Developing Community Social Enterprises
Currently, in Launceston community enterprises operate at arms length from Council as incorporated associations. Sometimes they operate as a Local Govt Cost Centre. Such 'enterprises' might be in receipt Council grants, sometimes with Council in-kind support alongside business, institutional and community support. By-and-large these 'entities' exist to satisfy community aspirations and needs.
In Launceston examples of such enterprising entities would be:
- The Farmers Market;
- Horticultural Societies,
- The Lounge;
- Community Gardens;
- The city's various charities, etc.
What is not in evidence is:
- A Housing Cooperative ...[Local Link]; or
- An Urban Farm [CONTEXTlinks [1] - [2] - [3]; or
- A Cooperative enterprise [GOOGLElink] ... Around Australia these entities come as Service Provider, Nurseries, Gardening Service, Property Maintenance, Resource Recovery Agency, Book Stores, Hotels and Cafés, Energy supply, Internet Services, FM Radio Stations, Newspapers, Food Retailers, Rural Stores, etc.
That to one side for va moment, it can only be so IF council's strategic 'purposefulness' is being realised in the eyes of its constituency. Arguably none of this is the case currently.
This being so, the case for meaningful change becomes increasingly compelling as each strategic failure is revealed and typically after a long period of deliberation in camera with constituents bearing significant costs and the loss of opportunity.
Currently, the prime Launcestonian exemplar of a STRATEGICfailure must be the purchase of the Burchalls building for $8Million. On the available evidence this strategic failure can be attributed to the apparent lack of 'purpose' at the time of purchase.
That is (was!)the determination's 'strategic purpose' consistent with:
- The city's overarching raison d'etre; – AKA
- The city's 'purposefulness' in governance.
 |
| VIDEO LINK ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIKfPHyycuo |
Council's past strategic planning has landed ratepayers in something of an invidious position because of the 'trust' invested in self nominating elected representatives. On the evidence available for decades many Councillors abdicate their 'strategic governance function' and have handed it to 'management' whose role is to implement 'strategies & policies' determined by 'governance AKA The Councillors'.
Since circa 2015 this has been an ongoing factor that at times has delivered expensive outcomes for ratepayers...[Link to an example]
Arguably Launceston's 'Burchalls Debacle' has delivered a very expensive outcome for Launceston's ratepayers as a consequence of a 'strategic failure' where the 'purposefulness' of the Burchalls Building's acquisition fails virtually every credibility test in Christendom.
Since the current Councillors have been unable to find a buyer who can foresee a satisfactory return on their investment – speculatively 12%. An impasse has been reached.
This leaves ratepayers with an $8Million+ investment currently not returning ONEcent in the way of a financial return and the building increasingly becoming a visual eyesore in the city's CBD and blight on the marketability of the CBD.
Currently, it is being rumoured that the Launceston's Councillors are contemplating GIFTING the Birchalls Builder to as developer to get them out of hole managment dug and that they fell into!!
THAT SHOULD NOT HAPPEN UNLESS OR UNTIL THE COUNCILLORS OPENLY
AND MEANINGFULLY ENGAGE WITH THEIR CONSTITUENCY! ITS IS TIME TO EXAMINE THE PURPOSEFULNESS OF THE STRATEGY!
As for renovating the building it is said that all its infrastructure has been removed and "junked". While on one hand that makes the renovation daunting on the other it is liberating architecturally. The building is what is known as 'An Empty Shell' and this offers opportunities for cost effective innovation.
This building changed incrementally over a very long time in its colonial heritage context and its 'shell' reflects that. However, remembering that 'BURCHALLS' was a kind of BIZARRE. Picking up on that conceptually there is an opportunity architecturally to think outside the box and avoid mediocrity ... The PROPER WAY that straight and narrow path that leads one all the way to the gates of mediocrity... zingPROVERB
“It's a disease. Nobody thinks or feels or cares any more; nobody gets excited or believes in anything except their own comfortable little God damn mediocrity.”
MOVING AHEAD: 4 Steps
Step 1
Take expeditious actions and unambiguous steps towards differentiating between governance – policy determination and the purposeful what and why that shapes the governance – and management – the ‘how’ and the ‘means’ by which a 'strategic plan' will be delivered.
