Row breaks out over think tank’s 2020 vision of Glasgow
Civic leaders in Glasgow were last night accused of running out of ideas by a report they helped
to fund.
Demos, a London-based think-tank, said the city's council
and other authorities had
left whole communities and neighbourhoods behind as they chased a "formulaic" vision of regeneration.
The findings came after an 18-month programme during which Demos surveyed the views of 5000 Glaswegians, nearly 1% of the city population.
However, they were bitterly rejected by Glasgow City Council which described a final report from Demos as "an insult".
Melissa Mean, of Demos, said: "City leaders are running on empty in terms of ideas to sustain the urban renaissance.
"When every city has commissioned a celebrity architect and pedestrianised a cultural quarter, distinctiveness is reduced to a
formula.
"To find some new ideas and energy, instead of dry consultations which have pre-set boxes to be ticked, cities need to open up to the mass imagination of their citizens."
A final report, called The Dreaming City: Glasgow 2020 and the Power of Mass Imagination, contained some difficult
language.
It recommended "assemblies of hope", networks of individuals who could get together to help shape the city's future and find space for everyone from "alchemists to imagineers".
A city spokesman said: "This report is nothing less than an insult to the many Glaswegians who gave up their time to take part. Bizarre would be a charitable way to describe some of the report's conclusions.
"What on earth is this meaningless nonsense such as assemblies of hope', alchemists' or mass imaginings'?"
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Posted by: Big D, Glasgow on 11:33pm Tue 22 May 07
Somebody tap the grey cooncil man in the last quote on the shoulder, will you. It's quite clear to me what's being suggested here, and it's basically about community consultation and empowerment.
He's either befuddled by the flowery language, or he's actually more fly than that, and is opposed to opening the process of regeneration up to that extent.
Well, Herald - can you find out which it is? We've all got a stake in this, and wider involvement - particularly of the kind described - would be very welcome.
Somebody tap the grey cooncil man in the last quote on the shoulder, will you. It's quite clear to me what's being suggested here, and it's basically about community consultation and empowerment.
He's either befuddled by the flowery language, or he's actually more fly than that, and is opposed to opening the process of regeneration up to that extent.
Well, Herald - can you find out which it is? We've all got a stake in this, and wider involvement - particularly of the kind described - would be very welcome.
Posted by: Steven, Scotland on 1:24am Wed 23 May 07
So how much did this report cost to tell us what we already know, that the Labour Party have run out of ideas and are failing the people of Glasgow.
It has suited Labour for so long to keep their constituents downtrodden and much of their city as not much more than slum conditions because when people raise their eyes in aspiration they see that Labour is not the answer.
It should deeply shame Labour that an area they have controlled for so long has the life expectancy of a third world country.
So how much did this report cost to tell us what we already know, that the Labour Party have run out of ideas and are failing the people of Glasgow.
It has suited Labour for so long to keep their constituents downtrodden and much of their city as not much more than slum conditions because when people raise their eyes in aspiration they see that Labour is not the answer.
It should deeply shame Labour that an area they have controlled for so long has the life expectancy of a third world country.
Posted by: Dave x, Glasgow on 1:36am Wed 23 May 07
Live expectancy is higher in Baghdad than in Calton, but according to Nu Lab everything is just wonderful in Glasgow. Never had it so good. All that poverty and deprivation , is a mirage. Aye right.
Live expectancy is higher in Baghdad than in Calton, but according to Nu Lab everything is just wonderful in Glasgow. Never had it so good. All that poverty and deprivation , is a mirage. Aye right.
Posted by: Stevie Thomson, Mount Florida on 3:56am Wed 23 May 07
The Council huffing and puffing because a study [italic]they[/italic] paid for doesn't come and to say how great a job they're doing. How pathetic.
This is a highly significant document, anyone can see how dreadful some of the recent developments in Glasgow have been so its great that someone is coming out and saying it.
What Glaswegians are saying is that we don't want a regeneration that hands over our public space to Yuppies and this report seems to be backing us up. Glasgow is not a Yuppie city and to strive for that as the Council has done is to sell ourselves short. Its missing the point of our natural assets (our people) completely.
The Council huffing and puffing because a study
they paid for doesn't come and to say how great a job they're doing. How pathetic.
This is a highly significant document, anyone can see how dreadful some of the recent developments in Glasgow have been so its great that someone is coming out and saying it.
