COUNCIL chiefs at Warrington are being urged to accept an offer to purchase the Fordton Leisure Centre, off the A49 Winwick Road.
Deputy leader of the borough council Mike Hannon (right) is presenting a report to the executive board next week which 
recommends the centre – a former school converted into a leisure centre in the early 1980s – be sold when a new leisure centre opens as part of the Orford Park project in the spring.
The report does not indicate who the recommended purchaser is, for what purpose it would be used, or how much has been offered.
This information is contained in a confidential section of the report not made available to the public and press.
Neither does the report indicate how many tenders were received from interested parties – although the recommended purchases is identified as “Tender E”.
Cllr Hannon says in the report that the council is not obliged to accept the highest bid, or indeed any offer. But it is required to achieve “best consideration”! on the sale of a property asset.
This is generally accepted as the highest financial offer.
But Cllr Hannon makes it clear that, whatever the circumstances, the property will not be sold with vacant possession until the new leisure centre is open.
There will be no interruption of service.
If the sale does not proceed, there could be a significant impact on the council’s ability to continue to make cost savings, to support the capital funding of the Orford Park project and to demonstrate best practice in management and disposal of property assets.
The volatility of the property market and current economic circumstances could have a profound effect on the value obtained for any disposal. Until the sale is legally completed, there is no guarantee of receiving the capital receipt.
Cllr Hannon’s report adds: “Pressure from local residents and/or adjoining landowners or objection to any planning applications could delay the sale process.
“This needs to be balanced with achieving a development that is appropriate for the site.”
Leisure centre for sale to mystery buyer
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
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£The report does not indicate who the recommended purchaser is, for what purpose it would be used, or how much has been offered.
This information is contained in a confidential section of the report not made available to the public and press.
Neither does the report indicate how many tenders were received from interested parties – although the recommended purchases is identified as “Tender E”.
Cllr Hannon says in the report that the council is not obliged to accept the highest bid”
WHY THE **** NOT!! Does the council not consider it any of our business?
Does the council not realise that this sort of behaviour increases the level of distrust in those who are, supposed to be, acting in our name?
It is called COMMERCIAL CONFIDENTIALITY – hardly a difficult concept to grasp!
What chance it ends up being a travellers caravan park……??
In the normal tendering process bidders’ prices are published to ensure fair play and prevent accusations of favouritism or corruption. I accept the publication of bids received does not happen until the selection of the successful bidder has been made. But since the council is selling off some of our family silver, we are entitled to know the detail.
Yet again we are not trusted with important information! Who do these “elected” Councillors think thery are? This is one more piece of the family silver that can only be sold once! We are entitled to know the terms of the tendering process, how many developers have shown an interest and how many did, in fact, put in a tender. If this is Tender E then surely there must be Tenders A – D and may be more? The capital receipt can only be used for capital outlay and cannot be used to help with the Revenue budget and so the money will have a limited use. We ought to be made aware of the size (not the exact detail) of the capital receipt expected. These secret negotiations make us suspicious of our Councillors who, once again, seem unable to share things wth their electorate. They always seem to want to hide behind confidentiality! Please, lets have some transparency for once. We can but hope.
Even allowing for commercial confidentiality they should at least be able to say what type of uses are proposed.
And what exactly is the reason for ignoring possible objections from residents and planning issues to ensure a quick sale?