More money down the drain?

teamplayer2 Fri Aug 09, 2013 9:32 am

I see Rochdale Council is wasting money again. There is a plan to spend more than £20,000 to spend on yet more consultants to look at community centres in the town. This after cutting back the money on community centres.

I should think if managers and council officials think this is a wise way to spend our money in Rochdale perhaps the good council tax payers of Rochdale should look at ways to see why the managers and officials cannot do the job the way they suppose to do. I am sure there are people out there who could do this without having to go to consultants.

Why are managers who are supposed to run the town are looking at consultants to do their job?

cyfrifia Fri Aug 09, 2013 11:54 am

Over recent years many councils have repeatedly spent massive amounts on consultancy firms, often with apparently very little useful result. Why do they do that? Is it a way of avoiding responsibility, playing for time, or is there a deeper political idea or arrangement behind it?

Poppyanna555 Fri Aug 09, 2013 12:18 pm

Consultants to look into Community Centres? Yep, more money being wasted, although I wouldn't complain if they made the Castlemere Community Centre their first stop....that place DOES need looking into. affraid

teamplayer2 Fri Aug 09, 2013 4:53 pm

I thought that in the past Poppy. affraid

Guest Fri Aug 09, 2013 11:14 pm

Mmm. These same Consultants have picked up what appears to be a very lucrative contract, Social Enterprise buzz words, with Trafford council.

One local concern could be the re-cycling of the same few faces, over at least the past decade, in promoting one such professed Centre, and their claimed local "initiatives." Perhaps one could be forgiven for thinking it's almost like a permanent clique of associated bods, or families, who dominate - by use and the running of, who 'talk the talk' politico sycophanto, and effectively monopolise a centre's status, year on year on year

IF, say, nepotism did exist, would external consultants even recognise it, know histories, or be prepared to pursue an uncomfortable route that would likely include critique of their own paymasters ? I doubt it, but to look thoroughly may also need some transparent collusion by objective residents.

Yes, there are people out here who can provide good, honest feedback on several community centres.

Another 'too sensitive' Rochdale community issue ?

cyfrifia Fri Aug 09, 2013 11:27 pm

Mojo Hill wrote:
Another 'too sensitive' Rochdale community issue ?

Specially formulated community consultation is now available for all the family with added aloe vera and coconut oil for sensitive areas.

Atlas Mon Aug 12, 2013 12:48 am

Poppyanna555 wrote:Consultants to look into Community Centres? Yep, more money being wasted, although I wouldn't complain if they made the Castlemere Community Centre their first stop....that place DOES need looking into.

Are you saying what I think you are saying????? affraid

Poppyanna555 Mon Aug 12, 2013 12:53 am

Depends what you think i'm saying Atlas.....but probably! Razz

Atlas Tue Aug 13, 2013 12:50 am

And to think it was once such a nice, peaceful and up-market area. So sad -. Sad

Poppyanna555 Tue Aug 13, 2013 12:25 pm

Yes, unfortunately I am old enough to remember that Atlas. Several of my school friends lived in the Deeplish area and were considered 'posh' because of the large properties they lived in around that area.....alas, no more. Mad

teamplayer2 Tue Aug 13, 2013 10:04 pm

I think the council needs to hire consultants to see why they need consultants.

Guest Tue Sep 10, 2013 11:05 pm

New Rochdale Council HQ is worth half what it cost to build

‘ Taxpayers would stand to make a whopping £28.6m loss on Number One Riverside if bosses choose to sell it, figures in the council's accounts have revealed.

The building, off Smith Street, cost a shade over £50m to construct ( without ye 'frills' )

But when it was valued earlier this year, property experts said it would only fetch £22.5m if it was put on the market – a £28.6m difference Shocked

. ………. .......

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk said the value showed the council had not got value for money from the project. He said: “I always said this building was a mistake. It wasn't a priority for the town. ‘

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/new-rochdale-council-hq-worth-5848475

When was it's "official" public opening date scratch

?

Atlas Wed Sep 11, 2013 12:12 am

And the proposed new 'shopping centre/leisure complex' at £150m will be also, if somebody doesn't take these boffoons to task and stop the stupidity. Any bloody fool can spend somebody elses money - it's easy. Rolling Eyes

Chill37 Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:54 am

More money wasted on the Roadshow on re-cycling and the radio station to play at said event.