Step 2
Towards that end in the short term devolve ‘ownership’ of the 'property' to:
• A 'Trust' constituted for the purpose of holding 'the property/assets' in its stewardship in cooperation with the property's REALworld 'financiers' the ratepayers vand residents of the City of Launceston; and
• Do so n given that in lore the 'PROPERTY' belongs to a layered multifaceted, multicultural and diverse Community of Ownership & Interest rather than any specific section of a community or bureaucratic entity.
Furthermore, such a property will be an important element of the city's & Tasmania's cultural reality. The purpose in taking this step is on one hand symbolic in that it would defuse assertions in one step that real change and accountable governance can happen beyond 'politics' and that a 'stand alone community enterprise' is actually an option albeit one that is highly unlikely to be on a politicised agenda.
Moreover, it would protect 'community investment' in the property and its streetscape while keeping 'the building' available for CBD entrepreneurial activity - multi-dimensional business activity etc. Plus, in any future manifestation of the entity as a 'DESTINATION' with regional significance community ownership and community entrepreneurship should underwrite business success.
Step 3
Consistent with the above, the current 'Default Trustees' (AKA CounCillors) in consultation with the State Govt. as the authority controlling Local Gov., appoint a Commissioner or Commissioners to take on the role of the property and enterprise's interim Board of Directors and over 2 to n3? years charged with the tasks of:
3/1. Putting place a transition Strategic Pan and budget for the enterprise that is focused on:
• Raising funds for capital works; and
• Market the enterprise and the site it occupies as a 'destination' in concert with purposefulness; and
• Based on the entity's purpose for being, establish an operational budgets for the first 2 years of operation;
• Strategically structuring the entity in context with its purpose and as an operation that differentiates between base administration and benchmarking the enterprise and its programming; and mindful of the
• Increasingly dependence upon being underwritten by community engagement and investment.
3/3. Transitioning the property from being a Local Govt. Cost Centre to stand alone Community Cultural Enterprise with:
• A 5 year Strategic Plan;
• A short term Enterprise Plan; plus
• Put in place the appropriate management structure to service the institution/operation.
3/4. Establishing a collaborative and cooperative governance model focused upon the Tamar/Esk Region in the broadest context and that proactively interfaces rhizomicaly with other Tasmanian community enterprises and social entities, organisations, and institutions;
3/5. Lay the foundation for the entity as a standalone ongoing '21st C community institution' networked with regional, national and international musingplaces plus regional collectors and research organisations and that uses peer review processes to ensure rigour in program decision making.
Step 4
Given that 'Local Govt' is the current Trustees cum Managers of the property's and its assets' 'owners in law', it needs to initiate a ‘facilitated community conference, assembly’, supported by Internet participation and contributions, tasked to:
• Engage with the property's Community of Ownership & Interest; and
• Strategy widen the property's networks and affiliations;
and • Purposefully engage the Community of Ownership & Interest in the evolution of a community enterprise with rhizomatic linkages to associated enterprises;
• Explore the options and opportunities open to the 'entity' as a 21st C enterprise with regional, Tasmanian, national & international connections;
• Identify the weaknesses and threats inherent in various potential future operational models;
• Explore the potential dimension/s of the 'entity' as a 21st C enterprise and entity networked with regional, national and international operations, organisations, community networks etc.
|||||||||||||||||||||
STRATEGIC PURPOSEFULNESS AN ONGOING MYSTERY
 |
| A project that is an exemplary strategic failure in anyone's book |
Contract on Birchalls building sale being finalised: Mayor
By Nick Clark ... Updated February 1 2024 - 3:25pm, first published 1:30pm
The Birchalls building in the Brisbane Mall
The City of Launceston council is finalising a contract for the sale of the former Birchalls building in the Brisbane Street Mall.
The sale is expected to unlock a significant adjoining investment.
Mayor Matthew Garwood said the council had made it a priority to secure a redevelopment of the Birchalls building which would add to the community and commercial mix in the Brisbane St Mall.
Councillor Garwood the council had worked through an expressions of interest process to seek suitable proposals for the property.
