Special meeting: Hereford's old cattle market

7:41am Wednesday 31st October 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Mark Bowen

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  • Herefordshire Council this morning held a special cabinet meeting on the future of Hereford's old cattle market
  • Members have approved a new funding arrangement to ensure the development still goes ahead
  • The council will waive £500,000 it would have received
  • British Land has agreed to relax some of its original conditions

12:36pm

Herefordshire Council has just released this statement:

THE Leader of Herefordshire Council, Councillor John Jarvis called a special meeting of Cabinet today (31 October) at which final changes to the contract to develop the Old Market site in Hereford have been agreed.

Cabinet discussed changes to the initial agreement between the developers of the site (Stanhope plc) and British Land plc. With preparatory works and demolition underway, the meeting successfully resolved the few remaining conditions, paving the way for construction to begin on the new retail development imminently.

The changes include that the council will waive £500,000 of money it would have received from the deal and that British Land will agree to relax some of its original conditions before the funding is released. Stanhope has also agreed to reduced returns from the deal and will bear additional costs that were not known at the outset. The discussion today has come about in response to changes in the market value of the development. By agreeing to the variations, the cabinet has ensured the Council will receive £1.5million from the developers as a capital receipt, before returning its £500,000 waiver.

Nothing in the proposal has changed the agreement on lettings, which is in place to protect the economy of the existing city centre and with today’s news, critically, all three parties are now locked into the development; a major milestone for the project.

Councillor Jarvis said: “We all negotiated very hard and I believe we have managed to deliver a really good deal for the City and the County. Everyone has made concessions but today’s agreement now means the only retail scheme to open in the UK in 2014 will be here in Hereford.

“This development will generate more than 1,000 jobs, in addition to the jobs during the construction phase. It will lead to £1.25million of business rates income to the Council along with the income from the new car park on the site. The Council will still retain the car park as a capital asset.”

Alistair Shaw from Stanhope commented: “This is a critical last step in bringing to fruition the first funding deal of its kind to be agreed in the UK for more than five years; a deal which will bring about a real boost for the county. The commitment being shown in Hereford, and in agreeing this landmark deal, is exciting for all parties and for the residents and businesses of the city. Everyone has had to make significant contributions to make this deal happen, but we are delighted with the cabinet’s decision, which serves as evidence of our shared vision for Hereford’s future.”
 

 

10:51am

Vote goes in favour of cabinet meaning Stanhope gets additional £500k. 

10:48am

Coun Hubbard says "the £500k is not essential for this deal. It is just propping up Stanhope's profit."

10:45am

Coun James tells cabinet "You are swimming in a shark pool and they are taking advantage of you. For goodness sake stand firm."

10:43am

Coun James says the project is 'bleeding the county for £50m."

10:40am

Coun Terry James tells the cabinet they are pumping money into a private development.

10:37am

Coun Matthews says Stanhope "should pick up the bill and get on with it."

10:36am

Coun Bob Matthews says he is not against modernising and if the project goes ahead people will try to make it work. 

 

10:31am

Coun Hubbard tells cabinet if they were putting their own money into the project they would apply "a lot more common sense."

10:29am

Coun Hubbard: "I said this would happen in July that is a fact."

10:27am

Coun Hubbard wants full council to make the decision. 

10:25am

Coun Mark Hubbard says he would like the term 'value for money' to be clarified.

10:23am

Coun Phillip Price says the deal stil represents value for money.

10:21am

Coun Russell B Hamilton says "the amount we are being asked to waive will be repaid mutiple times over."

10:17am

Coun Harry Bramer urges cabinet to accept proposal because a refusal would put any project back 'five or 10 years'.

 

10:07am

Coun leader Jarvis fears Hereford will be left with a large car park if no agreement is reached today. 

10:05am

Council leader John Jarvis describes today meeting as 'urgent' and says he will stop the meeting if there are any interruptions from public gallery. 

 

10:01am

Today's meeting is now underway. 

 

9:57am

Cabinet members are gathered at the council HQ. Many other councillors are hear to listen to the meeting. 

