Aston Martin at St Athan – huge bribes plus end of aerospace fantasy

Aston Martin at St Athan – huge bribes plus end of aerospace fantasy - LOOK BACK at Welsh Gov and St Athan 

The Welsh Government devotion to aerospace - a large part military aerospace - has always been suspect on sustainable development and low-carbon pretensions. Its failure in business terms has taken far too long for them to admit.

The Welsh Government designated the St Athan Aerospace Business Park for aerospace activity ever since it took over the airfield site from the MOD and initiated the Red Dragon project from ~2000, under which the £100M “superhangar” was constructed. When Red Dragon collapsed, they promoted it as a “centre of aerospace excellence”, resurfacing the 1,800 metre runway and maintaining full airfield support (at ~£10million p.a.).

The Metrix scam for privatised tri-military training was then seized by the Welsh Government. Assembly leaders fell for it - remember the notorious picture of four Party leaders raising linked hands and squirting champaign, Ieuan Wyn Jones included. Only local resistance and fringe groups led by Cynefin y Werin (plus the PCS Union) held it up till the privatisation concept fell apart in 2011 under its costs and contradictions (http://antimetrix.blogspot.co.uk/). Figures like £43M and £100M lost and the DARA jobs (VC10 maintenance and refit) dwindled to zero with no replacement work found.
In 2013, the WG designated the Cardiff Airport and St Athan Enterprise Zone “focusing on the aerospace and defence sector”. Despite WG subsidies and a promotional team, they’ve had limited success in attracting Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) business to replace the VC10 refits - the costly airfield facilities remain hardly used. Cardiff Aviation, set up in 2012 to take over the VC-refit hangar (‘Twin Peaks’ hangar), is growing its business, but is tiny in the aircraft business. Avalon Aviation in light aircraft complained 2 years ago at the WG’s limited help and runway times (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-26692669)

The Aston Martin deal admits failure over the aerospace fantasy. They are giving Aston Martin the £100M superhangar and the enterprise zone subsidies (rate relief; exemption from S106 planning requirements, investment grants for initial years) as well as promising road ‘improvements’ (but not access to rail, the Vale of Glamorgan line promoted as part of the Cardiff Region ‘metro’). Aston Martin will take 90 acres, including some of the facilities currently in use at the site by the Ministry of Defence and specifically three main hangars. Construction work is planned to commence in 2017, with full vehicle production commencing in 2020.

The Wales Air Forum maintains an up-to-date website on St Athan developments (http://www.walesairforum.co.uk/st-athan) and comments:
“It is a shame that the super hangar cannot to be used for the purpose that it was built to maintain repair and overhaul aircraft and compliment the services currently available at St Athan and Cardiff Airport. Currently it is used as a storage facility for retired RAF C-130 Hercules and some military training”.

Aston Martin says Wales offered the best deal of 20 locations for their new factory. The WG refuses to say what bribes it offered, but writing off aerospace while giving over the aerospace ‘Enterprise Zone’ advantages are prominent. They will presumably write off the major runway and superhangar. They will negate their claims to sustainable development, for a luxury car-maker with an uncertain future.

Oct 2015 

Aston Martin to cut 14% of jobs - 

Aston Martin plans to cut almost 300 jobs as the lossmaking British carmaker seeks to address its historically perilous financial position.

The Warwickshire-based maker of the DB10 sports car — which features in the upcoming James Bond film Spectre — said on Thursday that a restructuring programme would affect as many as 295 of its 2,100 staff.

MARCH 2014 Ministers 'failing to deliver' on aerospace enterprise zone 

MOD St Athan 

We don't want a military academy in Wales

Wales 'let down' as defence academy once planned for Wales is to be built in Wiltshire

12 Dec 2013 07:52

Critics say the proposed defence academy project at RAF Lyneham is highly similar to the axed scheme intended for St Athan

The scheme to privatise military training planned for st Athan was flawed, a school for mercenaries, which as co coordinator of that successful campaign I am very happy to see it buried.

Yet Labour’s Shadow Welsh Secretary Owen Smith said: “The cancellation of the defence academy at St Athan was a bitter blow..." 

DRONES PEACE CAMP – Support from Cymru to England

CYNEFIN Y WERIN

The all Wales activist network on peace, justice, human rights and environment

PRESS RELEASE

September 2 2011

DRONES PEACE CAMP – Support from Cymru to England

Cynefin y Werin, the all Wales activist network on peace, justice, human rights and environment, is supporting the creation of a new peace camp being established tomorrow, 3 September, by campaigners in Lincolnshire, England.

RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire is the new base for pilots of the RAF’s Reaper drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Drone technology enables people who are many thousands of miles away to operate UAVs, which can be used for surveillance and spying or include bombs in their payload. British drones have been active in warfare in Afghanistan and the Pakistan border regions, and there is evidence that drones have been used in the Libya conflict too.

Cynefin y Werin is concerned about the growing connections between Wales and this form of remote killing. There have been significant investments of taxpayers’ money in drone technology developments at Aberporth in recent years. Since July 28^th this year, a 500 square mile airspace over Wales is being used to test the MoD ‘Watchkeeper’ drones flown between Aberporth (Ceredigion) and Mynydd Epynt (Carmarthenshire and Powys).

It has recently been revealed that Llanbedr military airfield, near Harlech in Snowdonia may also be used for testing such vehicles. There are also close links between the ‘special forces’ unit housed at MOD St Athan and electronic warfare in Afghanistan.

Stephen Thomas, a spokesman for Cynefin y Werin, said: 
‘The increasing militarisation of Wales – in arms manufacture and trade, low level flying, development of new military technologies, military training in our countryside and in the provision of young people to train in the British military forces is of great concern to those who had hoped to live in a Wales which would contribute to a truly just and sustainable future.’

‘The Welsh Government should inform the public how far the 'special forces' based in St Athan are engaged in this remote 'drone' technology, which is such a worrying development in modern warfare’.

ENDS 
Contact: 
Stephen Thomas: 02920 6666 45 
Jill Gough: 01239 85 11 88

More information: 
RAF Waddington: www.bepj.org.uk/peace-camp-for-new-uk-drone-base 
Aberporth: www.bepj.org.uk 
Llanbedr http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-14460013

End of St Athan nonsense

Minister announces MoD to learn nothing from DTR and to press towards single site for DTT

The story from PCS ...26 July 2011

The collapse of the Defence Training Review (DTR) was welcome news following the election of the ConDem government, although our union was concerned about what other harebrained schemes might be dreamt up in the corridors of power.

The MoD, in somewhat of a panic, asked the Defence Colleges to come up with, what our union can only categorise as, crisis solutions and back of the envelope calculations for future training. This led to a large number of potential configurations of solutions - which the MoD refused to share with the trade unions. This refusal was despite a number of requests - indeed the MoD itself seemed unable to definitively advise the unions of how many potential solutions there were, with AC Gammage advising there were twenty one

Batty Ieuan Wyn Jones

One year after the £5million St Athan Public Inquiry, the groups critical of the plans are demanding Ieuan Wyn Jones - the Minister responsible for the development – lift his block on the compulsory purchase (CPO) decision. WAG went to the Inquiry for Compulsory Purchase of land costing £5 million, said to be ‘necessary in the public interest’ for the combined schemes. Once the MoD decided they would not proceed with the Metrix scheme in the October Defence Review, their case had disappeared. There is now no case for green-field development and the damaging northern access road across peaceful meadows around the Llanmaes brook, argue the Council with Green Party and FOE support.

And TWO new purpose-built homes for bats have cost the taxpayer £128,000, the Echo reveals.
'The Ministry of Defence (MoD) was today accused of extravagance and “new levels of absurdity” as the cost of the two wooden buildings at RAF St Athan emerged.The bat houses were part of the £20.3m enabling works carried out in anticipation of RAF St Athan becoming a defence training academy.
Plans for the £14bn development were scrapped by the Conservative-LibDem coalition in October as part of its cost-cutting efforts.'  MoD is criticised over bat houses by Madeleine Brindley, South Wales Echo

St Athan Aerospace Business Park a 'dog's breakfast ...

The Aerospace Business Park a 'dog's breakfast ...14 Jan 2011 ... Mr Ieuan Wyn Jones told Mr Davies that the government remained committed to the business park, which was a phased development over the next ...
‘£43 million spent, but not one job created’... We have said this time and time again and so did the auditor some years ago..but they never learn..
Other expenditure by WAG includes the Camargue PR firm engaged to run the ‘public consultation’ and £12.5M (+contingency) for advance works*,which MoD would refund if they don’t proceed.

