Bandstand Project Archive
Bandstand Project Archive
What is the proposal under the Town Deals Fund?
The minimum that is expected out of this funding is that it will be restored as closely as it can be to its original design.
The feasibility of this was originally considered back in 2018 when Todmorden Town Council commissioned a report from local architect Richard Storah to review its condition and make recommendations for its restoration.
In addition to restoring its core structure, proposals are to improve the lighting, and existing sound qualities, introduce CCTV monitoring as part of an acceptable physical security solution, provide a platform lift access onto the stage or mobility challenged performers.
If additional funding can be secured provide temporary seating temporary canopy cover.
Is this fully funded under Town Deal?
No. As with all of the Centre Vale Park Projects under the Town Deal there is a gap in funding.
The projected cost for restoration is c £382,000 of which £112,000 initially allocated towards this from the Town Deal Fund leaving a shortfall of c£270,000 to be found from other sources.
The reality is that this is the priority project for Centre Vale Park and potentially will rank ahead of other Centre Vale Park projects to be funded from the Town Deals Fund if absolutely needed to be.
What else will the project involve?
As with all of the Centre Vale Park Projects it is not just about delivering a physical new construction, but how it will be sustained in the future, how it will be managed and what outputs are expected to be delivered that will benefit Todmorden residents.
The Bandstand will require an active programme of activity so that regular performances become the norm and local performers, whether musical or theatrical get the opportunity to showcase their talent, none more so than voluntary groups involving children to develop their confidence and talent in a live and supportive environment.
The Bandstand will also require an active voluntary management group to operationally manage and deliver, from taking bookings to venue management including opening and closing on performance days.
Who will own the bandstand once it has been restored?
Todmorden Town Council has agreed “in principle” to assume ownership on completion of building works where it is anticipated that a 25 year lease will granted from Calderdale MBC by way of Community Asset Transfer.
By agreeing to do this Todmorden Town Council is seeking to support any new Bandstand Group by taking on the legal responsibility of building ownership.
Who will manage the Bandstand and all of its activities?
When seeking to save the Bandstand from demolition, and to seek its formal status as a Grade 2 listed building, nearly 3,000 residents supported a petition to do so.
The Town Council in offering its support by way of delivering the construction nature of this project, and on completion, property ownership, is looking to the community to turn that support into involvement through a formal Bandstand Group that will operationally and financially be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Bandstand.
The Town Council will need to have the assurance that this group is up and running prior to physically contracting for construction.
Will Todmorden Town Council help to meet the Bandstand’s running costs?
Initially pending the group getting up and running and generating income from hiring out the Bandstand and or holding event themselves, Todmorden Town Council will provide some revenue support.
The intention is for the group to become financially self-sufficient as soon as possible and through a Management agreement a recharge arrangement put in place to reimburse Todmorden Town Council for such building related expenditure.
Why will Todmorden Town Council not run the Bandstand?
Todmorden Town Council does not run services direct that are usually provided by Calderdale MBC unless can done so at minimum risk and cost e.g the Wheelspark
It does not have expertise to do so and the cost of employing this resource and additional administration cost, plus providing cover within a small team would be substantial and require funding through an increase in taxpayers Precept charge.
In this instance Todmorden Town Council is acting as the bridge between Calderdale MBC and the community, who have rallied round saying they want to keep the Bandstand as a key feature of Centre Vale Park. This “private and or community” sector bid was made for funding on the basis of voluntary ongoing management arrangements and the role of Todmorden Town Council is to try to make this all happen and then handover day to day responsibility.
The same approach will apply to all of the Centre Vale Project Groups in that Todmorden Town Council will only act in this facilitating and enabling role, not post construction delivery of services.
When will grant applications be made?
Todmorden Town Council has agreed to act as the grant applicant for this project.
Grant funders often apply specific conditions some of which could be that certain permissions must be in place already, formal designs completed, land already owned and other matched funding in place. Others are less restrictive.
Each Grant application will need to be considered on its qualifying criteria at the time of submission.
An “Expression of Interest” for a grant of c£249,000 has been submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund. We do not expect a response until December and if successful, we will be invited to submit an even more detailed application subject to whatever additional information is required.
We have also submitted a lottery “Awards for All” grant application for £10,000 of capacity funding which has within it an element of web site development funding that the Bandstand Group may be able to take advantage of.
What are the next stages for the Bandstand project?
Approval of the Overall Business Case for Centre Vale Park Projects will trigger the formal next steps and start to determine the extent of Town Deals Funding available for this project.