 

9:04am

Comments(63)

cursor says...
10:13am Wed 31 Oct 12

Just the fact alone that there is a meeting is a complete farce.

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Themightyboosh says...
10:23am Wed 31 Oct 12

i cant believe after all this time and throwing vast sums of our hard earned money at it
they still are not shure what the hell is going on.
i have the distinct feeling the chief exec could not find their backsides with both hands and a map.
i truly despair.
heads should roll.

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Lukio says...
10:24am Wed 31 Oct 12

Are the public allowed to ask questions during a meeting like this?

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Themightyboosh says...
10:27am Wed 31 Oct 12

Lukio wrote:
Are the public allowed to ask questions during a meeting like this?
Council leader John Jarvis describes today meeting as 'urgent' and says he will stop the meeting if there are any interruptions from public gallery.


i guess thats a no

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cursor says...
10:30am Wed 31 Oct 12

There are "interruptions" and "genuine questions". Seems he doesn't know the difference.

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Moreteavicar? says...
10:32am Wed 31 Oct 12

Does anyone know what/how much the council is being asked to waive?

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Themightyboosh says...
10:50am Wed 31 Oct 12

the way this council negotiates i can
see them signing away one kidney and the first born son from every council tax payer here.

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Poledb says...
10:53am Wed 31 Oct 12

This has been a complete farce from the start.This Council just does what it wants and disregards anyone else,particularly us the Council tax payers.Why do we bother electing Councillors when the hierarchy on the council just disregard the elected councillors,who are actually in touch with local people.If we have to have a development on the old market site it would have made more sense to move Tesco there from Bewell Street.Perhaps then we could move the Council offices there instead of the inaccessible Franklin house.There would still be room for a cinema and restaurants and car parking at the old market and also more parking and a bus service station from the old Tesco site.Where do these top councillors come from?Cloud cuckoo land?It certainly is not from Herefordshire.How do they expect local people to afford to shop in Waitrose etc.The heart is being ripped out of the city centre just to satisfy someones overlarge ego.

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cursor says...
11:03am Wed 31 Oct 12

Poledb wrote:
This has been a complete farce from the start.This Council just does what it wants and disregards anyone else,particularly us the Council tax payers.Why do we bother electing Councillors when the hierarchy on the council just disregard the elected councillors,who are actually in touch with local people.If we have to have a development on the old market site it would have made more sense to move Tesco there from Bewell Street.Perhaps then we could move the Council offices there instead of the inaccessible Franklin house.There would still be room for a cinema and restaurants and car parking at the old market and also more parking and a bus service station from the old Tesco site.Where do these top councillors come from?Cloud cuckoo land?It certainly is not from Herefordshire.How do they expect local people to afford to shop in Waitrose etc.The heart is being ripped out of the city centre just to satisfy someones overlarge ego.
An additional £500K isn't going to go very far.

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Lukio says...
11:23am Wed 31 Oct 12

Really? Really? £500k of public money going to a developer from a council who has had to borrow £23m in the last few months? Excellent distribution of funds there. How long will it be until they require another massive bung of money?

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oldergit says...
11:50am Wed 31 Oct 12

Good job the government has made them freeze the Council Tax next year. Hate to think what it will be in 2014. Never mind, I coild be dead by then!

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fordshire77 says...
12:35pm Wed 31 Oct 12

makes me sick....the whole thing is so very sad! The fact is we are facing the same fate as Hereford United.... both closed for business by 2015! :(

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Herefordian07 says...
1:16pm Wed 31 Oct 12

Oh dear dear, this farce is almost complete, the grand design of the defunct ESG has been reduced so many times it bears hardly any resemblance to the ambitions of our beloved cabinet. The cabinet councillors are so out of touch with the wishes of the people of Herefordshire, they have bulldozed this awful plan against the pleas from tens of thousands of true Herefordians, and of course it isn't their money they are wasting - it is or was ours the plebs! They should hang their heads in shame at the appauling way they have thrown our public money away especially into a private company, disgaceful, let us not forget this when elections come again.

