Airport Road bad news for Metrix

MP criticises airport road decision
WalesOnline - United Kingdom
Vale of Glamorgan MP John Smith said a new road is needed to serve not just the airport, but also the £12bn Defence Technical College planned for St Athan. ...

Dropping our defences? « David Jones, MP
By David Jones
This is what the local MP, John Smith, had to say at last May's Welsh Grand Committee: We must ensure that the infrastructure is right for the people of west Wales and mid-Wales, so that we have easy access to and from the site. ...

Welsh Ramblings: Tory Hypocrites
By Welsh Ramblings
Similarly, the Vale of Glamorgan Labour AM Jane Hutt campaigned against the link road, while Labour MP John Smith was calling for one. Mixed messages from the British parties as usual. A shift of emphasis away from building new roads ...
Welsh Ramblings - http://welshramblings.blogspot.com/

Syniadau
... David Jones seems to want it both ways at the same time. For example he quotes Vale of Glamorgan MP John Smith as saying, "If that road is not built, the college will still open ... " but then goes on to say, "The announcement [about the link road] will undoubtedly cause uncertainty over the future of the St Athan project."

defence training review limping towards main gate.

House of Commons debates Monday, 20 April 2009

Defence Procurement 9:22 pm

Andrew Murrison (Shadow Minister, Defence; Westbury, Conservative) Link to this | Hansard source | Video match this

I am very sorry that John Smith is not here, because we have to cover the defence training review. It is one of the biggest items of defence procurement before us, but it is limping towards main gate. Before covering that, however, perhaps we should pause to draw a discreet veil over project Red Dragon and the so-called super hangar. As the National Audit Office reported last month, this spectacular has tipped £134 million down the drain with very little to show for it.

In relation to the DTR, Land Securities Trillium walked away from the Metrix consortium in December, when the bottom dropped out of the property market on which the financial case for the St. Athan project depends. I find that deeply worrying and I am not reassured by the replacement partner, the French catering firm Sodexo. The MOD's website says that contracts will be signed with the newly constituted Metrix for the DTR phase 1 in the summer. Is that the case?

Will the Minister let us in on the DTR contingency plan that the MOD commissioned last year for use in the event of Metrix disintegrating? Will he ditch the fig leaf of "commercial in confidence" and say what cuts to training deliverables we can expect as a result of rising project costs? Can we assume that the DTR second package is now dead in the water? What does the Minister say to the main trade union involved, which has pointed out that large numbers of civilian trainers, who are already in short supply, will not relocate to south Wales and that that will impact on the quality of training produced at St. Athan, at least in the short to medium term?...

So where was John Smith drummer boy for metrix and the silent Adam Price?

More Officals than local folk

SPOT the member of the public if you can! About 18 paid officials were present at the st athan 'exhibition' in Llanwit Major yesterday! From PR Group Camargue, Welsh Assembly Government, Welsh Office, Defence Estates, Metrix ....local councillors...About 2 officials to every one member of the public!!! How much does all this misinformation cost?...

Heavy Hands of METRIX!

Private Eye St Athan PFI crazy economics

Private Eye mocks John Smith MP - and support for the academy or rather college as it is now!

And our new labour metrix friends EDS and Raytheon sponsering IPPR defence papers!
Sir David Omand ..Blairs intelligence and security advisor!

John Smith attacks Park Pritchard over academy PFI

John SmithVale of Glamorgan, Labour Link to this | Hansard source | Video match this

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the annual Welsh affairs debate. We do not have many opportunities in the House nowadays to discuss Welsh issues exclusively, so the debate is welcome.

As previous speakers have said, our debate today takes place against the backdrop of a serious global economic crisis—possibly the worst international financial crisis in the past 100 years. I would therefore like to take the short time available to me to refer to three projects in my constituency, but not parochially, because they all have valuable strategic Welsh importance. I want to use today's opportunity to draw the House's attention to several issues surrounding the projects.

The Conservative spokesperson has already mentioned the first project. It will come as no surprise to hon. Members when I refer to the defence technical academy in St. Athan in my constituency. It is progressing well. It was recently announced that Sodexho is to be the equity partner, replacing Land Securities Trillium, which had to withdraw because—let us make no bones about it—of the financial crisis. However, in many respects, Sodexho is a better fit. Unlike its predecessors, its core activity is facilities management, and it has been involved in the scheme from day one. It was always involved, but it has just become a 50:50 equity partner.

The Minister for the Armed Forces made a statement in the House, saying that the negotiations were progressing well and were on track. A clear timetable is developing. A detailed planning application for the scheme will be submitted in May this year and construction will commence around August next year. That timetable is important, because we have lost time in the past two years, mainly because the project is so large and complex. It is the biggest single Ministry of Defence investment and its importance for Wales cannot b e overestimated.

The project will provide 5,000 direct jobs and train annually 25,000 service personnel from all three services. It will provide a defence training strategy in some of the most sought-after skills in the world—technical, engineering and information technology skills. I have always argued that the real value to Wales as a whole—not only to my constituency—is not the 5,000 jobs or the £12 billion private finance initiative investment over 25 to 30 years, or even the revenue, which runs to tens of millions of pounds, that will go directly to the local economy, but the transformation of Wales's reputation to that of a country that has a centre of technical and skills excellence. Our reputation for being dominated—still—by metal manufacture and mineral extraction can be transformed into a reputation for high value-added technology. That is the benefit: a change of reputation and an ability to attract inward investment.