What Glaswegians are saying is that we don't want a regeneration that hands over our public space to Yuppies and this report seems to be backing us up. Glasgow is not a Yuppie city and to strive for that as the Council has done is to sell ourselves short. Its missing the point of our natural assets (our people) completely.
Posted by: donald anderson, glasgow on 5:58am Wed 23 May 07
What is it with Labour WeegieCooncillors, when they have to keep hiring London agencies to state the obvious in fly men's language. Remember the well paid London agency that came up with "Glas go" tripe?
They should stick to phoney "public consultations", at least it's cheaper.
I don't suppose tey
What is it with Labour WeegieCooncillors, when they have to keep hiring London agencies to state the obvious in fly men's language. Remember the well paid London agency that came up with "Glas go" tripe?
They should stick to phoney "public consultations", at least it's cheaper.
I don't suppose tey
Posted by: donald anderson, glasgow on 6:00am Wed 23 May 07
What is it with Labour WeegieCooncillors, when they have to keep hiring London agencies to state the obvious in fly men's language. Remember the well paid London agency that came up with "Glas go" tripe?
They should stick to phoney "public consultations", at least it's cheaper.
I don't suppose they have ever heard of a 'Socialist Programme'?
What is it with Labour WeegieCooncillors, when they have to keep hiring London agencies to state the obvious in fly men's language. Remember the well paid London agency that came up with "Glas go" tripe?
They should stick to phoney "public consultations", at least it's cheaper.
I don't suppose they have ever heard of a 'Socialist Programme'?
Posted by: David Bell, LARKHALL on 6:59am Wed 23 May 07
I was proud to live in Glasgow during the Garden Festival/ City of Culture years, but moved out 7 years ago. The attitude of so many people in the city sucks. There's a hatred of profit, of people getting the cars and the houses and trappings of wealth. It is reflected in who the people elect. All the regeneration cash on earth wont alter the sick mindset. I love Glasgow, but we should perhaps just accept that this City has no real purpose any more. Cities don't have to be eternal.
I was proud to live in Glasgow during the Garden Festival/ City of Culture years, but moved out 7 years ago. The attitude of so many people in the city sucks. There's a hatred of profit, of people getting the cars and the houses and trappings of wealth. It is reflected in who the people elect. All the regeneration cash on earth wont alter the sick mindset. I love Glasgow, but we should perhaps just accept that this City has no real purpose any more. Cities don't have to be eternal.
Posted by: Mark Pittman, Glasgow on 7:12am Wed 23 May 07
Arrant nonsense - my initial thoughts on the feedback from this report and the approach Labour has taken to stimulate these "ideas". The political stage in Glasgow is too much focussed on individuals developing their personal kudos instead of properly understanding how to foster and develop Glasgow within the city and to international visitors. Take a look at Birmingham - in my opinion they“ve got it right .
Arrant nonsense - my initial thoughts on the feedback from this report and the approach Labour has taken to stimulate these "ideas". The political stage in Glasgow is too much focussed on individuals developing their personal kudos instead of properly understanding how to foster and develop Glasgow within the city and to international visitors. Take a look at Birmingham - in my opinion they“ve got it right .
Posted by: teamdroid on 8:57am Wed 23 May 07
For too long Glasgow has suffered from being a political vacuum - no efffective opposition to the Labour hegemony at George Square. It's interesting that the whole regeneration kick-started (Garden festival, Year of Culture) during the Lally-McFadden schism, when there were effectively 2 Labour parties on the council trying to outdo each other. Once that divide was healed, and we returned to the bad old unified Labour council, the regeneration started to misfire (City of Architecture damp squib, for example).
It was interesting that at the council elections, the SNP got all its candidates elected, and now regrets not putting up more. There's clearly an appetite to move on from Labour dominance of Glasgow council among the voters. Here's hoping a decent-sized opposition in the city will finally start to show up the Labour councillors for what they are - numpties who are holding this city back, not driving it forward.
For too long Glasgow has suffered from being a political vacuum - no efffective opposition to the Labour hegemony at George Square. It's interesting that the whole regeneration kick-started (Garden festival, Year of Culture) during the Lally-McFadden schism, when there were effectively 2 Labour parties on the council trying to outdo each other. Once that divide was healed, and we returned to the bad old unified Labour council, the regeneration started to misfire (City of Architecture damp squib, for example).