*Cabinet update, Jan. 2010
Failed Red Dragon project
Because of the Red Dragon fiasco, the auditor told WAG not to commit spending relating to another MoD project, without guaranteed refund if the MoD pulled out. Yet Officials spent at least £5 million in this case on consultants, publicity and the Public Inquiry (QC and witness costs), based on the flimsy claim that the aerospace development was complimentary to the Training College.
we are still waiting  - more than a year later for the Inquiry results.

Ieuan Wyn Jones sits on St Athan inquiry report

We gave evidence at the Jan 2010 St athan CPO inquiry.  Ieuan Wyn Jones and WAG are still refusing to disclose the Inspector's report. Officials appear to be abusing the separation between planning decision-making and wider political or policy decisions,and their continuing refusal to disclose the Inquiry report appears to be unlawful.
WAG has still not withdraw their huge planning applications (for "Reserved Matters"), nor is there any letter in the files asking the VoG to suspend the assessment and decision.
The reply to A Freedom of Information Request  – Reference 4606 - for the inspectors report...
from a Mr James Price Head of the Infrastructure Group Department for the Economy & Transport ..
'I refer to my letter of 17 November concerning your request for information regarding the Inspector’s Report on the St Athan CPO. I regret to have to inform you that I am not yet in a position to reply to this request by the specified date of 15 December. The matter is still under consideration and therefore I am unable to let you know at this time one way or the other if the Inspector’s Report is to be released immediately. As explained previously, there are complex ramifications resulting from the MoD decision of 19 October which we are trying to understand in addressing your request for early publication of the Report. I recognise that this continuing delay may not accord with the provisions of Environmental Information Regulations 2004. I offer my apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.
I want to assure you that your request is under active consideration and I hope to provide you with a response to your request by 14 January if not sooner.
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request
and wish to make a complaint, you should write to: Mr James Price Head of the Infrastructure Group Department for the Economy & Transport Cathays Park
Cardiff CF10 3NQ'

take St Athan in a different direction...

Cant imagine any other way Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore, Labour)

'I think we can all agree on the overriding importance that this House places on the defence training needs of the whole of the UK armed forces tri-services. In a debate last week, we tried to get an answer to the question of what is the future of the defence training academy at St Athan after the news of its cancellation, but answer came there none. Can the Minister now give us an update with some clarity on what is the future for St Athan?'

Nick Harvey (Minister of State (Armed Forces), Defence; North Devon, Liberal Democrat)
'The defence training requirement across the three services is being reviewed in the light of the collapse of the project at St Athan. We are identifying possible sites either for tri-service training or taking the three services separately, and we will make an announcement when we have concluded that work in the spring.'
more here

CPO Inquiry Cover up

Delaying the results of the CPO Inquiry into the St Athan Defence College and aerospace business park is quite wrong. The Welsh Assembly government (WAG) claims to us (letter of 17 Nov.) that the MoD decision not to proceed with the Metrix scheme requires more time because of “complexity”.

Yet the situation is simple – WAG went to the Inquiry for Compulsory Purchase of land supposed to be ‘necessary in the public interest’ for the combined schemes. With Metrix dumped, their case has disappeared and any alternative scheme requiring CPOs would need another Inquiry.
Let’s remember, Metrix’s overblown scheme included a military museum, church and hotel, and was conceived for over twice as many trainees as eventually proposed.
Whatever future training MoD decides to bring to Barry, the CPO Inquiry does not apply. It’s quite wrong of officials to hold up the result until they can concoct a positive spin.
Because of the Red Dragon fiasco, the auditor told WAG not to commit spending relating to another MoD project, without guaranteed refund if the MoD pulled out. Yet officials spent at least £5 million** in this case on consultants, publicity and the Public Inquiry (QC and witness costs), based on the flimsy claim that the aerospace development was complimentary to the Training College. Even if the Minister has to take the rap in public, it’s his ex-WDA officials who are now covering up under the excuse of “complexity”.

