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Thread: NWDA the enemy of Liverpool

  1. #76
    Senior Member Howie's Avatar
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    Conservative shadow minister Chris Grayling hits out at North West Development Agency NWDA
    Sep 18 2009
    by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post



    SHADOW Minister for Merseyside Chris Grayling last night attacked the Northwest Development Agency, claiming it often made ?cack-handed? decisions.

    He said it was a ?barking? decision by the NWDA to support the building of a computer games centre in Salford, as Liverpool was the leader in this field.

    He told business leaders that he would like to see the regional development agencies replaced with local economic partnerships that could make better decisions.

    Mr Grayling, who is also shadow Home Secretary, said he believes the Tories could work well with a Labour council in Liverpool.

    He said both sides had grown up since the Conservatives clashed with Liverpool Council in the 1980s and 90s.

    Liverpool Council is currently controlled by the Liberal Democrats, but could fall into the hands of Labour after May?s local elections as the ruling party currently has a majority of one seat.

    The Conservatives, meanwhile, are widely expected to win the next general election. Mr Grayling also said he was unapologetic about comparing Speke with the crime-ridden USA murder capital Baltimore, as depicted in cult TV show, The Wire.

    Last night, NWDA chief executive Steve Broomhead said no decision had yet been made about a gaming centre of excellence in Salford and that it was just speculation.



    ?As far as we are concerned it is business as usual, we are working hard to get this region back into economic growth and we do seem to be making a contribution.?

    Mr Grayling told business leaders how the NWDA needed to be replaced with local economic partnerships.

    ?I think it was barking to want to put the computer centre of excellence in Salford and not Liverpool.

    ?It should be Liverpool because all the expertise is here.

    ?Who on earth paid the consultants to come up with that one??


    He also said decisions were often made in a ?cack-handed? way by the development agency. He went on to say the Conservatives could work with a Labour council and praised Labour leader Cllr Joe Anderson.

    ?I like Joe, I talk to him from time to time. He?s a decent guy. We don?t agree on everything, but it does not mean we can?t work together in the interests of Merseyside.

    ?I do not see why we can?t have a perfectly constructive relationship with a Labour council in Liverpool.

    In relation to The Wire, he said: ?It is factually the case that there are a number of communities around the country which have levels of crime that are at the top of the league tables, and there?s a clear pattern that sees crime at its worst in the poorest areas.?

    Source: Liverpool Daily Post
    Last edited by Howie; 09-18-2009 at 09:38 AM.

  2. #77
    Senior Member petromax's Avatar
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    You have to say Manchester has done very well out of having a council of the same colour as the government.

    The NWDA is the head agency for regeneration in the region. If you read the NWDA recently published strategy document (as Chris Grayling clearly has) you can see that their plans for Manchester are for it to be a quote: 'world class city' and for Liverpool to be supplementary (only) to Manchester's leadership in the region. Does anyone here want this?

    In case anyone has any doubt as to the bias of the NWDA, the chairman is Sir Richard Reese, also leader of Manchester city council. QED!

    On this basis alone, I for one would be happy to see the back of the NWDA and decisions about Liverpool made in Liverpool.

  3. #78
    Senior Member Waterways's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by petromax View Post
    You have to say Manchester has done very well out of having a council of the same colour as the government.

    The NWDA is the head agency for regeneration in the region. If you read the NWDA recently published strategy document (as Chris Grayling clearly has) you can see that their plans for Manchester are for it to be a quote: 'world class city' and for Liverpool to be supplementary (only) to Manchester's leadership in the region. Does anyone here want this?

    In case anyone has any doubt as to the bias of the NWDA, the chairman is Sir Richard Reese, also leader of Manchester city council. QED!

    On this basis alone, I for one would be happy to see the back of the NWDA and decisions about Liverpool made in Liverpool.
    Manchester did well by being well organised. Being the same political colour helps by the fact you know many of the government people.

    The Liverpool Council and MPs should have shouted from the heaven about the NWDA. If they did the situation would be different. The blame is mainly in Liverpool.

