INVESTIGATION: Marvin Rees' Arena/Beacon 'fixer' Sir Ian Lister wastes Bristol's millions -Joe Banks

Barton House/Bristol Beacon/Temple Island (arena)

https://politicsthisweek.wordpress.com/2023/12/07/not-the-bcfm-politics-show-presented-by-tony-gosling-169/

Two major news stories in Bristol:
The sudden evacuation of around 400 residents from Barton House
The opening of Bristol Beacon after huge cost overrun

Why have both these things happened?
Shines a light on Marvin Rees’ Bristol – winners and losers
Beacon for the Bristol establishment
Opening night
What was the relationship between the council and Beacon contractor Willmott Dixon? Why was all the risk put on the council? How was the contract put together and how were the ‘compensation events’ negotiated?

Why didn’t the council respond to post-Grenfell warning from central government about LPS buildings and investigate Barton House design in 2017?

What’s the context?

Need to look at what was happening at the council in 2017 and 2018

The dash to stitch up Temple Island
A council document from late 2017/early 2018 (before Mike Jackson became CEO) shows that 12 of the 25 most senior officer positions were vacant at that time - due to a cover-up over missing £30 million from the budget revealed by Bundred Report

And who was the Beacon project director, John Betty?
Started September 2020 (when he was 74 years old)
Only mention in any council papers is one technical report from November 2022 he supposedly authored presented with January 2023 Cabinet papers
Hammonds Project Management Services
2005-2013, Director of Development and Major projects at Bath & North East Somerset council. Criticised for very high levels of pay. Over £300K. Defended by Jacob Rees-Mogg in 2010 BBC article.
At Cornwall Council April 2017-May 2019
Strategic Director Economy Growth and Development & Strategic Commercial Growth Advisor
Controversy over £2.5 million unauthorised spend business cases for proposed developments, money not in the approved budget, was moved on from first role

Bristol Beacon
Original budget £48.8 million. £10 million from BCC. Other funding from WECA, Arts Council and others.
This was already the largest capital redevelopment ever to take place in the South West arts sector
2021 revised to £106.9 million.
Jan 2023 revised to £131.9 million. BCC now paying £84 million.
No substantial surveying work happened before construction works commenced – but contract determined that whatever they found BCC would have to pay for
50 year PWLB loan and money from capital programme budget

Timeline

2016
June 17 Sir Edward Lister appointed Chairman of the Homes and Communities Agency (becomes Homes England in 2018) – governmental non-departmental body for housing and regeneration.
Lister was the Thatcherite leader of Wandsworth council 1992-2011. Became a councillor in 1976. Wandsworth council in the late 70s and 80s was a trailblazer for privatisation and outsourcing. Thatcher’s favourite local authority.
Lister was chief of staff and deputy mayor for planning under Boris Johnson London mayoralty 2011- 2016.
“Steady Eddie”

“Air miles Eddie”
Many conflicts of interest

July 1 Lister appointed director of EcoWorld, Malaysian luxury property developer.
As reported by the Times in 2020, between 2016-2019 Lister received £487,000 in consultancy fees.

2017

March BCC sell the former Royal Mail sorting office - the site originally designated for an arena car park - to Bristol University. New Enterprise Campus.

April YTL email senior BCC officer Barra Mac Ruiari with offer to discuss option of arena being at Filton.
18 April Mac Ruari meets with YTL representative in hotel bar in Bristol.

May Barra Mac Ruiari leaves BCC and joins YTL.

June 14 Grenfell disaster

Sep 5 Tamara Finklestein, Director General for the Building Safety Programme, Department for Communities and Local Government, writes to all Local Authority Chief Executives about Large Panel System Buildings, following investigations of LPS blocks in Southwark:
“it is important with all large panel system buildings that their structural history is known, and that their condition and continued structural integrity are understood and monitored”
“This should include desktop studies where necessary to establish what strengthening work has been undertaken, and to assess the original design of the building”.........