welsh ministers wont release Jan inquiry report

Missing St Athan CPO inquiry report!! The inquiry took place in Jan 2010 - "The Inspector has submitted his Report to the Welsh Ministers. The Report will be made public, and you will be provided with a copy as you requested, when the Welsh Ministers have considered the matter and reached their decision" was the reply in July 2010 by Manning, Sarah (DE&T- EDG - SE & Infrastructure)

Extension of time
Further to my letter of 21 October concerning your request for information regarding the Inspector’s Report on the St Athan CPO, I am writing to advise you that we are dealing with your request under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and not under the Freedom of Information Act.
The Welsh Assembly Government considers that the requested information is “environmental” because the Inspector’s Report is likely to contain information on administrative measures that are likely to affect the state of the elements of the environment.
I am writing to advise you that the time limit for responding to your request for information under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, which we received on 20 October, needs to be extended.
The Regulations allow us 20 working days to respond to your request from the date of its receipt. However, it is occasionally necessary to extend the 20 working-day time limit for issuing a response. In this case, I regret that we must extend the time limit for responding by 20 days because of the complexity of the request. We are currently assessing the Ministry of Defence’s statement that St Athan remains an option for the location of future defence technical training with an announcement expected in Spring 2011; and what this means for the draft CPO.

I hope to let you have a response by 15 December.

Yours sincerely, Hitesh Vadgama South East Region Infrastructure Team

Department for the Economy & Transport

St Athan Expensive runway

How much is the runway at St Athan costing to maintain? It already has cost the Welsh Assembly  £6.5 million.

The dream is over the Barry newspaper tells us...but it was always a misconceived grand new labour project ...we did keep telling you...
time for the welsh assembly to stop flogging the dead donkey/aerospace
dream and learn from the St Athan  disaster and the red dragon disaster
and stop throwing money at doomed projects. Time for the government to look at creating sustainable green jobs. Will someone tell the AMs and the staff at Plas Glyndwr Kingsway Cardiff? See their flashy website here  

Welsh MPs want crooks Sodexo to run military training

Sodexo is the lead partner in the Metrix consortium

Can Taxpayers Afford Sodexo's Business Practices?
Sodexo's hundreds of millions of dollars of cost overruns in their contract with the US Marine Corps "raises serious questions," according to members of ...

Food service contractor Sodexo's unsavory practices are causing a stir.
This company recently paid a $20 million settlement for overcharging the State of New York. Sodexo's hundreds of millions of dollars of cost overruns in their contract with the U.S. Marine Corps "raises serious questions," according to members of Congress. New Jersey State Representatives have called for an investigation into the company's contracts with public schools.
With millions of tax dollars going to Sodexo, City and County Governments should audit their contracts with the company. We can't afford not to.

Despite the global financial crisis, Sodexo Inc. cleared $1 billion in profits last year, making the food service giant one of the most profitable in the world. But despite that huge profit margin, Sodexo workers earn as little as $8.27/hour, a wage low enough to qualify for food stamps. In response to rock bottom earnings and insufficient beneifts, Sodexo workers across the country have been speaking out and going on strike.

Over the last two weeks, workers have...

Weekly Workers' Round-Up: Sodexo & French Oil Strikes, Unions Get Out Vote ...
In These Times
By Alexandra Markowski Despite the global financial crisis, Sodexo Inc. cleared $1 billion in profits last year, making the food service giant one of the ...

Assembly keeping mum over St Athan inquiry

Why is Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones keeping quiet about the result of the inquiry that took place in January this year 2010. This was an inquiry held by the Welsh Assembly Government yet they are waiting for the government decision on the St Athan £14bn PFI military training college. Cllr Gant has written to the first minister Carwyn Jones expressing concern about the lack of information about the outcome of the inquiry in Jan this year (2010). Residents are concerned about development outside the wire which we know are unnecessary.
Llantwit council are asking why the secrecy. Cllr John said that the result of the inquiry had been with the welsh assembly since March 26th 2010.
What happened to transparency and openness that the same politicians in the welsh assembly have boasted of in the past?

Why Cost of St Athan rose to £14bn

RAF St Athan
Defence
Written answers and statements, 4 October 2010

Adrian Sanders (Torbay, Liberal Democrat)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Gosport of 7 July 2010, Official Report, column 254W, on RAF St Athan, for what reason the cost of the new facilities at St Athan rose from £11 billion in February 2008 to £14 billion in July 2010; what effect the increased cost has on the assessment of the facilities' value for money; and if he will identify potential alternatives to the facilities.
Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 4 October 2010, c1317W)Email me when Nick Harvey speaksMost recent apperancesNumerologyFull profile ...

