Comment posted Council suspends Helensburgh CHORD Colquhoun Square redesign by PBP.
Great start for the new administration and James Robb in particular. The previous proposal for Colquhoun Square was horrendous and would have made the place look like a deserted runway for much of the time. It was also a recipe for traffic and transport chaos.
Good luck with the informal consultation. What is needed is a smartening up of what currently exists, most especially the awful and highly dangerous roads and pavements. Do keep the Comet lamps, but some of them need refurbished.
When you have finished all that, make daytime enforcement of the parking regulations in lower John Street a priority.
Recent comments by PBP
- Auchindrain in crisis: facing paying off its two permanent staff
Should we be looking to Councillor Louise Glen-Lee, enthusiastic promoter of the new Argyll Arts Culture and Heritage Assembly, to have a word with some of her colleagues? They could produce an excellent start to this worthy appeal. - Proposed posts for proposed new council coalition administration
Heaven help us — Mars Mulvaney is back. Just typical he did not keep his fellow Tories in the loop.Surely his first job, especially in the light of the utter chaos in the town centre because of the start of the CHORD project works, is to clear up the parking problems in John Street between West Clyde Street and West Princes Street.
Yes, outside the garage where he works.
- One real issue and some strange arguments against Cove Community Wind Farm
Tripe indeed. What makes you think Rosneath, the Gareloch, Cove and Kilcreggan are industrialised landscapes? They all fall into the scenic landscapes and seascapes that you and we all want to protect.We fought off oil rig construction at Portkil. This would be even more obtrusive to far more people and areas, and all for economic benefits which generally are heavily weighted in favour of the commercial interests involved in construction and running of windfarms.
And of course a certain Mr Salmond likes wind farms.
- BID4OBAN to target empty shops
Helensburgh has the same problem, and already this month three more shops have announced closure — all blaming the Council’s business rates.But to my mind the problem is parking. We will not the footfall until Council car parks are free, as in Dumbarton and, I believe, a certain Lochgilphead.
- PS Comet Bicentenary for Helensburgh and Port Glasgow
The link to the Comet website still does not work.
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Ah, yes, the money. Someone told me that the money was in fact a PFI style loan. Is there any truth to that?
And yes, another delay in a town that does nothing to delay, but you can only do CHORD once and it’s important that it’s done right, and concerned with more than appearances.
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Stephen, I can confirm that there is no PFI relating to the CHORD project. The funding is the same as any other capital project and the Council will have to borrow the money and repay it over the next 25 years.
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Councillor George Freeman: do you not mean The council will borrow the money and the tax payer will pay it back
Governments and councils have no money except that gifted by the tax payer when will you people learn this? maybe if you did you might act responsibly with our money
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I think you are maybe being a bit too critical regarding George’s use of words there (i.e. Council rather than taxpayer). In all my years working in and around councils I can say with some assurance that most, not all I will grant you, councillors are fully aware that they are charged with spending public money and they do take that responsibility seriously (and I should add that I include members of the current and former A&B administration in this).
I think sometimes some councillors are not financially savvy enough to properly understand the implications of some decisions, especially when it comes to complex capital schemes and the long term impact of servicing debt however this is where Council officers need to provide good, and clear, advice.
Specifically with reference to George (and James Robb) they are certainly councillors who need little advice when it comes to understanding the revenue streams of the Council and the financial aspects of policy decisions.
Regarding the main story I am delighted to see there is going to be an opportunity for a rethink. The previous scheme was a bit of a monstrosity and, in my opinion, would not have been money well spent.
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Integrity? Not in the CondemAll
In the world of contracts “words” are very important
Thanks for your reply, perhaps A&B council is not as bad as some English councils but time will tell. It will take time to learn about all the players within our new council, but I am sure the journey will be enjoyable
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Let’s hope that the splendid Comet Lamp Standards will be kept where they were designed to be.. It would be an insult to Billie Petrie to see them removed as soon as he retired from the Council.
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Thanks, George. Glad to see there’s no PFI involved.
