Victoria Gardens, Newton Abbot, earmarked for a facelift
Newton Abbot Tories are getting their knickers in a twist over regeneration – they think it is morally wrong – and they are also upset that a long-term loan is actually… err… long term.
In a move which seems out of step with the Tory District and County Councils and the national Coalition government – which is belatedly aiming to kick-start the economy after all the damaging talk of debt and the cuts – a Tory contingent of Newton Abbot is banging on about a loan to redevelop part of the entry to the town.
The issue surrounds the idea to improve the walk along the River Lemon from Cricketfield car park into the town centre, an area of the town know as Victoria Gardens.
“We’ll still be paying back the 40 year loan in 40 years!” bleats the Tory Stop The Debt campaign.
But according to Lib Dem mayor Cllr Anne Fry of the town council, the length of the loan has yet to be decided – it could be 25 years or it could be 40 years. And the repayment being called ‘favourable’ at around 4% from the government’s own Public Works Loan Board.
Anne told Matt Woodley on BBC Radio Devon’s Good Morning Devon [Thursday, September 20] (it’s around 1hr 40min into the broadcast and you’ve got until Thursday, September 27 to listen in) that it is important to carry on competing to attract people to shop in Newton Abbot in these difficult times, and that the project would benefit local companies as well as traders and the whole community.
When faced with Tory stooge Lizzie Shepherd, who complained there had been no mention of the price tag during the public consultation, Anne said that an initial, larger project of £450,000 was being widely reported. “We didn’t have any adverse comments at that time,” she said.
But let’s hear from Lizzie Shepherd’s fiance Newton Abbot Tory Councillor Neil Wilson, who is banging the drum big time for this campaign (it’s in the same radio show about 41 minutes in).
Neil pulls in tired terms about ‘damaging debt’ and ‘the council’s credit card’, and huffs that the regeneration of the town ‘is fundamentally unfair’.
There are cheaper way to give the gardens a facelift he says, citing section 106 money [?], or by making it community project and community garden, within an existing budget – Neil has offered to use his time, his effort and his money (which we’re hoping would stretch to more than a few chrysanthemums and a garden gnome).
And why shouldn’t Newton Abbot take advantage of a government loan at an attractive rate to regenerate communities? asked Matt.
“Because, you know, it’s basically a moral issue. People haven’t been told that this is happening. They’ve been shown glossy pictures [while not being told, presumably], and they haven’t been told a price tag for it. They haven’t been told what they are going to have to pay [see Ann Fry's comments above].
“Yeah, there was a consultation event, but that’s like showing somebody a picture of a Ferrari when they drive a Ford Ka, like I do, and saying here’s a Ferrari do you like it, and people will naturally say ‘yes’, but unless they know the price, that’s not a proper consultation.”
Ahh, that’s because Ferraris are often free, of course!
Can you compare a regeneration programme to buying a Ferrari…
And finally, back to Anne, who said: “With a resident population of 25,000 people, I don’t think borrowing £340,000 is that outrageous to help our local economy.”
Yeah, Lee, that’s what we need – a bit more debt! Have you been taking classes at the Gordon Brown School of Economics again? Spending £600k on tidying up a walkway that nobody uses would be dim in the extreme.Of course, if your Labour ‘stooges’ could even be bothered to stand around Newton Abbot – let alone make an effort – then maybe you’d realise that there is a lot of local opposition to this.
So James what about the £1,250,000 debt taken on by Teignbridge Tories? For eight years under the Liberal/Independent administration the council was debt free.
Gordon Brown School of Economics indeed.
This is an interesting article, many thanks for drawing it to everyones attention. I didn’t know that the council were up to this. We already pay a massive amount in Council Tax, etc. Surely Cllr Wilson’s idea of community spirit, rather than ‘credit card politics’ would establish some ownership and the gardens would be really cared for, instead of neglected because they are the responsibility of the ‘men in overalls’. I for one am looking to the council to save money, not spend it!
On another note – I’ve looked at a number of articles on her and I have to say, I don’t read them as being balanced in any way, is this a proper socialist site? – serious question.
I did think Cllr Ken Lewis spoke very well at the Town Council meet. Someone who has not just blown in. A longstandinf Conservative councillor.
Do you really pay a massive amount of Council Tax, Paul? Look at the charges you’d have to pay if you lived in Dawlish!
What about the Teignbridge debt – £1,250, 000 – four times the amount; isn’t that ‘credit card politics’, Gordon Brown School, etc?
Paul Johnson2 Hi PaulThanks for the comment. The PRSD is a left-leaning site. We include articles by Labour, Lib Dem and Conservative members and supporters, plus others, as well as ones of our own.Hope that helps answer your question.
