I welcome the news that the UK Shipping Minister Mike Penning is going to extend the period of consultation over the future of coastguard services by six weeks. I have serious concerns about the UK Government's plans to slash the number of coastguard stations around the UK to save money which could result in overnight operational control of large parts of the Welsh coastline being run from the North Sea coast. The UK Government has stated that it plans to merge the current 17 stations into two main hubs with five supporting stations.
The main Coastguard hubs would be at Aberdeen and on the English south coast. Swansea and either Liverpool or Belfast would be among the supporting stations that are expected to look after the Welsh coastline. This is a bad idea, made worse by the fact that the intention is for these supporting stations not to operate on a full-time basis. Under current proposals the Coastguard stations in Milford Haven and Holyhead will close.
The UK Government needs to acknowledge that the Coastguard is actually a vital emergency service in Wales and our coastline must be properly protected. These proposed cuts will affect the Coastguard's ability to protect and save lives. Local knowledge of the coast will be lost or eroded by moving to centralised coastguard hubs some hundreds of miles away in Scotland and England, even with state of the art modern technology this is madness.
The Coastguard needs expert local knowledge and local manned coastguard service bases to be at its most effective and should be valued just like the other emergency services. The current cost saving proposals are very likely to result in compulsory redundancies for skilled and specialised jobs when the coastal stations are closed down. So far the consultation has been a mess with no proper risk assessment in place, it is important that the bottom line is safety first and I sincerely hope there is time to pause for thought, and to think again and time to scrap these crazy plans.
Friday, 11 March 2011
Thursday, 10 March 2011
SMALL SCHOOLS
Over the years there have been a number of campaigns to save local village and community schools within Monmouth and Torfaen County Boroughs - some have been successful, some have not and some of the campaigns continue to this day. Now, while very few people, least of all the children and parents, would want to see a village or community school close, yet the closure programme across most of Wales continues from Gwent to Gwynedd and in between.
Much is made of cost savings, but, a closed or closing village or community school is more than just bricks and mortar and additions or subtractions to a cold clinical and balance sheet. One immediate effect is that aside from the damage done by the loss of the school to the local community, and immediate result is that parents or the county council end up in the businesses or providing transportation to and from more distant schools, especially in rural areas.
It is also worth remembering the fact that the communities affected end up losing yet another focus (often along with their Post Office and their Pub) as well as losing potential community facilities and almost no one ends up with smaller class sizes. MCC has blamed the Welsh Government for the budget settlement and the Welsh Government has said that it is a matter for MCC - none of which helps concerned parents, teachers and members of the communities affected.
Now while, I cannot comment on what’s going on outside of Monmouthshire, in the eyes of many people Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) is pursuing a policy of short term thinking when it comes to the closure of Primary Schools across the county. Certainly MCC needs fair funding and proper financial settlement from the Welsh Government, it's needs should be properly assessed, accounted and catered for the money pit as most people would agree is not bottomless.
Many local people (not just concerned parents) have real concerns about the small schools closure policy as it has been carried out in Monmouthshire where it is suspected of being driven by potentially questionable motives whether they be immediate short term financial gains from school closures and a more medium term motive of cashing in when it comes to disposing of the former school sites for simple short term commercial gain.
Over the last few years there have been a number of campaigns to save community and village schools, some have been successful in their fight like in Ponthir, at Llanfair Kilgeddin and in and around Abergavenny as well as elsewhere within the county of Monmouthshire, and elsewhere across Wales. Other campaigns across the county and across Wales, from north to south will continue despite some pretty tepid assurances from local County Councils.
This issue of retaining village and community schools is of particular importance; both MCC, other County Council’s across Wales and the Welsh Government needs to seriously think about again and take a much more mature longer term view, and should have the courage to take a fresh look at the way small community schools fit into our education system - the English model of education does not necessarily fit in Wales and the current Welsh version needs some serious thought.
While school rolls may fall in the short-term (in urban and rural areas), over the longer term population and school rolls will rise in the villages of Monmouthshire because people will (and do) want to live in these communities. The cost of building a brand new school will be significantly larger than improving an older school that may has been retained for educational, non educational and community use.
Elsewhere people do things differently, some governments take a much longer more community minded (and ultimately more economically sensible) view of education, while travelling in Asturias, in Spain, a few years ago I came across rural schools that were open with school rolls as low as 10 pupils, with shared teachers, support staff and shared administration.