It was interesting that at the council elections, the SNP got all its candidates elected, and now regrets not putting up more. There's clearly an appetite to move on from Labour dominance of Glasgow council among the voters. Here's hoping a decent-sized opposition in the city will finally start to show up the Labour councillors for what they are - numpties who are holding this city back, not driving it forward.
Posted by: I'm no really here on 9:15am Wed 23 May 07
They didn't need a survey to tell us that Glasgow Council planners ran out of ideas years ago.
They didn't need a survey to tell us that Glasgow Council planners ran out of ideas years ago.
Posted by: g, 497-661 on 9:28am Wed 23 May 07
[quote][bold]Stevie Thomson[/bold] wrote:
The Council huffing and puffing because a study [italic]they[/italic] paid for doesn\'t come and to say how great a job they\'re doing. How pathetic. This is a highly significant document, anyone can see how dreadful some of the recent developments in Glasgow have been so its great that someone is coming out and saying it. What Glaswegians are saying is that we don\'t want a regeneration that hands over our public space to Yuppies and this report seems to be backing us up. Glasgow is not a Yuppie city and to strive for that as the Council has done is to sell ourselves short. Its missing the point of our natural assets (our people) completely.[/quote] Glasgow has a broad spectrum of people and that should be encouraged. "yuppie" is an 80's term that has no relevance here. No doubt the survey asked people in deprived areas and missed out the few pockets of quality housing and good areas left in the City. All this does is reinforce what the labour party had done for years, take money from the wealthy citizens who work for a living and throw it at the deprived areas in the hope that the patch up job works. At the same time the underivestment in areas where the majority of people create wealth and contribute to the City is staggering! To be honest this has been Glasgow's problem for a long time, green eyed socialists who have no idea what it takes to create wealth and promote the City as global centre of commerce. No they would rather spend £m recladding properties and investing in areas that their residents destroy. Moreover, tells us that it's not their fault etc.. These people take and take and give nothing back, they see it as entitlement. So if there is a sea chage in the council and they are now looking to attract people who create wealth, who contribute to the City, making it more enjoyable, safer and with greater prosperity then I am all for it. If that's the "Yuppie regeneration" bring it on.
Stevie Thomson wrote:
The Council huffing and puffing because a study they paid for doesn\'t come and to say how great a job they\'re doing. How pathetic. This is a highly significant document, anyone can see how dreadful some of the recent developments in Glasgow have been so its great that someone is coming out and saying it. What Glaswegians are saying is that we don\'t want a regeneration that hands over our public space to Yuppies and this report seems to be backing us up. Glasgow is not a Yuppie city and to strive for that as the Council has done is to sell ourselves short. Its missing the point of our natural assets (our people) completely.
Glasgow has a broad spectrum of people and that should be encouraged. "yuppie" is an 80's term that has no relevance here. No doubt the survey asked people in deprived areas and missed out the few pockets of quality housing and good areas left in the City. All this does is reinforce what the labour party had done for years, take money from the wealthy citizens who work for a living and throw it at the deprived areas in the hope that the patch up job works. At the same time the underivestment in areas where the majority of people create wealth and contribute to the City is staggering! To be honest this has been Glasgow's problem for a long time, green eyed socialists who have no idea what it takes to create wealth and promote the City as global centre of commerce. No they would rather spend £m recladding properties and investing in areas that their residents destroy. Moreover, tells us that it's not their fault etc.. These people take and take and give nothing back, they see it as entitlement. So if there is a sea chage in the council and they are now looking to attract people who create wealth, who contribute to the City, making it more enjoyable, safer and with greater prosperity then I am all for it. If that's the "Yuppie regeneration" bring it on.
Posted by: Scottish Green, Glasgow on 10:28am Wed 23 May 07
[quote][bold]Big D[/bold] wrote:
Somebody tap the grey cooncil man in the last quote on the shoulder, will you. It's quite clear to me what's being suggested here, and it's basically about community consultation and empowerment. He's either befuddled by the flowery language, or he's actually more fly than that, and is opposed to opening the process of regeneration up to that extent. Well, Herald - can you find out which it is? We've all got a stake in this, and wider involvement - particularly of the kind described - would be very welcome.[/quote] I'm guessing you know the answer to this! I was at a hustings (Lesley riddoch's Big Communities debate) in April where Malcolm Chisholm, former Communities Minister gave the game away somewhat. He referred to communities being "allowed" to develop social enterprises and new community projects, and the audience quite rightly tore him a new one. The Labour Party, particularly in Glasgow, hates and fears grassroots community development which is out of their control. The whole "community planning" set up is geared to centralizing budgets and making sure local groups don't get above themselves.
