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'
15/12/2010
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
'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
22/11/2010
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”.
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”.
18/11/2010
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.
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
28/10/2010
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
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
18/10/2010
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.
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 ...
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 ...
11/10/2010
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?
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?
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