We need to rethink the way we run our community and village schools, there is now reason why a head teacher could not be responsible for 4 or 5 smaller schools (this something that Church in Wales vicars have been doing for many years) across relatively wide rural area, modern technology can be used for shared administrative services and we could even end up with smaller class sizes, which would be a first.
Here in Wales we must not use the new austerity as an excuse for poor or lazy thinking, we need the courage and ambition to develop new ideas and new approaches as to how our small schools can continue to play a key role at the heart of our communities.
Much is made of cost savings, but, a closed or closing village or community school is more than just bricks and mortar and additions or subtractions to a cold clinical and balance sheet. One immediate effect is that aside from the damage done by the loss of the school to the local community, and immediate result is that parents or the county council end up in the businesses or providing transportation to and from more distant schools, especially in rural areas.
It is also worth remembering the fact that the communities affected end up losing yet another focus (often along with their Post Office and their Pub) as well as losing potential community facilities and almost no one ends up with smaller class sizes. MCC has blamed the Welsh Government for the budget settlement and the Welsh Government has said that it is a matter for MCC - none of which helps concerned parents, teachers and members of the communities affected.
Now while, I cannot comment on what’s going on outside of Monmouthshire, in the eyes of many people Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) is pursuing a policy of short term thinking when it comes to the closure of Primary Schools across the county. Certainly MCC needs fair funding and proper financial settlement from the Welsh Government, it's needs should be properly assessed, accounted and catered for the money pit as most people would agree is not bottomless.
Many local people (not just concerned parents) have real concerns about the small schools closure policy as it has been carried out in Monmouthshire where it is suspected of being driven by potentially questionable motives whether they be immediate short term financial gains from school closures and a more medium term motive of cashing in when it comes to disposing of the former school sites for simple short term commercial gain.
Over the last few years there have been a number of campaigns to save community and village schools, some have been successful in their fight like in Ponthir, at Llanfair Kilgeddin and in and around Abergavenny as well as elsewhere within the county of Monmouthshire, and elsewhere across Wales. Other campaigns across the county and across Wales, from north to south will continue despite some pretty tepid assurances from local County Councils.
This issue of retaining village and community schools is of particular importance; both MCC, other County Council’s across Wales and the Welsh Government needs to seriously think about again and take a much more mature longer term view, and should have the courage to take a fresh look at the way small community schools fit into our education system - the English model of education does not necessarily fit in Wales and the current Welsh version needs some serious thought.
While school rolls may fall in the short-term (in urban and rural areas), over the longer term population and school rolls will rise in the villages of Monmouthshire because people will (and do) want to live in these communities. The cost of building a brand new school will be significantly larger than improving an older school that may has been retained for educational, non educational and community use.
Elsewhere people do things differently, some governments take a much longer more community minded (and ultimately more economically sensible) view of education, while travelling in Asturias, in Spain, a few years ago I came across rural schools that were open with school rolls as low as 10 pupils, with shared teachers, support staff and shared administration.
We need to rethink the way we run our community and village schools, there is now reason why a head teacher could not be responsible for 4 or 5 smaller schools (this something that Church in Wales vicars have been doing for many years) across relatively wide rural area, modern technology can be used for shared administrative services and we could even end up with smaller class sizes, which would be a first.
Here in Wales we must not use the new austerity as an excuse for poor or lazy thinking, we need the courage and ambition to develop new ideas and new approaches as to how our small schools can continue to play a key role at the heart of our communities.
Wednesday, 9 March 2011
A SIMPLE QUESTION OF COMPETENCE?
I and a fair few other people (no doubt) have always had mixed feelings about the competence levels of the Welsh FA over the years, recent developments in relation to the allocation of tickets for the Wales v England (European Qualifier, to be held on Saturday March 26th) to Newport County AFC, Wrexham and Colwyn Bay Fans, have merely reinforced my and no doubt other peoples doubts about the competence of the Welsh FA.
------------------------------------
STATEMENT FROM NEWPORT COUNTY AFC (ISSUED 8th March 2011)
In the last 24 hours there have been some disturbing developments with regard to our tickets for the Wales v England.
Yesterday morning Phil Morgan confirmed for the fourth time with the ticket office at the Welsh FA that out tickets had been allocated and were en route. When the post arrived mid morning there was a letter from the Welsh FA, dated 3rd March, stating that due to an administration error we were to be allocated NO tickets for the match. Phil rang back straight away to be told that their ticket office had been repeatedly looking at the wrong database and that we were to be allocated no tickets.