I am delighted that a Command Paper was put before the House on Tuesday, offering a contingent liability of £40 million to prepare the plans for this year and the design to get on with the construction next year.

Add your comment

David Jones (Shadow Minister, Wales; Clwyd West, Conservative) Link to this | Hansard source | Video match this

As the hon. Gentleman will know, we on the Conservative Benches also strongly support the St. Athan project. Does he agree that one of the key benefits of St. Athan will be to improve the perception of the military as a career for young people, with the high-quality jobs that if offers, and in particular as a career for Welsh young people? Does he agree that, today more than ever, going into the military is a good, attractive career for young Welsh people?

Add your comment

John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan, Labour) Link to this | Hansard source | Video match this

I agree with every word that the hon. Gentleman just said. Indeed, he should forgive me if I have not referred to that point, because the overriding benefit of the project will be to improve training in the military. Perhaps I should remind the House that, unlike now, every technical20qualification that will be achieved at the new academy will be a civilian-recognised qualification. We will be producing engineers for the future, including civilian engineers, so I accept the hon. Gentleman's remarks. We also had all-party support, which in my view is one of the reasons why we won the bid in the first place.

Add your comment

Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire, Liberal Democrat) Link to this | Hansard source | Video match this

I applaud the cross-party work that the hon. Gentleman has done to secure those jobs. Does he agree that one of the opportunities for Wales will be not to repeat the errors at Deepcut Army barracks—I understand that they are being shut down, with some of the work perhaps coming to Wales—where Cheryl James, the daughter of one my constituents, was, I believe, murdered?

Add your comment

John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan, Labour) Link to this | Hansard source | Video match this

Of course I agree with that.

St. Athan has been a huge success story for Wales and for Welsh politics. We won the bid because we were united across the parties and because—let us be clear about this—ours was the best bid. However, I must sound a rather disconcerting note this afternoon. The Command Paper was presented to the House on Tuesday, but—I have given notice of this to the hon. Gentleman involved—it was blocked. An obscure procedural motion was used on Tuesday on a point of order to block the contingent liability of £40 million. The process cannot be stopped, but the effect of what was done on Tuesday could be to delay a recession-busting project that is vital for our country.

I am sure that every Welsh Member of this House will condemn Mark Pritchard. I understand why he objects to the scheme: because he lost the bid. His bid did not win. I understand his protesting, but what is reckless and unacceptable is his bid to block the progress of the scheme. It is important that we move ahead with the planning in May. I call on all hon. Members to condemn his action. I am afraid that I must say to Conservative Members in particular: for goodness' sake, bring some=2 0influence to bear on him, because he is delaying a vital project.

Add your comment

Stephen Crabb (Preseli Pembrokeshire, Conservative) Link to this | Hansard source | Video match this

I understand the hon. Gentleman's passion and commitment to the St. Athan project. We would all recognise and applaud that. However, it is deeply unfair of him to talk in such terms about my hon. Friend Mark Pritchard, who is not here and who does not have an opportunity to defend himself.

Add your comment

John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan, Labour) Link to this | Hansard source | Video match this

I gave notice—I have been in the House long enough to realise that I should do that. What I am doing today I do with a heavy heart. I have never done it before, but the project is too vital to play silly political games with it. The future of Wales is at risk.

Add your comment

Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury & Atcham, Conservative) Link to this | Hansard source | Video match this

As the neighbour of my hon. Friend Mark Pritchard, may I say that he is an assiduous constituency MP and works extremely hard? As Opposition MPs, it is the responsibility of us all to scrutinise Government decisions.

Add your comment

John Smith (Vale of Glamorgan, Labour) Link to this | Hansard source | Video match this

We have an overriding responsibility to behave responsibly. I will leave it at that, because I gain no personal benefit from making such comments, but it is important that I should make them today.

The second, related issue that I wish to raise is about an important piece of transport infrastructure: the M4 link road to Cardiff international airport—that is, to Wales's international airport. That has a bearing on the technical academy, because although we will not lose the academy if we do not get the timing for that road right, we might lose some of the benefits that could come to Wales. The onus is on us to maximise all the benefits from the investment, to ensure that Welsh people and Welsh businesses benefit first from the huge opportunity that is coming our way. We must get the transport links. Businesses in Pembrokeshire and west Wales will benefit, as will businesses in Monmouth and mid-Wales. We must get the transport infrastructure right and the M4 airport link road is a crucial factor in it, because it will serve the defence technical academy, and it will serve Barry—the second largest town in Wales—as well as providing a link to the airport.

A decision is imminent. We have had the public consultation and the Welsh Assembly Government's Deputy First Minister will take a decision shortly. The biggest decision to date has been about which route to choose. It is controversial—it will affect local people, so there is a lot of local concern about the impact on people's quality of life—but the decision on the route of the direct link to the airport is crucial. I call on the Minister to use all his influence with the Welsh Assembly Government to ensure that the decision is taken, and taken quickly.

I am deeply concerned that there may be prevarication and second thoughts about the strategic importance of this road; we should be in no doubt that this link road is crucial. We will never have a country seriously recognised throughout the world unless we have a serious international airport that provides comprehensive scheduled flights across the world. Air travel is still the cutting edge of business communication, even in comparison with broadband—I accept everything said about it earlier—and Wales must have a proper international airport. What we have now is a holiday charter airport; it is growing and doing well, but as the aviation White Paper said, it has a long way to go. This road is an absolutely necessary condition for the growth and expansion of Cardiff international airport. It may not be a sufficient factor, but as I say, it is absolutely necessary.