Pending approval there are key areas to be progressed apart from seeking grant funding and they relate to:
Agreement with Calderdale MBC of lease terms for Community Asset Transfer
Understanding the need or not to obtain /Environment Agency agreement.
Seek Deed of Covenant approval from Environment agency
Obtain Fields in Trust “In Principle” approval
Establishing a new Bandstand Group to take on operational delivery
When will detailed drawings be prepared and Listed Building Consent applied for?
One of the major grant opportunities identified for funding of up to £100,000 requires the project to be “shovel ready” with all permissions in place.
Without funding agreed there is risk in taking the project to this stage given further costs that will be involved.
However, given the importance of the Bandstand as the priority project and the greatest chance to unlock substantive additional funding, once the Business Case approval has been received, the Town Deal Board will be approached to agree to progress this project at risk.
Timing will depend upon when the Business Case approval from Government is received but it is anticipated to commission these works by the end of January 2023 at the latest with then further grant funding sought once Listed Building Consent and all other permissions/agreements are in place.
When will detailed drawings be prepared and Listed Building Consent applied for?
One of the major grant opportunities identified for funding of up to £100,000 requires the project to be “shovel ready” with all permissions in place.
Without funding agreed there is risk in taking the project to this stage given further costs that will be involved.
However, given the importance of the Bandstand as the priority project and the greatest chance to unlock substantive additional funding, once the Business Case approval has been received, the Town Deal Board will be approached to agree to progress this project at risk.
Timing will depend upon when the Business Case approval from Government is received but it is anticipated to commission these works by the end of January 2023 at the latest with then further grant funding sought once Listed Building Consent and all other permissions/agreements are in place.
Yes. The Town Deal Board approved Business Cases for the Centre Vale Park Projects, Climate College and Town Hall on the 2nd August 2022 and have been submitted to The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), for approval.
Other Town Deal project Business Cases are due for submission by 5th September 2022.
We do not yet know the response time from Government, but expect the Todmorden Town Deal award for all of the individual projects to be made at the same time. It is likely to be November but could possibly be earlier.
Who will own the buildings and maintain them once construction has been completed?
Early discussions with the group emphasised concerns about land/building ownership and meeting ongoing financial cost of operating such facilities.
Groups were naturally concerned about personal liability and ability of groups to meet ongoing costs initially pending becoming formally established and new/additional income streams generated to support.
To enable the projects to move forward the Town Council resolved to overcome these issues by agreeing to take on land and building ownership as well as provide a financial buffer at the start of operational delivery but within an overall revenue cost of up to £25,000 per annum in total in relation to the Bowling Pavilion, Bandstand, and Conservatory all woth rehctge arrangemts to the groups.
On completion of the MUGA it is intended to be operated by Calderdale MBC under a “back to back” agreement.
Fielden House is owned by the Calder Valley Community Land Trust and any energy efficiency improvements will lead to reduction in the costs so will need no ongoing financial support from the Town Council.
The Tennis Court proposal is based on the Tennis Club gaining planning permission for their existing site, selling this, contributing c £125,000 into the proposal, moving the club operations to be based at Centre Vale Park, meeting operational costs and joining with the Bowls Association to use the extended Bowling Pavilion as a base alongside the Bowlers.
If the Tennis Club cannot sell the land, then an alternative way forward will need to be agreed with Calderdale MBC which may involve seeking LTA grant funding and a reduced specification to be delivered.
When would construction start?
We need to be realistic that just grant applications on their own can take several months to be processed and approved and even applied for only at certain times of the year. Whilst we are aiming to have grant support by March 2023 there are no guarantees on this.
Other permissions will also take time to be obtained and hence why we are starting on several of these already ahead of the formal Business Case approval.
In terms of construction the ambition is to be in a position to start construction by Feb 2024 .To do so we will need to be in a position to issue tenders for potential contractors to respond to by Sept/Oct 2023.
Is there a group in place to take this forward once the Bandstand has been restored?
At the moment the “Save the Bandstand Group” originally set up to lobby for the Bandstand not to be demolished, has served its purpose.
This now needs to transition into a Bandstand Group responsible for on the ground delivery.
One of the leading members of that campaign Jim Duffy has been the main lead in working with the Town Council on this project and is keen to hear from anyone wishing to volunteer to be part of the Bandstand Group Management Group and or assist with events once up and running.
Jim can be contacted by email on [email protected]
What are the project timelines?
These are all subject to funding availability and permissions where and as require but the Outline Project Plan is as detailed below:
