What does Herefordshire hope to get out of The Marches LEP?

[megilleland]

Local Enterprise Partnerships are locally-owned partnerships between local authorities and businesses. They play a central role in determining local economic priorities and undertaking activities to drive economic growth and the creation of local jobs.

 

Government has provided all LEPs with a notional allocation of funding from the 2014-2020 EU funding programme and asked LEPs to develop strategies to identify how they intend to spend their allocations.

 

Due to the way that the EU classifies areas, the Marches LEP allocation is split between Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin (£67million) and Herefordshire (£23million).

 

Have your say - Consultation launched on Marches SEP

 

The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership has published its draft Strategic Economic Plan, which demonstrates how through accelerated growth the region could see an extra 40,000 new jobs created and 72,000 new homes built.

 

The 100-page document details how the Marches has the capability to deliver houses and employment sites at speed with a dedicated investment fund. And it highlights the importance of having the freedom to unlock land for development and support for infrastructure projects if the Marches is to achieve its potential.

 

The private sector-led Board of the Marches LEP, which includes the Leaders of the local authorities of Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, has approved the draft plan and is now inviting comments and feedback from organisations, businesses and communities across the region. 

 

Chairman of the Marches LEP, Graham Wynn OBE, said: “Our Strategic Economic Plan is an investment proposition. It says that with the right financial levers, investment by Whitehall and the private sector in our region, we can create prosperity and growth for the people who live and work here and the businesses which are based here.

 

“The plan is the result of extensive work and research, and now we are entering a period of consultation with stakeholders and the business community. This is a vital document, it is our bid to Government for a Marches Growth Deal.

 

“Our region is brimming with opportunity and this plan identifies the priorities which need addressing so that our region can deliver to its potential.â€

 

The draft plan has received cross-county support from the Leaders of the three local authorities, with Herefordshire Council, Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council key public sector partners which will be delivering the LEP's programme of work.

 

Councillor Tony Johnson, Leader of Herefordshire Council, said: “This Strategic Economic Plan is an aspiration for what we can achieve working in partnership with each other and with Government. The Hereford Enterprise Zone is the flagship delivery project of the Marches LEP, and alone has the potential to create thousands of jobs.â€

 

Councillor Keith Barrow, Leader of Shropshire Council, said removing the barriers to growth would see rapid development and delivery of shovel-ready schemes.

 

“We want the business community, our stakeholders, to support the vision we have for the Marches, which is for a strong, diverse and enterprising business base. This draft plan sets out how we think that vision can be achieved – it is ambitious but we have the experience and the opportunity on our doorstop to get this done.â€

 

Councillor Kuldip Sahota, Leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, said: “We have worked in partnership across the three areas to develop a draft economic plan which demonstrates how we can build for the future, supporting businesses, creating jobs and building homes. We can demonstrate a track record in delivery with numerous current programmes under way, including the £250 million Southwater scheme in Telford.â€

 

The Plan says growth is contingent on the creation of an investment fund; more freedom to unlock land for development; support for infrastructure projects, including transport programmes and having the flexibility to pool resources to address youth unemployment and skills as well as scope for supporting more higher and further education provision in the Marches.

 

The LEP also makes clear that investment in education and skills is a priority, highlighting the benefit to the region of Centres of Excellence such as Harper Adams University. The University recently opened its Agricultural Innovation Centre, part funded by the Marches LEP Development Fund, which will support the creation of more than 200 new jobs.

 

The Strategic Economic Plan (SEP) has now been published on the Marches LEP website and is available for download. Organisations are requested to reply with comments before 12 noon Friday 28 February 2014. 

 

Looks like the Marches LEP is going all out to get EU Investment - maybe because there is no money in the kitty here in Herefordshire. I thought Herefordshire Council was our local authority. I didn't realise decisions and policies would be made by an unelected quango operating out of Westminster and the EU. How do our councillors feel that this could be the beginning of the end for our local authority? I am surprised they are consulting local communities when there are only a few weeks in which to comment.

 

Draft Strategic Economic Plan

MARCHES Draft Strategic Economic Plan 191213 (6).pdf

 

[twowheelsgood]

Shouldn't that be 'What does The Marches LEP hope to get out of Herefordshire?' given that democracy is being handed over to unelected businesses? The Asda/Edgar St/Holmer pinch point catastrophes are an example of how they work - so called improvements to benefit a private shopping centre.