In the Council's annual report a $2.092 million loss was booked on the site which the council bought in 2020 for $8.8 million. The annual report indicated a price of $7.1 million.
The Council's purchase of the Birchalls building and adjoining 124 Brisbane Street came at a time when Council had hopes for a $90 million Creative Precinct on the adjoining Birchalls car park site at 43 Paterson Street
At the time the loss was booked councillor Garwood said the building site sale would help secure a private sector development of the site.
The Birchalls car park site at 43 Paterson street which has been sold for $20 million
"A successful redevelopment of this site will create new economic activity, new employment during construction and operation, attract visitation to our CBD, retain important public realm infrastructure for the community and encourage further private sector investment," Councillor Garwood said.
"The Council is currently finalising a contract for that development.
Leave a comment below and let us know what you think.
Be the First to Comment
"Once this occurs, the City of Launceston looks forward to providing an overview for the public."
He said it was a similar model to that used to successfully redevelop the CH Smith building in Charles street which included state government offices, a council owned 300 space car parking facility, a cafe and a resturant.
The CH Smith redevelopment on the corner of Charles and Cimitiere streets.
A $1.5 million deposit has been paid on a $20 million purchase of the Birchalls car park site by Creative Property Holdings.
In August, CPH director Christopher Billing told the Examiner that: "CPH is progressing positively with the purchase of the Paterson Central Car Park. We will be making further announcements on the vision for the site in the coming months."
The Examiner sought comment from Creative Property Holdings on Thursday.
Councillor Garwood said in November that the write-down would be wholly recovered from the rates revenue for the property within six years.
"The city would realise all the associated social, cultural and economic benefits from an employment generating redevelopment of this important CBD site."
The previous owner of the the Birchalls building, Cimitiere Custodians, paid $4.75 million in 2017 after the Birchalls store closed.
By Nick Clark ... Updated February 1 2024 - 3:25pm, first published 1:30pm
The Birchalls building in the Brisbane Mall
The City of Launceston council is finalising a contract for the sale of the former Birchalls building in the Brisbane Street Mall.
The sale is expected to unlock a significant adjoining investment.
Mayor Matthew Garwood said the council had made it a priority to secure a redevelopment of the Birchalls building which would add to the community and commercial mix in the Brisbane St Mall.
Councillor Garwood the council had worked through an expressions of interest process to seek suitable proposals for the property.
In the Council's annual report a $2.092 million loss was booked on the site which the council bought in 2020 for $8.8 million. The annual report indicated a price of $7.1 million.
The Council's purchase of the Birchalls building and adjoining 124 Brisbane Street came at a time when Council had hopes for a $90 million Creative Precinct on the adjoining Birchalls car park site at 43 Paterson Street
At the time the loss was booked councillor Garwood said the building site sale would help secure a private sector development of the site.
The Birchalls car park site at 43 Paterson street which has been sold for $20 million
"A successful redevelopment of this site will create new economic activity, new employment during construction and operation, attract visitation to our CBD, retain important public realm infrastructure for the community and encourage further private sector investment," Councillor Garwood said.
"The Council is currently finalising a contract for that development.
Leave a comment below and let us know what you think.
Be the First to Comment
"Once this occurs, the City of Launceston looks forward to providing an overview for the public."
He said it was a similar model to that used to successfully redevelop the CH Smith building in Charles street which included state government offices, a council owned 300 space car parking facility, a cafe and a resturant.
The CH Smith redevelopment on the corner of Charles and Cimitiere streets.
A $1.5 million deposit has been paid on a $20 million purchase of the Birchalls car park site by Creative Property Holdings.
In August, CPH director Christopher Billing told the Examiner that: "CPH is progressing positively with the purchase of the Paterson Central Car Park. We will be making further announcements on the vision for the site in the coming months."
The Examiner sought comment from Creative Property Holdings on Thursday.
Councillor Garwood said in November that the write-down would be wholly recovered from the rates revenue for the property within six years.
"The city would realise all the associated social, cultural and economic benefits from an employment generating redevelopment of this important CBD site."
The previous owner of the the Birchalls building, Cimitiere Custodians, paid $4.75 million in 2017 after the Birchalls store closed.
No comments:
Post a Comment