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Gillian1961 says...
1:32pm Wed 31 Oct 12

Great excuse for the council to balls something else up and waste more our money its been a few weeks since there have had a brainwave,

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SethStarkadder says...
1:56pm Wed 31 Oct 12

Themightyboosh wrote:
the way this council negotiates i can
see them signing away one kidney and the first born son from every council tax payer here.
Wow!

Great income generating idea

Someone should suggest it to the next Council meeting

Report this post »

bobby47 says...
2:17pm Wed 31 Oct 12

Thats bloody it. This bloody Council. I'm done with it. Half a bloody million quid gone in the wink of a bloody eye.
Before I was a bloody HT Poster I lead a normal life, fishing, spending time with me kids, reading Jordan's most recent biography and playing with my grandkids. I'm going back to my old life before I end up climbing into the oven with the lumps of dough I knead day in, day out, over and over again.
This bloody Council will never stop wasting our money and my bloody time.
To all the demented ranters and ravers. To the possessed, the dispossessed, those with clubbed feet, the Toad Sexers down Yazor Brooke and of course those who are still able to string a thought and sentence together that dont refer to 'the bloody Council', I say goodbye, a fond farewell and offer up my very warmest best wishes.
IM DONE. RETIRED FROM ACTIVE DUTY. Bloody Counci!

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Patley says...
2:24pm Wed 31 Oct 12

Absolutely disgusting! Is there no way we can rid ourselves of these biggots who have no respect for the electorate or the county?

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TwoWheelsGood says...
3:31pm Wed 31 Oct 12

Excellent reporting by the HT - thanks to Mark for the live updates. Shame it was such disheartening news, but then we knew that it would be. As for getting rid of those running the show, that’s what elections are for - more people should have voted last time round - the writing was clearly on the wall then. Next time round will be too late - they'll all be retiring to live off the fruits of their labours ...

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Herefordian07 says...
4:25pm Wed 31 Oct 12

Please don't retire bobby 47, I read your comments and satire with great relish, you can teach your grandchildren how to lampoon too and keep the dynasty going. We cannot allow the council to get off lightly and think we don't care, Ooops I just spotted my mistake, I actually wrote that the council "Think" sorry for that ! I should have put "Blunder on"

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gedina says...
4:55pm Wed 31 Oct 12

The time has now come for us all to start investigations into each and every council member, their activities and friendships both in and out of public life.
This will hopefully throw up any 'special relationships' that are held between them and other business owners who may have a stake in the future of Hereford.

If any are shown, and any link to backhanders, favousrism and other 'special treatment' then the appropriate legal action can be instigated.
Many people in public life seem to think that they are above the law, only a thorough investigation into each of these individuals can help to see if they are related to the tooth fairy or not.

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Lukio says...
5:37pm Wed 31 Oct 12

Well said Two Wheels - the HT coverage was execellent today.

Is anyone on Facebook and friends with Hereford Futures? The amount of spin they've put on this is unbelievable!

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TwoWheelsGood says...
5:57pm Wed 31 Oct 12

As I suspected, it appears that the Council has agreed to pay demolition costs of the project and, for some inexplicable reason, all rents of businesses in Station Approach are now going to the developers. So the Council lied to us when they said the deal was done, pointing to the demolition works. It wasn't done, as we've seen proved today, and the Council used the demolition works as a smokescreen. A lie has a very short life councillors.

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William Rudd says...
8:35pm Wed 31 Oct 12

Lol at you lot.
When ever I need a good laugh to cheer me up you lot give it to me with both barrels.

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Lukio says...
10:00pm Wed 31 Oct 12

So glad we can be of service to you William :)

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Tim Bray says...
10:06pm Wed 31 Oct 12

Patley wrote:
Absolutely disgusting! Is there no way we can rid ourselves of these biggots who have no respect for the electorate or the county?
Yes there is a way. However, it involves the great unwashed of Herefordshire getting up and voting come the next election, not just leaving it to the 20 or 30% of faithful Tory blue rinsers who habitually vote the buggers back in every time!

