Went along to a Pan Development steering group on Friday. This consists of various officers and 3 Tory Cabinet members, plus me, which will make recommendations to Cabinet. I have been attending these for 4 months now to keep an eye on what is being planned - which hasn't been very much until now.
Friday was much better with my securing a commitment for the group to start communicating with Pan residents about where things stand and where things are going. A 'relief road' as part of the development is something that many residents want, but this is now included in a Council traffic management review of the whole of Newport. The development will have 30% affordable housing, which the group agreed to recommend should be for Islanders only. A list of infrastructure items that are required will be compiled, which should include a community and health centre, both of which are much needed. Finally it is clear that not a sod will be turned on the site until April 2009 - 3 years away.
Thursday I attended a briefing on the feasibility study produced by PA Consulting on the potential Strategic Partnering (privatisation) of many Council services. The more services the better it seems. Surprise, surprise it is 'feasible' and now a 'business case' will be produced by late March. The clear assumption being made is that private = good; public = bad. I took the opportunity to briefly address staff with an outline of my own scepticism and support for public services.
Also on Thursday I attended a Newport Town Council working party with other Newport councillors and the Council Leader. Given that the Council will be precepting unparished areas from April I feel we have no choice but to have a Town Council to make sure that the money is spent in Newport's interests. As Pan is an integral part of Newport I want to see it as part of the Town Council area, as Pan on its own does not make sense and I know there is very little support for such a breakaway. Petitions to secure the necessary 2000 signatures across the whole of Newport and Carisbrooke will be going out in the relatively near future. For 2006/7 there will be a Newport Town management committee, consisting of Newport IW councillors, that will oversee the precept until the Town Council is created - probably for 2007/8.
One things I like from all of this is that the Guildhall could be brought back into political and democratic use as a joint base for a Town Council and meetings of the IW Council (should the latter pursue its intent to flatten County Hall). The last democratic body to use the Guildhall was the old Newport Borough Council, abolished in 1974 and a Labour council !
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6 comments:
They want to flatten County Hall? Other than the fact it looks like some sort of Eastern bloc, secret-police building circa 1950, has the Council explained its reasoning on this?
Its prime real estate ! When everyone has been 'strategically partnered' and there are only 150 Council-employed staff, they can farm them out to the business park or such like and sell off the site
It is prime real estate but i dont think its worth anything like what it would cost to build something similar elsewhere?
Maybe thats the reason for privatising most of the staff as you put it so the building can be smaller / cheaper?
Precisely ! They don't plan to need a building as big or similar.
Geoff,
What is your opinion on the blanket ban on Council staff taking annual leave on the 28th March?
This coincides with (as yet only potential) indutrial action by Unison members.
This missive has come from the outgoing Head of HR at County Hall who is no doubt busy counting his 30 pieces of silver
I'm afraid that's pretty much standard practice when an employer knows the date of potential indistrial action. Happens where I work too.Holiday approvals are usually subject to business needs. Consult your union if you feel you have particular circumstances.
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