[magicroundabout]

Megilleland thanks for the heads up on this consultation.  I'll let them have my opinion!

 

They weave a web of intrigue and obscurity!

 - The Marches LEP leads to the Marches Local Transport Body in 2012 (website).  This organisation appears to handle (hide) the funding for transport matters.  

 

"The Marches region is in line for £16m of transport infrastructure investment following the establishment of The Marches Local Transport Body (LTB), a new powerful decision-making entity that will oversee the region’s future investment in transport.

The announcement comes as part of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) plans to devolve funding for major transport scheme to local bodies from April 2015 onwards, with £16m provisionally allocated to the Marches for the period 2015-2019."

[megilleland]

From HT comments under

 

Council budget plan pushes borrowing debt up to £218m

 

4:01pm Monday 3rd February 2014 in News By Bill Tanner6:05pm Sun 2 Feb 14

 

Cllr Liz Harvey says...

 

megilleland is right to worry about what the LEP is up to and why ... Overview & Scrutiny still can't get sensible answers about how this body is constituted and held accountable for public funds. It's horrific to think that all government and EU funding is to pass through this unelected and unaccountable entity which has Cllr Phillips sticking to it like, well - you soldiers out there fill in the metaphor.

 

Did any of you notice that the draft investment strategy for the LEP was consulted on publicly last month for all of 3 weeks, and that after it had already been submitted to government?

 

I found it odd that the strategy seems to be conveniently forgetting that Ledbury has a link to the M50 which has traffic diverting from the LEP's preferred story for traffic movement which takes everything south from Leominster, through Hereford and on to Ross. Fancy that! Just guessing this truth doesn't tally with the case being made to beg for funding for road projects which are totally unaffordable in the Core Strategy. 

 

I worry we have councillors and officers who have already given up on Herefordshire as a viable entity and the LEP is just one of many ways in which exit strategies are being put in place. 

 

We may need to change my party's name before too long if people don't rear up and fight to keep Herefordshire whole. All very sad.

 

At least one councillor has a viewpoint.

[megilleland]

BBC H&W radio today referring to Statement made by Department of Transport stating that because of traffic levels on A465/A49 no future development affecting these routes will be permitted in Hereford. Cllr Tony Johnson interviewed and making case for western bypass and link road. He is also saying that this decision will prevent the council getting more council tax from extra housing they want to build. Here are the schemes referred to in Marches Transport Board in order of priority assuming they can raise the money to build them:

 

Marches LTB Prioritised Schemes

The Marches LTB board approved the list of prioritised schemes for submission to the DfT on 15th July 2013. The list was subsquently submitted to the DfT on 31st July 2013.

 

The schemes have been placed into one of four categories:

 

1. Schemes which have sufficient evidence and score well in the assessment process are the highest priorities. These have received outline approval to proceed to the next assessment stage (Stage 2) - the Outline Business Case (OBC).

 

2. Schemes where evidence is not well developed, and which consequently have a lower initial priority. Scheme promoters have been given an opportunity to provide more detailed evidence at the OBC stage; and therefore may receive future approval for inclusion in the programme.

 

3. Small scale schemes which have good evidence and, whilst not considered to meet the requirements of the Assurance Framework eligibility criteria, they will be given LTB support for funding from other sources.

 

4. Very high cost strategic schemes which appear to have a good case, and where the LTB would wish support lobbying for additional funding from (for example) Single Local Growth Fund, Highways Agency, Network Rail or from the proceeds of development.

 

Taken from: Appendix B - Scheme prioritisation report

 

HEREFORD CITY LINK ROAD (HCLR) 3 out of 18

SCHEME ELEMENTS 

* New road running west-east between the A49 trunk road (Edgar Street) and the A465 Commercial Road through the Edgar Street Grid redevelopment area. 

* New junction on the A49 Edgar Street between Edgar Street Roundabout and Newtown Road. 

* Junction and signage amendments at both the Edgar Street Roundabout and A438 Blueschool Street / A465 Commercial Road, to redistribute traffic to HCLR.

 

PROBLEMS AND ISSUES 

* Constrained City Centre transport network is restricting opportunities for job growth within the city. HCLR provides much needed additional capacity on the network. 

* Unlocks an area of under-used development land within the City Centre and adjacent to the historic core. 

* High traffic flows on the northern section of the inner ring road (Blueschool Street / Newmarket Street) which cause severance issues between the Edgar Street Grid redevelopment area and the historic core. HCLR will allow for a proportion of traffic flows to be redistributed away from the inner ring road. 