To clarify :
1. Newport County were assured at the beginning and on multiple occasions during the process that there were no issues with the number of tickets required.
2. Newport County contacted the Welsh FA prior to the 1st closing date of 31st January to arrange delivery of applications and monies in person. We were told that the date had been extended to the 18th February. We asked if the currently held applications had to be submitted and were told no, to collate them all together prior to the 18th as there were plenty of tickets and we were guaranteed our allocation.
3. Newport County delivered our ticket application and monies in person to the Welsh FA prior to that closing date and were assured that we would be given the full allocation.
4. Various personnel at Newport County have been assured on three subsequent occasions by the Welsh FA, including yesterday, that this was the case.
5. That the Welsh FA have cashed the presented cheques for the applications indicating that the applications had been accepted.
6. Newport County have made attempts to speak to both Welsh FA Chief Executive Jonathan Forde and Commercial & Marketing Manager Ian Davies today - we were informed that they were not available.
We will keep you fully informed of all conversations once the Welsh FA have replied, but if you wish to progress the situation personally can we suggest :
1. Call the Welsh FA on 029 2043 5830 to clarify the situation.
2. Jonathan Forde is Dave Brookes' guest on the Real Radio Sports phone in tonight [ 8th March ] for an hour 6 - 7 ( 0845 1052106). He may well be able to clarify the situation whilst on air.
Please do not call the club office at present. The volunteers who worked so hard on behalf of the club and the Welsh FA to sell and co-ordinate these ticket sales have no more information than listed above and we will publish more information as soon as we have it.
Chris Blight
Newport County Chairman
------------------------------------------------
Newport County AFC have become exceptionally good at regularly communicating with their fans (I am one myself) it's such a pity that the Welsh FA is not that good at it, not to mention other things...
------------------------------------
STATEMENT FROM NEWPORT COUNTY AFC (ISSUED 8th March 2011)
In the last 24 hours there have been some disturbing developments with regard to our tickets for the Wales v England.
Yesterday morning Phil Morgan confirmed for the fourth time with the ticket office at the Welsh FA that out tickets had been allocated and were en route. When the post arrived mid morning there was a letter from the Welsh FA, dated 3rd March, stating that due to an administration error we were to be allocated NO tickets for the match. Phil rang back straight away to be told that their ticket office had been repeatedly looking at the wrong database and that we were to be allocated no tickets.
To clarify :
1. Newport County were assured at the beginning and on multiple occasions during the process that there were no issues with the number of tickets required.
2. Newport County contacted the Welsh FA prior to the 1st closing date of 31st January to arrange delivery of applications and monies in person. We were told that the date had been extended to the 18th February. We asked if the currently held applications had to be submitted and were told no, to collate them all together prior to the 18th as there were plenty of tickets and we were guaranteed our allocation.
3. Newport County delivered our ticket application and monies in person to the Welsh FA prior to that closing date and were assured that we would be given the full allocation.
4. Various personnel at Newport County have been assured on three subsequent occasions by the Welsh FA, including yesterday, that this was the case.
5. That the Welsh FA have cashed the presented cheques for the applications indicating that the applications had been accepted.
6. Newport County have made attempts to speak to both Welsh FA Chief Executive Jonathan Forde and Commercial & Marketing Manager Ian Davies today - we were informed that they were not available.
We will keep you fully informed of all conversations once the Welsh FA have replied, but if you wish to progress the situation personally can we suggest :
1. Call the Welsh FA on 029 2043 5830 to clarify the situation.
2. Jonathan Forde is Dave Brookes' guest on the Real Radio Sports phone in tonight [ 8th March ] for an hour 6 - 7 ( 0845 1052106). He may well be able to clarify the situation whilst on air.
Please do not call the club office at present. The volunteers who worked so hard on behalf of the club and the Welsh FA to sell and co-ordinate these ticket sales have no more information than listed above and we will publish more information as soon as we have it.
Chris Blight
Newport County Chairman
------------------------------------------------
Newport County AFC have become exceptionally good at regularly communicating with their fans (I am one myself) it's such a pity that the Welsh FA is not that good at it, not to mention other things...
Monday, 7 March 2011
THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER!
The three London based parties had a pretty poor record in the old parliament when it came to standing up for Wales. Things did not get off to a good start in this still relatively new parliament either - especially when the new Con Dem Government refused to either commit to or provide a timetable to develop a high speed rail link to Swansea - sorry make that Cardiff.