Nick Harvey (Minister of State (Armed Forces), Defence; North Devon, Liberal Democrat)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 September 2010, Hansard, columns 158-59W, to Mark Pritchard. Value for Money is tested through a comparison of the costs of the project compared to a public sector comparator; through life mechanisms for ensuring value for money such as benchmarking and market testing and an assessment of the qualitative benefits of the project. The comparisons are kept up to date and incorporate any changes that have occurred.

Jeff Cuthbert gets no support for St Athan Military college from AMs

http://www.jeffcuthbert.com/ Last Lone Voice 4 the £14bn unaffordable/unjustified COLLEGE Jeff ..keep up to date ...haven't your friends Bell Pottinger or Chris Bryant not told you...its doomed...but still a  priority for you?

Just jeff cuthbert singing praises of the academy

DadlFer Short Debate ParchueinLluoeddArfog Respecting our Armed Forces Jeff Cuthbert New Lab However, while we always honour the sacrifices of the fallen and fully recognise those made by today’s serving troops, it is important that we also look at the wider role of the armed forces in modern-day society. We need to consider how we in Wales can provide for serving troops and veterans. The army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy all have a presence in Wales at locations scattered throughout the country: Cardiff, Newport, Brecon, Haverfordwest, the Isle of Anglesey, and the site of the proposed defence training academy in the Vale of Glamorgan. I am sure that we all hope that the plans for the academy go ahead in full, despite the inevitable pressures on public finances in the years ahead. Gush..gush... get me the sick bag....has his constinuency party got a donation from Bell Pottinger? Is he gushing for Raytheon for nothing??? The proposed training academy would provide a rich environment in which those who enter the forces can train not just for their combat careers, but also for post-service careers. ...... A new academy at MOD St Athan would give us the chance to draw all this together in one place, and we must do our bit to make sure that it goes ahead. Grovel ...grovel...Sad...

Gillan fails to support Metrix's DTI

As Cheryl Gillan has been a prominant supporter of the New Labour Metrix 314bn PFI project , her failure to mention it in her speech at the Tory Conference is highly significant.  It means the government is ready to dump Metrix!!

The two leaks to the BBC ("not this gargantuan PFI") and to the Guardian (likely to be scrapped as Metrix "has not provided what is required") have been preparing the ground. There are Welsh voices who want it scrapped - and are ready to celebrate!

Dweud y gwir am PFI, Metrix a’r Coleg Milwrol yn Sain Tathan

Dweud y gwir am PFI, Metrix a’r Coleg Milwrol yn Sain Tathan

Yn Ionawr 2007 fe gyhoeddodd San Steffan fwriad i greu coleg milwrol newydd yn Sain Tathan. Fe ddathlodd gwleidyddion Cymru'r newyddion fel un o’r pethau gorau a ddigwyddodd yng Nghymru ac i’r economi erioed, gyda deg mil o swyddi, nawr wedi’u profi'n anghywir. Fodd bynnag, bydd y prosiect hwn yn integreiddio hyfforddiant milwyr Prydeinig a hefyd yn gam tuag at breifateiddio rhyfel a militareiddio Cymru. Bydd yn ein hymrwymo am 30 mlynedd i gonsortiwm ble mae masnachwyr arfau rhyngwladol yn bartneriaid amlwg. Y mae partneriaeth Metrix yn cynnwys Cwmni Raytheon, cynhyrchwyr taflegrau Tomahawk sy’n euog o ollwng bomiau clwstwr a sieliau wraniwm hysb.  Y prif bartneriaid yw Qinetiq a Sodexo, gyda’i record dadleuol ym maes rheoli carchardai.

  

Bargen wael i’r trethdalwyr a’r costau’n cynyddu

Pan gyhoeddwyd gyntaf, cost y pecyn CYFLAWN oedd £14 biliwn. Yna hepgorwyd pecyn 2 a gostyngodd y gost i £11 biliwn. Yn 2008 cytunodd MoD i gwtogi oriau gwaith y prentisiaid 25%, ond eto cynyddodd y costau i £12 biliwn. Dywedwyd £13 biliwn mewn Ymchwiliad Cyhoeddus yn Ionawr 2010, ond nawr, yng Ngorffennaf 2010, mae’r Gweinidog Amddiffyn yn nodi £14 biliwn!

