MARCH ON STOKE - FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF STOKE-ON-TRENT - SAT 23RD FEB
MARCH ON STOKE IS FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF STOKE-ON-TRENT WHO HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL
IT IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH OR FUNDED BY ANY POLITICAL PARTY
During one of the worst recessions in living memory the city council have resolved to borrow AT LEAST £40m to build state of the art offices in Hanley abandoning Stoke and the rest of the city, its heritage and its people, in the process.
At massive cost the city council commissioned a STATISTICAL study to justify their decision. But even they had to admit the council's plans were ill conceived, finding only an 11% chance of "deliverability" and describing the selling off of the Civic Centre as "problematic". They advised AGAINST their plans.
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The city council can draw upon NO BUSINESS PLAN to justify their decision to move, lock, stock and barrel. All they have is rhetoric and the promise of regeneration driven by retail - it seems they've missed the boat by several decades. Meanwhile the ordinary people of Stoke-on-Trent are treated with contempt by the city council and continue to face the most severe hardship due to central and local government cuts. Loss of libraries, swimming pools, care homes, children's centres, community centres and much of the city's heritage are transforming the city into place people wish to leave. As "officers" and councillors look after themselves in plush surroundings and worry about officer morale, the public are left to rot, literally, as highlighted in the BBC4 documentary The Year The Town Hall Shrank.
Objectives of the march
To remind councillors and officers that they work for us, not the reverse. To remind councillors that it is they who should be driving policy in Stoke-on-Trent not unelected civil SERVANTS who very rarely feel any sense of attachment with this city. Halt the building of a new civic centre; the existing Civic Centre is fit for purpose.Raise political awareness across Stoke-on-Trent so that ALL residents vote for the candidate not the party they represent.
JOIN THE MARCH AT 11.30AM ON SATURDAY 23RD FEBRUARY.
FROM THE VICTORIA ON THE SQUARE, HANLEY - KINGSWAY, STOKE.
9 Comments
by Fazzer55
Thursday, February 21 2013, 1:27PM
“Summing up the stupidity of the decision-makers: an independent consultancy company said that the chance of this move to Hanley being a success is 11%. So what does the labour-controlled council do? Ignore it and borrow millions of pounds anyway. Madness and arrogance.”
by Shell23
Tuesday, February 19 2013, 7:33PM
“Why do comments keep disappearing and reappearing on this page? The cynical side of me is wondering if something underhand is going on and that maybe people are getting worried about March on Stoke.”
by Robnoxious
Tuesday, February 19 2013, 3:24PM
“What we do know is any interest attached to this loan will come out of the services budget year on year. That can only mean one thing. LOSS OF SERVICES AND JOBS, for the forseeable future, and they will try to hide it by blaming the government cuts. We need someone of higher authority to sort this mess out. Get rid of the incompetants.”
by I_Norris
Tuesday, February 19 2013, 12:11PM
“People are asking "How can the City Council Borrow £55M for a new office, when Private Business have shown no interest?"
This could be down to where the 2 differing sectors gain their funds, the Business Sector would need to produce a robust Business Case to show to their Banks and investors that what they were planning was a strong and financial sound proposal.
On the hand the City Council can go to Public Works Loan Board part of the United Kingdom Debt Management Office. The PWLB do not require a business case they are neither concerned about the purpose of a loan. The loan could be for an Underwater Ice Rink for all they are concerned, they leave it up Local Authority to ensure that it is borrowing within its budget and for legitimate reasons. All the Public Works Loan Board require is a verbal confirmation that the loan is being made within its borrowing powers.
So you see its easy for Stoke on Trent Council to pop down PWLB and pick up £55M safe in the knowledge we the taxpayers will have to pick up the bill one way or another.”
by Anna224
Tuesday, February 19 2013, 11:56AM
“My family and I will be joining the March this Saturday.
How can the council justify the move from Stoke back to Hanley again of the Civic Centre when they haven't even calculated the cost? Figures of between £40 million to £59 million have been bandied around but Pervez admitted on Radio Stoke last week that he DIDN'T KNOW THE ACTUAL COST!!!
The next issue I have with them is that they have employed 2 consultancy firms to evaluate the Central Business proposal both of whom have adviced against it! The High Street has changed because of the internet and they are doing nothing that takes this into account.
I have no confidence that the labour council know what is best for Stoke on Trent - just look at the dire neglect that all the towns are in.”
by ange123
Tuesday, February 19 2013, 10:02AM
“Join if you agree that the new civil centre is wasteful and irresponsible, future generations will be paying and suffering cutbacks for years to come if this goes ahead.”
by ange123
Tuesday, February 19 2013, 9:51AM
“My comment was removed, why?”
by JohnMPorter
Tuesday, February 19 2013, 9:39AM
“I would like to know why several comments that I know about from othere have not been shown on here. Is the sentinel now up the backside of the council? Given that thy are supposed to telling people about local issues, they have never seemed very interested in this issue. I will be cancelling my Sentinel. Let us see if this comment is also censured!”
by Shell23
Tuesday, February 19 2013, 7:48AM
“It's time we showed the council that they can't get away with it anymore. We will be at the march come rain or shine!”