Below is an up-to-date report on what has been happening with the Matrix Proposal from Mister Phil Proctor. On Thursday 9th January Bill Barker of Scedu, Gareth Roberts and Phil Proctor met with Sue Johnson and Trevor Shaw of Yorkshire Forward, and Alison Nimmo of Sheffield One to go through the Matrix Proposal. The meeting lasted approximately 90 minutes. Trevor, the Director of Finance had already provided a sheet of finance questions that they/he wanted answers to. Most of these were dealt with in passing but Pride In Sheffield was told that Trevor would have another meeting with us to pick up detailed questions about the finances. Most of the meeting centred around the Matrix Proposal. It felt as if we were wading through treacle. Nothing was given away on their perceptions of our proposal at all. On Tuesday 14th January Ian Wilde of Sheffield Media and Exhibition Centres and Phil Proctor met with Trevor Shaw, Yorkshire Forward's Director of Finance. He asked a number of questions around Phase 1. We were able to show that the operating costs of the 'old' NCPM were not the £400,000 that everyone was quoting but much less. This was because cleaning costs, security costs and other costs around the Club Nights and other such events were included in the operating costs, rather than in other budgets around variable costs. No-one though had ever been able to bottom out the real costs of running the NCPM, as the building had never been fully commissioned and thus the true costs were still unknown. Our figures would appear to be the closest as we consulted a number of persons who had been involved in running the NCPM and could explain the figures to us. No-one at Yorkshire Forward or elsewhere had thought of asking these people before!!!! Subsequent to these meetings Bill Barker, from Scedu, then commissioned a number of inputs from various parties, during the period 17th to 21st January, to put together a follow-up paper to Yorkshire Forward giving greater clarification on many of the points raised in the two meetings. This short document was checked with various partners, before being sent to Yorkshire Forward on 22nd January. The Yorkshire Forward Board meet on Thursday 30th January, somewhere in Yorkshire. I have not asked, but each Board Meeting seems to take place in a different city/town for each meeting. Maybe so the likes of our campaign can't get to them!!!!! All the local media have been in contact already to find out when the result will be announced so they can provide the media coverage. The Star have indicated whatever the result it will be front page. There is little more we can do. Phil Proctor for Pride in Sheffield. _________________________________________________________________ Chat online in real time with MSN Messenger http://messenger.msn.co.uk