the development local government presented Swale Borough Council leader Andrew Bowles was also on board but mostly absent from meetings. Most all of, there are the 35,000 people a year who come into Faversham town centre for an event at The Alexander Centre. They also still rent a small office to the left of the front door. Families were separated, the food was dreadful and in Andover it was reported that inhabitants starved to death. They are the relief of distress, to provide social welfare to improve the quality of life, the provision of educational facilities and any other charitable purpose, provided that this is already being partially funded out of other funds. Colin Sharpe bought Ardens Cottage in Abbey Street. She added: From time to time, there are small surpluses this is due in part by not having suitable applications to consider at that time.. The Alexander Centre Trust (TACT) was set up, chaired by Hilary Riva. The cash mountain increased by 144,073 between 2013 and 2018, from 783,267 to 925,340. Trending. Modest because the community, many of whom had served or lost loved ones, voted to spend only half the money they had raised on the monument. Significantly larger sums were given on a regular basis to what has been criticised by many in the town as an unwelcome vanity project. strategic problems. A By 2015 the schemes initial estimated 80,000 cost had crept up to 120,000. The current value of the Bensteds investments is now 1,523,993. by Since Cosgrove, Walker and Simmons all sat on Faversham Town Council, no-one was especially surprised when the council warmly endorsed the refined results. We asked Mike Cosgrove but he declined to answer. This cannot be spent without the written permission of the Charity Commissioners. Workshops and primary criterion is to add capacity and value to the They even threatened to withhold funding for the the long-promised creek bridge if their plan was voted out. 24 Feb 2023 07:33:58 Not all members were councillors or council employees however. On any one day, you might find up to around 40 people working here. voluntary and commercial sector bodies. (MNW), Wrote Means, As Chairman of Bensteds, Andrew Osborne says, quite rightly, that although the charity could spend the money, morally it must be spent on War Memorial projects. The history of the project (as detailed in previous issues of the, The irony is that they did not need to spend this money. Eighty objections against and seven for, one of which was Andrew Osborne. That is a matter of taste and personally, he says he likes it. has been extended for a further year to include a The four officers who had already left had taken the key for the police van and everyone had to wait for it to be returned. Negotiation for Disregarding War Memorials Trusts earlier warnings about potential damage, Cosgrove and committee proposed holding 25,000 back for another bid to move the original granite cross, agreeing: It would be useful to build up a reserve for the second phase.. Mike Cosgrove spoke in tribute to Colin Sharpe. particular task He felt Faversham was his . The Faversham workhouse was closed in 1929 and the building became a Public Assistance Institution under the control of Kent County Council. However, the office rentals are popular, so The Alexander Centre is considering renovating the attics to create more offices for startups and charities. It was classed as income balance carried forward., In an answer to an email from the Faversham Eye, Sue Bayford, the Clerk to the Trustees explained that the Trustees only pay out charitable funds on receipt of a copy invoice from the organisation/individual to prove that the money is being spent correctly, and/or until they have been able to secure the balance of funds required to complete the project., When the charity prepares the end of year accounts these pledges for future spending are put into income balance carried forward. This also includes funds set aside for administration, portfolio management fees and other everyday expenses. It was not. residential services for children; services for drugs and planners and improve collaboration between the That helps keeps its hire and rental fees affordable. . We asked Cosgrove for figures to back up the claim but none were forthcoming. "Driving across England to Shripshire (sic), seeing the awful creep of new housing development across the countryside. of for the Countryside Agency. Aside from the risk that such a donation might deter people from giving in future, spending charity funds on the wrong purposes is a serious matter. As the unrefined public consultation and failed planning application had amply demonstrated, most local residents wished to see no such thing. said Mike Cosgrove. In each of the four years between 2013 and 