Originally New Labour only proposed to electrify and improve the rail line as far as Bristol, and only after the intervention of the Plaid driven One Wales Government and Ieuan Wyn Jones did they reluctantly agree to propose to electrify the line as far as Swansea.
In the long months that followed the emergence of the ConDem Government in Westminster, they were just a tad evasive when it comes to committing to the extending the electrification programme into Wales. And we are seriously expected to believe that Wales is a ConDem, let alone a Labour priority – I think not.
Now of course now it's not just the Swansea - London railway line that needs electrification, there are plenty of other more local lines including the North Wales Coast line and the Valley lines where the National Assembly can make a real difference to transport links and people’s lives. We should also not forget the Severn Tunnel diversionary line, which lies entirely outside of Wales, but, is particularly important.
So why is the Severn Tunnel diversion route important you may well ask? I mention it because, the proposed multi-million pound upgrade and electrification of the rail line between London and Cardiff, which if it goes ahead should be completed by 2017 and which should cut 20 minutes off the existing journey times, but this would only fix only part of the problem.
It's pretty simple really, when the Severn Tunnel is closed for maintenance rail traffic from South Wales is diverted via a single-track 12-mile section of line between Swindon and Kemble in Gloucestershire. Any plans to upgrade this section to double track as it is the only diversionary route between Wales and London were conspicuous by their absence from Network Rail’s plans in 2008/2009.
Talk to (or listen to) anyone who works the rails (or anyone who has relatives who work on the rails) in the south and they will tell you that the aging Severn Tunnel is going to require more maintenance as time passes, yet it remains a vital transport link, but it ranks pretty low on Network Rails list of priorities.
Interestingly enough back in November 2008 when Gordon Brown was running the shop, the Office of Rail Regulation’s settlement for Network Rail allocated some £26 billion pounds some 2.4 billion less than requested. This has forced Network Rail to drop a number of projects - if you think this was a short sighted decision just wait until the ConDem cuts really kick in!
Anyway, you may have worked out by now that one of the project that was dropped was a plan to restore the 12 miles of single track to double from Kemble to Swindon, at the moment the reduced capacity of this line adds an hour to passenger journeys as trains to and from Wales have to wait for services coming in the opposite direction, and lets not forget any impact on rail freight movements.
This is a vital link between Wales and London (and Europe) and is the only alternative to using the Severn Tunnel. In the event of a major accident or incident in the tunnel, perhaps a crash, a fire or even flooding, then we need a fully operational alternative so that passenger and freight services to London are not affected.
It is pretty essential that re-doubling work on the line, which would allow at least an hourly service, is carried out as quickly as possible. While the upgrade and electrification programme is under way on the mainline, its only common sense to electrify the line all the way from Severn Tunnel Junction through to Swindon as well.
So at the moment Wales is one of the few counties in Europe, save for Albania and Moldova to have no electrified rail-lines, this is one exclusive club we do not need to be a member of. While the Con Dems have finally committed to electrification of the railway lines from Cardiff to London, admittedly with about as much grace as someone having wisdom teeth extracted, they have finally done so.
Having got this far we now need a concrete commitment to a timetable as to when the job will get actually gets done. Personally I would also ask them to start the work from the Cardiff end of the line. When it comes to electrified railways it used to be a case of literally for Wales see England - and that was never acceptable! However, as was once said, things can only get better !
Originally New Labour only proposed to electrify and improve the rail line as far as Bristol, and only after the intervention of the Plaid driven One Wales Government and Ieuan Wyn Jones did they reluctantly agree to propose to electrify the line as far as Swansea.
In the long months that followed the emergence of the ConDem Government in Westminster, they were just a tad evasive when it comes to committing to the extending the electrification programme into Wales. And we are seriously expected to believe that Wales is a ConDem, let alone a Labour priority – I think not.
Now of course now it's not just the Swansea - London railway line that needs electrification, there are plenty of other more local lines including the North Wales Coast line and the Valley lines where the National Assembly can make a real difference to transport links and people’s lives. We should also not forget the Severn Tunnel diversionary line, which lies entirely outside of Wales, but, is particularly important.
So why is the Severn Tunnel diversion route important you may well ask? I mention it because, the proposed multi-million pound upgrade and electrification of the rail line between London and Cardiff, which if it goes ahead should be completed by 2017 and which should cut 20 minutes off the existing journey times, but this would only fix only part of the problem.
