Campaigners declare 'war' on Stoke-on-Trent City Council after Hanley HQ move is approved

“There is a vital piece of information which needs clearing up.

Some reports have said the new civic offices will cost amounts varying between £44 - £77 million, and that the council will take out a loan to fund it. What is the correct figure ?

Other reports have said the the civic offices will be built by the developer, and that the city council will rent the building.

Does anyone know which is correct ?”

“Where are all the voices FOR relocating the Civic Centre?

Is there ANYONE outside the Council who thinks this scheme is "value for money"?

I've said it before, but you get what you vote for. You could put a monkey in a Labour suit and he'll get in. Don't vote for a party - vote for your local indepandant, who WILL have YOUR interests at heart, NOT what his party leader tells him to.
I really would like to have seen the last results if this wasteful move had been announced just before the last local elections.

This isn't democracy.”

“Shotton and Rosenue are a disgrace this folly is not wanted or not needed.
Its for your comfort and for the tax payer to pay for.
I hope it falls down around your parasitic necks.
You must be the most hated council in the history of this City.
The Nazis were thought better of than you lot of petty dictators.”

“Best price matey,you best council leader ever matey,drive taxi Dresden,gold colour windows knock tree houses into one.best pricey mate,enough said.”

“Let the labour party know that no sitting member of the council will be re-elected at the next election. No expenses and no so called attendance allowance will concentrate their minds. Come on everyone vote against labour and their expensive habits in both local government and Westminster!”

“let the labour party know that no sitting member of the council will be re-elected at the next election. No expenses and no so called attendance allowance will concentrate their minds. Come on everyone vote against labour and their expensive habits in both local government and Westminster!”

“I've just sent this email to all of our councillors and entitled it "A vote for Labour is a wasted vote."

You, our Labour Councillors say that you are interested in creating jobs by bringing businesses into the planned CBD. Yet this Labour led council have introduced plans to extend the pedestrianized city centre further and fine motorists who fall foul of the new restrictions. Here is a comment by an owner of an existing business of how our council is "helping" the existing business infrastructure.

"I have a business in hanley, i pay high rates only to get my streets lit. Ihave to pay extra to have my bins emptied. The pavements outside my shop are terrible and now they have taken away my loading bay and replaced it with a smaller one with a time restriction on it (loading until 10.00 am). And not access to my shop throughout the day. There are enough empty shops in Hanley, surely the council should be helping me not hindering me. Surely they must realise that if more shops shut because of the recession and the poor access into the town for shoppers and retailers by car the eventually that will mean less rates paid. Ever decreasing circles!!!!!"

I don't know about you but I find that if I'm out shopping I don't need to worry about getting an expensive parking space, risk a £60 fine, having to trek great distances between shops past vacant premises and charity shops in an uninviting environment. In fact these are very good reasons not to visit Hanley. A fact which I can support as none of my family do actually shop there.

Is it any wonder that so many businesses and city residents have shown that they have no confidence in this Labour controlled Council. The people of this city are starting to think about what the Labour Party and successive Council Officers have given us. We have one of the worst performing councils in the country yet we pay some of the highest salaries and allowances for this abysmal standard of performance. We have Councillors and Officers who are lacking in the basic economic and fiscal strategy skills as evidenced by this lack lustre performance and you are taking this city deeper and deeper into deprivation and poverty.
Yet you ask us to trust you in securing our children and our grandchildren's futures by accepting a millstone of debt being placed upon us for a hated, ludicrous and undemocratic decision to move our civic centre. That would be like the Titanic backing up and ramming the iceberg again.

You, our Labour Councillors and the Officers are not part of the solution - YOU ARE THE PROBLEM.

SHAME ON YOU ALL.

Alan Lear, Lightwood.”

“Once again I am so proud that Paul Breeze is one of my councillors. I watched the council meeting on the web and Paul was absolutely spot on to have a go at that arrogant bullying undemocratic politically biased disgrace of a lord mayor Terry Crowe. And Paul was also spot on in saying that opposition to Labour is not called 'playing to the gallery' as Labour keep saying but is actually called 'listening to the people.' As to our other local councillor Mark 'slimeball' Meredith the sooner he goes the better, not just for Northwood and Birches Head but the city as a whole.
Jeff Healey, Northwood”

“when so many people are opposed to this new civic centre and so many services are being cut back you have to wonder why they are going ahead . Well what i would like to know is how much of this £40 million will find its way into some councillors back pockets as this can only be the reason why it is still going ahead”

“Seriously folks, just let it go. Take a trip, have a beer, stop trying to emulate king Canute and get on with your lives.”