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Lukio says...
6:40am Thu 1 Nov 12

I don't think the masses really see what's going on. The HT, in fairness, have been pretty critical of the council of late but whether people will see thru the spin remains to be seen.

However, is there a real alternative to the Tories? I think It's Our County have a chance to take seats but they need to up their game to convince Herefordians that they are a viable alternative. Props to Mark Hubbard and the various Independants who asked serious and sensible questions yesterday. You guys have an opportunity to increase your seats next time round and I think you need to start working on your strategies now.

Yesterday's shenanigans prove further that the system is rotten to the core and that this runaway gravy train is heading for a crash. Sadly, it will be at detriment of the council tax payer and will scupper the future of Hereford for generations. And those responsible will scuttle off into obscurity with chunky renumeration packages not knowing or caring about the damage they've caused.

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William Rudd says...
12:37pm Thu 1 Nov 12

Lol @ Lukio with this comment..I think It's Our County have a chance to take seats

After the Hubbard-Bull farce a few years ago they ain't got no chance.

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Lukio says...
1:55pm Thu 1 Nov 12

I think the farces that this council have caused over the last few months surpass anything like that, William.

So you're in total support of the council again? Funny how you only come on here when it's anything to do with this subject. So which councillor/cabinet member are you then?

If you really think this lot are doing a good job you're either totally deluded or a complete knob.

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TwoWheelsGood says...
4:34pm Thu 1 Nov 12

I believe the current Tory council have a majority of one, effectively giving them a license to do whatever they wish, with the disastrous results clear for us all to see. Had people not been so apathetic at the last elections, we might have got one more IOC/LibDem/Independe
nt/whatever and it would have been a very different picture. Such is democracy.

The press statement at the top of this page is a masterpiece of spin, and presumably written before the meeting. I still fail to see how 5 shops will create 'more than 1000 jobs' - even 100 would be pushing it.

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Lukio says...
5:59pm Thu 1 Nov 12

Surely come next election they cannot possibly get the majority? Not afte the catalogue of disasters they've so far orchestrated?

Problem is most people will get caught up in the spin - like poor old Will Rudd for example (although I still reckon he's a ringer). They'll be dazzled by the '6 screen cinema' like it's the second coming of Christ and not even spare a thought for the total mess HC have made to get there.

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TwoWheelsGood says...
6:53pm Thu 1 Nov 12

Will they be dazzled? I doubt if it will even be built by then - I've seen reference to the cinema being 'phase 2', but with only lies and redaction coming out of the Brockington Bunker, its hard to know. Even if it is built, it'll be hellish expensive to get in and with the economy still in freefall (bye bye Comet) I just don't see the numbers to make it viable. I suppose some of the 1000 people working there could fill the empty seats ...

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Lukio says...
7:11pm Thu 1 Nov 12

I'm concerned they will be dazzled, TwoWheels. I've got friends who I talk to about this stuff and their argument is always 'yeah but we'll get a multiplex cinema'. They're sensible, well informed people but they can't see past this one.

It feels like HC are riding on the back of this assumption and with the spin generated by them, Hereford Futures and Stanhope to an extent, they think they can railroad this one in without anyone realising what's happened.

I'm not stuck in the dark ages, far from it. Hereford desperately needs development but not one that will see subsequent councils (and council tax payers) paying the debt of this off for years to come whilst those who made these monumental decisions are long gone.

The soul is being sold and no one really seems to be bothered by it.

Have you seen The Simpsons 'Monorail' episode? Every time I think of HC/Stanhope it reminds of the sorry debacle when a big time, unscrupulous developer pitches up in small town and convinces them they need a monorail. Mob mentality takes over and everyone gets caught I the spin generated by the developer that the town really needs it. Suffice to say the project is a disaster, the town loses lots of money and the developer disappears into the sunset with a massive wedge of cash.

