Anger on Julian House funding decision

The Government have axed £2.5 million of funding for a new hostel facility for homeless people in Bath.

The Homes & Community Agency had demanded an ‘aspirational design’ considered by the Council to be far beyond the requirements of a new hostel facility and beyond what could be afforded. The result of this slowed the process to the point where the Homes & Community Agency decided the Council was unable to meet the timescale previously agreed.

As part of the Places for Change Project, the Council explored a number of different sites for the new facility undertaking detailed viability assessments on two of these sites. The Government demanded the project be completed by mid-2011 which allowed three years from inception to completion.

"The circumstances relating to the loss of this funding would seem to be another example of the lack of a 'can-do' attitude for which this Council leadership has previously been criticised. It's unfortunate that the Cabinet member failed to broker a compromise with the Homes and Community Agency within the set timescale."