* High numbers of short distance car trips around the city. By reducing traffic flows on the inner ring road and therefore reducing severance issues, conditions will be improved for pedestrians and cyclists in this part of the city. 

* Existing road safety problem on the inner ring road due to pedestrian and traffic conflict.

 

COSTS 

Total scheme cost: £27 million 

Contribution required from LTB: £8 million

 

SOUTH WYE TRANSPORT PACKAGE 12 out of 18

SCHEME ELEMENTS

A package of measures to address congestion south of the central area and improve access to the Enterprise Zone and strategic housing development site, comprising:

 

* New east-west link road between the A49, A465 and B4349 to the south of the city. 

* Bus priority measures on radial corridors. 

* Cycle route extensions (exact locations to be determined, although potentially linking with the Belmont Road and Holme Lacy Road Active Travel Corridors, A49 Enhanced Traffic Corridor, the Greenway, and other identified active travel routes). 

* Traffic calming (including 20mph zones) between the River Wye and the railway line (exact locations to be determined). 

* Pedestrian improvements associated with the A49 and A465 radial routes (exact locations to be determined at a later stage). 

* Two new Park and Share/Cycle sites (one on the A49 and one on the edge of the Hereford Enterprise Zone at Rotherwas).

 

PROBLEMS AND ISSUES 

* There is currently a high level of traffic congestion and delay on the A465 Belmont Road. 

* There is not enough traffic capacity on the A49(T) to allow for the planned employment growth at the Hereford Enterprise Zone, and lack of intervention will mean that the current road situation will worsen, and the levels of traffic may constrain development. 

* There is a high level of short distance car journeys made in Hereford and the surrounding area, due in part to inadequate sustainable mode measures in places. 

* There is an Air Quality Management Area at the A49/A465 junction due to high volumes of traffic in the area.

 

COSTS 

Total scheme cost: £16 million 

Contribution required from LTB: £8 million

 

HEREFORD CITY CENTRE TRANSPORT PACKAGE 14 out of 18

SCHEME ELEMENTS 

* Public transport hub at Hereford Station for improved bus/rail interchange. 

* Bus priority along A465 Commercial Road, between the inner ring road and Hereford Station. 

* Bus priority and reduced capacity for general traffic along the northern section of the inner ring road (Blueschool Street / Newmarket Street). 

*Bus interchange for the northern side of the historic core along Blueschool Street / Newmarket Street. * Improvements for pedestrians and cyclists at Commercial Road, Blueschool Street and Newmarket Street, including upgraded crossings. 

* Urban realm improvements at Blueschool Street / Newmarket Street.

 

All of the above scheme elements require the Hereford City Link Road to have been constructed in advance.

 

PROBLEMS AND ISSUES 

* Inefficient bus/rail interchange at Hereford Station. HCLR and the supporting public transport hub seek to address this issue. 

* The attractiveness of longer distance journeys to/from Hereford by public transport is reduced by difficulties with bus/rail interchange at Hereford. 

* Connections between the Edgar Street Grid development area and the historic core for pedestrians and cyclists are effectively severed by the inner ring road. Capacity reductions on this road, along with upgraded crossings and urban realm improvements will mitigate this problem and encourage walking and cycling. 

* The package, alongside HCLR, helps to unlock under-used development land within the City Centre and close to the historic core. 

* Existing road safety problem on the inner ring road due to pedestrian and traffic conflict.

 

COSTS 

Total scheme cost: £8 million 

Contribution required from LTB: £5 million

 

HEREFORD TRANSPORT PACKAGE DS2 18 out of 18

SCHEME ELEMENTS

A combined city-wide package of measures comprising:

 

* Western relief road for the city on an alignment yet to be determined. 

* Park and Ride near the A49/B4399 junction to the south of the city. 

* Walking and cycling improvements (locations to be determined). 

* Parking tariff increases.

 

PROBLEMS AND ISSUES 

* There is a high level of congestion, CO2 emissions and traffic noise in Hereford. The proposed development in the area (there are plans for growth with 6,500 houses and 100 hectares of employment land, and local development includes plans for an enterprise zone in the south east of Hereford) will exacerbate the problem, and poor road conditions may also restrict economic growth. 

* There is a problem with poor air quality in the area, including an AQMA on the A49 through the city. 