This would be all very well if it was successful. But as the report says, the City's formulaic approach to regeneration just doesn't work. We've done the same thing more or less for 30 years, and Pollok, Drumchapel and the rest are just as deprived as they were before we started. While Demos is given to absurdly florid language in its reports (it must be the last organisation in the world to boast on its website of its Blairite connections), it's spot on about the need to try something different - and yes, that means real grassroots participation and empowerment with the resources to match.
SNP Executive - how about it?
Big D wrote:
Somebody tap the grey cooncil man in the last quote on the shoulder, will you. It's quite clear to me what's being suggested here, and it's basically about community consultation and empowerment. He's either befuddled by the flowery language, or he's actually more fly than that, and is opposed to opening the process of regeneration up to that extent. Well, Herald - can you find out which it is? We've all got a stake in this, and wider involvement - particularly of the kind described - would be very welcome.
I'm guessing you know the answer to this! I was at a hustings (Lesley riddoch's Big Communities debate) in April where Malcolm Chisholm, former Communities Minister gave the game away somewhat. He referred to communities being "allowed" to develop social enterprises and new community projects, and the audience quite rightly tore him a new one. The Labour Party, particularly in Glasgow, hates and fears grassroots community development which is out of their control. The whole "community planning" set up is geared to centralizing budgets and making sure local groups don't get above themselves.
This would be all very well if it was successful. But as the report says, the City's formulaic approach to regeneration just doesn't work. We've done the same thing more or less for 30 years, and Pollok, Drumchapel and the rest are just as deprived as they were before we started. While Demos is given to absurdly florid language in its reports (it must be the last organisation in the world to boast on its website of its Blairite connections), it's spot on about the need to try something different - and yes, that means real grassroots participation and empowerment with the resources to match.
SNP Executive - how about it?
Posted by: Ex Regenerationist, Glasgow on 10:49am Wed 23 May 07
In many ways Glasgow is literally a "welfare state" - poverty and regeneration are one of its biggest businesses. I know this because I used to work in "regeneration". I left for the private sector when I couldn't abide the fact that the only jobs the management were interested in creating were their own - making themselves the bright lights of the industry. And a few of you have hit it on the head - like any industry, it's become entrenched and protectionist. If you solve Glasgow's problems, a lot of people will have to find new careers, and a lot of cash cows will vanish. There are some terrific, dedicated, amazing people working on the front lines trying to make a difference, but their managers take all the credit when they're grinning from the pages of this and other papers.
In the regeneration industry, you're not allowed to solve the city's problems, because that's not "partnership working" - you have to involve at least five other agencies and consultations and drag a quick solution out to a year or more. Again, speaking from experience. It's enforced mediocrity. Don't think that the lack of change in neighbourhoods is because there's not enough money being poured into them - it's because so much money is being poured into them.
One of these days I'm going to file a Freedom of Information request regarding a certain expenditure at the regeneration co where I worked. It should make for very juicy reading.
In many ways Glasgow is literally a "welfare state" - poverty and regeneration are one of its biggest businesses. I know this because I used to work in "regeneration". I left for the private sector when I couldn't abide the fact that the only jobs the management were interested in creating were their own - making themselves the bright lights of the industry. And a few of you have hit it on the head - like any industry, it's become entrenched and protectionist. If you solve Glasgow's problems, a lot of people will have to find new careers, and a lot of cash cows will vanish. There are some terrific, dedicated, amazing people working on the front lines trying to make a difference, but their managers take all the credit when they're grinning from the pages of this and other papers.
In the regeneration industry, you're not allowed to solve the city's problems, because that's not "partnership working" - you have to involve at least five other agencies and consultations and drag a quick solution out to a year or more. Again, speaking from experience. It's enforced mediocrity. Don't think that the lack of change in neighbourhoods is because there's not enough money being poured into them - it's because so much money is being poured into them.