I flag up that issue because I hope that we will not make the mistakes of the past by thinking that some funding for a few extra routes or a few extra slots to European cities will provide us with the strategic advances that we need for the airport's future. The entire business community supports the road: the CBI in Wales, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Cardiff business club. Indeed, there is not a business in Wales that fails to recognise the importance of strategic access to the airport. It is supported by the planning authorities and it has been supported by every management of every company that has owned the airport over the past three decades.

It is a crucial issue—one of the most important road transport issues in Wales. We are really at the cusp, right on the edge, of making a decision on a matter that will drive the Wales international airport forward. The decision must be taken quickly and the right decision must be taken—that is, identifying what route to take, not having second20thoughts about whether we need such access to the airport.

DTR costs could rise by a further £1bn

From Defence management

DTR costs could rise by a further £1bn
Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The cost of the Defence Training Review (DTR) may rise by a further £1bn Defence Management has learned.

In a report that first appeared in the South Wales Echo, the cost of the project was listed as £13bn, an increase of £1bn since the last officials figures on the DTR were released late last year.

The initial contract projected the DTR's costs to be £11bn. But the finances for the consortium ran into trouble when their main source of income: the selling of vacant MoD land, was affected by the recent slump in property prices.

The Metrix consortium which is running the programme has resubmitted a business plan which defence ministers have said is close to being approved. The proposal estimated costs to be art £12bn.

The latest cost projection of £13bn could factor in contingency funding or other unforeseen added costs. With the economy now officially in recession the financial markets have proven become more and more volatile with lenders timid to lend money, even to public service related projects. An attempt to raise revenue for the DTR through a bond initiative was scrapped a few months ago due to poor returns.20

The newspaper did not explain the rise of £1bn.

MP John Smith who's contingency includes St Athan where the DTR is to be built compared the region to the Gold Rush in the US.

"There will be a long queue of companies and organisations rushing to Barry and the Vale because this area will be at the heart of a world-leading centre of excellence in technical skills training.

"Where else but here in Wales will thousands of trainees from our Army, Navy and Royal Air Force receive training in highly-prized and transferable technical skills under one roof? The opportunities created by this project for people and businesses in Barry and the Vale are huge," Smith told the South Wales Echo.

Officials from PCS, the union representing the vast majority of civilian trainees who will either have to move to St Athan or lose their jobs, continue to fight the proposal. The have argued that St Athan does not have the infrastructure in place to be a suitable training academy and that forcing employees to move from all over the country to rural Wales is unacceptable.

Paul Bemrose PCS National Official said, "Should this project go ahead it will be an economic disaster for the local economy."

Sodexo under fire over defence deal

Daily Mail - CITY FOCUS: Sodexo under fire over defence deal

By Karl West Last updated at 10:28 PM on 23rd February 2009

Rarely has the future training of Britain's armed forces been so important. Fighting on two fronts in Iraq and Afghanistan, is this really the right time to outsource to a profit-making consortium?

This vexed question is all the more contentious when one of the main partners in this group - Metrix - is the controversial French catering group Sodexo.

The company took its place as one of the two equity partners earlier this month alongside QinetiQ (down 4¼p at 137p), the equally controversial defence research company.

Sodexo replaced property giant Land Securities, which quit the consortium in December citing the soaring cost of the £12billion contract, known as the Defence Training Review.

Sodexo is not widely known in the UK, but serious questions remain about its suitability to help run such a strategically important contract.

Only a few years ago it was dragged through the US courts by thousands of its own African-American staff, who claimed they had been discriminated against on the basis of their race.

More...

• 30-second guide to defence spending (thisismoney.co.uk)
• Defence funding in the firing line (thisismoney.co.uk)
• Defence allies in £16bn bid (thisismoney.co.uk)

The company fought the legal action, which claimed it systematically denied promotions to 3,400 black mid-level managers, but in 2005 agreed to settle for $80million.

Sodexo has also made headlines over the quality and preparation of its food. The 2004 film Super Size Me slammed its policies on child nutrition in US schools, where it supplies catering services.

In Britain, a 2004 Channel 4 documentary exposed the unhygienic preparation of food by Tillery Valley Foods, one of its subsidiaries.

Sodexo has also come under fire in Britain for its management of the Harmondsworth Detention Centre, which is home to many asylum seekers.

In 2006, Anne Owers, HM Inspector of Prisons, criticised the company for allowing Harmondsworth to 'slip into a culture and approach which was wholly at odds with its stated purpose'.

She said this was 'essentially a problem of management'. The report followed two deaths at the centre in 2004.

A spokesman said: 'The allegations regarding TVF and Harmondsworth are over three years old and do not reflect how these establishments are run.'

The company was also accused of supplying catering at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Although Sodexo is the preferred catering contractor of the US Marines, the companydenies having ever worked at either facility.

'We have never been involved with these contracts. We manage US marine bases only on US territory,' a spokesman insisted.

Aside from these concerns, there are also serious misgivings in the defence industry about whether Sodexo has the capability to plug the gap left by Land Securities.

Sodexo said it was 'confident' it has the relevant expertise for the project, pointing out it is involved in 17 private finance projects and manages a range of services.

This includes taking responsibility for over 130 buildings at Colchester Garrison in Essex.