* Hereford has a high number of short distance journeys made by car rather than by more sustainable modes. * There is a problem with high levels of through freight traffic in Hereford, as the most direct route is often through the city centre.

 

COSTS

Total scheme cost: £100-£250 million

 

This appears to be shortlisted to 13 schemes

 

Take from: Appendix A Initial Scheme Prioritisation List for DfT July 2013

Initial Major Scheme Priorities

 

Priority List for Category 1 and 2 Schemes (13 in total)

Hereford City Link Road 3rd in list

South Wye Transport Package 9th in list

Hereford City Centre Transport Package 10th in list

 

 

[Denise Lloyd]

Well that's the Aylestone Hill PA sorted.  Does that statement also include roads that join the A465?

[megilleland]

By coincidence this came up today on the radio.

 

Transcript of interview today with BBC H&W Radio and Leader of Herefordshire Council Cllr Tony Johnson

 

 

BBC H&W Radio Tuesday 11th February 2014

 

Howard Bentham and Toni McDonald at Breakfast at 02:37:30

 

Howard: We have been talking about roads this morning. The Department of Transport has told the Council that the amount of traffic coming into Hereford from Ross and from Wales is now so heavy that is going to stop any more development from taking place.

 

Toni: The Leader of the the Council Cllr Tony Johnson has told BBC H&W that they are committed to building a new Link Road between the A49 and the A465 to the south of the city as soon as possible. A planning application for that is expected to be put forward this year and a public inquiry on the much debated Western Relief Road or Bypass is scheduled for the Autumn. He has been talking to our reporter Nicola Godwin.

 

Cllr Tony Johson: The Department of Transport has set a limit for the number of traffic movements and I am not sure of the precise state, but I know we are approaching that limit. It is therefore critical that the A49 to the A465 is completed. Without it the Department of Transport may very well say we can't go into any more development at Rotherwas and the Enterprise Zone and that really is crucial. It's one of our key priorities. One of our three priorities is to invest for future economic development.

 

Nicola Goodwin: So without these roads the plans that you have got inr what you call the Core Strategy, essentially the plans for the next 20 odd years for this county, you won't be able to build houses in the south of the city, you won't be able to encourage businesses to invest here potentially get new jobs and keep young people in the county.

 

Cllr Tony Johson: Absolutely, I couldn't have put it better myself. Without them we will not get the houses, the businesses, the New Homes Bonus, the Commuity Infrastructure Levy, the additional Council Tax revenues. Our major problem in this county is that we simply do not have enough people paying council tax and income tax from their earnings.

 

Nicola Goodwin: Before I was born people were debating whether there should be a bypass to the east or the west of the city - we are still debating it. I hope to live at least another forty years - will it ever be built in my life time?

 

Cllr Tony Johson: I am a fair bit older than you and I fully expect it to be built in my life time, so you are quite safe. We have got a public inquiry on the bypass is set for the Autumn of this year. We have got a number of building blocks that we have to put in place to ensure that we have got the very best case. We have no reason to believe that we will have problems with it, but we do need to be thoroughly prepared. That's all to do with what we spend from the budget and that was one of the reasons why I said that come hell or high water we will not slow up the development of these roads.

 

Is this to add weight to the LEP's submission to government? The Council have no money.

 

 

[twowheelsgood]

How can there be a public enquiry on a bypass when the route has not been (publicly) determined?

[megilleland]

In the Hereford Times public notice section last week concerning Link Road

 

The County of Herefordshire District Council (Edgar Street Grid and Link Road) Compulsory Purchase Order 2013

 

The County of Herefordshire District Council (A465 (Hereford Link Road) Classified Road) (Side Roads and Other Works) Order 2013

 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public local inquiry in connection with the Orders mentioned below will be held by the Secretaries of State for Communities and Local Government and Transport at 10.00am on Wednesday 23 April 2014 at The Royal National College for the Blind, Venns Lane, Hereford, HR1 1DT.

 

THE ORDERS are Orders which have been made by the Herefordshire District Council and submitted to the Secretaries of State for Communities and Local Government and Transport for confirmation and are:-

 

(1) THE COUNTY OF HEREFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL (EDGAR STREET GRID AND LINK ROAD) COMPULSORY PURCHASE ORDER 2013.  This is an Order made under Section 226(1)(a) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and Section 13 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 and the Acquisition of Land Act 1981 which, if confirmed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, would authorise the Herefordshire District Council to acquire compulsorily the land and new rights over land referred to in the Schedule hereto for the purpose(s) of facilitating the construction of the Hereford Link Road Scheme and the redevelopment of some of the land along the route of the Link Road.

