could do better.
Suppose that'll be a right good advert for Bradford?Especially when every other council with similar financial constrains has managed not to add extra costs on to the disabled, and actually kept to guidance on council tax from national goverment and is expecting the same from the disabled as pensioners.
Thee Voice of Reason
says...
12:34pm Mon 11 Feb 13
bradfordian wrote:Many people complained about the cost of the olympics. The thing is the olympics gave a clear benefit to the country and the economy. Can the same be said about the City Park?
Did anyone complain when the olympics cost millions? Bradford did not make a penny from it.Instead of putting Bradford down, get out there and do something or stand as a councillor if you think you could do better.
Have empty shops been occupied in this time?
People have full time jobs and can't just quit in the hope of becoming a councillor who's places are dictated by the main parties.
Not so simple
says...
12:35pm Mon 11 Feb 13
collos25 wrote:If this is the case, questions need to be asked.
The council has still not produced public accounts for the building of the City Park.Are they frightened that the public will see just how much it really cost and how how much it should have cost.
Come on you journalists at the Telegraph and Argus....get asking questions and get rumbling these council employees and representatives as it will shift more papers.
Sack the lot of the council. What a bunch of jokers. This circus is just getting worse.
monobrow man
says...
12:49pm Mon 11 Feb 13
truebfd
says...
2:05pm Mon 11 Feb 13
webshow
says...
2:59pm Mon 11 Feb 13
Avro
says...
3:06pm Mon 11 Feb 13
Thee Voice of Reason wrote:If it was a business then it would be out of business!
It's coming up to it's first full year, I can't wait for the story to confirm the predictions it would bring in £80m per year.
£26 million+ thrown at it plus £400k, to genrate 223,600 visitors who simply came spent little or nothing and went home again!
Apollo
says...
3:37pm Mon 11 Feb 13
Avro wrote:Correction - £31m thrown at it.
Thee Voice of Reason wrote: It's coming up to it's first full year, I can't wait for the story to confirm the predictions it would bring in £80m per year.If it was a business then it would be out of business! £26 million+ thrown at it plus £400k, to genrate 223,600 visitors who simply came spent little or nothing and went home again!
Avro
says...
5:09pm Mon 11 Feb 13
thatsnotmyname
says...
5:45pm Mon 11 Feb 13
collos25
says...
6:25pm Mon 11 Feb 13
Avro wrote:No it could a lot lot more.
Can't say £31m unless there is proof?
scanipoos
says...
6:32pm Mon 11 Feb 13
angry bradfordian wrote:hear, hear, We've been saying this Right From the beginning. NO ONE LISTENS !!!! Well on the council anyway
So the park cost 'about' £24m of public money because it was going to attract millions of extra visitors to the city centre.
Now we've spent another £400,000 on events they are suggesting that it's attracted 223,000 people. I'm assuming that it's not 223,000 on top of the original estimate so it's not even £2 per head for the events.
And if Councillor Hinchcliffe is so certain it was 'value for money' why doesn't she give an example of a specific potential investor who has actually invested in the city as a direct result of City Park? I think we all know why she can't.
WayneRouke
says...
6:43pm Mon 11 Feb 13
Therefore any money thrown at it is simply throwing more good money after bad..
OK, it looks nice and is used by people (who should be at work) during hot days. Its nice for council staff to look at it from city hall, but that is about the only long term benefit.
I would suspect that the revenue it brings in was very much over estimated.
30 million buys at least 100,000 nurses for a year, or several ambulances. It helps no end of people with heating their homes, or assists people in finding work.
In my view, there are 101 better ways to spend 30 million, and this pond is a big white elephant which is simply going to suck more money in, under the guise of investment to attract people.
Not gonna happen. If it was, it would have happened by now...
What now
says...
11:20pm Mon 11 Feb 13
Not so simple
says...
12:40am Tue 12 Feb 13
alfucham wrote:Anyone care to remind themselves where Bradford Council sits on the league tables of other Councils. Small hint is that out of 153 we sit....? surely not? Check it out and shock yourself or confirm your suspicions. I'll tell you it's not good where Bradfudge council ranks.
Save2020 wrote:Class.
Brat-fud is a flipping dump and a great big puddle in the centre is just papering over the cracks. The 'puddle' will bring all these visitors to the city but after that what will these visitors do?? Get mugged by the druggies and drunks outside llyods? Get themselves a loan from provident so they enjoy a day in one of the many bookies? Have a browse at the beautiful (burned down insurance job??) architecture along Thornton road? After a nice day out they get back to there cars to find parking ticket, ermmmm
But these idiots such as Miss Proper and Prim no brain dreamer Hinchcliffe will see none of that.
Noone and I say again noone will invest in a dump that is frequented and populated by an underclass who have driven all decent folk away.
We all feel like the indians must have driven off their land and further and further out to reservations whilst the beggars robbers and lunatics have taken over the asylum.
And thats just those outside the Town Hall.
What a truly dreadfull experience the city centre has become.
And building a £30 plus million spit outside the Magistrates court where daily the drug dealers,thieves et al frequent daily to receive their dollop of "not tough on crime not tough on the cause of crime" just sums up the incompetence.
Every time I pass it I look at the sheets of MDF or Sterling Board (could not even manage plywood for £24 (porky)million)that shore up the gable of the former police station masked poorly with some painted but see through glass and think....God help us which complete idiot was in charge of that project to spend half a million on glass to look at that.
Then I take a short walk give short shift to ten thousand beggars,potential robbers,knivers,coke heads,crack heads,groups smoking skunk,tramps rolling in a pool of a mixture of White lightning cider and stale urine from wetting themselves,sad sad people who look on a different planet and think.......
Do these goons really think anyones coming back,Do these fools expect anyone to set up in Bradford.
We had plenty of shops and commerce 20 years back.
The place is unrecognisable from 20 years back.
And it was far from perfect then.
But their were accountants solicitors (other than the compensation ones)insurance companies and probably 15000 more working in the city daily.
Now the news daily fills us with yet another closure of people who have survived over 100 years.
What a mess.
Bright lights asnd 3 hour shows at £400k could never paper over cracks and pursuade people to spend tens of millions investing here.
Even Provident Financial had to borrow money off the Council (45 million)to get their offices built.
And they are a bank!Lending to these destitute souls to glean another needles worth.
What a shambles.
What a set of idiot policy makers.
And while cuts are everywhere and care for those elderly and infirm is now practically non existent (Homecare What an absolute joke Bradford Council) money is frittered as here.
Well I jollywell hope those that went did enjoy.The majority can"t afford the bus fayre.
Jokesville.
Sheeting off the sad Odeon
Library all but closed through not fixing the roof when the sun was shining
Jacobs well Pub boarded (once a gem)
Sports shoes Unlimited gone after 30 years open
Office blocks next to interchange with TO LET signs over 15 years.
And thats just around the Town Hall.
Take a walk on the Wild Side and it gets really scary
When will the madness end
Vote Independent in May.
I might just stand for every seat going and start the revolution that Galloway has not delivered or touched on.
Sad Sad Sad that Hinchcliffe can even think investors would be impressed.
I am sure the BBC will use it.They dont pay and we"ve created them a £24 to £35 million stage set.
Prioraties all wrong.
Off with their heads in May please everyone especially this idiot Hinchcliffe
stiflers mom
says...
8:37am Tue 12 Feb 13
Andy2010
says...
11:27am Thu 14 Feb 13
Anyway after that stood there in City Park thinking after the museum, Alhambra and maybe Georges Hall what the hell else is there? Would be nice to potter around the town centre but for what ? to be intimidated and with nothing worth browsing.
End of the day they can spend x amount of millions on a pond but if it doesnt attract business or retail then its totally pointless. Take it as shops and businesses are deserting Bradford left right and centre then the Park is totally pointless window dressing when the "shop" of Bradford is boarded up
TirNaNog
says...
8:53am Sat 16 Feb 13
WayneRouke
says...
3:27pm Sat 16 Feb 13
My wife and I will be going. Wont go to the pond, but would love a go on the wheel.
Would people come to Bradford if Bradford invested in a wheel, instead of a pond??
Apollo says...
7:25am Mon 11 Feb 13
You really could not make it up could you?
Another Council farce at the ratepayers great expense. Well done you idiots.