‘Speed up BCR handover' call (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

‘Speed up BCR handover' call

9:15pm Wednesday 6th May 2009

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Concerns have been raised about the length of time it will take for Bradford Council to take the work of the city’s urban regeneration company back in-house.

Councillor Ian Greenwood, leader of the Council’s Labour group, said he was “surprised” to hear it would take nine months to disband Bradford Centre Regeneration (BCR).

He said: “Once you have made the decision to get rid of them, the sooner you make the change the better.”

But Councillor Adrian Naylor, the Tory-led Council’s executive member for regeneration, said: “We have got work-streams that are ongoing and we want to make sure the transition is as seamless as possible.

“Believe me, we want to do it as quickly as possible. The point is we have set a realistic time-scale. If we do it sooner, then all well and good, but it was important to set a time-scale we knew we could meet.”

The Telegraph & Argus understands the nine-month transitional period is designed to provide time for the resolution of issues surrounding pensions, the Transfer of Undertakings (TUPE) and preservation of funding streams.

Michael Ziff, the chairman of BCR, and Maud Marshall, chief executive of BCR, along with major shareholders and funders, will all be involved in the winding down process.

In the six years since it was set up, BCR has been the spearhead for a £3 billion regeneration of the city, which includes the Eastbrook Hall redevelopment, the Learning Quarter and the Gatehaus scheme.

The plan to phase out the company has been welcomed by a Methodist church leader who was part of Bradford City Centre Steering Group when BCR was established in 2003.

The Reverend Geoff Reid, team leader of the Touchstone Centre, said: “It seemed to me then, and I remain convinced now, that abandoning democratic accountability is bound to lead to disillusionment among Bradford people.”

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