The Mechanics of Trust

If the Mechanics' Trust got a pound for every column inch of coverage of their cause then the building in question would be gold-plated by now.

The latest grand plan from them deems that they want to take over the entirety of the Railway Village. The trust also want £15 - £20 million of Heritage Lottery Fund money to cover the cost of repairing the Mechanics', but they fail to see the wood for the trees.

There's no way the HLF will give two bids of money of such quantities to Swindon for two projects, the Mechanics' and the new museum and art gallery (regardless of whether it will be on the Wyvern car park site or if they get drunk and decide to go with the London Street carriage works site that the Mechanics' Trust are so certain on).

Swindon Borough Council and Forward Swindon already have a plan for the carriage works site, plus Forward Swindon have their own feasibility study into the Mechanics'. The latter was missed out of the Adver piece.

The track record of the Trust is patchy at a very generous best :

- Bakers Arms. Given to the Trust after closing in 2012. Still closed.

- Central Community Centre. Given to the Trust from SBC. According to news provided by an independent source (that independent source being, erm, the Mechanics' Trust), it's being run well.

- The Old Railway Cottage. Given to the Trust from SBC. Opened a handful of times, but no prospect of opening regularly.

- An allotment plot. Given to the Trust (along with the purchase of new tools). Has been overgrown ever since.

- A People's Lottery-funded development officer who left part way through his tenure due to creative differences.

On top of this, the Trust want to be given :

The Health Hydro.

The old Railway Museum.

The Cricketers Pub.

Plus they want £50,000 to put together a business plan for their plan for the Mechanics' building.

Do we trust the Trust?

Mechanics' Trust No One

Despite all the talk (that's been going on for a long, long time) from the Mechanics' Trust about working together with others to secure the future of the building, they seem to have retreated back to their own turf if recent news is anything to go by.

Despite Forward Swindon carrying out an options appraisal for Swindon Borough Council, the Trust have got a grant from the Architectural Heritage Fund to carry out their own viability study.

The Trust still do not own the building and do not have the financial backing in place to buy it, pay for it's restoration, or the day-to-day costs of running it.

Many years ago Swindon Centric paid a pound to the Trust to be a member (probably along with many others) and never received or heard anything more from them, ever.

I suppose it's foolish to assume that pound was put in a bank account and has earned a healthy interest in the pot for the building.

If the Trust had put as much effort into fundraising as it's done into getting itself into the Adver every month or so to report that things are either progressing well/it's still at risk/the council don't take it seriously or a combination of these (like here, here and here), the building would be in use.

The Grade II* Elephant in the Room

Swindon Borough Council is making more positive noises about the Mechanics' Institute than for a while.

They have once again made it very clear that there is no SBC money to buy it, restore it, or run it.

However the Mechanics' Trust still keeps banging the drum for it being a community-owned and community-operated use.

That's okay then, the thousands of members of the Trust and the vast coffers they've swelled at the Trust, will support their plans.

So how many members and how much money does the always very-vocal Mechanics' Trust has backing them up?

Inside the Mechanics Institute

These photos from 2011 show the internal state of the Mechanics' Institute, including the installation of the tin roof by Swindon Borough Council.

These photos are dated 2010, showing the state of the building, with rotting timber, missing stairs and floors and a flooded basement.

The Prince, The Council & The Mechanics' Mystery

The air over Swindon is thick with claim and counterclaim regarding the latest plan for the Mechanics' Institute.

Swindon Borough Council has been in discussions with the Prince's Regeneration Trust since 2010 about getting something done with the Railway Village building. The problem of perception seems to have dominated, with the Council refusing to come out with even a scant outline of what they're trying to achieve with this charity.

However, if we dig a little, we may find something. Several councillor have already mentioned, been mentioning the organisation's name in reference to the Mechanics' for months now, but with the same vagueness for specifics. Back on Wednesday 13th July, at that day's cabinet meeting, there was a reference to the Mechanics' in that meeting (if you've clicked on the link you'll need the bottom of page 28), which went like this... (please be aware the context this part was in the section about the possible transfer of the Council's housing stock to another organisation and the proposed ballot that would take place)

'The consultation on future housing options extends an opportunity to explore wider improvements to the Railway Village area. Preliminary work has been undertaken by the Prince’s Regeneration Trust initially
looking at the Mechanics Institute as an integral part of the area. Whilst acknowledging that it is in private ownership and that a solution for the building currently resides with the owner. There is nonetheless the scope to explore possible joined up options for taking forward the Prince’s Regeneration Trust’s proposals alongside the transfer offer. These particular costs would not fall on the Housing Revenue Account. Furthermore the ballot would not prevent consideration of a solution for the Mechanics that took into account the wider Railway Village.

Quite a meaty passage isn't it? However, if we combine it with what we already know, it tells us a great deal. There is no-way the Council will pay for full or even partial restoration of the Mechanics' and at the same time, it's keen (and actively seeking) to rid itself of it's council housing stock, as it costs a great deal to maintain and upgrade. Plus, we know that the Mechanics', the Railway Village houses and the former Works site are collectively known under the loose term, 'Great Western Historic Area'. So, when the transferring of housing stock occurs (there seems to be no other option being tabled) is it not sensible that a Railway Village house will be deemed and treated differently to a non-listed council house?

Swindon Centric Says ; Is Swindon Borough Council proposing having the Railway Village housing stock deemed separate and of special interest and combining it's transfer to another organisation with the other side of the bargain being long-term restoration of the Mechanics', whilst the lucrative asset transfer of the Railway Village houses occurs?

Thoughts anyone?

Whilst I await feedback, I'll have a cup of tea and a Duchy Original Oaten Biscuit.