Agenda item

To be moved by Councillor Adam Hug and seconded by Councillor Liza Begum: 

This Council notes that the cost of the Marble Arch Mound has risen to over £6 million and that the delivery of the Mound project has brought international embarrassment to the City of Westminster. 

This Council also notes that the Marble Arch Mound is part of a wider £150m West End District project that contains significant spending including the Strand Aldwych and piazzas at Oxford Circus. 

This Council believes that both Council Members and Westminster residents were misled by the political leadership of the Council about the progress of the Marble Arch Mound project. This Council believes that the failure of the Council’s project management and the gulf between rhetoric and reality is indicative of a Conservative administration that has been in power for far too long. 

This Council further believes that the inability to charge the planned ticket fees and the failure to secure much of the projected sponsorship leaves Westminster taxpayers picking up the £6 million bill for the Mound. 

This Council resolves to appoint an independent reviewer to advise and oversee the investigation into the Council’s processes, decision making and organisational culture which resulted in this debacle. 

The Council resolves not to proceed with further major capital investments within the West End District project until all reviews of Council decision making relating to the Marble Arch Mound and associated issues are completed and have received full scrutiny by Members, and until proper public consultations on future projects have taken place with local residents. 

This Council finally resolves to take steps to dismantle and remove the Marble Arch Mound as soon as is practicable. 

11.1    The Minority Party had selected for debate the notice of motion as set out on the agenda. The notice of motion was moved by Councillor Adam Hug and seconded by Councillor Liza Begum.

11.2    Councillor Rachael Robathan moved and it was seconded by Councillor Paul Swaddle that the notice of motion be amended, as follows:

This Council notes that the cost of the Marble Arch Mound has risen to over £6 million and that the delivery of the Mound project has brought international embarrassment to the City of Westminster. Marble Arch Mound was opened too early.

This Council also notes that the Marble Arch Mound is part of a wider £150m West End District project that contains significant spending including the Strand Aldwych and piazzas at Oxford Circus. The Council welcomes the investment into Oxford Street where footfall is down by 50% and recognises the need to support the economy of the area and to protect the one in eight London jobs that the West End delivers.

This Council believes that both Council Members and Westminster residents were misled by the political leadership of the Council about will investigate whether the progress of the Marble Arch Mound project. This Council believes that the failure of the Council’s shortfalls in project management and the gulf between rhetoric and reality is indicative of a Conservative administration that has been in power for far too long led to the issues related to the delayed opening of the mound as well as the budget overspend.

This Council further believes that the inability to charge the planned ticket fees and the failure to secure much of the projected sponsorship leaves Westminster taxpayers picking up the £6 million bill for the Mound regrets the overspend, but notes that the free entry has already allowed over 100,000 people to visit the Mound, including a significant proportion of local residents, and welcomes the roles that the additional footfall and the consumer spend of approximately £60 per visitor are playing in the economic recovery of the Oxford Street District.

This Council welcomes the appointment by the Chief Executive of a team to oversee the investigation into the issues related to the Mound and make any recommendations they deem needed.

This Council resolves to appoint an independent reviewer to advise and oversee the investigation into the Council’s processes, decision making and organisational culture which resulted in this debacle. The Council resolves not to proceed with further major capital investments within the West End District project until all reviews of Council decision making relating to the Marble Arch Mound and associated issues are completed and have received full scrutiny by Members, and until proper remains committed to ensuring good value for money for all projects delivered under the Oxford Street District scheme as well as capital projects as a whole and will ensure that meaningful consultations on future Oxford Street District projects have will taken place with local residents.

This Council finally resolves to take steps to dismantle and remove the Marble Arch Mound as soon as is practicable in January as originally planned.

11.3    Following debate, The Lord Mayor put the amendment to the motion to the vote and following a show of hands declared the amendment to the motion CARRIED.

11.4    The Lord Mayor then put the substantive motion as amended to the vote and following a show of hands declared the substantive motion as amended CARRIED.

           RESOLVED:

This Council notes that the cost of the Marble Arch Mound has risen to £6 million and that the Marble Arch Mound was opened too early.

This Council also notes that the Marble Arch Mound is part of a wider £150m West End District project that contains significant spending including the proposed piazzas at Oxford Circus. The Council welcomes the investment into Oxford Street where footfall is down by 50% and recognises the need to support the economy of the area and to protect the one in eight London jobs that the West End delivers.

This Council will investigate whether shortfalls in project management led to the issues related to the delayed opening of the mound as well as the budget overspend.

This Council regrets the overspend, but notes that the free entry has already allowed over 100,000 people to visit the Mound, including a significant proportion of local residents, and welcomes the roles that the additional footfall and the consumer spend of approximately £60 per visitor are playing in the economic recovery of the Oxford Street District.

This Council welcomes the appointment by the Chief Executive of a team to oversee the investigation into the issues related to the Mound and make any recommendations they deem needed.

The Council remains committed to ensuring good value for money for all projects delivered under the Oxford Street District scheme as well as capital projects as a whole and will ensure that meaningful consultation on future Oxford Street District projects will take place with local residents.

This Council finally resolves to take steps to dismantle and remove the Marble Arch Mound in January as originally planned.