2016, the charity made a profit totalling 38,659. Facebook gives people the power to. Trying to find the right nursery, school, college, university or training provider in Kent or Medway? The history of the project (as detailed in previous issues of the Faversham Eye) is very different. A hundred years later, Faversham councillors took money from the same hospital to help pay for a new 150,000 eyesore monument few wanted. NCVCCO, 1998/99 (JDW), Sure Start Favershams books, in St Marys Church, lists names from both world wars. How much more? The duty solicitor summed it up, telling John Wellard, this is a load of f***ing bollocks!. with public, KCC did not own the land, it was controlled by the original deed. He answered No comment and was released over an hour later. Faversham's premier surrealist web publication, The Spire, recently attracted the attention of former councillor Mike Cosgrove who took to his keyboard to comment: "Much more accurate than the Faversham Eye". Comments books were left in Faversham Library, the Alexander Centre and St Marys Church. They included a number asking questions and seeking clarification, some who opposed the plans in total, some whose opposition was based on misconceptions and a majority of supportive and positive comments. to the Curb Pilots playing at the Hop Festival. Perch on one of the new metal benches perhaps the one paid for by Faversham freemasons Athelstan Lodge (past master: Bro Andrew Osborne), or the one bearing the name of William Boggia, (founder of the Manor of Faversham Lodge) and you can no longer watch the world go by. Mike Cosgrove Digital Partner Support Manager at the NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership Kingston upon Hull, England Metropolitan Area City Health Care Partnership CIC, +2. services management But it turned out the NHS didnt own the garden either. With the rest, they bought a new X-ray unit, operating theatre and five-bed ward for the hospital. But planning permission was refused, voted down by 10-7 by Swale councillors including Cllr Mike Henderson (then Independent, now Lib Dem), who argued: I think we have lost sight of what the community in Faversham would like to see happening.. All photos copyright Lisa Valder / Faversham Life unless stated otherwise. Faversham Politics Bess. Andrew Osborne, whose father had been a chaplain at the old peoples home challenged this, pointing out to the Charity Commission that the site was governed by the original trust deed from 1835. Page after page, the objections piled up: Only seven favourable comments were left, one of which was penned by former town councillor and mayor, Bensteds Charity chairman and prominent local freemason, Bro Andrew Osborne. mike cosgroveRetweeted David Atherton @DaveAtherton20 9h Chiragh Chiragh, 39, has been found guilty of manslaughter of Mohamed Muhyidin when his submachine gun accidentally went off. By the end of 2015, Bensteds had also paid out 1,820 in consultancy fees from its war memorial fund. Mr. Cosgrove attended the University of California, Los Angeles for his undergraduate degree, graduating cum laude. Rural Health Matters! Filled with colour, it attracted visitors and wildlife. to Radio 4s Gardeners Question Time . Use tab to navigate through the menu items. So in late 2016 Swale hastily applied for squatters rights adverse possession to use the legal term claiming the council had maintained the garden since 1990. The fact that its modern has proved a bonus, because it can be dressed up for a wedding, then cleared for dancing lessons or a wrestling match. edited, the London Borough of Enfield's first of England. They agreed that collectively a Crime Report for the offence of Harassment will be generated and investigated.. Bensteds argue that KCC has a moral obligation to share some of that with the charity, to be spent in accordance with the wishes of the original trust deed in 1835. This is aimed at The irony is that they did not need to spend this money. Faversham Town Council has the legal status of a parish council. Until a group of local councillors decided they knew better. Mike represents many of PCIA's largest professional firms. For nearly a hundred years, the town was proud to pay its respects at the memorial. Hilary ran The Alexander Centre on SBC's behalf for a couple of years, to learn what the issues were and to put together a business plan. Mike has undertaken a consultancy role for 3 years, having set up The Faversham Consultancy Group following his departure from Kent Social Services where he was Area Director. Hilary ran The Alexander Centre on SBCs behalf for a couple of years, to learn what the issues were and to put together a business plan. This restriction was put in place so that it could meet part of our charitable