Pam nad yw’r Cynulliad a gwleidyddion Cymreig yn gwrthod Metrix?

Mae gan lawer o gwmnïau a chronfeydd pensiwn bolisïau moesegol - pam nad oes un gan y Cynulliad? Bwriad Metrix yw cynyddu eu helw drwy hyfforddi milwyr o wledydd eraill, ar wahân i Brydain.  Gallai milwyr o Bacistan, Malaysia, a gwladwriaethau mwy amheus, gael eu hyfforddi yng Nghymru. Honna gwleidyddion y Cynulliad mai penderfyniad San Steffan oedd Sain Tahan, ond llafuriodd y WDA a gweithwyr sifil yn galed i wireddu’r cynllun, gan roi pob cymorth i Metrix. Gyda’r sôn am ‘swyddi’ a buddsoddiad enfawr, twyllwyd gwleidyddion Cymru.

St Athan military training academy in Wales is likely to be scrapped

Building an economy aircraft carrier could save £1bn, Cameron to ...The Guardian Tues 5 Oct 2010

......The Guardian has also learned that a £14bn PFI project – one of the largest ever – to finance a military training academy in Wales is likely to be scrapped as part of the strategic defence review, to be published later this month.


The new centre at a 1,000-acre site near Barry is intended to consolidate the three armed services' existing training facilities around the country, able to cater for up to 3,000 students at any one time.

The 30-year contract, awarded to defence firm Qinetiq and US firm Raytheon, covers staff, catering and maintenance. But the cost has already increased from the original estimate of £12bn to a figure closer to £14bn, while the government has made clear its dislike of PFI-style contracts.

One senior defence source described its future as "pretty bleak" and its fate could also be sealed at the national security council meeting. Officials say the work by the consortium – already costing the MoD more than £80m – has not provided what is required.

A spokesman for the consortium argued that it would be "illogical" to scrap the new centre because it would free up 1,200 sailors, soldiers and airmen involved in the military's existing training programme. The first aircraft carrier, which Cameron at the weekend indicated was going ahead, will initially be equipped with ageing Harriers. Each carrier was supposed to be equipped with 69 new Joint Strike Fighters, but the government could slash this number by at least half to make further savings. Each fighter is now estimated to cost at least £100m, a 50% increase, and the price is still rising.

Why has there not been open discussion and monitoring of this project by Welsh Politicians who promoted this project like lemmings even though the information was blatantly misleading.  The jobs figure was always a myth, although the 5,000 lie was repeated again and again by politicians and the media -the BBC news  just the other day.Do they never learn?


What of the Aerospace Business part of the St Athan development? Again Tens of £millions spent with no returns. The Red Dragon project, to provide MOD aircraft servicing and refits, collapsed with nothing to replace it. Gullible Ministers and over-bullish WDA. The “advanced aerospace business” park, promoted as “capable of generating several thousand skilled and high paid jobs in the long term” has dwindled to almost nothing.  Despite the recession and low-carbon economy policy, WAG at the CPO Inquiry in Janauary 2010 was still banking on expanding “aerospace” - a term covering military hardware – including exports from the likes of Raytheon and Qinetiq.

Information on latest WAG spending from a Freedom of Information Request 30th Sept
Perhaps WAG could stop wasting money -Total £5,306,772.81 - Spending on Consultants and companies on the gravy train!! Not including WAG staff costs etc.
St Athan Development Scheme *
Expenditure on External Advisers & Services - 1st April 2007 to 30th June 2010
Avionic Services , W.S. Atkins - Bay Associates - Capita - David Clements - Ecology -
Environment Agency - Enquinn Environmental - Enviros - Geldards - Halcrow - D & S -
Drivas Jonas - King Sturge - Bruton Knowles - Lewis & Lewis - MBP Marketing
- Mott Macdonald - MSS Consulting - OPUS - Parsons Brinckerhoff -
A. Porten - Production Support - Ramboll - Watts & Morgan - Welsh Water -
Western Power - White Young Green - Willdig Lamie - RG & RB Williams - 3Di