 

(2) THE COUNTY OF HEREFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL (A465 (HEREFORD LINK ROAD) CLASSIFIED ROAD) (SIDE ROADS AND OTHER WORKS) ORDER 2013.  This is an Order made under Sections 6, 14 and 125 of the Highways Act 1980 which, if confirmed by the Secretary of State for Transport, would authorise the Herefordshire District Council to:-

 

a) improve highways;

b) stop up highways;

c) construct new highways;

d) stop up private means of access to premises; and

e) provide new means of access to the said premises,

 

all on or in the vicinity of the route of the classified road which the Council propose to construct from a point on Edgar Street, Hereford (A49 Trunk Road) 21 metres south of Prior Street for a distance of 808 metres eastwards to its junction with Commercial Road, Hereford.

 

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRANSPORT hereby directs that any person who intends to submit at the inquiry that any highway or proposed highway to which the Order at (2) above relates should follow an alternative route, or that, instead of improving, diverting or altering a highway to which that Order relates, a new highway should be constructed on a particular route, shall send to him at National Transport Casework Team, Department for Transport, Tyneside House, Skinnerburn Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 7AR, not later than 2 April 2014, sufficient information about the alternative route or the route of the new highway, as the case may be, to enable it to be identified.  Failure to comply with this direction will entitle the Secretary of State and the person holding the Inquiry to disregard so much of any objection as consists of such a submission.

 

A copy of the Orders and of the maps referred to therein are on deposit at Hereford Customer Services Centre, Franklin House, 4 Commercial Road, Hereford, HR1 2BB and may be seen there, on application during normal office hours or can be viewed at https://beta.herefordshire.gov.uk/transport-and-highways/maintenance/hereford-link-road/

 

The link above does not appear to be working strangely.

 

The schedule to land in question - all 130 parcels.

140214_not4_public_notice_of_inquiry_edgar_street_grid_and_link_rd.doc

 

[twowheelsgood]

Dead link reported to the Council.

 

Without wishing to give away confidences, there are some very sneaky CO's in this order - small snippets of land (and as such practically worthless) not really required for the link road, being compulsorily purchased to effectively block access to much larger pieces of land, changing them from valuable development land to landlocked worthless land. Dirty tricks? You bet.

[Denise Lloyd]

Please TWG explain why they would do that when there is apparently such a shortage of housing supply land.  My link worked.

[twowheelsgood]

Correct link 

https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/transport-and-highways/transport-schemes/edgar-street-grid-and-hereford-link-road

[megilleland]

From BBC Shropshire News

2 April 2014 Last updated at 17:32

 

Shropshire plea for £102m for roads and homes

 

Plans to bid for £102m to build more than 70,000 new houses and improve roads and transport around Shropshire have been unveiled.

 

Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has applied for the government funding. It said £52m would also be raised locally for the projects.

 

They include building the £11m Oxon link road in Shrewsbury which would join the A5 with the B4380.

 

About £27m could also go on Shrewsbury and Telford's town centre roads.

 

Dobbies Roundabout, where the A5 meets the A49 Ludlow road near Meole Brace, would also be upgraded in a £5.5m scheme, it said.

 

The LEP also has plans to replace Telford bus station.

 

The government said 39 Local Enterprise Partnerships across the UK had all been invited to bid for money from a £2bn fund.

 

 And for Herefordshire? Coincidently the £27m which could also go on Shrewsbury and Telford's town centre roads is also the cost of the link road across the ESG. Are we witnessing some creative accounting?

[Denise Lloyd]

On the HT website   http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/11125395.Plans_for_two_Hereford_link_roads_go_to_Whitehall_as_a_priority/?ref=var_0

[megilleland]

Hereford Times: 6:02am Thursday 10th April 2014 in Letters:

 

LEP offers considerable benefits for Herefordshire says council leader

 

IS the LEP (Local Economic Partnership) good for Herefordshire ?

 

Various comments are being made in this paper about the LEP which I think need to be explained.

 

Herefordshire is part of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership which also includes Shropshire, and Telford and Wrekin. Recently the LEP has produced a Strategic Economic Plan. This is important because it allows us to compete for investment funds for future major infrastructure projects which will support economic growth.

 

The submission is a list of 10 such projects, 3 of which are for Herefordshire

 

1. Inner City Link Rd. This road opens up the opportunity for up to 800 new houses together with new business opportunities and an estimated 760 new jobs.

 

2. A49 to A465 link. This link is vital to the future expansion of the Hereford Enterprise Zone. It is envisaged that this will open up land for 1000 new homes and support a 1000 new jobs.

 

3. Model Farm at Ross on Wye. It is hoped this will support over 1000 new jobs.

 

While these are very specific projects please be clear that Herefordshire Council supports all economic development throughout the county in many different ways – to suggest otherwise is disingenuous. This process is for specific LEP funding only. Our prime objectives are to care for the vulnerable and to invest for jobs for present and future generations. With reference to the latter, we continue to seek funding from wherever it is available – not just via the LEP.

 

Given some comments made re the accountability of the LEP, it will interest readers to know that the three main members on the board who have the major voice on decisions are the leaders of the three Local Authorities.

 

They are all elected. Other board members include leading businessmen and women, leading members from education and non-profit organisations and all bring their considerable expertise to bear for our collective benefit.

 

Tony Johnson

 

Leader, Herefordshire Council

 

Elected from within the council - not by the public. How much money is HC spending through this quango and where are there any up to date minutes on their meetings - the last ones being posted on 1st November 2012? Is this going to be another Hereford Futures set up, except on a larger scale.

[megilleland]

Hereford Times: 6:02am Thursday 10th April 2014 in Letters

 

Is the LEP (Local Economic Partnership) good for Herefordshire ?

 

Various comments are being made in this paper about the LEP which I think need to be explained.

 

Herefordshire is part of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership which also includes Shropshire, and Telford and Wrekin. Recently the LEP has produced a Strategic Economic Plan. This is important because it allows us to compete for investment funds for future major infrastructure projects which will support economic growth.

 

The submission is a list of 10 such projects, 3 of which are for Herefordshire

 

1. Inner City Link Rd. This road opens up the opportunity for up to 800 new houses together with new business opportunities and an estimated 760 new jobs.

 

2. A49 to A465 link. This link is vital to the future expansion of the Hereford Enterprise Zone. It is envisaged that this will open up land for 1000 new homes and support a 1000 new jobs.

 

3. Model Farm at Ross on Wye. It is hoped this will support over 1000 new jobs.

 

While these are very specific projects please be clear that Herefordshire Council supports all economic development throughout the county in many different ways – to suggest otherwise is disingenuous. This process is for specific LEP funding only. Our prime objectives are to care for the vulnerable and to invest for jobs for present and future generations. With reference to the latter, we continue to seek funding from wherever it is available – not just via the LEP.

 

Given some comments made re the accountability of the LEP, it will interest readers to know that the three main members on the board who have the major voice on decisions are the leaders of the three Local Authorities.

 

They are all elected. Other board members include leading businessmen and women, leading members from education and non-profit organisations and all bring their considerable expertise to bear for our collective benefit.

 

Tony Johnson

 

Leader, Herefordshire Council

 

"They are all elected". Can anyone explain by whom?

[Denise Lloyd]

the-marches-growth-deal-2014

[twowheelsgood]

Please TWG explain why they would do that when there is apparently such a shortage of housing supply land.  My link worked.

 

Because it conveniently wipes out the open market value of the site. It is then compulsorily purchased for peanuts and passed to, or just bought by, a 'preferred partner' such as a Housing Association, who build rental and a proportion of of open market housing, sold at huge profit because of next to nothing land cost - bonuses and new cars all round for the management structure. The management car park at Sanctuary headquarters is a sea of expensive German cars I'm told.

[Denise Lloyd]

Tried to put this link on but had a hick on my computer

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/327590/36_The_Marches_Growth_Deal.pdf

 

so ignore my previous effort

[ragwert]

So I'm looking at the TV and along with Shropshire we have been been given £75 million funding for new link road/s etc.
Is this both the Edgar Street-Commercial Road and Ross Road-Abergavenny Road projects and will this be all the money to build them?

[dippyhippy]

I saw a report on this today also, but there was no specific mention of Hereford....a different programme perhaps?

 

There was a package for Worcester for super fast broadband, lots for Wolverhampton, and a new train station at Alive church.