The key to Metrix's DTR plan is to slash the number of MoD training bases from 30 sites to about ten, with a main campus at RAF St Athan in South Wales, former home of the Vulcan bomber.

It had planned to keep the cost of the project in check by offloading the unwanted MoD sites to commercial property developers.

But since being appointed preferred bidder in January 2007, the value of land has plummeted and debt costs have soared.

As a result, the cost of delivering Metrix's plans have risen by £1billion to £12billion, making the government's biggest ever private finance deal look increasingly unviable.

As previously reported in the Daily Mail, the spiralling cost of the scheme has also attracted the attention of the National Audit Office, which has indicated it might probe the deal.

One industry source noted Sodexo's core competency, as a provider of 'soft' facilities management and catering, is completely different to the expertise in property development and estate management that Land Securities brought.

The source added: 'It suggests therefore that the MoD is going to take the risk on the land values dropping. It's all down to the taxpayer taking the risk.'

The MoD said the sale of surplus land is a 'long term process' and would not be affected by shortterm fluctuations in value. It added: 'The DTR... project is not dependent on funds raised through these (surplus land) disposals.'

While the bill for bailing out Britain's banks spirals ever higher, taxpayers can ill afford the additional financial burden.

And with the quality of soldier training on the line, the question of who runs this high profile contract might literally be one of life and death.

PM gives no assurances on St Athan

John Smith MP meets the PM to discuss the defence training academy at St Athan reports Barry and District News on the 26^th Jan on the same day as The Times reports that PFI schemes worth hundreds of millions of pounds for roads, waste plants, hospitals and defence projects are now under threat because the banks are reluctant to lend money.

The future of major PFI projects, such as the Defence Training Review in which QinetiQ has a major stake, is uncertain while credit markets are frozen say the Investors Chronicle

The National Audit Office (NAO) is considering opening an investigation into the QinetiQ-led project, which is the largest PFI in British history.

MP Mark Pritchard said that the DTR is "a privatisation too far". He said a key driver of rising costs - which went from GBP11 billion to GBP12 billion - and increasing delays was the need to build an infrastructure, including transport links, at RAF St Athan in Wales, which is where the project is bas

John Smith MP has failed to get any assurances from Gordon Brown or the Government that the £12billion and rising Defence Technical Academy at St Athan will be able to proceed.

Vale MP meets the PM 12:40pm Monday 26th January 2009

VALE of Glamorgan MP, John Smith, discussed the strategic importance of the multi-billion pound Defence to the UK economy with the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, when they recently met in 10 Downing Street. Following their meeting John Smith said: “The Prime Minister recognised that this project is of national importance. "It will equip our armed forces with the best training in the world, greatly expand our skills base, create thousands of jobs and will in future years achieve significant savings for the British taxpayer.” http://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/latestnews/4067236.Vale_MP_meets_the_PM/20412

MP supports St Athan jobs Jan 27 2009 by Lisa Jones, South Wales Echo

VALE of Glamorgan MP John Smith has been seeking assurances from the Government about the future of aircraft repair jobs. Mr Smith was speaking at the inquiry into the Defence Support Group (DSG) and the progress made since the amalgamation of the Army Base Repair Organisation (ABRO) and the Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) in April 2008.

The chief executive of DSG, Archie Hughes, told the committee that work for St Athan was being actively sought for beyond 2014, when its maintenance of the VC10 aircraft is due to end.

Mr Smith, a member of the committee, said: “The workers at the St Athan site have some of the most highly prized set of technical skills in the aerospace engineering world. “I have no doubt whatsoever that the arrival of the Defence Technical Academy at St Athan can only work in favour of DSG St Athan winning new aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul work.”

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/01/27/mp-supports-st-athan-jobs-91466-22785475/

FTSE 350: Aerospace & Defence
Investors Chronicle, UK - 19 Jan 2009 The annual round of defence spending in the US and the UK will be a focus of anxiety for UK-listed companies over the next 12 months, as governments on both sides of the Atlantic grapple with growing budget deficits….

Efforts to close a yawning £2bn hole in the UK defence budget will dominate the year and this could see several projects either mothballed or delayed. The Ministry of Defence has already put back the delivery date of its new aircraft carriers by two years, and the future of major PFI projects, such as the Defence Training Review in which QinetiQ has a major stake, is uncertain while credit markets are frozen.

…

http://www.investorschronicle.co.uk/MarketsAndSectors/Sectors/article/20090119/0bc86472-dbef-11dd-bd75-00144f2af8e8/FTSE-350-Aerospace--Defence.jsp

Labour forced to call for help as building programme stalls
Times Online, UK - 25 Jan 2009
PFI schemes worth hundreds of millions of pounds for roads, waste plants, hospitals and defence projects are now under threat because the banks are ...

UK's Defence Training Review is nearing collapse, warns MP
Jane's, UK - 31 Dec 2008
By Gerrard Cowan The UK's GBP12 billion (USD18 billion) Defence Training Review (DTR) is on the verge of collapse due to a "triple whammy of rising costs, ...

DTR Consortium Crashing

£12bn base ‘still on track’ who do you think you are kidding?
WalesOnline - United Kingdom
John Smith, in picture, MP for the Vale of Glamorgan, said: “The Defence Technical Academy at St Athan has not been knocked off course by this development. ...If Smith thinks he can turn the tide on this one he has lost it!......
A Land Securities spokesman said its Trillium arm was withdrawing "in the light of the significantly increased bid costs, carried at risk by the bidders, required as the project moves into detailed design work".