It's pretty simple really, when the Severn Tunnel is closed for maintenance rail traffic from South Wales is diverted via a single-track 12-mile section of line between Swindon and Kemble in Gloucestershire. Any plans to upgrade this section to double track as it is the only diversionary route between Wales and London were conspicuous by their absence from Network Rail’s plans in 2008/2009.
Talk to (or listen to) anyone who works the rails (or anyone who has relatives who work on the rails) in the south and they will tell you that the aging Severn Tunnel is going to require more maintenance as time passes, yet it remains a vital transport link, but it ranks pretty low on Network Rails list of priorities.
Interestingly enough back in November 2008 when Gordon Brown was running the shop, the Office of Rail Regulation’s settlement for Network Rail allocated some £26 billion pounds some 2.4 billion less than requested. This has forced Network Rail to drop a number of projects - if you think this was a short sighted decision just wait until the ConDem cuts really kick in!
Anyway, you may have worked out by now that one of the project that was dropped was a plan to restore the 12 miles of single track to double from Kemble to Swindon, at the moment the reduced capacity of this line adds an hour to passenger journeys as trains to and from Wales have to wait for services coming in the opposite direction, and lets not forget any impact on rail freight movements.
This is a vital link between Wales and London (and Europe) and is the only alternative to using the Severn Tunnel. In the event of a major accident or incident in the tunnel, perhaps a crash, a fire or even flooding, then we need a fully operational alternative so that passenger and freight services to London are not affected.
It is pretty essential that re-doubling work on the line, which would allow at least an hourly service, is carried out as quickly as possible. While the upgrade and electrification programme is under way on the mainline, its only common sense to electrify the line all the way from Severn Tunnel Junction through to Swindon as well.
So at the moment Wales is one of the few counties in Europe, save for Albania and Moldova to have no electrified rail-lines, this is one exclusive club we do not need to be a member of. While the Con Dems have finally committed to electrification of the railway lines from Cardiff to London, admittedly with about as much grace as someone having wisdom teeth extracted, they have finally done so.
Having got this far we now need a concrete commitment to a timetable as to when the job will get actually gets done. Personally I would also ask them to start the work from the Cardiff end of the line. When it comes to electrified railways it used to be a case of literally for Wales see England - and that was never acceptable! However, as was once said, things can only get better !
Sunday, 6 March 2011
THE COMPANY THAT YOU KEEP...
 |
| Gaddafi and friend |
How times change barely a few weeks ago the Libyan leaders son, Saif al-Islam, was busy socialising with the creme de la creme of British society, now his former friends and business associates in the west are scuttling for the shadows and are deeply embarrassed, and no doubt will soon never even admit ever spending time with the Libyans. If you take this to its logical extent then questions need to be asked about the relationship between educational institutions (and Government) and funds from brutal, despotic and undemocratic regimes (i.e. Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Peoples Republic of China, Iran, etc). There are a few University's here in Wales that had been the recipient of donations form particularly unsavoury regimes...
Thursday, 3 March 2011
ECONOMIC REALITY AND VERBAL ASPIRATION
When it comes to economic development and regeneration providing the best conditions to enable our communities to grow and flourish, a sound planning policy is a key component. We should favour local small to medium sized enterprises and need to have much better thought out and far more consistent planning policies for in, out and edge of town retail developments, before our communities are damaged beyond repair.
Our Local Authorities have been too often tempted as developers offer includes, sweeteners and inducements to ease the passage of proposed developments. They may be advised of the financial consequences of planning applications being taken to appeal if permission is refused - so much for local democracy! Local Authorities periodically fail to have adequately researched retailing policies within their development plans. If retailing needs have not been assessed then it’s difficult to amend or refuse any potentially damaging planning applications from developers, then local small businesses and consumers pay the price.
Despite the talk (or lip service) about improving the vitality and viability of our town centres, many retail developments have consistently undermined this aim, many local authorities have turned a blind eye to the economic and social consequences of out of town or edge of town retail developments. The economic reality has fallen well short of the verbal aspiration, just look at the damage that has been done to Abergavenny, Chepstow and Monmouth within Monmouthshire and elsewhere in Wales.
How can local regeneration schemes work, when the once thriving commercial heart of our high streets has already been seriously damaged by an inability to compete on level terms with the increasingly aggressive tactics of supermarkets and retail chains who are chasing an ever larger market share. More than ever, our planners need to think about the long term economic consequences of planning decisions, to take the longer term view, rather than get fixated on short term financial gains and questionable inducements from developers.