One of these days I'm going to file a Freedom of Information request regarding a certain expenditure at the regeneration co where I worked. It should make for very juicy reading.
Posted by: Jacqueline Conway-Gebbie, Hamilton on 10:51am Wed 23 May 07
I read with interest the article Glasgow 2020: a tale of seven cities.
Presumably, those at Glasgow City Council who parted with £200,000 of tax payers money knew that they were buying a scenario planning exercise and that the seven plausible futures are supposed to act as a catalyst for discussion and decision-making.
This makes their snooty rebuttle of Demos's work seem petty and shortsighted. I accept that the use of somewhat flowery language is a little over the top. But they did hire this London-based think tank.
If they had wanted Scenario Planning Glasgow style they need have looked no further than the academics at the University of Strathclyde Graduate School of Business. There, academics are working with a range of organisations to identify possible futures that they can factor into their strategy-making.
Alas I think the most likely scenario is number eight, [italic]Nab C Nesbitville[/italic] . Where any attempt to find creative solutions to Glasgow's problems is met with cries from officials at the City Council of "We don't want any of that namby pamby **** around here!".
I read with interest the article Glasgow 2020: a tale of seven cities.
Presumably, those at Glasgow City Council who parted with £200,000 of tax payers money knew that they were buying a scenario planning exercise and that the seven plausible futures are supposed to act as a catalyst for discussion and decision-making.
This makes their snooty rebuttle of Demos's work seem petty and shortsighted. I accept that the use of somewhat flowery language is a little over the top. But they did hire this London-based think tank.
If they had wanted Scenario Planning Glasgow style they need have looked no further than the academics at the University of Strathclyde Graduate School of Business. There, academics are working with a range of organisations to identify possible futures that they can factor into their strategy-making.
Alas I think the most likely scenario is number eight,
Nab C Nesbitville . Where any attempt to find creative solutions to Glasgow's problems is met with cries from officials at the City Council of "We don't want any of that namby pamby **** around here!".
Posted by: Neil 9% Growth, Glasgow on 10:52am Wed 23 May 07
I assume the next report Glasgow Council independently set up won't be run by Demos. Meanwhile Glasgow corporation's plans to spend £30 million (& rising) on an "iconic" footbridge 100 feet from the George V bridge are being dusted off to provise exactly the sort of pointless "celebrity architecture" discussed.
I assume the next report Glasgow Council independently set up won't be run by Demos. Meanwhile Glasgow corporation's plans to spend £30 million (& rising) on an "iconic" footbridge 100 feet from the George V bridge are being dusted off to provise exactly the sort of pointless "celebrity architecture" discussed.
Posted by: Meep, The Beast that is glasgow on 11:32am Wed 23 May 07
Most of the work to improve Glasgow has been business led. Not council led. If it was council led Glasgow would still be in the 1970's in regeneration terms. Secondly, most of this regeneration has been based around building office blocks and hotels. Explain to me how that is regeneration? Its not. We have to accept that the leadership in glasgow has been inadequate for decades. The answer to this? A political change is not enough. The population have got to want to change and lobby/pressurise the councillors and poltiicians to make a change. An example is the need for a metropolitan subway system for the whole of Glasgow.
Most of the work to improve Glasgow has been business led. Not council led. If it was council led Glasgow would still be in the 1970's in regeneration terms. Secondly, most of this regeneration has been based around building office blocks and hotels. Explain to me how that is regeneration? Its not. We have to accept that the leadership in glasgow has been inadequate for decades. The answer to this? A political change is not enough. The population have got to want to change and lobby/pressurise the councillors and poltiicians to make a change. An example is the need for a metropolitan subway system for the whole of Glasgow.
Posted by: Gordon_J on 11:53am Wed 23 May 07
Glasgow's approach to Community Planning is very top down and Council led. Communities struggle to become involved in any meaningful way - especuially since all 9 Community Forums in the city had their funding withdrawn at Christmas.
Glasgow's approach to Community Planning is very top down and Council led. Communities struggle to become involved in any meaningful way - especuially since all 9 Community Forums in the city had their funding withdrawn at Christmas.