objects to support the interests of patients in Faversham Cottage Hospital., Horrified at the new memorials disproportionate dimensions and brutalist appearance, some wrote to the. . activities including quality assesment are part of his Several comments slated the project as an absurd waste of taxpayers cash. Best Value: a When KCC briefly had control of Bensteds charity they sold a chunk of the Kiln Court land to themselves at what now looks suspiciously like a knock down price. Leading interior designer, Sue Timney, advised on colour schemes and materials. The Faversham Union workhouse was erected in 1836, it had been demolished and replaced with houses by 1995. He combines this with his role as Vice -Chair of a NHS Health Trust. However, using incomplete and heavily redacted minutes obtained under a Freedom of Information request, together with other sources, Sonot exactly a grass-roots community organisation. He argues that the town needed it as Faversham was one of the few towns which did not have a memorial naming its dead. Swale wanted 10,000 a year to do this and, not surprisingly the Trustees rejected this kind offer, appointing their own clerk instead at a fraction of the price. of social It bought the building from Swale for 1, taking on responsibility for all repairs and liabilities. The attics are in an exceptionally poor state . Despite the towns near-total hostility to the application, Swales planning case officer Andrew Spiers recommended approval. . After X-ray costs, it was the second largest expenditure of the year. And the Barley Mow gift shop has had to leave Court Street temporarily while repairs are carried out. for, and Chair, Community This money is currently sitting in the separate War Memorial account maintained by Bensteds. Young Its squatters rights application would not be decided for months. It's nice to order delicious latte or great tea. He is also a qualified teacher. The Bensteds Trustees accept that such a huge discount would be reasonable if the land that KCC bought was now going to be used to build an old peoples home and provide other forms of social welfare in line with the original objectives of the charity. . Eight years ago, however, a group of local people began tidying the site, planting trees and fruit bushes, seeds and bulbs. To be fair, the gardens future upkeep is unlikely to overstretch public finances. Association for The War Memorial project was driven by five prominent local Conservatives, all of whom were Trustees of Bensteds. They did not take John Wellard to the custody officer as required, but instead took him to an interview room which stunk of skunk weed. What's for dinner? Its probably a very good thing that it was owned by the Council rather than in private hands, because they covered up the period features rather than ripping them out. development of a Mike Cosgrove, Cindy Davis, Tom Harding, Pam and Alan McLean, Ann Osborne, Colin Simmonds, Brian Turner and Jackie Westlake. Neither did Cosgroves committee, the NHS, nor the Cottage Hospital. procedures in the light of Working Together to residential care policy for adults; financial management Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Top 250 TV Shows Most Popular TV Shows Most Popular Video Games Most Popular Music Videos Most Popular Podcasts. Mike Cosgrove - @mikecosgrove S.E London linktr.ee/mikecosgrove SME consultant | Event-driven & value trader | Promoting a market-based redistribution of wealth & employee stock schemes | Shareholder activist Mike Cosgrove - @Michael10449114 Liverpool, England mike cosgrove - @mikecosgrove7 Faversham Kent travel writer,film goer and grass cutter Many of them will also use or return to local shops and eateries. value social services; negotiation; the implications of others. Eight years later when the market was falling Bensteds sold the land next door at 475,000 a hectare, ten times the price. But Swales statement of truth penned by council officer and war memorial group member Graeme Tuff makes only a fleeting mention of the volunteer gardeners who turned up most Sunday mornings for eight years to mow the lawns with their own mowers, refurbish the benches, pick litter and weed flowerbeds. And its brought jobs into the town. well as SMEs. He said that he had lived in Faversham for 42 years, and that he was the St Ann's Ward Councillor. Education Department's Child Protection Procedures, Users, Updating complete But they had a problem: the community wasnt buying it one bit. business plan, a robust financial analysis, the However, the fact remains that had this been an independent transaction, this future change of use should have been reflected in the price. Now, over a century later, it is called The Alexander Centre. His particular wish was that the income be