What being funded letter

To Tristram and Shaun

Can you please clarify something please, it may be lack of communication from the Council or just cross wires somewhere, as myself and others seem to see a significant aspect in different light.

What is the Council funding?

In recent correspondence you both have shared similar views...

Cllr Pender "The relocation to Hanley will encourage businesses to occupy the new office developments which will give the local economy the much needed impetus that it needs to grow."

Tristram Hunt MP "Business are more likely to move into modern office complex then invest in derelict site"

You both seem to see the Councils borrowing as being used to fund speculative office space, which is an entirely different proposal to funding a new Civic Centre. Can you please confirm what the situation is?

The Sentinel did report of proposals to fund phase 2 as speculative offices, but this was never brought to the table and was never reported to Councillors on any public agenda papers, can you please confirm if it was reported to yourselves hence your current view, and what current status is on the proposal, are we building New offices for Financial sector or are we building a new civic centre?

Your help is appreciated.

a few points to raise in Tristrams letter, you claim it is difficult to get a loan from PWLB and the fact that the council has secured a loan is a good sign. Sorry Tristram but the PWLB do not ask for a business case, or any proof of repayment, they dont even care who the business partners are, all they ask is that a requesting authority gives a VERBAL assurance that they can repay the loan. I'm a bit shocked if an MP is unaware of this fact.

The original proposal to outsource staff in 2009 this was scrapped on 10th March 2010 on advice of John van de Laarschot who claimed "being an ANCHOR tenant would undermine the commercial interests of the Council" and may I remind you no one that I speak with is OPPOSED to the CBD, just the New Civic Centre ( but your clarification on first point above may help there)

Please excuse tone of letter but think we need a clear message on what the council is funding and what they are hoping Genr9 fund.

REPLY

Dear Mr Norris,

Thank you for your email.  As you know, I am not your Member of Parliament and so these very understandable concerns you have about the development of the Central Business District need to be pursued through Joan. She, like myself and Rob Flello, is consistently asking detailed questions of the City Council and will, I am sure, be more than willing to keep you informed of those conversations.

Very best,

Tristram

Tristram Hunt

You really do talk the talk don't you, but fail to walk the walk.

"There is no doubt this new political landscape will herald changes here in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.

It will mean politicians listening to public concerns, but it will also demand some bravery in sticking up for long-held values

The challenge is now on to re-engage with the public and convince them the non-pin-striped politicians have some answers."

Not one local Labour MP appears to have any effect on our local Labour Councillors blatantly ignoring the residents of Stoke on Trent, that is if you have actually questioned their decisions, or asked for any evidence from your Councillors or from Genr8 on the probability of Genr8 securing the private investment required to make Central Business District a success. They failed over the last 4 years to secure any just ask MP Simon Danczuk he may shred some light for you.

Can you please advise what actions you have taken to ensure Central Business District does not stall at phase one the New Civic Centre and that all Phases will be completed, and what response and evidence did you recieve? If the evidence is confidential a reply to confirm you have seen evidence in black and white that it will succeed, not as the Sentinel reported "The council currently has no plans to invest in these buildings and expects its private sector partner, Genr8, to take these schemes forward."

Ian Norris

to Tristram Hunt

Dear Tristram Hunt
I wrote to you in January 2013, expressing my extreme consternation about Stoke on Trent City Council’s reckless spending and borrowing of money, in particular relating to the proposed move to the Central Business District.
In your reply you questioned my financial figures and stated that only £250,000 has been spent on the Stoke Civic Centre refurbishment and it was just floor one that was refurbished. All floors were refurbished, starting at floor four and working down to floor one. But, as you said, we could continue to debate the merits of such work (and the cost). However, it is too late to stop that money being spent and I am now focusing my concerns with future borrowing.

Referring to the Council’s financial acumen, I directly quote from your letter ‘I have more faith in their competency than you do’, In light of recent revelations about:
1. The City’s £280m debt
2. The arrest of a Labour councillor on theft charges
3. Mark Meredith’s scandal-related resignation
4. Missing cash from the Labour party’s bank account
5. The abandoned plans to borrow another £19m due to public backlash
..... and no doubt more financial irregularities that have not yet come to light, I have one question for you: Do you still have ‘faith in their competency’?
This is a city in ruins.
Yours sincerely.
Anne Farrington

Tristram Hunts Reply 

compared to his reply back 

Tristram Hunr 22nd January Reply