Lol...that was a bit random :)

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Themightyboosh says...
1:44pm Fri 2 Nov 12

The Simpsons 'Monorail' episode
lol lukio that sums this farce up perfectly

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littlewhitebull says...
3:18pm Fri 2 Nov 12

I heard several people commenting today in a local cafe that just didn't believe the council could get into a worse mess about the redevelopment of our city.
My first thought was that if only that great playwright, Arnold Ridley (Private Godfrey in Dad's Army) was still alive, he would be able to create a great farce at the Courtyard Theatre! Probably, not a great deal of imagination would be needed,

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dippyhippy says...
4:38pm Fri 2 Nov 12

Two days without an up-date from Bobby47,is two days too many! Don't retire,your unique rants and raves are more popular than you could imagine! Have you thought about standing as an independant of some sort? You could be the saviour of Hereford! I'd vote for you!!

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Lukio says...
7:29pm Fri 2 Nov 12

I'm worried too, Dippy. We haven't heard from him for a while now and normally he'd be disgusted with all this like the rest of us.

Perhaps he's finally succumbed to the prescription drugs? I haven't seen any news reports of any one throwing themselves off a public building in Hereford over the last few days either.

My bet is he's continuing in his quest to find Studmarsh or the council henchman have found him out and locked him up in an cattle stall in the old market.

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TwoWheelsGood says...
12:12am Sat 3 Nov 12

He's alive, but delirious, shipwrecked with only Jarvis Cockup for company - who can blame him for screaming for justice - see the 'Scrutiny debate into £500,000 for ESG confirmed' thread.

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fordshire77 says...
9:32am Sat 3 Nov 12

I heard that Bobby47 was seen on a rampage going round collecting the "HERE we can" signs and is planning to take them all into high town douse him self in lighter fuel (as its cheaper than petrol) and then sit upon the bull and set himself a light! BUT as I said it was only what I had heard.

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bobby47 says...
10:02am Sat 3 Nov 12

It was all a terrible misunderstanding and the staff at the Stonebow Unit have accepted I am a legitimate member of the Yazor Brooke Toad Sexing Association and the Police were mistaken in thinking that I and the others were trying to mate with a particularly aggressive territorial male Natterjack Toad, hence the reason they taser'ed me, confiscated all my equipment and dragged me away screaming, ' You'll not violate a toad when we are on duty'.
What's the latest and who are we hating now. Is it the Council still?

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dippyhippy says...
10:57am Sat 3 Nov 12

Welcome back! We were just about to start a petition!

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bobby47 says...
11:06am Sat 3 Nov 12

Dippy, This City is going to the dogs and slowly but surely our civil liberties are being eroded by this bloody Council.
You can no longer jump from a publicly funded building, you can't fiddle about with amphibians without having to ride the lightening bolt and there were two or three other things but I can't remember because the diazepam is kicking in.
My very warmest regards.

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littlewhitebull says...
12:47pm Sat 3 Nov 12

Glad that Bobby 47 is back from his sojourn with bufo calamita and other amphibians. Are there any newts in the Yazor these days?
Perhaps, the council could subject them to paying back tax on their habitats? Surely, as the council squander such vast sums on meaningless projects, it is time that they sought to tax all inhabitants of this wonderful county.
Yes, I realise my ideas are far from sensible and very left field. But with our council nothing is impossible - cos, Here We Can!

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Colin J Marschall says...
3:18am Sun 4 Nov 12

You know one way to hurt them .. get all those who want them out to refuse to pay their council tax

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bobby47 says...
12:33pm Sun 4 Nov 12

Colin, That's an excellent idea. But can we convince TwoWheels to carry out this form of positive action?

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Colin J Marschall says...
7:32pm Sun 4 Nov 12

Probably not, and any who do decide to take this root will be branded as criminals. I am currently trying to find out if the public have any legal avenue to force an early election of councils.

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bobby47 says...
8:29pm Sun 4 Nov 12

Good lad. The best to talk to is Megilleland. Hes got a fistful of facts.

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Lukio says...
9:38am Mon 5 Nov 12

I've had a quick look at this and first investigations suggest that there is no way we as public can force an election mid-term.