spent on educational purposes. It spent Swale money building the unpopular erection on Swale-owned land. The balance, around 427,000 is the accumulated profits. Published by MHNA Which begs the question: if there was insufficient evidence to charge John Wellard five days after his arrest, what reasonable grounds were there to arrest him in the first place and on his birthday? In 2013, they gave 3,685 in grants, while 28,443 was set aside for future projects. portfolio. Gates, was also a Kent county councillor, longstanding local freemason and president of the Faversham Royal British Legion branch. Music has returned to The Alexander Centre. Worcestershire Family Support Project (in and management In fact he wouldnt answer any questions about his project. . The peoples voice was clear. . More worried about Duchy of Cornwall's plan to build 2500 houses on grade 1 and 2 agrucultural land at Faversham." . The New trustees were appointed and there was a reaffirmation of the original purpose of the charity the relief of the aged and those in distress and sickness, the provision of social welfare and educational facilities for local inhabitants. evaluation of the impact of the first three years Two of their bedrooms were briefly a magistrates court and are now Faversham Pilates studio. Faversham Borough Council originally bought Gatefield House from Lady Alexander in 1943. (33) Mr Mike Cosgrove (Swale BC) introduced himself as the Cabinet Member for Regeneration. within a Children's Services Plan; family conferences in entries in Other members included local journalist Mark Gardner of the, Plans were drawn up with the help of Faversham-based FDA architects, showing a garden laid out in an eye shape. By the end of 2015, Bensteds had also paid out 1,820 in consultancy fees from its war memorial fund. Gatefield Hall was once a vast sauna-style room, with gloomy pine walls and appalling acoustics. As the row became even more bitter, KCC suggested that Swale Borough should run the charity. Other members included local journalist Mark Gardner of the Faversham News. with April Training Executive Ltd; a company that has designed and marketed a powerful business simulation used in the development of both business and people management skills. Value In what looks like spite, Swale rejected them both. Yet oddly, Cosgroves committee were told only 60 comments were received in total. Although the tiny hexagon of land the memorial cross stood on belonged to Swale Borough Council, the garden didnt. Covers initiatives and strategies for building and Dont be shy. This type of project would not fit under our funding criteria. The cost of building was 166,000, leaving a surplus of 40,000. The memorial, a modest cross to commemorate local men who fell in the First World War, was placed at the corner of the Cottage Hospitals garden on Stone Street. On April 24, 2015, six police officers marched into the house where John Wellard lives. respond flexibly Formerly Deputy Claiming the old garden was not disabled-friendly he added: The new garden has much better access and a circular path constructed using wheelchair friendly materials. When we asked for missing minutes of their meetings under Freedom of Information rules, Swale Borough Council refused. He was a Tutor and Tutor Counsellor for the Open University Business School from When asked why it needed six officers, the police said because we were told to expect trouble. Once it became clear that a violent riot was not imminent, four of the officers left in their Land Rover. In an email to Jackie Westlake, Mike Cosgrove makes further comments about John Wellard and other members of the public, Faversham Creek Trust and Independent candidates in the imminent elections including Sue Akhurst and the late Brenda Chester, wrongly accusing them all of 'disrupting public meetings'. Verified account Protected Tweets @; Suggested users Janet's background is in social work with families and children. including a regular column in Community Care magazine and So, without any evidence linking him to the posters and envelopes, they decided to have pensioner John Wellard arrested. of the scheme. manual on negotiation skills for careers staff Encyclopaedia of Social Work, Guidance on the As Chairman of Bensteds, Andrew Osborne says, quite rightly, that although the charity could spend the money, morally it must be spent on War Memorial projects. is the co-author 32,500 one third of this went to the War Memorial. But the hard work starts again tomorrow.". On first glance, it looks more like an investment trust. Of professional Published Safeguard Children 1999, The objectives of the Bensteds charity were set out in the original trust deed. Ten years that covenant has expired so the land can now be used for house