Wellington town councillors demand answers over pavilion repair delays
Town councillors are demanding answers as to why an historic pavilion in a Wellington park is still waiting for £70,000 repairs – eight months after it was wrecked in a blaze.
The 1920s building by the entrance to Bowring Park, which is owned by Telford & Wrekin Council, was ruined in a huge fire last summer.
Wellington town councillors now want to know why the insurance will not cover the cost and why the borough council has no contingency plans to pay for repairs.
The council agreed to write to borough chiefs asking for an explanation, while a meeting will also be held to discuss the pavilion's future.
It took fire crews nearly three hours to tackle the blaze last July which destroyed the roof of the building, opposite the bowling green, in Haygate Road.
Last summer the pavilion opened as a snack hut. The building also included public toilets.
Telford & Wrekin Council is now trying to pull together tens of thousands of pounds to bring the pavilion back to its former glory by looking for grants and funding.
The building was insured but has a standard excess of £100,000 meaning the borough council will now have to foot the repair bill itself.
Councillor Phil Morris-Jones told last night's full council meeting that the park was a 'jewel in the crown' for the town. He called for the council to consider taking over the running of the park, amid fears that there will be no public toilets when the annual carnival gets under way on June 22.
"We should take over the Bowring Park for the people of Wellington. It is a vital facility and even more vital is the loss of the toilets."
Councillor Morris-Jones said between 3,000 to 4,000 people would be at the park for the carnival.However there were no funds for the carnival committee to provide mobile toilets.
He said: "I cannot understand why the council has no provision for when the excess has to be paid."
Councillor Karen Tomlinson agreed that the borough council should have a contingency plan in place to meet the cost.
Councillor Stephen de Launey called for the council to initially look at taking over the toilets rather than the whole park.
And Councillor Miles Hosken added: "There is something radically wrong with the inept insurance cover for prime buildings in the Telford borough area. Why are we waiting for something to happen."
