RAF Halton to close
You don't see any savings or efficiencies in closing and disposing of 56 of the most expensive to maintain and operate sites in the MoD estate?
Proone
What makes them so expensive to run is DIO, with their apparent inability to maintain the estate so that we have to physically stop using buildings, not get ripped off by contractors or spend the budget wisely. What makes it "expensive to maintain and operate" - the crazy prices we keep paying. Everyone sees it happening at a local level day-in day-out and there is nothing that the Stn Cdr to the lowest OR can do about it. There is no accountability when a Station has to close a building, everyone just shrugs their shoulders and says "oh well, that's DIO" and then moves on.
So I'm afraid all I see is inefficiency and expense from this organisation day-in day-out. I see no accountability for the continual decline of our estate and I see crass decisions being made where we are literally "selling the family silver" that will never ever be replaced. All that happens is that we get squeezed onto less and less estate with shoddy and expensive new builds that will be lucky if they will last 25 years.
Rant over and out...
What makes them so expensive to run is DIO, with their apparent inability to maintain the estate so that we have to physically stop using buildings, not get ripped off by contractors or spend the budget wisely. What makes it "expensive to maintain and operate" - the crazy prices we keep paying. Everyone sees it happening at a local level day-in day-out and there is nothing that the Stn Cdr to the lowest OR can do about it. There is no accountability when a Station has to close a building, everyone just shrugs their shoulders and says "oh well, that's DIO" and then moves on.
So I'm afraid all I see is inefficiency and expense from this organisation day-in day-out. I see no accountability for the continual decline of our estate and I see crass decisions being made where we are literally "selling the family silver" that will never ever be replaced. All that happens is that we get squeezed onto less and less estate with shoddy and expensive new builds that will be lucky if they will last 25 years.
Rant over and out...
Fair rant,
Hasn't there been a very recent change in respect to budgets and a devolving down to Stn Cdr or equivalent?
Hasn't there been a very recent change in respect to budgets and a devolving down to Stn Cdr or equivalent?
Proone
I am led to believe that is true, but if we still have to use the 'closed shop' prices of a Regional Prime Contractor and are unable to decide which part of the estate we keep, then I can't see how this will help things. I fear all that will happen is more of the same but they will be able to point the finger at the Station Commander without allowing that person the free reign to actually run a long term plan.
LJ
I am led to believe that is true, but if we still have to use the 'closed shop' prices of a Regional Prime Contractor and are unable to decide which part of the estate we keep, then I can't see how this will help things. I fear all that will happen is more of the same but they will be able to point the finger at the Station Commander without allowing that person the free reign to actually run a long term plan.
LJ
LJ,
I don't dispute your figures on any of the schemes you quote. Worthy Down will be Tri Service so there is some others figures that could be taken into account.
I like Halton, but as you say the DIO have let it get in to disrepair. The Old Workshops should have been sorted out years ago. They have now been condemned through lack of investment. They couldn't go on as the way they were.
Non of the sites were secure from people walking around. Whether walking pass the 25m range across the field to Wendover, or just walking up the road by the fire section. May times I saw the bearded homeless guy appearing walking from the blocks up the hill.
I lived on McEwen Ride and who ever gets those properties will be in a fabulous position. Unless the cover all the sports pitches with housing estates.
I don't dispute your figures on any of the schemes you quote. Worthy Down will be Tri Service so there is some others figures that could be taken into account.
I like Halton, but as you say the DIO have let it get in to disrepair. The Old Workshops should have been sorted out years ago. They have now been condemned through lack of investment. They couldn't go on as the way they were.
Non of the sites were secure from people walking around. Whether walking pass the 25m range across the field to Wendover, or just walking up the road by the fire section. May times I saw the bearded homeless guy appearing walking from the blocks up the hill.
I lived on McEwen Ride and who ever gets those properties will be in a fabulous position. Unless the cover all the sports pitches with housing estates.
There's a duty rumour that says at least one company is interested in buying the sports facilities and keeping them as they are now to run as a sports and fitness business.
The stuff coming out of the SofS and DIO is an utter lie and must be challenged before it is too late. Here is a quote:
Taken from Page 7 of this House of Commons Briefing Paper: http://researchbriefings.files.parli...2/CBP-7862.pdf
£1.6 BILLION? You could build another Fort George for £1.6bn and it would last another 300 years!
This is how rumours start and the MPs are hoodwinked that it is a good idea. Even the headline to this document is the incredible "we want to spend £4bn to save £3bn in running costs by 2040" - what sort of lunacy is that? Most of the crappy 'Happy Eater' or 'Premier Inn' buildings they build won't even last until 2040! Also, they they have a £2bn hole in what they want to spend so they are going to look for PFI deals - we all know who the winners with those are and it isn't HM Forces!
This reminds me so very much of the 'great deal' that the Defence Hoising Executive was going to give the average Serviceman for married quarters or 'pay as you starve' under the rubbish Catering Retail and Leisure deal.
I despair...
iRaven
When asked specifically about Fort George’s impending closure, during the debate in the chamber on the proposals, the Defence Secretary said it is “is a very old barracks”, costs £1.6bn a year to run, would be “extremely expensive to upgrade” and “is not appropriate for a modern infantry unit.”
£1.6 BILLION? You could build another Fort George for £1.6bn and it would last another 300 years!
This is how rumours start and the MPs are hoodwinked that it is a good idea. Even the headline to this document is the incredible "we want to spend £4bn to save £3bn in running costs by 2040" - what sort of lunacy is that? Most of the crappy 'Happy Eater' or 'Premier Inn' buildings they build won't even last until 2040! Also, they they have a £2bn hole in what they want to spend so they are going to look for PFI deals - we all know who the winners with those are and it isn't HM Forces!
This reminds me so very much of the 'great deal' that the Defence Hoising Executive was going to give the average Serviceman for married quarters or 'pay as you starve' under the rubbish Catering Retail and Leisure deal.
I despair...
iRaven
Thanks iRaven. I also see on Page 17 of your link that it says there are less than 10 civilian staff and no military personnel working on the airfield at Halton. Another untruth as there are at least 8 military staff and over 20 civilian/contractor staff the last time I looked!
Back in 91 and the early days of "budgets", Stn Cdrs did have discretion, and at Wyton over 2 years we funded the modernisation of AMQ and OMQ, purely on the change in value of the aviation fuel. AOC not amused but happy smiling families who found they had double glazing and central heating
