Waltham Forest (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Waltham Forest Council estimated £1.2m repair bill for Markhouse Centre slashed by £500k, for the centre’s future amidst controversy over its proposed closure.
According to updated data, operating a Walthamstow facility for adults with disabilities would cost hundreds of thousands less than initially estimated.
Following Waltham Forest Council’s announcement that repairs would cost £1.2 million, the Markhouse Centre was officially designated for closure in June of last year.
At the moment, the center typically hosts 48 individuals with learning difficulties. About 25% of them have “profound and multiple learning disabilities,” while 15% have autism.
The Labour-run council did not initially reveal that it partially owns Norse Evolve Ltd., which conducted the study that yielded the eight-figure amount.
Norfolk County Council owns 75% of Evolve, while Waltham Forest owns 25%.
According to a former spokesperson, the council hired Evolve to save money by making it simpler to obtain outsourced construction services like design, surveying, and property management.
Director Joe Garrod and deputy leader Councillor Ahsan Khan are listed as directors, but he emphasized that they are in “strategic” responsibilities and do not have any influence over “day-to-day operations.”
In December, cabinet members decided to close the center, but the report’s independence sparked strong opposition from both Conservative and Labour council members.
The council commissioned two independent surveys after a contentious scrutiny meeting in January, both of which indicated a lower cost.
Hollis Global created a survey in January in response to the council’s directive, and Spectrum Property Services released an independent evaluation in late February that included an evaluation of Hollis’ efforts.
Over the next 15 years, Hollis estimated that the center’s maintenance costs would be £763,000, whereas Spectrum provided a quotation of £984,000.
According to the subsequent study from Spectrum, Hollis’ initial projections over a ten-year period were more in line with £500,000.
According to the Waltham Forest Council, Hollis did not include infrastructure changes, which would have cost between £195,000 and £215,000. Evolve’s quote for consultant fees was approximately £18,000.
A spokesperson for the council said:
“We would expect professional expert surveyors to arrive at different views when conducting a visual survey of a building like the Markhouse Centre.
The Hollis report does not contain any costs for the essential infrastructure upgrade that would be required to install a new heating system. Neither the Spectrum nor Hollis reports contain costs for consultancy fees.
When these necessary costs are factored in, the difference between the highest and lowest of the three estimates is less than £100,000.”
Although a homeowner stated at a full council meeting in October that they had received quotes from the boiler manufacturer of no more than £9,000 per unit, the original assessment suggested that replacing three boilers would cost approximately £100,000 in total.
In contrast to Spectrum’s suggested £85,000, Hollis provided a quote of £74,500, stating that the boilers could not be replaced separately.
Council members have been urged to close the center in spite of the lower estimates.
The council feels that the justification for closing the center “remains relevant,” according to a report that is scheduled to be presented to cabinet.
With its “people-based services,” which it claims will “ensure access to modern community-based provision,” it is nevertheless eager to move forward. The council said the site might be sold if the center were to close.
According to the assessment, the building is still deemed to be in “poor condition” and requires “considerable investment to ensure it is more fit for purpose.”
The Waltham Forest Conservatives pushed the council to maintain the center’s operations during a budget-setting meeting last week.
Catherine Saumarez, a Conservative councillor, stated that she did not want the site to go into a state of dormancy similar to that of the former Trumpington Road facility.
Cllr. Saumarez cautioned that an empty Markhouse may become a similar “drain on our finances” because the facility has lain inactive since it shuttered in 2018.
She added that she could not “put into monetary value what it will mean to the service users to keep it open”.
Waltham Forest Liberal Democrats campaign chairman Arran Angus stated that “everything about the decision stinks” and that people were “understandably furious.”
He said:
“The lack of time to scrutinise this deeply flawed report is bad enough, but surely alarm bells should have been ringing given that the repair costs cited in the so-called ‘independent’ report by Evolve Norse was nearly half a million pounds more than what others quoted for the same work.”
Family members of those who depend on and use the service have also criticized the notion.
Local campaigner James O’Rourke said: “My brother Tony, and so many like him deserve better. This is about lives, not just figures on a page. Imagine the Markhouse Centre – once a lifeline for our community – lost forever.”
He added: “We demand transparency, accountability, and leadership that prioritises people over profit. Waltham Forest deserves nothing less.”
Additionally, he has threatened to request a court review of the ruling.
Although there are enough spots at other providers, council officers say there are still worries that certain people’s complicated demands would not be met by them.
Tomorrow, March 11, the cabinet will convene to make the ultimate decision regarding the center’s destiny.
What are the main arguments for the closure of Markhouse centre?
Given the council’s need to make budget concessions and attain financial sustainability, the council contends that the estimated £1.2 million cost of repairing and modernizing the facility is too expensive. They contend that in order to prevent bankruptcy, funds must be reallocated to more effective services.
Instead of focusing on building-based provisions, Waltham Forest Council is pushing for a change to a person-centered approach that prioritizes community-based services. They contend that other daytime options would better serve the requirements of people with autism and learning difficulties.
According to the council, the Markhouse Centre needs significant upgrading to meet contemporary service delivery standards because it is dilapidated and unfit for its intended function.