John smith Academy spin!

£12bn St Athan defence academy plans ‘on track’
WalesOnline, United Kingdom - 6 hours ago
PLANS for the £12bn defence academy at St Athan are “on track”, the Government has confirmed. There had been fears that the huge project in the Vale of ...

Sorry John this is so misleading ...

The PCS Union has been a staunch opponent of the DTR’s move to Wales and the privatisation of military training. Officials pointed out that the MoD had now admitted that the cost of package 1 and its alternatives were growing out of control. An unofficial PCS blog made it clear the union would continue to resist the DTR.

"This is another first for the DTR programme in suggesting that the "fallback posistion" is more expensive than the proposed move to St Athan !! No wonder the Department needs to give Metrix another six months grace to rearrange costings to fit. PCS will continue to campaign against this looming financial disaster," PCS Shropshire said.
PCS Branch Manager H O’Harney said that the non-announcement was not a surprise, considering that RAF Cosford staff had already waited six months: "A £12 billion PFI carrying on in this current financial crisis seems ridiculous given the risks and affordability issues. Our members at Cosford have made it clear that they have no intention to move Wales and the risk to the training of the Armed Forces is still real. It would appear that the MoD want to privatise at all cost despite the huge risks.

Ego and greed driving DTR package 1

DTR Announcement October 2008

Published by Cheryl under Cosford, MoD

On October the 9TH 2008, when Minister of the Armed Forces, (whoever it happens to be after this week after the reshuffles) makes another long awaited announcement, PCS hopes he is thinking very carefully about what the Metrix consortia (made up of Raytheon, QinetiQ, Land Securities Trillium, Dalkia, Sodexho and a host of many other companies and Education experts including the Open University) states on its website. “Within the consortium we bring the benefits of very large scale commercial infrastructure programmes to the MOD for the first time, and the proven confidence of the financial markets” ! Like so many other Metrix aspirations, they seem to have their fingers truly off the pulse again. Any wonder for PCS concerns over this failing and flawed PPP/PFI ?

In the recent months we have seen intense negotiation between the Department and Metrix. Presumably Metrix have been trying to make sure that they will still be able to make a considerable profit out of a deal worth some £12billion over the next 30 years. Brigadier Nield, head of the DTR IPT seems engrossed in worrying about his ratings in the Private Eye magazine and in trying to keep any news as an official secret.

Meanwhile the BBC on Fri Oct 3rd gave details of just how bad the current housing is at St Athan. Never one not to miss an opportunity to promote the Metrix bid , John Smith, the MP for the Vale of Glamorgan, said he had asked the Ministry of Defence to investigate the accommodation at St Athan. “I am deeply concerned. The problem here appears to be that the property was absolutely filthy and that could not have happened 20 or 30 years ago,” he said. “The entire housing stock of the Ministry of Defence was sold to a Japanese bank some 10 or 12 years ago and what that means is the liaison officer on camp has limited control over the standards of these properties. “

What John Smith MP carefully didn’t mention is Japanese bank Nomura or actually Annington Homes was a PFI deal which was heavily criticised by the audit office for selling the houses for between £77 million and £139 million less than they were worth.

It is going to change at St Athan because with the new technical academy being built - the housing accommodation and just as importantly, the single person accommodation, is going to be transformed.” (can PFI deliver 2nd time around?)

I am sure that our serving Military colleagues share his concerns and must also remain sceptical about moving from perfectly good housing to “renovated flea infested accommodation.

PCS await the announcement with interest. H O;Harney PCS Specialist Instructional Officer said “The fact that Metrix and the Department are aware that 98% of staff are unwilling to move to South Wales and want to remain as Civil Servants, the risk involved in this programme are huge. It is not too late to a lot of save money and seek a common sense solution which will see Armed Forces Training not being threatened with potential disaster. Some people’s ego’s and greed seem to the main driving factors now within DTR Package 1”.

Ministry of Defence

Minister of state - Bob Ainsworth
Minister of state - Lady Taylor
Parliamentary undersecretary of state - Quentin Davies
Parliamentary under secretary of state - Kevan Jones

Full list brown government here

Residents oppose airport road for St Athan Academy

No Ely Valley Airport Road

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has twice rejected proposals for a major new road linking junction 34 of the M4 to Sycamore Cross. The Welsh Assembly Government seem to be the driving force behind this, and it could be that airport traffic is a smokescreen for improved access to the Defence Academy at St Athan or other developments in the south of the Vale.

Anyone concerned about the loss of the Vale countryside may like to know that Vale MP John Smith has already given assurance to the Welsh Affairs Committee in the Commons in support of the Metrix Bid for St Athan "We have the total support of the local authority ... many of the of those planning and infrastructure considerations have already been addressed by the body that will be responsible for delivering them, underwritten by the Welsh Assembly Government. We are not going to have problems with green belt issues and planning issues...."
(Hansard 23 May 2006, Q58)
The Assembly wants an industrial trunk road through the Ely Valley.

However there is opposition to the proposed road.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/10/02/residents-oppose-cardiff-airport-access-road-91466-21946663/

Residents oppose Cardiff airport access road

Oct 2 2008 by Peter Collins, South Wales Echo

ANGRY residents campaigning against plans to build an access road to Cardiff International Airport mounted a protest in Barry yesterday.