building. Mike Cosgrove - former Faversham Town Councillor (Tory) Councillor Mark Dance - Councillor on Kent County Council, based in Whitstable (Tory) Cindy Davis - former Faversham Town Councillor (Tory) Tom Gates - former Faversham Town Councillor (Tory) Councillor Ben J Martin - current Faversham Town Councillor (Liberal Democrat) rural Horrified at the new memorials disproportionate dimensions and brutalist appearance, some wrote to the Faversham News calling it an eyesore and a Stalinistic abortion. The only letters in support came from Swales own officers and three neighbours. And Sir Sidney and Lady Alexanders upstairs rooms are now offices for small businesses, start-ups and charities. We contacted Biffa to ask how much the company had donated and spokesperson said: Why would a local depot donate company cash without head office approval? Promoting shared So far, he hasnt replied once. Unpopular from the outset, the scheme was widely viewed as a vanity project. He says that some people will like the design, others will not. contracted to us; sometimes we have contracted to them. Theres so much we want to ask you. Looking out over Faversham from the attics in the the Alexander Centre. Andrew has a strong commitment to releasing the potential of leaders and managers, and their organisations, and believes that individuals should take considerable responsibility for the content and style of their own learning. 14 Preston Street, Faversham ME13 8NS England +44 1795 537866 Website Open now : 09:00 AM - 4:00 PM See all (49) Ratings and reviews 136 Travellers' Choice 2022 RATINGS Food Service Value Atmosphere Details CUISINES Cafe, British Special Diets Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch View all details services; The original endowment has doubled in value over thirty years, all the dividends have been taken out and the fund currently produces a rate of 3.86 percent a year. Austere, unwelcoming and almost always empty, neighbours call it the Graveyard of Stone Street. By early 2016, the projected cost was revised yet again, to 150,000. People rarely sit in the garden now. After five years of dispute, the Charity Commission sealed a new trust deed, in May 1989. So any Eye readers who have an idea for an educational project related to Favershams war dead should apply to Bensteds. The key issue was now the garden and, in particular, the concrete plinths. Fortunately, an eagle-eyed council official rescued it from a skip. Mike has over 20 years experience as a management consultant, including 10 years working with not-for- profit With the 2015 local elections just months away, the actions of Faversham's councillors had cost them a great deal of trust. With the story rapidly going global, Faversham Town Clerk Jackie Westlake circulates an email containing a link to the Daily Mail story to Faversham's conservative councillors and Labour councillor Trevor Payne, advising them not to comment. It was a time when supermarkets began to require more fruit to supply mass demand. Just staggering distance from a stall selling a heart attack on a plate in the form of chips with all manner of lardy animal fats was an earnest man in a shirt and tie offering a will writing service. anti-poverty strategy; Leading them was councillor Michael Cosgrove. This project has therefore accounted for 44 percent of the charitys spending. for the NHS Staff College Wales, Head of Management Development, MCS, Welsh Health Common Services Authority, and Director of Welsh Health Development International, an overseas health consultancy operated from within the NHS. every case the Exactly what that refinement entailed remains unclear. However, there is no other building which is so large, central and versatile. Arriving to lay a wreath alongside other veterans organisations, the Royal Air Forces Association discovered they werent invited, a snub reportedly compounded by some regrettable conduct ill-befitting a ceremony of remembrance. But from 1943 to 2012, The Alexander Centres fine plasterwork and high ceilings were hidden under plasterboard and strip lighting. Kent Police spent the next four months trying to forensically match John Wellards handwriting with a satirical Christmas card, which had been sent to a friend, Sue Akhurst. Numerous articles on Chairman of the Friends of Faversham Cottage Hospital trustees was none other than war memorial group vice-chairman David Simmons. Bensteds not only helped bankroll the project but also provided an account for money the group aimed to obtain from private donors and organisations including the War Memorial Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund and a public appeal. Between 2013 and 2018, it spent 46,744 on management fees to Lloyds to look after its cash and investments.