PaulRogan

In contrast, a Stunned Clr Stout
A FURIOUS Brighouse councillor has called for urgent talks after a huge plan to transform the town was rejected by the Government.
Colin Stout said he was stunned by the decision to reject the council's bid to compulsory purchase the massive Sugden's site in Brighouse following a long running public inquiry.
The council and its development partner, CDP, of Elland, wanted to build shops, a new swimming pool and extra car parking spaces on the former flour mill site.
Councillor Stout, a former Mayor of Calderdale, said he feared the move could turn future developers away from investing in the town.
"I am staggered by this decision - it is 10 years of wasted time, lots of meetings and lots of effort. We are back to square one.
"It is certainly a huge blow for the town and we must sit down urgently and decide where we go from here."
Halifax Courier, 19 January 2008

I can agree with Clr Stout in so far as it has been 10 wasted years, perhaps even longer. However, if he reads the PI report he will see that there is no evidence that either the Council or CDP made any attempt to assemble their plan until 2004. And surprise, surprise, the catalyst for this lack luster activity was the plans brought forward by Younger Homes. Modern plans, which have a chance of seeing completion, unlike those for the tin sheds which Clr Stout seems to dream of. Many people are of the view that since 2004, the Council’s regeneration staff and Clr Stout have done nothing but pour scorn onto a real way forward and have tried every tactic in the book to delay their progress.

Those who are stunned and shocked by the SoS decision have been, it seems so far, deprived of the facts – dare I suggest due to poor newspaper coverage?
Perhaps a full and lucid explanation, even in the local press may be of great assistance?

BrighouseForward
Local Voluntary Strategic Partnership
Tourism, Leisure, Culture and Regeneration Committee
PRESS RELEASE dated 21st January, 2008.
The Tourism, Leisure, Culture and Regeneration Committee (TLC) of Brighouse Forward has already held a preliminary meeting with Mr. William Ibberson of Younger Homes following the Secretary of State’s decision not to give the necessary go-ahead for the Council’s retail sheds scheme for the Sugden’s Mill site in Brighouse.
The Secretary of State has endorsed the view of the Planning Inspector that the Council’s scheme had no chance of proceeding and in view of this, the Committee felt the people of Brighouse should know if Younger Homes are still prepared to make good the earlier promises it made with regard to the town’s swimming pool.
The Committee was informed that, providing the Council extended it’s full cooperation and that there were no unforeseen factors or stumbling blocks, that Younger Homes would build a new pool which could serve Brighouse and the wider community, as the first part of it’s plans to develop the Sugden’s site. The pool could hopefully be completed before the summer holidays next year.
Mrs. Eileen Grey of the Brighouse Pool ‘Fix-it’ campaign welcomed the news saying “ That’ll do for me”.
TLC Vice Chairman & Board Regeneration Coordinator George Simpson said, “ I will be very pleased if these plans get the go-ahead. It will not only mean that a new pool and a new road bridge are built but also that Mill Royd Street says open.”
Geoff Thompson, TLC Regeneration spokesman commented, “ To those tiresome detractors of the Younger Homes plans I would say, there is no derailment of plans for Brighouse but rather that achievable and realistic plans are only now about to unfold.”
Mark Yates, Chairman of the 3B’s (Build a Brighter Brighouse) said, “The Council no longer has any justification for closing down the old pool as there is no longer any possibility of their plan to provide a new one. The question now is what is the Council now going to do? I would like to hope they would support a budget provision to provide an early return of a swimming pool for the town.
Councillor Paul Rogan, Chairman of the Brighouse Forward Partnership Board informed TLC colleagues that he had already drafted, and had officer confirmation of certain costs, for an amendment to the Council’s next budget to be voted upon on February 25th. He hoped that other Councillor’s would support this amendment, especially the other eight representing the local wards.
For further information contact,
Paul Rogan, 01422 370849 or 07785 220300, Email, paul@rastrick.org.uk

Anyone who states they are stunned by The Inspector Stephen Amos and subsequently Hazel Blears Secretary of State ruling on The C.P.O. on the Sugdens Site are the people who could not be bothered to attend The Inquiry and listen to the Evidence that foretold the only outcome that could possibly be arrived at when all the evidence was gone through as Mr Amos has done to his credit. The fact that the Site was offered for sale to The Council and C.D.P. who both declined the offer saying that they were no longer interested in the Site before it was subsequently sold to Younger Homes was one of the main reasons the C.P.O. was refused as the C.P.O. was obviously an underhand plan to purchase the site at what the Council/C.D.P must have thought would be a much reduced price.

I read an article entitled What's next for Sugden's? at http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/What39s-next--for-Sugden39s.3697089.jp
and I thought it may interest you.

There is now a real chance, with a clean slate, to bring some modern and exciting plans for Brighouse to fruition. Let's please not waste this golden opportunity.

I read an article entitled Council reveals new swimming pools for Halifax, Brighouse and Sowerby Bridge at http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/Council-reveals-new-swimming-pools.3702179.jp and I thought it may interest you. The link is pasted into the (homepage).
It starts off
"Calderdale Council says it is ready to splash out £6 million on new swimming pools.
The shock announcement comes less than a week after the council faced humiliation over its plans to build a new pool in Brighouse.
Now the council has suddenly revealed it is to spend a huge sum to give not only Brighouse a new pool - but Halifax and Sowerby Bridge as well."
Well, great news for us all it seems, but is 6 million quid the price tag for the last 10 years of tory swimming pool mismanagement, or is the price that local tax payers are stumping up for the tory election campaign in may, especially in sowerby bridge, brighouse and rastrick?

The article goes on to say that the Brighouse location is still to be decided. Thats good news as I believe a much better site is available than the one at Sugden's. There is of course what seems to many as an obvious element of political campaigning here. An element first made clear in the Council Leader's comments last week. (She is up for re-election in Rastrick this May). Today's 'Ringy Dingy' Press Announcement by Cllr Byrne, she is up for re-election in Sowerby Bridge in May. And Brighouse ward, well isnt that where the Tories will be fighting against newly joined to LibDems, former Tory Cllr Nick Yates? A tough fight for the Tories with a new unknown against a popular and well known sitting Councillor. Is this what you mean Dave?

If these proposals go through, I hope that work will proceed on Brighouse first as the other two at least have swimming facilities at present, although I may be pardoned for thinking that it is deliberate death wish for Halifax pool as it was for Northowram Hospital i.e. a reasonable level of maintainance gradually cut back to a point when it was determined to be beyond economical repair. Mind you, the sale proceeds of the sites, for developement in both cases must be considered almost irresistable in this day and age, when property
developement rules!

Councillor Craig Whittaker has quickly changed his mind because the Council’s pet project has been well and truly torpedoed by the Planning Inspector and the Secretary of State. Feigning excitement he suddenly embraces Brighouse Forward’s long held views on Sugdens, the threatened closure of Mill Royd Street and future visions for Brighouse. (Site verdict is great for town) Courier letters, Jan 23rd.
Never the less his conversion is to be welcomed, however belated and necessary this has become.
It may only be a matter of time now before Cllr Colin Stout & The Brighouse Echo swallow Brighouse Pride & Company and also follow suit.