The Welsh Assembly Government has asked for the public’s view on three options for a road to the airport. But many people in the Vale do not want to see a new road at all.

A report on the three options was presented to the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s cabinet yesterday members of an anti-access road action group held a demonstration outside the Civic Offices, in Barry.

Two of the three options centre on the A4232 from Junction 33 of the M4, while the third promotes a new road link south of Junction 34 of the M4 with an eastern or western bypass at Pendoylan before linking with the A48 at Sycamore Cross.

The third option was put forward by the Welsh Assembly Government in 2003 and was opposed by the Vale council. It was later withdrawn.

Coun Jeff James, the council’s cabinet member for planning, said councillors were not being asked to support or oppose any of the three options at this stage.

He said: “The council need to be fully engaged in this issue and will have to take a long hard view of the preferred option or options when it is announced by the Welsh Assembly Government.”

Matthew Rees, a member of the NEVAR (No Ely Valley Airport Road) said with the airport shrinking and airlines pulling out there was no need for an access road.

He said: “They are planning to spend £130m of taxpayers money for no good reason. As far as we are concerned the access to the airport is adequate already.

“The third option would have the most environmental impact and would destroy virgin agricultural land.”

Peterston-Super-Ely resident Roy Williams said there had no consultation on the premise that there should be an access road to the airport.

He said: “We get the feeling that we are being manipulated.”

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/10/01/boost-for-st-athan-academy-jobseekers-91466-21936704/

BBC NEWS | Wales | Villagers' demo over airport link

- 16:191 Oct 2008 ... Members of No Ely Valley Airport Access Road (Nevar) held a protest outside the Vale of Glamorgan council's headquarters in Barry. ...

£100m transport boost on back of St Athan - WalesOnline

Bus or coach links from Miskin Parkway to the airport and St Athan; ... be some distance west of St Athan village, for easy access to the military academy. ...

No2 Road South from Junction 34 for Military Academy

boost for St Athan academy jobseekers PLANS for a multi-million-pound learning centre on the Barry waterfront to help train young people for jobs at the landmark defence academy in St Athan have been given a major final boost. Read

Can the Vale Cope with Defence Academy project without funds for new roads?

‘Act now on airport road’ – call by the Vale MP

Vale MP, John Smith, is calling for action to ease congestion at Culverhouse Cross and improve roads to Cardiff International Airport and the planned Defence Training Academy at St Athan. Mr Smith said: “While I recognise the need for a long-term solution in the form of a direct link from the M4 to the airport and the Defence Academy, there is need for immediate action. I shall be writing to the Welsh Assembly Government as part of its consultation on improving access to Cardiff International Airport, urging them to examine the possibility of improvements to the present airport access route from junction 33 of the M4 via Culverhouse Cross through north Barry and to the Airport and St Athan. “I believe there is an urgent need for a dedicated route to Barry skirting the western side of Culverhouse Cross. “This would provide vital breathing space while a new long-term solution is built from the M4 to the airport and the Defence Academy,” the MP insisted.

Copyright Tindle Newspapers Ltd 07 December 07

Financial Crunch to detrail DTA?

The phrase ...we must not allow Wales to become a major cog in the military machine" ....is a dangerous statement, according to Vale MP John Smith (The Gem Sept 18)
The contrary view is that we should not care if Wales is a major cog in UK military operations.
If subject to democratic decision making, the case would be arguable.
But after Tony Blair took us into Bush's war for regime change in Iraq, on a dodgy dossier falsely claiming Iraq had nuclear weapons, it's surely most dangerous to serve as a cog?
The shadow boxing by Chris Franks, in refusing to back up Dafydd Iwan, the president of Plaid, is little better.
The politicians should all now that the Metrix project is both in financial trouble and being criticised as undermining the operational capacity of the UK forces.
That the project has been hit by inflation and the credit crunch has made national news (eg Daily Mail of Sept 12)
According to defence-management .com the Metrix project is undergoing a full blown financial review, because the financing was part of the dodgy deals that lead to the credit crunch
For Johnn Smith and Chris Franks to blindly argue for the £12bn Metrix deal is only excused as they spoke before last week's HBOS meltdown.
Time they realised Labour's financial policies have got the economy into serious trouble.
Max Wallis
Penarth
Glamorgan Gem 25th Sept 2008

£12bn St Athan go-ahead - according to leaked memo Wales Online - Politics News 11:08 30-Sep-08

Wales must not be a cog in the war machine - Daily Post North Wales

“We must not allow Wales to become a major cog in the military machine, and there are very fundamental questions that must be asked about the military ...
www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2008/.../wales-must-not-be-a-cog-in-the-war-machine-55578-2168526... - 45k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this

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Barry and St Athan opportunity opens up Wales Online 11:16 27-Sep-08

Barry and St Athan opportunity opens up

Sep 27 2008 by Gerry Holt, South Wales Echo

BARRY and St Athan will play leading roles in the economic future of Wales as part of a major National Assembly blueprint for the development of the country. The blueprint, called the Wales Spatial Plan, covers a wide range of housing, transport and other developments in Wales.

The plan has designated Barry as a “primary key settlement” and St Athan, where the multi-billion- pound defence training academy is to be built, as a “Strategic Opportunity Area.” The designations opens the way to improved road and transport networks, improved housing and a better quality of life for residents. But the council has warned that plans for an international business park at junction 33 of the M4 could cause major traffic problems on the surrounding road network.John Smith, MP for the Vale of Glamorgan said: “We must continue the local campaign to get the National Assembly to provide a good road link to Barry, the Airport and St Athan from the motorway.”

