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Green's blocking Amex expansion plans? Steve Bassam



Sweeney Todd

New member
Apr 24, 2008
1,636
Oxford/Lancing
When will the decision be made by the planning committee?
 










D

Deleted member 22389

Guest
When will the decision be made by the planning committee?

Same. When will the decision likely to be made. I just hope this is not one of these long drawn out processes, we have had enough of this crap in the past.
 




The Large One

Who's Next?
Jul 7, 2003
52,343
97.2FM
To be fair, 3.5% hurts me now. I'd rather wait for a year with a 0% rise and then see what the situation is in a years a time. Personally I think the council are scaremongering.

The situation is that the council would need to increase Council Tax by 7.1% in order to keep up (the 'grant' is not available next year as it's not toally eithcial to raid the Local Government Pension Fund forever to fund this). And councils are being capped at 3.5% increases.

What is interesting is that two-thirds of the councils who do not intend taking up this 'grant' are Conservative councils.
 


The Large One

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Jul 7, 2003
52,343
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Yes I am not stupid - I checked the 'facts' that they were trying to sell to everyone. I don't believe their spiel that to freeze Council Tax this year, when we are still in recession, would be a bad thing and would inevitably lead to a massively higher increase next time. There are savings that can be made to avoid such a consequence but never mind that, the Greens are in charge and no-one can disagee. The vast majority of other Councils in the entire Country obviously share my views - but not Dr Lucas. I stand by what I said, the Greens are cretins in my view, deluded and blinded by their own tree-hugging aims. They should never have been let loose from the asylum to run a Council; it's a disaster and will end in tears.

The 'insult' is to Brighton fans and interested locals who have waited for over 14 years and know that the expansion of the stadium was part of the package. They are now reneging on that package simply because they hate car drivers and seem to think everyone can hop on a bike. It is simply not possible for most people to use a bike or public transport all the time - in my case I do 2 school runs to 2 different schools (or to friends who take my youngest child for me) and still have to get to work by 8am. It could not be done without a car unless we set off at 6.30am and I am sorry but we ain't playing ball with these idiots.

Such rage. Talk about a post made of Swiss cheese.

'Tree-huggers' - is that your best 'insult'?

Why round on Caroline Lucas? She isn't on the council.

As for your 'insult' part... what a load of nonsense. Yes, the club has always wanted an expansion, and they knew they'd have to seek planning permission for it. Where on any party's (let alone just the Green's) council election manifesto did it promise for that to be given automatic go ahead? Never mind that the Labour and Tory councillors could vote it down - even if the Greens voted for it. But seeing as planning permission hasn't gone in yet, nor a decision taken (there won't be one until April) - then on so many levels... where is the reneging? Shall we see what happens with the planning application before we all get over-excited?
 
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LadySeagull

Well-known member
Jan 21, 2011
1,247
Portslade
You voted Green didn't you, The Large One? Come on, you can tell us...

...and as for your statement (as if it's the only way) 'the situation is that the council would need to increase Council Tax by 7.1% in order to keep up' well quite simply that is NOT the only situation, not the only solution.
 




Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patron
Jul 23, 2003
36,618
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
The situation is that the council would need to increase Council Tax by 7.1% in order to keep up (the 'grant' is not available next year as it's not toally eithcial to raid the Local Government Pension Fund forever to fund this). And councils are being capped at 3.5% increases.

What is interesting is that two-thirds of the councils who do not intend taking up this 'grant' are Conservative councils.

Keeping up front line services I have no problem with. Unwanted cycle lanes, new parking zones by stealth, turning kids play areas in to meadows, forcing vegetarianism on binmen and sacking council staff while keeping executives I have a problem with.

I read the Green manifesto before they won power and after. About half was the sort of sensible stuff I'd demand while the other half appeared to have been written by Rik from the Young Ones after a bad night on the Lambrini. And they didn't say how they'd achieve any of it. Pretty much my twitter experience with Kitcat. Sense one second, nonsense the next, no straight answer.
 


The Large One

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Jul 7, 2003
52,343
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You voted Green didn't you, The Large One? Come on, you can tell us...

...and as for your statement (as if it's the only way) 'the situation is that the council would need to increase Council Tax by 7.1% in order to keep up' well quite simply that is NOT the only situation, not the only solution.

Yup, I voted Green.

You might want to consider than in a survey carried out of all local councils - 79% said that they would accept the freeze because they feel is the right thing to do politically, but accept that next year's Council Tax increase will have to be higher than they were originally planned.

The finance director of a Conservative-controlled district that intends to accept the grant said: “Financially it makes no sense, but politically members feel they’ve no choice. It means that increases in 2013-14 will be higher in order to recoup the loss of income.” is the direct quote.
 


Acker79

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Nov 15, 2008
31,921
Brighton
Keeping up front line services I have no problem with. Unwanted cycle lanes, new parking zones by stealth, turning kids play areas in to meadows, forcing vegetarianism on binmen and sacking council staff while keeping executives I have a problem with.

One day a week making meat unavailable in their work place = vegetarianism? It's not like they couldn't have a bacon sarnie for breakfast at home before work and a steak dinner went they got home, they weren't banned from eating meat, hell, they weren't even banned from brining in chicken sandwiches if they wantede. "Forcing vegetarianism on" them, give over. Not stocking meat in the staff canteen for one day a week is no where near being vegetarian.
 
