SALFORD STAR MARY BURNS AWARD –
FOR SERVICES TO REGENERATION…
Winner: Salford City Council
Despite tough competition in the Regeneration category from developers Countryside Properties, Miller Homes, Urban Splash, LPC, Peel Holdings et al, Salford Council seriously impressed the judges with one compelling piece of evidence…
The Mary Burns Awards judges analysed all Salford City Council decisions in 2011 relating to `Regeneration and Economic Development'. And found that when Salford Council says `Regeneration and Economic Development' it means two things - for `regeneration' read `demolition of working class areas' and for `Economic Development' read `handouts to big business'…
Of the nine `Regeneration and Economic Development' decisions in 2011, three were about handing £millions to MediaCityUK and co - £8.4million to the Media Enterprise Centre; £520,000 on `welcoming the BBC' and the Manchester International Festival; and a shed load of Council cash on something called the MediaCityUK Capital Programme, which is very secret with all discussions conducted behind closed doors.
A fourth decision related to handing Peel Holdings £15million of public money towards its Port Salford project, and a fifth was about spending £264,000 on a bridge in Spinningfield.
Meanwhile, with regards to the `regeneration' of working class residential areas, two of the decisions were about demolitions – bulldozing the Top Streets of Higher Broughton and the Langworthy Hotel – while a third related to expenditure up to £300,000 on "site preparation works" for Charlestown Riverside Phase 1. This latter decision was taken exactly a year ago and still residents haven't got a clue what's going on in `Charlestown Riverside'…
The only other decision taken under the title `Regeneration and Economic Development' was about establishing a `Combined Authority for Greater Manchester' which takes power out of Salford.
So there you have it. Millions of pounds of local tax payers' cash going to prestige projects, like MediaCityUK, Spinningfields and Port Salford. And demolitions for proper Salford.
Regeneration and Economic Development – isn't it great?
Ladies and Gentlemen, the first of this year's Salford Star Mary Burns Awards goes to…
Salford City Council!
Applause…
If anyone from the Council would like to make a speech please fill in the Comments box below
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