You may have noticed that regeneration comes and goes in phases, in any particular community or town regeneration schemes will have cleaned areas up, built in cycle routes, created transport plans, pedestrianised streets, reopened them to traffic, re-pedestrianised them and made certain streets shared space with both cars and pedestrians (this is not as crazy as it sounds, and actually works) and so on.
We have restricted parking, created parking and removed parking, made it free and charged for it, created bus lanes, removed bus lanes and varied the hours when bus lanes can operate, etc - now this is all well and good and may reflect the latest trend in regeneration and development, but has it made the places where we live, work and shop any better? Has the regeneration process or scheme increased or generated wealth in our communities or provided people opportunities to get jobs, to go into business for themselves or generate wealth?
Regeneration is that often perceived (and sometimes it is) as being driven from the top down i.e. by elected bodies as a process that merely consults after the plans have been drawn up rather than before, during and after - any process run this way runs the risk of becoming deeply flawed. Our communities, towns and cities have over the years has been the recipient of much grant aid, development and redevelopment schemes and initiatives - how can we measure success?
Measuring a regeneration schemes success should be a key factor in the regeneration process. This is the question that needs to be asked - after the cement and the paint has dried, after the regeneration professionals have moved on - have the various schemes made a difference, I mean beyond any immediate physical improvements to the environment, have they made a real difference when it comes to wealth generation in the area affected by the regeneration scheme? If the end result is in reality a makeover, and the targeted community is no better off, save for being bereft of the 'regeneration funds' that have been effectively siphoned off by professional regeneration companies - is this success?
We need to think beyond the tick box list of the regeneration schemes managers? One key component that is often ignored or marginalised is the communities greatest resource - its people. So rather than regeneration and redevelopment professionals moving in and engaging in a token consultation process they should directly talk to and engage with local people and actually find out what they would like to be done, what they actually want for their community and their town.
Regeneration schemes and projects should be directed from the bottom up rather than the top down model that we often seem to pursue. When spending public money, then work it hard and squeeze out every possible benefit and maximise the impact locally of the regeneration process and build local benefits into the tendering process - whether by employing local people, using local resources, local skills and local input. If you are reusing or renovating old buildings then any regeneration scheme needs to ensure that old buildings can make a living after the regeneration scheme is finished.
If we do this rather than merely making a token gesture towards public consultation then any regeneration schemes will, with hard work really begin to deliver tangible benefits to our communities. After all regeneration should be a process rather than an event.
Our Local Authorities have been too often tempted as developers offer includes, sweeteners and inducements to ease the passage of proposed developments. They may be advised of the financial consequences of planning applications being taken to appeal if permission is refused - so much for local democracy! Local Authorities periodically fail to have adequately researched retailing policies within their development plans. If retailing needs have not been assessed then it’s difficult to amend or refuse any potentially damaging planning applications from developers, then local small businesses and consumers pay the price.
Despite the talk (or lip service) about improving the vitality and viability of our town centres, many retail developments have consistently undermined this aim, many local authorities have turned a blind eye to the economic and social consequences of out of town or edge of town retail developments. The economic reality has fallen well short of the verbal aspiration, just look at the damage that has been done to Abergavenny, Chepstow and Monmouth within Monmouthshire and elsewhere in Wales.
How can local regeneration schemes work, when the once thriving commercial heart of our high streets has already been seriously damaged by an inability to compete on level terms with the increasingly aggressive tactics of supermarkets and retail chains who are chasing an ever larger market share. More than ever, our planners need to think about the long term economic consequences of planning decisions, to take the longer term view, rather than get fixated on short term financial gains and questionable inducements from developers.
You may have noticed that regeneration comes and goes in phases, in any particular community or town regeneration schemes will have cleaned areas up, built in cycle routes, created transport plans, pedestrianised streets, reopened them to traffic, re-pedestrianised them and made certain streets shared space with both cars and pedestrians (this is not as crazy as it sounds, and actually works) and so on.
We have restricted parking, created parking and removed parking, made it free and charged for it, created bus lanes, removed bus lanes and varied the hours when bus lanes can operate, etc - now this is all well and good and may reflect the latest trend in regeneration and development, but has it made the places where we live, work and shop any better? Has the regeneration process or scheme increased or generated wealth in our communities or provided people opportunities to get jobs, to go into business for themselves or generate wealth?