    HSBC projected that Liverpool would be one of 5 UK super-cities. Liverpool can use that as leverage for any bias towards Manchester. At this rate Liverpool will end up a village.

    The local politicos should ignore the NWDA.

    Liverpool does not have much of a clue to project the city. The CofC has been forgotten, now they have to produce tangible results. Why aren't they all screaming for a Merseyrail/Manchester/London line station at the airport? The likes of Manchester laughs at Liverpool when they see the council turn down the world-class Brunswick Quay Tower. NO provincial city would be so crass as to do such a thing.

    That Tory goon was right that a Labour Council would be better, which he seems to be implying. He is from Bucks and represents Epsom in Surrey. What is he after? Manchester is a great success and most of the country thinks so. He is trying to discredit Manchester because they are Labour and a Labour success story? Me thinks so. No Tory lauds Liverpool unless there is an ulterior motive.

    BTW, the Tories are not definitely going to get in next time. A long way to go until the election. The upturn is here and the government is getting world-wide credit for putting in the rescue plan.
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  4. #79
    Senior Member petromax's Avatar
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    I think the Conservatives will get in next time.

    There is a well-orchestrated media campaign plus no government has EVER regained power from such a poor position in the polls and no government has EVER retained power after going the full term (and there's only 9 months to go). Even if we are out of the dwang by next June, everyone but the government will take the credit. More like there will be an election in March - as near to the end as makes no difference.

    As to city projection - if you haven't the new business prospectus for the city produced by Liverpool Vision, have a look at:



    Unfortunately our local council can't ignore the NWDA as their control (what's left of) the public purse strings, so it's up to more Euro finance (but we've had so much already) or the private sector, ie. the banks - good luck!

    No doubt the 'tory goon' has been given a job to do ie. get more votes in Liverpool, but there's nothing wrong with that if he makes a lot of sense about advancing the city.

    Everyone looks after their own and we should learn from Manchester and have the same council as the government (just look at what Harold Wilson did for Huyton) but even Chris Grayling accepted that that wasn't going to happen any time soon in Liverpool.

    The city would do as well to make a friend of this guy. He's going to be in government; he has a role to look after Merseyside and as Home Secretary he will be close to the Prime Minister.

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    Senior Member petromax's Avatar
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  6. #81
    Senior Member Waterways's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by petromax View Post
    I think the Conservatives will get in next time.
    That is an opinion I would not be too sure of.

    There is a well-orchestrated media campaign plus no government has EVER regained power from such a poor position in the polls
    Major did. The worst ever world financial crash we have not experienced either. I would rather Gordon is in charge as they do know how to run the economy. Please do not come back and say Gordon was responsible for a USA created crash.

    As to city projection - if you haven't the new business prospectus for the city produced by Liverpool Vision, have a look at:



    Unfortunately our local council can't ignore the NWDA as their control (what's left of) the public purse strings, so it's up to more Euro finance (but we've had so much already) or the private sector, ie. the banks - good luck!

    No doubt the 'tory goon' has been given a job to do ie. get more votes in Liverpool, but there's nothing wrong with that if he makes a lot of sense about advancing the city.
    I sense an ulterior motive. They care only about the south. Draw a line from Bristol to the Wash. If those below vote for you then you are in. That is Tory strategy. We do not matter, we were written off years ago by them. Voting Tory in Liverpool is giving them the bullets to shoot you with. Then there is the Eton/Harrow/Oxbridge ruling class garbage about the party - most of the shadow cabinet went to Eton (an old school buddies place). The sort of thing seen in banana republics.

    The city would do as well to make a friend of this guy. He's going to be in government;
    In your opinion. I differ, as the record of this government is excellent.

    he has a role to look after Merseyside and as Home Secretary he will be close to the Prime Minister.
    If the Tories get in we will get the scraps as usual. You go on about the council having to be the same colour as Westminster. I don't go along with that. The council and MPs should have united to push Liverpool. They never. The problem was in Liverpool, not Manchester.