"Exclusive of Vat" Where Applicable.
* Aerospace Business Park & Defence Technical College Associated Assembly Government Costs

Question 3 In addition the same document talks of `in order to prepare and progress this Development Brief, a series of working groups has been established under a joint steering group consisting of Vale of Glamorgan officers, and representatives of WAG, Education and Learning Wales (ELWa), and Metrix. These Working Groups have been meeting regularly and have discussed planning, transportation, training, and quality of life issues in the context of the St Athan proposals.' Who are these representatives of WAG and who is paying them?
Response
These working groups were established during the early part of 2006 specifically to help with the preparation of the St Athan Development Brief and to support the case for St Athan as the location of choice for the MoD DTR programme. These working groups no longer exist.
Representatives of the Assembly Government who attended these working group meetings were either permanent senior officials from the relevant departments such as the Head of Transport or relevant officials from partner public agencies such as the WDA Project Director, WDA Head of Planning, WDA Project Manager, WDA Senior Roads Engineer, ELWA Head of Skills Development. These officials were paid by their respective employers, the Assembly Government, WDA or ELWA.
Some of these working groups included external professional advisers retained and paid by the Assembly Government to advise on master planning as outlined in Appendix 1.

Alun Cairns & St Athan Option

Alun Cairns wrote the St Athan option would save the taxpayer £500m over 30 years (MP’s column Barry & District News, September 23), but can’t give any evidence.  In fact, the £500m figure was first given by Metrix.  All evidence from the £3bn rise since Feb. 2008 or £2bn rise since Sept. 2008 is that the Metrix price is now a £bn or two higher than the MoD’s internal option.

• Alun wrote he believes the PFI has good military reasons.  Yet no-one can say what the training needs will be until the defence review is completed.  There are good reasons for NOT signing up to a contract when amounts and types of training will change substantially.   Training courses will be disrupted by the move, partly because staff will take redundancy rather than transfer. 
• Alun like most other Welsh politicians claim it’s highly important economically for Wales.  Yet it’s been highly exaggerated.  It’s a small College (2000-2500 places) and less investment than Cardiff’s new shopping development.  The adjacent aerospace development (the Minister wrongly claimed 'synergy') has collapsed, with firms foced to relocate on the site deciding instead to move elsewhere.
•  Politicians claim ‘overwhelming’ support from Welsh people.  Yet many local people are critical and the public inquiry showed well-argued cases for changes. 
• Alun will take along Cllr Jeffrey James, who got a lot of criticism for railroading the project through Committee.  As Chairman Cllr James organised a presentation just before the formal Planning Committee from which objectors were excluded, then pushed the Committee to a quick vote ('Rubber stamped' reported the Glamorgan Gem) without considering the alternatives proposed by local residents and Community Councils.

Like other mega PFIs in Defence procurement, this one will be shown to be excessively costly.  There is now momentum for integrating training across the services – savings will go ahead once Metrix withdraws.  Like the BBC’s informant, we see that St Athan may still have a role but “not the gargantuan PFI. And Peter Collins and BBC please stop repeating the lie that there will be 5,000 jobs.

Who wants Sodexo in Wales?

Sodeo is a lead member of the Metrix consortium - Welsh MPs are lobbying for them to come to Wales in a £14bnt PFI

Email Sodexo - Tell Them to Respect Workers in the Dominican Republic and ...
SEIU (blog) From school cafeterias in the US to mines in Latin America, Sodexo aggressively fights workers who organize to get a better life. Today, workers and their ...
Sodexo leading St AthanPFI Email them Tell Them to Respect Workers in the Dominican Republic and around the World http://bit.ly/9BMNRm

Jobs promised at St Athan
Most of the 3000 claimed are for transferees. The breakdown given at the public inquiry last January shows 1200 military staff (including 500 non-project staff) and just 1800 civilian jobs. These include 1200 managers, contractor personnel and trainer staff transferring from existing English bases

Politicians have ignored the many job-seeking spouses and family members arriving with the 2400 transferees. These job-seekers (estimated at 1200 to1900) far outnumber the few hundred available jobs in cleaning, maintenance, transport and catering (up to 600).
That why we say the promise of jobs was not just exaggerated, but is illusory.