Evil or Very Mad

cyfrifia Thu Sep 12, 2013 10:28 am

The word 'spendthrift' can be confusing. 'Spend' obviously means to spend, 'thrift' meaning to save, so how does spending money save money? Politicians, under the guidance of economists and bankers, are persuaded that this 'spendthrift' idea works and is described as 'investment'.

However, finance is not an ideal area to experiment with half understood ideas, it depends what the money is spent on, whether the effect is 'investment' or 'spendthrift'.

Chill37 Thu Sep 12, 2013 11:12 am

Erm, so you agree that this roadshow is a pointless waste of our cash?

cyfrifia Thu Sep 12, 2013 2:00 pm

Couldn't say with certainty. I was wondering if perhaps some local politicians may misunderstand the description 'spendthrift', perhaps thinking it is some sort of compliment or approval.

Guest Fri Nov 01, 2013 11:39 pm

The £ Black Holes of 'Delegated Powers' and 'Discretionary Powers' appear to continue unabated in Rochdale Council / Cabinet business: -

Rochdale Council uses its ‘discretionary powers’ for the Town Centre Management’s own additional lease of the ground floor of their Feel Good Café location on Yorkshire Street – rate free. Exclamation

The former business on the ground floor was ‘25 Ten Boutique,’ whose proprietor reported that their rates and rent had been in the region of £75,000 per year.

Rochdale News | News Headlines | Feel Good Cafe expansion greeted with anger - Rochdale Online

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/83434/feel-good-cafe-expansion-greeted-with-anger

B shambles, or what. Mad

Atlas Sat Nov 02, 2013 12:53 am

Yet another example of how inept your council is. This allows this establishment to reduce its prices in order to attract whatever business there is in the vicinity at the expense of other outlets of a similar nature. This in turn makes those businesses less viable and in more danger of folding. It matters not that it provides a service (so do the rest). It matters not that ratepayers can frequent the place and obtain goods at a lesser price when in fact they are already paying for that reduction in higher rates - even £30k or £70k added to the rates income makes a difference. This should be against the competition laws (probably isn't) for it gives added advantage to the proprietors (regardless they are the council).

It shows a complete ignorance or worse still contempt for the ratepayers all round. They should be publicly flogged. It beggars belief. Mad

Guest Sun Nov 03, 2013 12:05 am

Atlas wrote: It shows a complete ignorance or worse still contempt for the ratepayers all round. They should be publicly flogged. It beggars belief.

Atlas: It gets much worse when you consider Rochdale's now well-established tradition of SELF-NOMINATING its Public and Establishment-linked services, and town changes, FOR NATIONAL AWARDS. Ethical ? : -

Rochdale Emporium & The Feel Good Cafe!

This same building/business has very recently been named as one of the top retail destinations in the North of England. Shocked

24 Oct 2013 quote ... ‘ The Rochdale Emporium, a mixture of retail and café space on Yorkshire Street, has won the award for the best North Zone Business and Economy at this year’s Town Alive awards.

Judges of the awards described the Emporium, which currently occupies the second floor of the iconic building, now with a ‘Daily Rochdale’ office on its top floor, as “a new way to use a location as a platform to showcase local business and to develop a real social enterprise involving all users of the town centre.”

“This beautiful building has been saved from becoming yet another charity shop by a Council that showed a vision and passion for the town,” said Debbie Hernon, (oka Debbie O’Brien), Chief Executive of Rochdale Town Centre Management, who helps run the project.

The winners of each zone will now go forward to be considered for the Towns Alive National Awards and Trailblazer Town Award. ‘

Embarassed

The awards scheme was founded to recognise and showcase initiatives that are helping our small market towns to adapt to change and flourish. The Towns Alive National Awards are supported by the Big Lottery Fund

Towns Alive National Awards 2013: http://towns.org.uk/market-town-awards/towns-alive-awards-2013/

If there are no national AWARDS available anywhere to spin plates on, or to use for borough Tick Boxes, the incidents of creating local Awards appears a ready-to-hand alternative - for PR fodder.

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