What campaign? A road for mercenaries! Showing his green credentials then!?

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Plaid chief opposes St Athan academy Wales Online - Politics News 07:26 6-Sep-08

Leaked MOD memo bad news for St Athan

Leaked Memo Indicates That DTR Is a Go

Yesterday Defence Management reported that the outgoing second permanent under secretary of state for defence has ordered Package 1 of the £11bn training programme to move forward at the Welsh site despite resistance and doubts over the programme’s viability:

A leaked memo from a high ranking MoD official has revealed that the Defence Training Review (DTR)is set to carry forward at St Athan, Wales, despite the troubled economic climate, faulty business plan for raising revenue and widespread resistance from the affected MoD civilians employees and the union that represents them.

In a leaked memo seen by Defence Management, it has been revealed that Sir Ian Andrews, the outgoing second permanent under secretary of state for defence has ordered Package 1 of the £11bn training programme to move forward at the Welsh site despite resistance and doubts over the programme’s viability.

There has been resistance to Sir Ian’s final objective for sometime. RAF Cosford, which narrowly lost out to the St Athan facility, has been viewed as a more viable alternative because of its central location and the fact that it already has much of the infrastructure in place for training. Civilian trainers are widely resistant to moving to rural Wales to conduct the training. Furthermore, the financing of the DTR site has been rocked by the shaky economy. The Metrix led consortium had planned to fund the project through the sale of surplus MoD land but with the housing market hitting rock bottom, predicted revenues are now substantially less than first believed. Rising inflation has led to a ballooning of costs to £12bn.

The memo indicates that Sir Ian is willing to proceed with the St Athan site despite the above mentioned concerns. He wants to commit to Metrix and St Athan . Developing a contingency plan would show that the MoD has doubts the memo implied.

Recently some MoD officials admitted that the plan was unaffordable in its current state and that Metrix would have to submit a new business plan in order for the deal to move forward.

The contents of the memo were later revealed in an e-mail to staff at RAF Cosford in an e-mail. However the MoD failed to inform the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union which represents most of the affected civilian trainers.

Robert O’Harney, the Cosford branch secretary for the PCS said he was disappointed by the MoD’s willingness to leave the union out of the communications loop. He vowed that the union would continue fighting the DTR at St Athans because it was “unaffordable.”

The MoD strongly denied that any decision had been made. A spokesperson refused to comment on the leaked memo, but said: “A recent routine review has confirmed the Department’s commitment to delivering the DTR Package 1 Project and the Defence Technical Academy at St Athan.

“A final clarification exercise is now ongoing, after which Metrix’s revised proposals will be evaluated and considered for final approval.

“The MoD and Metrix are committed to an ongoing programme of consultation and communication with the local community.”

Armed forces minister Bob Ainsworth will make a statement to the Commons on 9 October regarding DTR SIr Ian said.

Why would this go ahead now! Would it be a desperate move by new labour to save the face of a Rhodri Morgan and John Smith AM ...even if they don't realise this is more an election liability.. than anything else....so they will shoot themselves in the foot...

Silly John Smith!!

MP Calls for St Athan Rail Stop

Published by Cheryl under Cosford, MoD

Yesterdays article reported that the cost of the Defence Trainining Review had now increased by £1bn to £13bn. An article on WalesOnLine reports that Vale of Glamorgan MP John Smith is calling for a dedicated rail stop to be built at St Athan, which will add more cost to the project. He thinks this will benefit the Welsh economy and ease congestion:

A DEDICATED rail stop should be built to serve the Defence Technical Academy in St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan MP John Smith has said.

Thousand of trainees from the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force will attend the £13bn academy.

Mr Smith said: “In order for the Welsh economy to take full advantage from this record investment, the St Athan site must be served by an improved transport system.

“There are operational railway tracks running within very close proximity to the site. I believe there is a very strong case for building a dedicated rail stop at the academy. It will help reduce road traffic congestion, and prevent commuters and visitors to the academy the inconvenience of having to get off at Rhoose or Llantwit Major stations and transfer to a bus shuttle service.

“I will be writing to the Welsh Assembly Government, the local planning authority and the consortium responsible for building the academy asking them to consider building a rail halt at the site for the good of the Welsh economy.”

In addition WalesOnLine reports that a proposed road link that will service St Athan could cost up to £135m of tax payers money. Currently there are approximately 600 Civil Servants plus many military and private sector workers employed at RAF Cosford, the majority of these staff would be expected to move from Cosford to St Athan if the Metrix plans go ahead. Cosford is situated 800 meters from a motorway and already has it’s own railway station.

Is it right that so much taxpayers money is needed to support the Metrix bid is surely a question that needs to be asked. This is another reason that we are asking members to write to the NAO and get them to scrutinise this project which has already cost the tax payer millions in wasted consultant fees.

• NAO letter template (download).

No responses yet

PRIVATE EYE keeps up the story!!

Defence Training Review Over Budget

Published by Cheryl under Cosford, MoD

The latest edition of Private Eye reports that Brigadier Geoff Nield has let it slip that the cost of the Defence Training Review programme had gone up and is now over budget.

