Rising costs and challenges of half-built Lancashire village hall are like unfinished HS2 railway

Ribble Valley councillors have agreed to give extra money to a troubled village hall development to complete important work.

Concerns have however been raised about the scheme and one councillor compared it with the costly, ‘half-built’ HS2 high speed rail line.

What’s been happening with the new hall development?

Barrow hopes to get a new village hall from converting a former pub and adjoining land at Old Row - there is also an annexe cottage but borough councillors do not want to fund any work on it.

Initially, the main scheme was given more than £240,000 by Ribble Valley Council, using the national UK Shared Prosperity Fund but now an extra £145,000 has been earmarked perhaps with some of the council’s own funds.

At its latest meeting, the borough’s Policy & Finance Committee had an update on all local UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) projects.

For Barrow Village Hall, the first grant was paid before Christmas and the second in February; work on the old pub’s ground floor was progressing and the car park was finished in March; but regarding finance, Barrow Parish Council contacted the borough in January asking for more cash.

Since work started in October, the parish said additional factors created increased costs and a funding shortfall. It had identified four priority phases.

• Phase 1 work was is in-line with the UKSPF cash and due for completion.
• Phase 2, with £34,875 requested, is to get basic, safe use of the building’s kitchen, flooring and bar to enable bookings.
• Phase 3 is to complete the main building including the first floor with a disabled lift, with £110,346 requested.
• Phase 4 is for the cottage, with £31,000 requested.
• Barrow Car Park was allocated £51,000 and completed in February.

Ribble Valley Council has a UKSPF Working Group of councillors who in March discussed the new Barrow request and recommended £145,221 to enable Phase 2 and 3buthey did not support the annexe request.

The £145,000 will need to come from a new UKSPF allocation for 2025-26 or the council’s own Shared Prosperity and Jubilee Fund.

At the latest Policy & Finance Committee, Nicola Hopkins, the council’s director of economic development and planning, asked councillors if they agreed to extra funding?

What have the councillors said about the delayed scheme?

Conservative Coun Lee Street, a borough and parish councillor, gave some context. He said: “In line with the UKSPF and this committee’s decision last year, the parish council undertook a procurement exercise. Four tenders were assessed and some were significantly over the budget awarded by the committee. So, work went ahead to look at best value for money based on experience and other factors. Work started in autumn 2024.

“But many issues have emerged with the real state of the building becoming clear as it was stripped-back. There have been issues with the floor, roof, disabled access and utilities.

“Time is really important. We have got to make the hall available for bookings or we will lose income. With the final funding, we want to complete the work by this summer. Any further requests from this committee could add extra delays and push things to 2026. We’re working with an architect and quantity surveyor, and residents are excited about this. We have active volunteer support.

“Barrow Parish Council has put weeks, if not months, of work into this. I’m happy for Ribble Valley Council to monitor it. It would also be highly desirable that the next two phases are done in parallel to reduce costs and complete at the earliest time.”

Conservative Kevin Horkin said: “While I’m keen to see applications, a substantial amount had already been paid. But we are where we are. However, it looks like somebody has got a handle on this and I support it.”

Labour’s Michael Graveston said: “Barrow probably deserves this more than anywhere else. It has changed beyond recognition. But can Phase 3 be done without Phase 2? That does not seem to be reflected in the working group group notes? I don’t want to hold things up. But I would like to see a bit more openness and transparency. More about the building and what the contractor has done?”

Marshal Scott, the council’s chief executive, said: “The working group had a fear that Barrow will come back for more. The group felt Phase 2 should be finished. Then there could be a request for Phase 3. The fourth phase is not agreed.”

Conservative Stuart Hirst supported the recommendation but added: “I had hoped to ask another person tonight about the project. But that takes away nothing from what Coun Street has done.”

Green Coun Malcolm Peplow said: ” think we all agree about Barrow’s needs. However, there have been allocations of £250,000, £150,00 and £51,000 for the car park. A total of £291,000. Now, we’re being asked for two more phases, giving a total of £436,000. I hope my figures are correct.

“I regret I couldn’t make the recent UK Shared Prosperity Fund meeting where I would have said the same thing. And if the £31,000 Phase 4 is agreed, we could be looking at over £456,000 for one project.”

Have you joined Lancashire Post’s daily newsletter? It's free, it’s the LEP.

He added: “The council can allocate what it wants to any project. But I think there’s been some very poor scoping from the start. This has sprouted legs and grown. Yet we have a building without a first floor. It’s like the HS2 railway. We’ve spent all this money but only got half a rail line.

“If the council had been given these figures from the start, would we seriously be giving this amount to one project? I take Coun Street’s offer of scrutiny. But what about Phase 1? That’s where the costs were incurred. We’re being asked to have faith in a project where costs have run away. I think Barrow deserves good things but this concerns me.”

For clarity, Conservative Simon Hore, the committee chairman, said a different delivery team was now involved.

Conservative Mark Hindle said: “I thank councillors for trying to get a grip on things. I also agree with Coun Peplow. Also thanks to Coun Street for what he has done. Barrow is bereft of things.

“But I’m disappointed that the elected councillors who pushed for this are not here tonight. We are not at the end of this yet. I’m really unhappy about the process. I think it shows a lack of plans from the parish council but also perhaps a lack of oversight from Ribble Valley Council?”

The latest recommendations were supported.