 

The news reporter did point out that this was all in the run up to the General Election, and that most of the money did appear to have been targeted at projects in areas where the government where keen to either hang on to, or gain an MP.

[Denise Lloyd]

http://newsroom.herefordshire.gov.uk/2014/july/funding-for-two-major-infrastructure-projects-granted.aspx

 

Seems like there will be the link road regardless of last weeks consultation.  That magic number of jobs that will be created has reared it's ugly head again.

[ragwert]

http://newsroom.herefordshire.gov.uk/2014/july/funding-for-two-major-infrastructure-projects-granted.aspx

 

Seems like there will be the link road regardless of last weeks consultation.  That magic number of jobs that will be created has reared it's ugly head again.

Seems we have 12 million for the City link road and 27 million for South Wye that includes the A49 to A465 link road.

Both will reduce traffic going through The City and also bring about much needed homes and jobs.

The Hereford to Gloucester canal is also to be reinstated.

Lets hope that the bus station will at some point be put next to the train station.

[gdj]

Seems we have 12 million for the City link road and 27 million for South Wye that includes the A49 to A465 link road.

Both will reduce traffic going through The City and also bring about much needed homes and jobs.

The Hereford to Gloucester canal is also to be reinstated.

Lets hope that the bus station will at some point be put next to the train station.

 

Does the £12 million include any allocation to recoup the several million already spent on the Rockfield DIY site and the deals done prior to compulsory purchase orders?

 

 

Also,  on the link that Denise provided (thanks) is the following little snippet:

 

 

 

 

Skylon Park is the designated Enterprise Zone of the Marches LEP. The LEP retains the business rate uplift generated by new companies locating their operations in the Enterprise Zone, providing income for the LEP Board to spend on projects across the wider Marches area.

 

 

If I read that correctly - a company moving from another part of Herefordshire into the Rotherwas (Skylon) zone stops paying business rates to the council (which has at least a modicum of democratic veneer) and starts paying it to a quango (the LEP).  That money could then be spent anywhere in the LEP region - which includes other counties.

[megilleland]

Agenda

Cabinet

Thursday 31 July 2014 2.00 pm

 

item 8.

Marches Local Enterprise Partnership 

To approve governance arrangements for the joint exercise of executive functions in relation to the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (the LEP).

 

Additional documents:

APPENDIX A LEP Report

 

APPENDIX B LEP Report

 

I can see more of our money being siphoned off to this unelected body. Amazing that the council cut all the local services and then create another empire to get fat on. Is The Marches LEP the new Hereford Futures?

 

Plenty of other issues on this agenda including Hoople.

[megilleland]

Agenda

Cabinet

Thursday 31 July 2014 2.00 pm

 

item 8.

Marches Local Enterprise Partnership 

To approve governance arrangements for the joint exercise of executive functions in relation to the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (the LEP).

 

Additional documents:

APPENDIX A LEP Report

 

APPENDIX B LEP Report

 

I can see more of our money being siphoned off to this unelected body. Amazing that the council cut all the local services and then create another empire to get fat on. Is The Marches LEP the new Hereford Futures?

 

Plenty of other issues on this agenda including Hoople.

[megilleland]

UK Column back on air after the holidays and today they kick off with an interview with Guy Taylor following his return to Bodenham Manor. Interview starts at beginning of programme.

[twowheelsgood]

Certain Herefordshire businesses and people are highlighted in this Daily Mail report as allegedly benefiting from LEP grants. I suspect that this is just the tip of the iceberg.

 

The Mail has found that more than £100million has been paid to LEP board members and officials’ own businesses or projects they have a stake in. These are some of the most shocking examples...

1. ESTATE AGENT HAD OFFICES RENOVATED FOR £40K ...

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4000010/Exposed-Secretive-fat-cats-carving-7bn-cash-friends-family-including-40-000-renovate-barn-155-000-Jamie-Oliver-s-charity-restaurant.html

[bobby47]

TwoWheels & Meg, Go onto Wirral Leaks and read. Paying particular attention to The Common People & Contacts And Connections. Please read it boys. You'll be amazed at just how high the sums of money are and granted/given over to just one very wealthy person,,,,,and then note who is linked with who on different Boards Of Control and their association with the Council and their LEP.

It's as bad as you can imagine.

[Denise Lloyd]

https://wirralleaks.wordpress.com/2016/12/06/the-common-people/

 

The words Grant Thornton immediately caught my eye and the surname Norman.  I will read some more later