At a local “Stakeholders” meeting in the Vale of Glamorgan, home to a proposed new defence academy, the Ministry of Defence’s officer in charge, Brigadier Geoff Nield, let slip that the price had gone up from £11bn to £ 12bn. As the deal was slated to save the MoD just £400m at the old price, it seems the scheme will not only expose the armed forces to serious operational risks (see Eye 1213) but will actually cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions more than keeping training in-house.

The increasing delays to implementing the project has led to the National Audit Office (NAO) pulling its plans to investigate the deal. Members are encouraged to write to the NAO requesting that they undertake a review of the public monies spent on DTR. There is a link to a sample letter below, this can be amended as you feel fit.

• The full article can be viewed here.
• NAO letter template (download).

squaddies rampaging around llanwit major?

In the current edition of The Gem (vale of glamorgan's free newspaper) John Smith MP and Tory AM Alun Cairns (whats he got to do with the Vale) launch a dual attack on Plaid Cllr Nic Hodges who apparently made remarks at the st.athan public meeting about 'squaddies rampaging around llantwit major' as well as questioning the academy. The headline of the article is 'Critics ask Plaid: do you really want St. Athan?'."

Land Securities Trillium for sale & former director labour funding scandal

This is one of the Metrix consortium and the problem is that these companies change hands so one has no idea who could be running the business of the proposed military academy in a weeks time or in a few years time in Wales.

Yetr another director of a company making a fortune from government money. More sleazy directors with dodgy dealings while seeking contracts. I hope we can have assurances that none of the Metrix consortium companies have funded any labour party activities or councillors. but how much the WAG has paid out is not yet known.

Bidders Circling for Land Securities Trillium
PPP Focus.com - Manchester,England,UK
According to various press reports, private equity firms and Macquarie the Australian-based bank are pondering on bids for Land Securities Trillium. ...

Since the Land Securities announced a restructuring in November, it was believed that Trillium was being lined up for a flotation. Whilst source say this may still be the favoured option there are increasing reports that a number of bids are being considered to purchase the division outright.

Analysts have valued the business at between £1bn and £1.5bn. No official news has emerged from either Land Securities or Macquarie Bank and any potential bids are believed to be at a very early stage.
See all stories on this topic

Caltongate Developers funded Labour while seeking council backing
By sooty(Cat)
Mr Chande is a former director of Land Securities, the UK’s biggest property company, and, with Mr Myers, joint founder of Trillium, which won a contract to own and manage the majority of the Department for Work and Pensions property ...portfolio – a 2bn deal that made it Britain's biggest commercial landlord.
Independent Republic of the Canongate - http://independentrepublicofthecanongate.blogspot.com/

Caltongate developers funded Labour
By Mike(Mike)
Mr Chande is a former director of Land Securities, the UK’s biggest property company, and, with Mr Myers, joint founder of Trillium, which won a contract to own and manage the majority of the Department for Work and Pensions property ...
Wade's world - http://mikewadejournalist.blogspot.com/

Norway may ditch Israel electric Bonds

Why can we not have an ethical Wales?

Welsh politicians, even Plaid Cymru is prepared to welcome Raytheon, Serco to St Athan Wales and they have both been rejected by the Norwegian fund because of their connections to Cluster bombs and nuclear weapon. John Smith MP is one of the most obsequious lackey of the Arms Companies even prepared to use our children and schools to promote them.

Norway may ditch Israel Electric bonds
Jerusalem Post - Israel
The government has banned the 2.08 trillion-krone fund from investing in companies involved in nuclear weapons or cluster munitions, and companies that it ...

The Norwegian sovereign wealth fund's ethical council is considering whether to recommend the fund sell its 107 million kroner ($20 million) of bonds in Israel Electric Corp. because of an alleged participation in a blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Kristin Halvorsten wants an ethics council to investigate Israel Electric over its role in cutting back electricity supplies to Gazans.

"Information that the Israeli government is using this company to cut electricity supplies to Gaza, and thereby worsening the situation for civilians there, has made Finance Minister Kristin Halvorsen ask the ethics council to investigate the company," ministry spokeswoman Kaja Haldorsen said by e-mail Thursday. Israel Electric wasn't immediately available for comment.

The government has banned the 2.08 trillion-krone fund from investing in companies involved in nuclear weapons or cluster munitions, and companies that it says are guilty of human rights or environmental abuses. An ethics council investigates companies alleged to be breaking the investment guidelines.

Israel Electric is a state-owned monopoly power supplier.

Norway, the world's fifth-largest exporter of crude oil, places most of its petroleum revenue in the fund. The pension plan is the world's second-largest so-called sovereign wealth fund after the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. It is forecast to double in size to more than 4 trillion kroner by 2014.

The Church of Norway asked the government in January 2006 to review its investments and possibly withdraw from companies that "are active in the construction of the wall and Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank."

The ethics council concluded that there were no grounds for excluding companies active in Israel "or in areas under Israeli occupation," Finance Ministry senior advisor Aslak Skancke wrote at the time. "However, the possibility is not ruled out that information may be revealed in the future leading to closer examination and possible recommendations."

Companies that have been dropped previously by the fund include Poongsan Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp, Raytheon Co., European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc., according to the Finance Ministry.

The Norwegian fund was established 11 years ago and is one of the world's oldest sovereign wealth funds. Yngve Slyngstad took over as head last month, succeeding Knut Kjaer, who managed the fund since its inception.

Tal Barak in Tel Aviv contributed to this report.