Posted by: Brian on 1:38pm Wed 23 May 07
[quote][bold]g[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]Stevie Thomson[/bold] wrote: The Council huffing and puffing because a study [italic]they[/italic] paid for doesn\\\'t come and to say how great a job they\\\'re doing. How pathetic. This is a highly significant document, anyone can see how dreadful some of the recent developments in Glasgow have been so its great that someone is coming out and saying it. What Glaswegians are saying is that we don\\\'t want a regeneration that hands over our public space to Yuppies and this report seems to be backing us up. Glasgow is not a Yuppie city and to strive for that as the Council has done is to sell ourselves short. Its missing the point of our natural assets (our people) completely.[/quote] Glasgow has a broad spectrum of people and that should be encouraged. \"yuppie\" is an 80\'s term that has no relevance here. No doubt the survey asked people in deprived areas and missed out the few pockets of quality housing and good areas left in the City. All this does is reinforce what the labour party had done for years, take money from the wealthy citizens who work for a living and throw it at the deprived areas in the hope that the patch up job works. At the same time the underivestment in areas where the majority of people create wealth and contribute to the City is staggering! To be honest this has been Glasgow\'s problem for a long time, green eyed socialists who have no idea what it takes to create wealth and promote the City as global centre of commerce. No they would rather spend £m recladding properties and investing in areas that their residents destroy. Moreover, tells us that it\'s not their fault etc.. These people take and take and give nothing back, they see it as entitlement. So if there is a sea chage in the council and they are now looking to attract people who create wealth, who contribute to the City, making it more enjoyable, safer and with greater prosperity then I am all for it. If that\'s the \"Yuppie regeneration\" bring it on.[/quote] Well said G. This city has been brough to it's knees by the burden of a grossly inefficient speading plan aimed at to appease the increasing number of spongers who make no effort to rid themselves of the giant chip's on they carry on their shoulders.
Us so called "yuppies" i.e. those who actually have the audacity to better ourselves are the only ones giving anything to the city. Glaswegians are not a proud peoples anymore saldy we look like a bunch of alcholic, violent spongers to the rest of the UK and the world for that matter. Something has to be done at grass roots but sadly no-one in power seems to have the guts to do it. B
g wrote:
Stevie Thomson wrote: The Council huffing and puffing because a study they paid for doesn't come and to say how great a job they're doing. How pathetic. This is a highly significant document, anyone can see how dreadful some of the recent developments in Glasgow have been so its great that someone is coming out and saying it. What Glaswegians are saying is that we don't want a regeneration that hands over our public space to Yuppies and this report seems to be backing us up. Glasgow is not a Yuppie city and to strive for that as the Council has done is to sell ourselves short. Its missing the point of our natural assets (our people) completely.
Glasgow has a broad spectrum of people and that should be encouraged. \"yuppie\" is an 80\'s term that has no relevance here. No doubt the survey asked people in deprived areas and missed out the few pockets of quality housing and good areas left in the City. All this does is reinforce what the labour party had done for years, take money from the wealthy citizens who work for a living and throw it at the deprived areas in the hope that the patch up job works. At the same time the underivestment in areas where the majority of people create wealth and contribute to the City is staggering! To be honest this has been Glasgow\'s problem for a long time, green eyed socialists who have no idea what it takes to create wealth and promote the City as global centre of commerce. No they would rather spend £m recladding properties and investing in areas that their residents destroy. Moreover, tells us that it\'s not their fault etc.. These people take and take and give nothing back, they see it as entitlement. So if there is a sea chage in the council and they are now looking to attract people who create wealth, who contribute to the City, making it more enjoyable, safer and with greater prosperity then I am all for it. If that\'s the \"Yuppie regeneration\" bring it on.
Well said G. This city has been brough to it's knees by the burden of a grossly inefficient speading plan aimed at to appease the increasing number of spongers who make no effort to rid themselves of the giant chip's on they carry on their shoulders.
Us so called "yuppies" i.e. those who actually have the audacity to better ourselves are the only ones giving anything to the city. Glaswegians are not a proud peoples anymore saldy we look like a bunch of alcholic, violent spongers to the rest of the UK and the world for that matter. Something has to be done at grass roots but sadly no-one in power seems to have the guts to do it. B
Posted by: rodmc, Gourock on 1:45pm Wed 23 May 07
Time to wake up people, councillors no matter were they represent are all the same, they are out to look after No1 and jump on the gravy train.