    Liverpool can highlight the bias of the NWDA and tell Westminster they will ignore it, shouting loud as they do so. No non-Tory government likes a rebellious Liverpool, so they may do something.
    Last edited by Waterways; 09-24-2009 at 10:33 AM.
    The new Amsterdam at Liverpool?
    Save Liverpool Docks and Waterways - Click

    Deprived of its unique dockland waters Liverpool
    becomes a Venice without canals, just another city, no
    longer of special interest to anyone, least of all the
    tourist. Would we visit a modernised Venice of filled in
    canals to view its modern museum describing
    how it once was?


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  7. #82
    Senior Member petromax's Avatar
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    You misunderstand. I'm not all together happy with the Conservatives getting in - it's just that they will, and we should make the best of it instead of standing on principle (and standing alone and eating scraps).

    I agree that Gordon Brown would make much the better Chancellor but not PM. I say he is also way better than 'lightweight' Cameron would be at running the country; but he is demonstrably cr*p at running a political party that can fight off the opposition ie., he is just not a good Prime Minister.

    The figures are worse than were Major's and nobody else from the Labour Party is going to take Brown's place just now; just in time for a good kicking at a General Election. How many volunteers are there? - about none I think. He missed his chance three months after he got in - that's when he should have called an election but ever the ditherer...

    So we should grow up, buddy up and be clever; make a positive out of a negative rather than take our ball home 'cos we don't like the referee.

  8. #83
    Senior Member Waterways's Avatar
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    NWDA plans are to have Manchester airport as the North West regions airport and do all to promote it. It is in the bottom right hand corner of the North West region, unlike Liverpool which is more central. Manchester airport station has more long distance routes than Liverpool's Lime St. Outside of the North West Liverpool only has FOUR long distance routes. A disgrace. Manchester airport trains are empty most of the time. Liverpool has no direct rail link with adjacent North Wales. Something the Welsh want rectified.

    Passenger figures for Liverpool & Manchester airports:

    • Dec 2009 stats L'pool 358,000, Man 1,086,000. (approx ratio 1:3 to MAN)
    • Dec 2004 stats L'pool 244,000. Man 1,330,000. (approx ratio 1:5.5 to MAN)
    • Dec 1999 stats L'pool 124,000. Man 938,000. (approx ratio 1:7.5 to MAN)

    It is closing all the time. In 10 years from 7 to 1 to 3 to 1. Matters have changed dramatically. This indicates the need for a cheap Merseyrail airport extension from Halewood station across fields to the airport, with only one bridge constructed. Trains running into the airport from Manchester and Warrington will close that passenger gap. I think it will increase business in both airports and not steal from Manchester. The airport station is now essential for the future of the city. It will provide growth and jobs. The terminal is now 25 years old. A new terminal is in order with a station under the terminal, as in Manchester and Gatwick.

    If the airport station is built, trains from the Wirral can access the airport "directly" using the stock interchange tunnel from James St to Central. The old 1800s original tunnel is still there and used for shunting. That means a train from West Kirkby, or any Merseyrail Wirral terminal, even Chester, can go directly to the airport.

    Wrexham and Chester were on about getting the Halton Curve uprated to get direct trains from North Wales to the airport via Runcorn - uprating the curve is a relatively cheap undertaking - the curve is there and used, it just needs uprating. Again, a great boost the local economy. The line could also continue to Lime St.

    This overt bias to Manchester, which despite vast investment, is not really working as lowly Liverpool's John Lennon, without a direct rail station, has come right up with people preferring its more central location over Manchester. We need NWDA funds to assist in a Merseyrail airport station extension. This will assist in promoting Wirral and Liverpool Waters.
    The new Amsterdam at Liverpool?
    Save Liverpool Docks and Waterways - Click

    Deprived of its unique dockland waters Liverpool
    becomes a Venice without canals, just another city, no
    longer of special interest to anyone, least of all the
    tourist. Would we visit a modernised Venice of filled in
    canals to view its modern museum describing
    how it once was?


    Giving Liverpool a full Metro - CLICK
    Rapid-transit rail: Everton, Liverpool & Arena - CLICK

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