A new independent review has laid bare the reasons behind the collapse of Urban Green Newcastle (UGN), revealing that a mix of political instability, flawed financial planning, and underestimation of challenges doomed the project.
00:00A new independent review has laid bare the reasons behind the collapse of Urban Green Newcastle, or UGN, the charity created to manage Newcastle's parks and allotments, revealing that a mix of political instability, flawed financial planning and underestimation of challenges doomed the project.
00:16The new evaluation, which has been conducted by Fuel Research and commissioned by UGN and the National Trust, paints a picture of an organisation set up to fail. It found that from the beginning, the UGN was financially vulnerable, with its business model overestimating potential income and underestimating operating costs, a gap that widened to £2.7 million over five years.
00:40Crucially, the Council's due diligence before launching the project was conducted without external scrutiny or independent challenge, including 11 derelict or at-risk buildings such as Jesmond Dean's Banqueting Hall.
00:51No comprehensive survey was conducted at the time to assess the true cost of bringing the estate up to standard.
00:58External factors added to the pressure. The COVID-19 pandemic increased public demand for parks, but restricted UGN's ability to generate revenue.
01:07Storm Arwen caused widespread damage, and by 2024, annual repairs and maintenance costs had risen from £77,000 to £589,000.
01:18Income was also hit when the Council responding to noise complaints restricted large events like the This Is Tomorrow Festival.
01:25The report also points to political instability within the City Council as a major factor in the charity's downfall.
01:31This led to a loss of support for the project. What began as a collaborative venture gradually turned into a strained transactional relationship, according to the report, with UGN losing visibility and advocacy within the Council.
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