Our local council hired an audit team not so long ago, guess what the audit team found them out, but as is 'par for the course' the council called the audit report misleading. Why? because it showed they were wasting coucil tax payers money.
Its high time that councillors went back to recieveing only expenses and no wages. Bet you'd see a mass exodus of all the greedy gits.
Time to wake up people, councillors no matter were they represent are all the same, they are out to look after No1 and jump on the gravy train.
Our local council hired an audit team not so long ago, guess what the audit team found them out, but as is 'par for the course' the council called the audit report misleading. Why? because it showed they were wasting coucil tax payers money.
Its high time that councillors went back to recieveing only expenses and no wages. Bet you'd see a mass exodus of all the greedy gits.
Posted by: The West Awake, Argyll on 2:06pm Wed 23 May 07
Steven Purcell better enjoy the next 4 years - because after that the SNP will be running the show.
What a absolute debacle - typical of that shower of inefficient, vision-free numpties who couldn't run an egg-and-spoon race far less the biggest city in almost free Scotland.
Thank God we are nearly rid of them!
Steven Purcell better enjoy the next 4 years - because after that the SNP will be running the show.
What a absolute debacle - typical of that shower of inefficient, vision-free numpties who couldn't run an egg-and-spoon race far less the biggest city in almost free Scotland.
Thank God we are nearly rid of them!
Posted by: Blue Shield on 2:14pm Wed 23 May 07
This report is a pile of tosh.... its typical left of centre thinking to believe that everone in the working class is an undiscovered intellectual that the system has down trodden.
The fact is that many of these places in Glasgow have been undermined by the very people who live there. Why spend millions when gangs of buckie laden youths fight and vanalise these places into the gutter.
There's also the litter out there years of debris from anti social behaviour.
Why spend millions to have it squandered by yobs who don't know the value of it.
Glasgow City Council have done a brilliant job over 25 years to lift our city. Carry on. YES please help the poorer areas and housing schemes with equal spending but lets not pander to some left wing think tanks iealistic piffle.
This report is a pile of tosh.... its typical left of centre thinking to believe that everone in the working class is an undiscovered intellectual that the system has down trodden.
The fact is that many of these places in Glasgow have been undermined by the very people who live there. Why spend millions when gangs of buckie laden youths fight and vanalise these places into the gutter.
There's also the litter out there years of debris from anti social behaviour.
Why spend millions to have it squandered by yobs who don't know the value of it.
Glasgow City Council have done a brilliant job over 25 years to lift our city. Carry on. YES please help the poorer areas and housing schemes with equal spending but lets not pander to some left wing think tanks iealistic piffle.
Posted by: Pedro, Carluke on 2:26pm Wed 23 May 07
Jacqueline - would totally agree with the comments regarding the SGBS. Studied in the Management Science dept with the folk involved in scenario planning and the rest of it and wonder why GCC shovelled all this money to an increasingly unhinged Demos.
Having also been involved (professionally) in consultation processes in Glasgow, Ra Coonsil most often just don't want to know what communities think. The socialist mindset of people being too stoopid to do things for themselves - just leave it to Labour to tell them what to do has hindered Glasgow for years.
Jacqueline - would totally agree with the comments regarding the SGBS. Studied in the Management Science dept with the folk involved in scenario planning and the rest of it and wonder why GCC shovelled all this money to an increasingly unhinged Demos.
Having also been involved (professionally) in consultation processes in Glasgow, Ra Coonsil most often just don't want to know what communities think. The socialist mindset of people being too stoopid to do things for themselves - just leave it to Labour to tell them what to do has hindered Glasgow for years.
Posted by: Andrew Dewar, Glasgow on 2:47pm Wed 23 May 07
[quote][bold]David Bell[/bold] wrote:
I was proud to live in Glasgow during the Garden Festival/ City of Culture years, but moved out 7 years ago. The attitude of so many people in the city sucks. There's a hatred of profit, of people getting the cars and the houses and trappings of wealth. It is reflected in who the people elect. All the regeneration cash on earth wont alter the sick mindset. I love Glasgow, but we should perhaps just accept that this City has no real purpose any more. Cities don't have to be eternal. [/quote] You just listed all the reasons I moved to Glasgow and why I love it!
Profit, flash cars and ridiculously-priced designer flats should be despised.
Glaswegians seem to put more emphasis on having a good time, with none of the big-time charlie attitudes of the rest of the UK.
