Council get something right!! - Page 4

Acrylic-bob · 06-03-2005, 14:07

Messages are getting a bit out of step, sorry..

Graham Jones · 06-03-2005, 14:10

Turning Accy round is going to a monumental task and the Councils current debts dont allow it to do anything but lip service. One 30 year old independent says his trade is 30% from 10 years ago. Market traders are making 40-60% from 3-4 years ago. Obviously thats why shops are shutting up or selling stuff off tight margins. There are no plans for improvement cept £250,000 makeover of Broadway. Shame.

Any suggestions?

Acrylic-bob · 06-03-2005, 14:16

An Elected Mayor. Requiring charity shops to pay full business rates. Lowering the rent on Market Stalls. Sort the pavements out. "Free Parking" should mean just that, anywhere in the borough. Concentrate inward investment on the town centre not on Whitebirk.

Graham Jones · 06-03-2005, 14:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

Ahh, so it's all up in the air is it? Pie in the Skie sort of thing. It might happen and it might not happen, the funding might be there, but then again, it might not be there?

And in the meantime the people of Accrington will be lumbered with another expensive white elephant to maintain while the local regeneration circus moves on and develops even wilder and more expensive ways of spending public money. Still, the vandals will enjoy trashing it, so I suppose that it won't be entirely wasted.

On anything other than the regional park I think I would be cautious. The Regional Park thingy tho, you have to weight up just whose prepared to run with it and put some brass in and clued up they are to it lasting.

Sadly quango short term-itus is a 20 year British disease and unfortunately nowadays its about weighting it up and taking your chances. I know from the funding I have been involved with the Reg Park seems a green light go-er. An example is REMADE funding.

Even Lord Britcliffe doesn't know all this stuff..

Acrylic-bob · 06-03-2005, 14:24

If Accrington town centre is going to turn itself around it has to be as a centre for small independent retailers which is how it used to be before the supermarkets and chain stores came along and forced long established family businesses out. High quality is not delivered by the likes of ASDA, Next and Debenhams. All they are interested in is milking the area dry.

Acrylic-bob · 06-03-2005, 14:30

As far as the Idiot in Chief is concerned, it surprises me that he manages to find his way home, let alone anything else.

Graham Jones · 06-03-2005, 14:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

An Elected Mayor. Requiring charity shops to pay full business rates. Lowering the rent on Market Stalls. Sort the pavements out. "Free Parking" should mean just that, anywhere in the borough. Concentrate inward investment on the town centre not on Whitebirk.

sorry about the typos

Elected Mayor - wot Lord Britcliffe... He actually covets HBC having one and it being him.

I spent half a day with the Markets Manager Mrs Hall studying the books. If the council cuts rents it will have less income to do other things.

You mean one of those parking tickets I got on week one on Dutton St!! Deep in current Tory thinking is actually car parking charges - devioulsy mind you. HBC holds a covenant on the Arndale Car Park setting parking charges. It is considering selling it back to the Arnddale so they can possibly charge for parking and the Council gets a receipt for the covenant and the Arndale the flack for charging. I am not sure whether David Jones, the manager down at the Arndale would want to chgarge though. Still its not stopping the politcal thinkers thinking it.

Whitebirk will get sunk [Peel Holdings application that is]. Its funny that Blackburn covet Whitebirk and have always been frustrated thats HBC owned because it always could have a severe impact on Blackburn TC but was out of their hands. Now with the regernation partnership deal of course they have a way to have an input for Blackburn, through HBC.

As for concentrating investement. Hyndburn is skint, hasn't a pot to **** in, pardon the french. Its current debts cant be paid off in my lifetime. I'll be dead if they ever get near to paying them off and Im 39!

Graham Jones · 06-03-2005, 14:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

If Accrington town centre is going to turn itself around it has to be as a centre for small independent retailers which is how it used to be before the supermarkets and chain stores came along and forced long established family businesses out. High quality is not delivered by the likes of ASDA, Next and Debenhams. All they are interested in is milking the area dry.

Absolutely. Could not agree more. This line of conversation on TC balls ups could go on for ever. The one thing Accy still has luckily is all its old qualint buildings. And that [concept] should be the backbone of all TC thinking.

park381 · 06-03-2005, 14:37

On the transport thing,
have just been reading a document on the LCC website dated Jan 2000, where "they plan for cycling as a principal means of transport within the proposed regional park for east lancashire"

garinda · 06-03-2005, 14:38

Having hired contractors, who aren't responsible for the state of the recently laid paving, is a mistake someone should own up too. Especially as l know as fact that every claim for injury is settled without contest. Hardly good business sense considering the state of the budget.
Hard up? Attend one of the next Britcliffe strolls around the 'improved' town centre.

Uncle Mick · 06-03-2005, 14:39

"It will provide an enviroment in which our communities will be encouraged to take part in various initiatives designed to improve their immediate surroundings and enhance their quality of life"
Who comes up with crap like this. I don`t want an unelected bunch of cretins to encourage me to take part in an initiative, they can all sod off. If the goverment wants to fleece us of our taxes to pay for this sort of beaurocratic bull****, they they can give us the money to repair the existing paths and monument and make everyone happy.
It`s my Coppice and you can`t have it!!

Graham Jones · 06-03-2005, 14:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by park381

On the transport thing,
have just been reading a document on the LCC website dated Jan 2000, where "they plan for cycling as a principal means of transport within the proposed regional park for east lancashire"

sound about right. The glossy literature came out about 2002/2003

park381 · 06-03-2005, 14:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by garinda

Having hired contractors, who aren't responsible for the state of the recently laid paving, is a mistake someone should own up too.

Yes I agree with that, who would let a contract these days with no defects clauses built in.

Acrylic-bob · 06-03-2005, 14:48

>>Especially as l know as fact that every claim for injury is settled without contest.<<

How much does that cost us?

Graham Jones · 06-03-2005, 14:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Mick

"It will provide an enviroment in which our communities will be encouraged to take part in various initiatives designed to improve their immediate surroundings and enhance their quality of life"
Who comes up with crap like this. I don`t want an unelected bunch of cretins to encourage me to take part in an initiative, they can all sod off. If the goverment wants to fleece us of our taxes to pay for this sort of beaurocratic bull****, they they can give us the money to repair the existing paths and monument and make everyone happy.
It`s my Coppice and you can`t have it!!

There's to many quangos I agree.