(Apparently we’ve had an issue with our comments system, so we’vehad this comment emailed in. If you’re having similar issues, pleaseemail and we’ll post the comments while we try to resolve the problem) Spend Nothing Capt Mainwaring… Spend Nothing. Don’t Panic! Don’t Panic! So this is what passes for local debate, eh? A tired and wearymetaphor about overusing the “credit card” and (even better) a “GordonBrown School of Economics” comment. It wasn’t spending on publicservices and works that got us into this almighty mess…it was theself-serving activities of financial elites in our wonderfully“liberated” financial systems. As for the “credit card”…Since when has a country’s finances beenequivalent to a family credit card? We have the lowest interest rates inthe modern era and a need to get some growth and employment moving. Ifcut, cut and cut again was really the saving of us all….why have we justposted a ￡20.8bn Trade deficit in the second quarter of this year(largest ever!) and the misnamed “structural” deficit is even largerthan before. I know, let’s blame Labour, Gordon Brown, wind and rain,snow, Jubilee celebrations, Olympics, Europe, immigrants, gangs, youngpeople, laziness, welfare claimants- it’s like watching a 6 year old whohas been caught out and hasn’t learnt to stop “digging”. Hang on, just had a grand idea…I’ll cut the tax for our highest earners…that’ll sort those Plebs out. Ordinary people need some investment in their lives and employmentprospects-let us have a proper debate about such local attempts toimprove the town and get local employment prospects enhanced. We have agovt stating that people should move house with the new “loan guarantee”and build even bigger extensions under a relaxation of planning policy-seems that a group of local councillors and their “nearest and dearest”would rather make headlines than discuss things properly. Great Britain has had a “deficit” of an equivalent or greater amountfor approximately 210 of the last 250 years…it fuelled industrial growthand imperial policy…it isn’t the debt, but the lack of growth that isso debilitating! On behalf of all of us- discard the mono-maniacalobsession with “deficit” and get discussing how we can use the lowestinterest rates any of us have known to do something to help. Repeated calls for more and more and more “cuts” is stifling thewhole “market”…the 1930′s was supposed to teach us something! PerhapsGove and co should have a History lesson instead of belittling today’sGCSE students….wonder where the politics of the 1930′s took us?
(Apparently we’ve had an issue with our comments system, so we’vehad this comment emailed in. If you’re having problemss, pleaseemail and we’ll post the comments while we try to sort it out) Spend Nothing Capt Mainwaring… Spend Nothing. Don’t Panic! Don’t Panic!So this is what passes for local debate, eh? A tired and wearymetaphor about overusing the “credit card” and (even better) a “GordonBrown School of Economics” comment. It wasn’t spending on publicservices and works that got us into this almighty mess…it was theself-serving activities of financial elites in our wonderfully“liberated” financial systems. As for the “credit card”…Since when has a country’s finances beenequivalent to a family credit card? We have the lowest interest rates inthe modern era and a need to get some growth and employment moving. Ifcut, cut and cut again was really the saving of us all….why have we justposted a ￡20.8bn Trade deficit in the second quarter of this year(largest ever!) and the misnamed “structural” deficit is even largerthan before. I know, let’s blame Labour, Gordon Brown, wind and rain,snow, Jubilee celebrations, Olympics, Europe, immigrants, gangs, youngpeople, laziness, welfare claimants- it’s like watching a 6 year old whohas been caught out and hasn’t learnt to stop “digging”. Hang on, just had a grand idea…I’ll cut the tax for our highest earners…that’ll sort those Plebs out. Ordinary people need some investment in their lives and employmentprospects-let us have a proper debate about such local attempts toimprove the town and get local employment prospects enhanced. We have agovt stating that people should move house with the new “loan guarantee”and build even bigger extensions under a relaxation of planning policy-seems that a group of local councillors and their “nearest and dearest”would rather make headlines than discuss things properly. Great Britain has had a “deficit” of an equivalent or greater amountfor approximately 210 of the last 250 years…it fuelled industrial growthand imperial policy…it isn’t the debt, but the lack of growth that isso debilitating! On behalf of all of us- discard the mono-maniacalobsession with “deficit” and get discussing how we can use the lowestinterest rates any of us have known to do something to help. Repeated calls for more and more and more “cuts” is stifling thewhole “market”…the 1930′s was supposed to teach us something! PerhapsGove and co should have a History lesson instead of belittling today’sGCSE students….wonder where the politics of the 1930′s took us?
Dear Anonymous…
Re your comment “let us have a proper debate about such local attempts to improve the town and get local employment prospects enhanced” … does anyone know what the business case is for the spend, is it intended to produce local jobs, if so, how many, by when?
Distributist Just a question, Councillor Cox. Don’t you think that hiding behind a pseudonym when you’re an elected member is a bit… lame? What are you scared of?
Distributist ’Someone who has not just blown in’? Who’s that then, Councillor?
I think someone employed by TorbayCouncil would be very wise to use a pseudonym, andnot post from an IP address that they are associated with.
Apologies…I am not anonymous…just couldn’t post my comment and had to e-mail it. I am not connected in any form with local politics, am a resident of Newton Abbot and am bemoaning the standard of local debate. Everyday people with everyday incomes require some assistance and some investment in their lives. If this is it, then grand, but I am aware, in ever increasing measure, of the paucity of serious debate within local politics- at least my comment encouraged a serious question…. I suggest you pose it within the elevated circles of local councillors rather than of a mere observer of the workings of our “local representatives”.