David Bell wrote:
I was proud to live in Glasgow during the Garden Festival/ City of Culture years, but moved out 7 years ago. The attitude of so many people in the city sucks. There's a hatred of profit, of people getting the cars and the houses and trappings of wealth. It is reflected in who the people elect. All the regeneration cash on earth wont alter the sick mindset. I love Glasgow, but we should perhaps just accept that this City has no real purpose any more. Cities don't have to be eternal.
You just listed all the reasons I moved to Glasgow and why I love it!
Profit, flash cars and ridiculously-priced designer flats should be despised.
Glaswegians seem to put more emphasis on having a good time, with none of the big-time charlie attitudes of the rest of the UK.
Posted by: George Laird, Glasgow on 3:57pm Wed 23 May 07
Dear all
"A city spokesman said: "This report is nothing less than an insult to the many Glaswegians who gave up their time to take part. Bizarre would be a charitable way to describe some of the report's conclusions."
Its refreshing that outside observation of the New Labour Glasgow City Council's fiefdom problem has such an excellent appraisal of how ordinary Glaswegians have been marginalised.
It is plain to see by the spokesman comments that the problem is so deep rooted that they cannot understand it.
Having lived in the New Labour gerrymandered Pollok ghetto for 28 years I can confirm the London based think tank's report. Pollok was abandoned by New Labour to fester in its own pus. Ordinary tenants could get proper housing repairs and tenants had to live in damp and mould infested houses.
The view it would appear to me that New Labour Glasgow City Council has adopted is that, they have a guaranteed majority so they have no interest in treating the residents properly and fairly.
Glaswegians have been systematically treated as second class citizens by New Labour, treated little better than pigs.
The 'NEW' vision for Glasgow is solely directed to that tiny minority of people that have money and influence.
Glasgow's shame.......New Labour.
yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Dear all
"A city spokesman said: "This report is nothing less than an insult to the many Glaswegians who gave up their time to take part. Bizarre would be a charitable way to describe some of the report's conclusions."
Its refreshing that outside observation of the New Labour Glasgow City Council's fiefdom problem has such an excellent appraisal of how ordinary Glaswegians have been marginalised.
It is plain to see by the spokesman comments that the problem is so deep rooted that they cannot understand it.
Having lived in the New Labour gerrymandered Pollok ghetto for 28 years I can confirm the London based think tank's report. Pollok was abandoned by New Labour to fester in its own pus. Ordinary tenants could get proper housing repairs and tenants had to live in damp and mould infested houses.
The view it would appear to me that New Labour Glasgow City Council has adopted is that, they have a guaranteed majority so they have no interest in treating the residents properly and fairly.
Glaswegians have been systematically treated as second class citizens by New Labour, treated little better than pigs.
The 'NEW' vision for Glasgow is solely directed to that tiny minority of people that have money and influence.
Glasgow's shame.......New Labour.
yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
Posted by: Norman on 11:29am Thu 24 May 07
It's all about regeneration - which from the evidence I see is to build designer homes anywhere they can. Glass and grey buildings all along the riverside and charge a fortune for them. Developers making a fortune out of housing made from materials only guaranteed for 25 years - people will be paying a mortgage on rubble. Yet the East end is abandoned - presumably designer homes don't go for the same value there, the west hardly has a blade of grass left in it and there are areas of the city that seem disowned by law and order. There's abandoned housing in Springburn that I passed by yesterday - surely something can be done there. But the council thinks it should be congratulated for making the city a hodge podge of building design and making the wealthiest and poorest areas of the city more distinct than ever. No wonder there is resentment. As planning goes I'd rank it a grade F.
It's all about regeneration - which from the evidence I see is to build designer homes anywhere they can. Glass and grey buildings all along the riverside and charge a fortune for them. Developers making a fortune out of housing made from materials only guaranteed for 25 years - people will be paying a mortgage on rubble. Yet the East end is abandoned - presumably designer homes don't go for the same value there, the west hardly has a blade of grass left in it and there are areas of the city that seem disowned by law and order. There's abandoned housing in Springburn that I passed by yesterday - surely something can be done there. But the council thinks it should be congratulated for making the city a hodge podge of building design and making the wealthiest and poorest areas of the city more distinct than ever. No wonder there is resentment. As planning goes I'd rank it a grade F.
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