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kevtherev

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2008
10,467
Tunbridge Wells
Someone with Tony Bloom's wealth has a way of getting what he wants...I said 10 years ago, that as long as the right palms are greased we will get the stadium. Funny how it all took off when Tony got the wad out...Money talks, bullshit walks.
 


Uter

Well-known member
Aug 5, 2008
1,483
The land of chocolate
Can someone post what is said? Please tah, thanks.

A row has broken out over plans to expand BHA’s Amex stadium in Falmer. The heated exchange took place on the social network Twitter between Green councillor Jason Kitcat and the former leader of B&H city council Lord Steve Bassam. The two locked horns over propoasals for an extra 8000 seats at the new stadium. Lord Bassam has accusing the Green council of scuppering expansion by the back door.

Here’s what the debate is all about. The expansion of the Albion’s new Amex stadium. With plans to build an extra 1000 parking spaces and community centre nearby, parking that might have helped football fans at the weekend. Having those extra spaces would be an important part of the club’s application to increase capacity of the stadium by a futher 8000.

But on Twitter the former Labour leader of Brighton council Lord Steve Bassam accuses the Green councillor Jason Kitcat and the current Green council of trying to block the expansion plans by stopping the extra parking spaces being built.

Lord Bassam says “I sense a climb down or Uturn and a bit of panic. If by exposing your hidden agenda we get a result happy for that.”

Jason Kitcat replies “We had concerns about location, we were never against the stadium in principal, though you like to suggest it was so…”

Lord Bassam replies “We need fan power to bombard Greens to get them to backtrack on this daft decision.”

Lord Bassam being interviewed: “Brighton and Hove Albion FC has been a major success story. It has got a new stadium. It wants to expand capacity by 40% and if these car parking spaces are blocked by a rather un-green deal it means that the option of expanding the stadium is much more difficult and complicated”

Jason Kitcat being interviewed: “The stadium’s original application had provision for parking in some areas which didn’t work out. There was some at the Falmer academy who’ve decided not to provided them. They’ve had less spaces at the university campus provided as well. So they are looking and we are working with them to find alternative ways to deal with their transport issues.”

Fans say expansion is needed at their new stadium.

Brett Mendoza being interviewed: “There’s been a sell out pretty much every league game so far this season and there is a season ticket waiting list of about 2000 people already.”

All this debate comes before any plans for more stadium seats have actually been submitted. The club hope to do that before the end of the year.
Despite all this talk of parking the club can actually boast they are one of the greenest in the country when it comes to transporting fans…

Report ends prematurely due to sounds problems. Presumably they were about to mention that around 70% of fans already use sustainable transport.
 


The Large One

Who's Next?
Jul 7, 2003
52,343
97.2FM
I also drive past the ridiculous road works on the Old Shoreham Rd in Hove every day - which I understand is going to be the cycle lane that the locals clearly voted AGAINST in the survey. The very idea of making that road a single lane is madness and dangerous, but if it makes the Greens look like they are achieving their aims then they would presumably say who cares if some school kids get crushed as a result. It makes me really angry.

Um, no they didn't.

In a survey carried out by the Council (under the Tories) in 2009, 66% of respondents said that they were in favour of a bike lane along the full length of Old Shoreham Road (at leat the bit in BHCC's control).

When this plan for a partial cycle lane from Dyke Road to The Drive (already single lane anyway) was put into motion this year, the council did another survey of those directly affected (including the schools) and 74% were in favour of the plan. Over half the funds are provided by Sustrans.

This is all in line with government's White Paper 'Creating Growth, Cutting Carbon' on sustainable transport.

Taken from the (non-political) officer's report.
 




Acker79

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Nov 15, 2008
31,921
Brighton
Bassam has set himself up in a no lose position. The plans get the greenlight he takes the credit, even if it would have gone ahead without this spat, the plans get denied, regardless of how the 5 greens out of 12 vote, and the greens get the blame. That alone makes me suspicious of his claims.
 


severnside gull

Well-known member
May 16, 2007
24,762
By the seaside in West Somerset
Is that guy's name really Kitcat or is it a nom de guerre so that when his party gets found out he can escape back to his true identity?
2 page special in the Argus tomorrow I see...............................
 




Smithy

Well-known member
Apr 26, 2009
3,417
Hove
The Argus is saying Albions plans have been dealt a blow by the Green Party. 2 page report tomorrow.
 




Feb 14, 2010
4,932
The situation is that the council would need to increase Council Tax by 7.1% in order to keep up (the 'grant' is not available next year as it's not toally eithcial to raid the Local Government Pension Fund forever to fund this). And councils are being capped at 3.5% increases.

What is interesting is that two-thirds of the councils who do not intend taking up this 'grant' are Conservative councils.

My friend these petty party politics of local councils miss the point. The UK has a vast public sector. It is then a fact that the private sector wealth creators pay for the public sector.

We simply need teachers to take less holidays, university lecturers to take less holidays, firemen to agree to turning up to work for more two days a week and a realignment of our economy from wealth spenders (public sector) to wealth creators (private sector). When people realise that borrowing cash from China is not a good idea, then the better we will be.

As for parking, the if some council worker with a clip board didnt stop people parking in Moulscoombe then that would open up many car parking space.

As for blocking expansion, only a politician who is paid for by secure taxation would think of reducing the numbers of visitors to a tourist town by blocking expansion
 


pwlr1966

Active member
Aug 7, 2011
270
Greens out

GREENS OUT

"Albion's much-anticipated plans for the £100 million American Express Community Stadium have been dealt a blow by Brighton and Hove City Council's Green administration."

Represent the people my A@£E
 


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