We've supported SEND Socials over the past week as they battled to prevent The Halescroft Centre from being sold, and we fully share their frustration and disappointment that the sale went ahead regardless. A huge loss of not only the asset itself, but the potential of what the building could have become.
You can read their statement here.
The way that this situation has been dealt with echoes what Save Birmingham has encountered since our campaign began. That Corporate Landlord pull the strings. Unelected Officers. Not the democratically elected officials that are supposed to represent the people of Birmingham. We approached Cllrs to advocate on the behalf of SEND Socials, and they failed them. They were told by Corporate Landlord that the sale had to go ahead and they accepted it.
Within the correspondence between SEND Socials and Corporate Landlord ahead of the auction, claims were made that CL were 'unaware of your interest', therefore 'there has been no attempt to market and/or advertise the availability of the building other than via the auction route'. A ludicrous comment - how can community organisations be aware of the plans for disposal if CL have made no attempt to advertise it? The local community were only made aware days ago when a physical sign went up outside the building.
They also commented that had they known SEND Socials were interested, they could have engaged in conversation at an earlier stage. This is completely disingenuous. From our vast experience at Save Birmingham of community organisations making prospective enquiries about assets, they are almost NEVER answered by Corporate Landlord. Emails are simply ignored. On the occasions where they have responded, they've simply advised to bid for a purchase, not engaged in negotiations about asset transfers or a favourable social-value based lease.
Lets be clear - there are several assets that have been successfully transferred over to community ownership, and others that are in process. But Save Birmingham does not know of any examples where this hasn't been buildings that have been selected by BCC as suitable for community transfer. We have no examples where an organisation has made a prospective approach to Corporate Landlord and they have actively engaged in negotiations around a favourable lease for a community-based organisation.
Corporate Landlord have stated that they are willing to discuss other assets within their disposals programme with SEND Socials. Lets hope this is a genuine offer.