At national level (i.e. Parliament), a 'no confidence' can be motioned by elected members but there is a certain level that must be met before the 'no confidence' can be voted on.

I'm not sure if there are enough IOC or Independant members (or Tory rebels) that would meet the minimum required level that this could be mooted. Or even if this approach is possible at local government level.

I'm tempted to contact IOC or one of the Independants to see if this is an avenue that could be explored.

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megilleland says...
11:10am Mon 5 Nov 12

It appears it is possible to have a referendum on the the way the council is run see here:
http://www.herefords
hire.gov.uk/council_
gov_democracy/electi
ons/24611.asp

However the council does not say what the other options are. The information is being withheld - don't want to help local voters too much.

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megilleland says...
11:10am Mon 5 Nov 12

It appears it is possible to have a referendum on the the way the council is run see here:
http://www.herefords
hire.gov.uk/council_
gov_democracy/electi
ons/24611.asp

However the council does not say what the other options are. The information is being withheld - don't want to help local voters too much.

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TwoWheelsGood says...
12:43pm Mon 5 Nov 12

I read that as referendum to change the form of governance, presumably to something like a dictatorship, rather than getting rid of present incumbents. Regardless, it needs 7000+ signatures so that not going to happen. I really think the IOC/Independents ought to be working on this and trying to build a case, as Lukio says, because individuals can rant all we like, but we ain't going to change anything on our own.

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bobby47 says...
2:11pm Mon 5 Nov 12

Lukio, Do it mate. Give them a ring and have a natter.

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William Rudd says...
11:54pm Mon 5 Nov 12

7,000 signatures,you might get 7 lol.
And Mark Hubbards IOC is dead in the water,Just look at his facebook page.

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Lukio says...
8:49am Tue 6 Nov 12

Of course William. There's probably only 7 people in the county who think HC are not doing a great job.

I'm sure that the 10,000 people who signed the petition against the council's plans back in 2010 have totally changed their views and perceptions of how well they are doing now.

You continue to astound me with your total ignorance.

And what's wrong with the IOC Facebook page? I see it's regularly updated and healthy discussion taking place so I'm not entirely sure what you're trying to get across.

In comparison I checked the council's Facebook page...oh wait, they haven't got one. They probably don't want to face up to the truth that the majority of people don't agree with what they're doing to the county and the stick they'd get on it. I expect they're happy with their mouthpiece that is the Hereford Futures page to soak up the flak.

And the Tories have a ONE majority on this council - hardly massive is it? Face it William, for the monumental mess they've made of pretty much everything, they'll be down the road next election and good riddance.

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WYSIATI says...
9:09am Tue 6 Nov 12

Far easier to throw stones than to try to run anything these days. Everyone who can should vote and we should have good people to choose from. Not sure the people you'd want would want to stand these days.

As for ESG this feels like the Concorde fallacy in miniature - you're so far in you can't stop even when the world changes around you. Timing's everything and what might have been a good idea when things were booming might not be when things are not. But it's a long term thing and might be something to look back on and wonder why it wasn't done sooner - or it might fester and stagnate.

What scares me is that public authorities seem to struggle when contracting with the private sector - PFI was a great scam, in order to keep necessary capital spending off the Govt balance sheet go to the private sector - but the private sector does not have any duty to the public - only to the shareholders. Why would you expect that to result in a good deal?

And now all the talk is of privatising services - buying complex services that are not widgets or temporary envelope fillers is not so simple.

The Olympics showed that a public project can pull it off, G4S showed that crass reliance on a contract (can you supply enough security? - yes - that's ok then). The idea that private is always right and public always wrong is lazy and inadequate.

Once we've mortgaged all our public goods to private enterprise we will be sorry.

Rant over - Bobby47 for president

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bobby47 says...
12:02pm Tue 6 Nov 12

Forget President. I want to be King. Make me your king and my first two appointments will be Lukio as the Kings Punisher and William Rudd as the Kings Whipping boy.
We will have a whipping post set up by the Black and White House, Wysiati can tether William to the post as reward for coming up with the idea to make me King and Lukio gets to thrash his nemesis William whenever something goes wrong.
Then, after the punishment has been administered you can all buy a nettle from me the King and if you choose you can approach the badly beaten William and give him a stroke with your nettle leaf.
Make me your King. You'll never regret it.