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Great start for the new administration and James Robb in particular. The previous proposal for Colquhoun Square was horrendous and would have made the place look like a deserted runway for much of the time. It was also a recipe for traffic and transport chaos.
Good luck with the informal consultation. What is needed is a smartening up of what currently exists, most especially the awful and highly dangerous roads and pavements. Do keep the Comet lamps, but some of them need refurbished.
When you have finished all that, make daytime enforcement of the parking regulations in lower John Street a priority.
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Glad to hear about this completely idiotic plan being chucked in the same bin as the school close proposals.
That bin must be quite full now
Yes, keep the comet lights – its little touches of character like this that make the place somewhere people would want to be. Other than that, a general spruce up, more and better seating and making the place more open and welcoming.
Perhaps a special zone for stalls and the Farmer’s Market etc for when they are there and bring back Helensburgh’s Artisan feel.
Just a few ideas, but well done to the new administration – so far, a LISTENING administration!
Have a nice day everyone, don’t get too crispy!
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Let’s hope one of the options is ‘keep it simple’. Leave the green where it is but pedestrianise the Square – except for local busses. Pave all the existing roads and pavements to match the South side as closely as possible; install plenty of benches ∧ discreet litter bins and provide two really attractive bus shelters. Refurbish the Comet lamps (they are being rewired anyway)…. and remember to allocate a budget for maintenance and keeping it all spick & span.
As for the rest of the CHORD scheme – a waste of public money and a recipe for traffic congestion – particularly as and when the pier head is developed. Leave the money in the bank until it’s needed for proper sea defences and a promenade that’s not washed away each winter.
Finally – having fought for this second bite at the consultation cherry and voted in a democratic administration, let’s hope the citizens turn out in numbers and register their opinions.
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Well, actually, buses are a case in point. We have an opportunity to move the main bus stops to outside the station, to create what’s known in other places as a bus station, and fix the slightly unsafe “wrong way” taxi rank there. It’s this kind of detail that the CHORD plan didn’t seem to consider at all.
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For Keith McMillan: I thought that it would be fairly clear to everyone that, as has been the case for many years, any capital funding borrowed by any local authority (or by the Scottish Government / Westminster Government etc) has to be paid back via income from taxation. That is the norm in a democratic society.
As is the case with Argyll & Bute and other local authorities, this is paid back from income received from central Government (80%) and from local taxation (20%).
You need to learn that money is not gifted by the tax payer to Government. If it was, most of us would withhold that gift (gift = something that is bestowed voluntarily). I could be pedantic and start to highlight the other sources of income out with taxation generated by local authorities but I do not see the point.
You state that “Governments and councils have no money except that gifted by the tax payer” and ask “when will you people learn this”? As your statement is incorrect, then I do not believe that there is anything for me to learn from it.
Although I am no finacial expert and do not profess to be, I believe that I have a very good knowledge relating to local government finance issues. I am glad to note that Integrity confirms this in his comments above.
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To Councillor George Freeman
I guess you’re just a novice politician or perhaps the rare breed “Honest” politician. Not yet the master of the polimagician magic box of spin (but your answer is a little reminiscent of Duncan MacIntyre response to a different subject)
“Democratic Society” LOL I will leave this subject for today, just in case you are indeed that honest rare breed. (Just a thought I wonder what the democratic society would have chosen for the banks in 2008)
“You need to learn that money is not gifted by the tax payer to Government. If it was, most of us would withhold that gift (gift = something that is bestowed voluntarily)”.
One question for you Councillor Have you ever seen an actual Bill for Council tax or any other tax? I think not
We receive a “notice” to pay! not a Bill. so why do the public pay on just a notice? It’s a gift (Notice =gift = something that is bestowed voluntarily)”. (Perhaps you would like to look up Birkenhead Judge arrested {lawful Rebellion})
As for the Tax Laws or most of our new laws they are Statutes! wonder what the legal definition of a statute is? {Blacks law dictionary is a good place to look}
I think as a libertarian with my “Notice of Intent”, registered with the cabinet office and your Queen. I have a fair understanding of the polimagician created abusive Tax system and the corporate society we are forced to live in.
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