EU Funding Medway Queen

[lenknight]

Hello All,
 Albeit I knew of this, other than seeing it on TV others may be not aware of this situation. I know what I think about this, being no fault of ours at MQPS, but might be interesting to see what our members make of it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-17541380

Len Knight. 

[lenknight]

How sad, I would have thought someone would have been interested enough in the preservation of our historic ship, other than just  models.
The Medway Queen Presvation Society and members, have battled for over twenty five years to preserve a real ship, which is of historical importance, being the only vessel of any large size to survive “Dunkirk”, also the only survivor of her type, as an Estuary Paddle Stemmer, yet no one has a comment to make, sad!!
Len Knight MQPS.

[Harold H. Duncan]

Hi Len,
Very sad, for both your comments apply.
The politians have to sort this for you, and it has far reaching implications for all future UK / EU applications. Seems the paper shuffling clerks need to be brought into line.
To suddenly withdraw an approved grant at this stage implies behind the scenes manipulation and dipping of funds by some hidden EU buerocrate for his mates.
Hope it gets sorted to you advantage very soon
good luck
kiwi

[Eddy Matthews]

I would have responded to your post Len, but I' away from home right now, and only have access to the forum via my mobile phone - Not the easiest thing to type long messages into!


Eddy

[mjt60a]

I'm a little confused.... it says;
Medway Council applied to the European Regional Development Fund for a grant to complete the restoration and bring the ship home....  how much money was the grant?

....The final stages of the project are being undertaken at a workshop in Gillingham by 16 people, including nine young apprentices whose jobs are now under threat, as there is only enough money until the end of April.

Peter Skinner, Labour MEP for the South East, said EU funding to all UK partners within the Interreg 2 Seas programme had been suspended after the UK government failed to meet the standards demanded by auditors.....
....this I understand least of all, how the government has 'failed to meet standards' is not explained, I don't recall the UK receiving any bail-outs or defaulting on any loans??  on the other hand I do seem to remember reading in more than one daily paper about how much the UK has contributed to the EU..... whole situation stinks if you ask me 

[PeeWee]

programme had been suspended after the UK government failed to meet the standards demanded by auditors.....

By standards i assume acountancy standard rather than polictical.  these types of issues i normally avoind as it gets my goat and i sometimes go into a bit of a rant. 

that said, i do not see why the whole fund should be frozen instead of just the part that is in question.

[Spankbucket]

As the EU's accounts have never been properly audited how come their petty bureaucrats are so exercised about these funds all-of-a-sudden???

They probably get a bonus/extended jobsworth etc!!??

[lenknight]

Thanks Lads for your replies, I did not mean to get up tight about lack of response, my apologies if it came across that way.
But really gob smack at this kick in the teeth at this late stag re our project, don’t often lose it but this is the pits for sure, more so when no fault of our group at Medway Queen, we are lucky to have a treasurer the is the tops in finance, little gets by him that is not right for sure.
However, you ask how much is the grant, to be honest I am not sure how it works, being a  lump sum to be used between selected projects Europe wise that are complementary to each other, The Medway Queen being a lead group (explained on our website at  Heros 2c but not the money issue!)
I can but try to find out the monetary input!
Medway Council were the ones that applied for this grant, along with the Society, they were upfront when it was approved, PR purposes, but seem to take a back seat now it has gone “pear shape”  leaving it up to the Society to sort it out it seems, unless I am  reading  it all wrong!
I will look at this also.
Regards, Len Knight MQPS.

[mjt60a]

Only reason I wondered about how much the grant was for is to see how big a setback it was....
....I mean, was it something that could be replaced with a 'charitable appeal' (whip-round) to interested enthusiasts....or are we talking about a really large part of the total needed to complete the hull - would be a tragedy to get this far only for the new hull to rust away somewhere...
really hope this can be sorted out, I was (still am) looking forward to seeing the ship sail and maybe to travel aboard one day...

[lenknight]

The rebuild of hull is financed by the lottery fund we were awarded, basically just short of three million pounds; this is being used to pay for just that.
The EU funding awarded is for the setting up and training apprentices, and their needs to do the  work, like workshops etc.  The funding stop some time ago, and we have been financing from our reserves, this cannot carry on much longer, there seems to be little sense of urgency at present from the powers to be.
 If not restore very soon it will mean closing down this part of project, resulting in laying off instructors and apprentice’s, which we will be reluctant to do this, but what else!
This will amount to many thousands of pounds to carry on; chance of raising such money, more so in time to stop the layoffs is remote to say the least.
That how serious this all is, more so when not of our own making, I am told we can carry on for a week or two, and then must close down the EU project.
Len Knight MQPS.

[Talisman]

Hi Len,
I'm in no place to make a reply to help you situation so i haven't made reply so far but don't be put off by non reply as you never know who is looking in ...

Regards,
Kim

[lenknight]

Dear all,
It seems that the EU funding suspension for the Medway Queen rebuild project, as at long last been lifted by the EU commission, not after causing many money worries re paying apprentices and their training staff.
In the time being work still carries on at Bristol, albeit rather slow of late, the bow section is basically complete, but the aft end seems to drag on, reluctance to rivet plate maybe because most will have to be done by old method by hand, as their “auto riveters” will possibly not reach most angles it seems!
Len Knight MQPS.

[model tugman]

thank goodness for that Len it must ease a lot of worries,the hull is looking good though is there a time for delivery yet?  Geo

[lenknight]

The original date for the completion of the hull was now (March-April 2012) at present rate of progress be lucky to see the hull back before Christmas, combinations of problems/holdups have slowed the work. But then having worked in the construction industry all my life (other than call up 1939-45) being similar, nothing new in revised completion dates galore! The lack of progress on aft end is the most outstanding; most will have to be hand riveted as original, bit short on these skills today, all the more reason to get apprentice ships going more so in these older skill, there will still be calls for these skill for many years still, too much talk as ever not enough do!
So cannot give a date for the return of hull to the Medway at all, sorry.
Len Knight MQPS.

[mjt60a]

Dear all,
It seems that the EU funding suspension for the Medway Queen rebuild project, as at long last been lifted ....

That's great news! There seems to be quite a bit of progress since I last looked at the webcam pictures