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TwoWheelsGood says...
1:28pm Tue 6 Nov 12

Lukio and WYSIATI - you both said everything I wanted to say but in a more lucid manner. Given his limited grasp of, well, everything, Mr Rudd must surely be a councillor.

It seems the only way things will change before the next elections is the loss of a councillor or two - by resignation or demise - which would force a by-election. The tories only need to lose one seat and its game on, much can then be changed if all the non-tories vote together.

Disappointed not to be in the first wave of King Bobby47's appointments, but still hoping for a place on the top table.

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bobby47 says...
2:00pm Tue 6 Nov 12

TwoWheels, And so it begins, all of you clambering to become a part of the top table and inner circle.
I've got a few positions in mind for you my old dear friend and none involve arson or human sacrifice.
Tell me what you fancy and as long as it don't involve you keeping the silver button for yourself I'll give it some thought.
That said, Lukio gets to keep his job. He'll just love it.

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Lukio says...
2:16pm Tue 6 Nov 12

That I will Bobby! I might even get me nan to knit me a black hood for when I'm administering the aforementioned punishments. That'll make me look well hard and intimidating.

I definitely think TwoWheels deserves an important role as well as he is one of our like minded kin.

We can only hope that a by-election happens sooner rather than later thus to rebalance the powers a little more sensibly. I do not wish for anyone's demise. Maybe a juicy scandal that leaves one of the Tories no option but to resign :)

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bobby47 says...
2:24pm Tue 6 Nov 12

While you are all pondering how to get onto this top table before I accept becoming King I want to get a few things cleared up.
A King needs respect and I'll not tolerate anyone sniggering and muttering, 'The mans a fool' as I get wheeled into High Town in my handcart dressed in my Granny's clothes clutching the recently unearthed silver button bemoaning my clubbed foot, hare lip and a very recent infestation of headlice.
My pledge to you all is an unlimited supply of diazepam to all who are desperate for it, an allotment on the Racecourse, no more gimmicks, no more waste and more importantly, the chance to take part in a weekly trolley dash round lidl's.
How about that then? And there's plenty more where that came from.

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bobby47 says...
2:43pm Tue 6 Nov 12

Just a thought. This 'Top Table'. We don't want to many Posters on the top table because it'll end up being massive and we won't be able to get the aforementioned table and of course the chairs up the stairs and into the Town Hall.
Lets be sensible about how big this table is going to be. Im all for there being a table, Im all for it being sizeable but we can't have it becoming overwhelmingly huge.

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Ubique5740 says...
2:51pm Tue 6 Nov 12

Bobby47 please look at "Restaurant to foot bill etc........." Appears to be another rash decision by our Cllrs

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TwoWheelsGood says...
3:14pm Tue 6 Nov 12

Don't worry about getting a table and chairs - the Town Hall already has those, big enough for a feast, as our forbears often gorged on. Indeed a Councillor once told some years ago me he was only in it for the meals (prepared by Ascari's) and that they scheduled the meetings for 5.30pm to ensure they could have 'em. His performance would indicate that he was indeed only interested in the food. Twas ever thus it seems.

As for my important role, I'll take anything, as long as its not the court jester, which surely must be for Mr Rudd. Minister for transport will do, free parking for all bicycles and the kings wheelbarrow will surely follow.

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bobby47 says...
8:03pm Tue 6 Nov 12

But TwoWheels, I am worried about the table. I've never seen the Town Hall table and presumably neither have you.
You are saying that a table you have never seen is bigger than another table you have never seen.
We have to sort this table out now. I'll not agree to become King until I know who is at the table, how many of us are at the top table and can we all fit in around the table.
After I get crowned and get me hands on the silver button, it's no good us all staggering down St.Owen Street, bursting into the Town Hall, racing up the stairs to discover the table does not meet our needs.
Then, what do we do?

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