Swindon given chance to win City Deal from Government (From Swindon Advertiser)
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Swindon given chance to win City Deal from Government
9:20am Tuesday 30th October 2012 in News
Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg
THE town’s economy could be in line for a major shot in the arm after winning the chance to negotiate a ‘City Deal’ with the Government.
Swindon and Wiltshire entered a joint bid to be in the second wave of areas to benefit from tailored deals, which will allow towns and cities to get greater control over spending, and were yesterday announced by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg as among 20 places to be awarded the chance to hand over a proposal.
Now council and business leaders in each of the areas will be asked to put forward proposals that ‘unlock’ potential for local economic growth and ministers said plans would need to be ‘ambitious’ to be taken forward.
Council leader Rod Bluh, who was at the launch in London yesterday, said much of the detail still had to be worked out before the deadline of January next year.
He said: “We are delighted Swindon and Wiltshire have been named in the second wave and has been identified as a growth area.
“We have got to work up the detailed proposal but the sort of ideas include opening up employment land and infrastructure. In particular we want to use the military connections in the area and see whether we can tap into the skills of those servicemen and women leaving the Forces.”
Coun Bluh (Con, Old Town) said businesses will be involved in the drawing up of the proposal.
He said: “The local enterprise partnership has been involved from the outset but there is no reason why we cannot extend it to all businesses.
“Normally in the past the Government hands out money without any real engagement with the areas. This is the first time, through this initiative, that local government and businesses get the chance to say directly what they need.”
Comments(12)
MrBstard
says...
3:48pm Tue 30 Oct 12
1 2 Could B
says...
6:42pm Tue 30 Oct 12
So more sprawl and back peddling on infrastructure.
Just so that Swindon Borough Clownschool can play "Dragon's Den"
I hate to think why it's been reported as a "city" deal
itsamess3
says...
6:53pm Tue 30 Oct 12
Sadly our council and its councillors will never listen to the public and can only come up with stupid ideas that have little to no idea how to turn swindon into the great town it used to be--we have stick in the mud councillors who can only come up with hare-brained ideas that could never turn our town into a place we can be proud of.
adsinibiza
says...
7:37pm Tue 30 Oct 12
Anyone agree?
TakeTheMick
says...
7:41pm Tue 30 Oct 12
1 2 Could B
says...
10:06pm Tue 30 Oct 12
I agree, but the chances of getting a leader at Swindon Borough Clownschool who is capable, listening, caring, and non-egotistical seems a long way off
Jason Reeve
says...
12:01pm Wed 31 Oct 12
The reality is that none of our councillors really know what they're doing, which is why we only ever see developers making decisions about what actually happens in the town.
Anyone who thinks that replacing the current leadership will make any real difference are kidding themselves. Do people really not remember what the town and council was like when the local Labour group had control? We really do not want a return to those bad old days.
1 2 Could B
says...
7:51pm Wed 31 Oct 12
There's absolutely no reason to continue tolerating the shambles we have at present.
A change of leadership is way overdue
itsamess3
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7:58pm Wed 31 Oct 12
adsinibiza wrote:No--we need a group of councillors who can change swindon for the better--we need councillors that can actually see the direction swindon is heading--which is backwards rather than forward.
Here is my idea for improving the economic outlook for Swindon. Sack Bluh and get someone in charge who knows what they are doing and can deliver!
Anyone agree?
Jason Reeve
says...
9:41am Thu 1 Nov 12
There's absolutely no reason to continue tolerating the shambles we have at present.
You may recall that local elections were held earlier this year, around 5 months ago.
Everyone was allowed a vote, it was standard UK democracy in action... and the people of Swindon chose to return a Tory council, with the previous council leader still in post.
Clearly, people do remember the appalling local Labour group being in power and do not wish to see a repeat of that. They also realise the local Labour group do not provide anything like a worthwhile opposition. Lastly, a few very odd characters got involved with the local Labour group and damaged its image across the town. Endlessly harping on about Wi-Fi obviously wasn't a very helpful vote winner.
1 2 Could B
says...
3:34pm Thu 1 Nov 12
People that voted for them will have changed their minds now
PJC says...
12:46pm Tue 30 Oct 12