Regeneration is that often perceived (and sometimes it is) as being driven from the top down i.e. by elected bodies as a process that merely consults after the plans have been drawn up rather than before, during and after - any process run this way runs the risk of becoming deeply flawed. Our communities, towns and cities have over the years has been the recipient of much grant aid, development and redevelopment schemes and initiatives - how can we measure success?
Measuring a regeneration schemes success should be a key factor in the regeneration process. This is the question that needs to be asked - after the cement and the paint has dried, after the regeneration professionals have moved on - have the various schemes made a difference, I mean beyond any immediate physical improvements to the environment, have they made a real difference when it comes to wealth generation in the area affected by the regeneration scheme? If the end result is in reality a makeover, and the targeted community is no better off, save for being bereft of the 'regeneration funds' that have been effectively siphoned off by professional regeneration companies - is this success?
We need to think beyond the tick box list of the regeneration schemes managers? One key component that is often ignored or marginalised is the communities greatest resource - its people. So rather than regeneration and redevelopment professionals moving in and engaging in a token consultation process they should directly talk to and engage with local people and actually find out what they would like to be done, what they actually want for their community and their town.
Regeneration schemes and projects should be directed from the bottom up rather than the top down model that we often seem to pursue. When spending public money, then work it hard and squeeze out every possible benefit and maximise the impact locally of the regeneration process and build local benefits into the tendering process - whether by employing local people, using local resources, local skills and local input. If you are reusing or renovating old buildings then any regeneration scheme needs to ensure that old buildings can make a living after the regeneration scheme is finished.
If we do this rather than merely making a token gesture towards public consultation then any regeneration schemes will, with hard work really begin to deliver tangible benefits to our communities. After all regeneration should be a process rather than an event.
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
NO FLY?
David Cameron, the Con Dem PM, says that Britain is working with its allies on a plan to establish a military no-fly zone over Libya, because of the threat of "further appalling steps" being taken by Col Muammar Gaddafi to oppress his own people. This seems a sensible solution (but for historical reasons without US involvement if possible), which is one step away from having to put boots on the ground and direct military intervention.
Perhaps Western leaders may have finally learned the lesson that its relatively easy to commit troops on the ground, but, a much more difficult and often costly in human terms to get them back out again. By way of coincidence Cameron's predecessor Conservative PM John Major went along with the establishment of 'No
Fly' zones in Iraq in 1990 / 1991.
Lets hope that this solution is decidedly more effective than the farcical and selectively effective 'no fly zones' that were established to protect the Kurds and the Marsh Arabs from Saddam. This time lets make sure that ground attack helicopters are covered by the 'no fly' rules - they weren't last time. At least for the Libyans (unlike the Kurds) they will not be periodically subjected to ground attack by Turkish planes operating from the same airfields as the NATO aircraft that were protecting the Kurds from Iraqi attacks.
Heaven forbid that the Libyan crisis drags on and Gaddafi ends up clinging to power (in and around Tripoli) for that will mean that there will be an arms embargo which would harm any prospects of an outright opposition success as with Bosnia. I mean like Gaddafi does not have enough stock piled already, no doubt previously sold to him at cost by British Arms dealers (under New Labour and the Con Dems)...oops...
Perhaps Western leaders may have finally learned the lesson that its relatively easy to commit troops on the ground, but, a much more difficult and often costly in human terms to get them back out again. By way of coincidence Cameron's predecessor Conservative PM John Major went along with the establishment of 'No
Fly' zones in Iraq in 1990 / 1991.
Lets hope that this solution is decidedly more effective than the farcical and selectively effective 'no fly zones' that were established to protect the Kurds and the Marsh Arabs from Saddam. This time lets make sure that ground attack helicopters are covered by the 'no fly' rules - they weren't last time. At least for the Libyans (unlike the Kurds) they will not be periodically subjected to ground attack by Turkish planes operating from the same airfields as the NATO aircraft that were protecting the Kurds from Iraqi attacks.
Heaven forbid that the Libyan crisis drags on and Gaddafi ends up clinging to power (in and around Tripoli) for that will mean that there will be an arms embargo which would harm any prospects of an outright opposition success as with Bosnia. I mean like Gaddafi does not have enough stock piled already, no doubt previously sold to him at cost by British Arms dealers (under New Labour and the Con Dems)...oops...
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