“Your Waverley’s” Executive has now nodded through the Farnham Brightwells £100m Re-generation scheme that according to one councillor – almost, everyone in Farnham has been waiting for.
That is they claimed …
except for – Farnham’s “vociferous minority ” that have too much time on their hands and have formed themselves into Protest Groups?
Councillor Jenny Else said she was confident that the “exciting” scheme would draw people into Farnham from all over the borough. “I live in Elstead and we shall all be going to Farnham – Godalming ought to be worried.”
Well, that’s all right then isn’t it – put the boot in on Godalming – the home of Waverley Council, why don’t you Councillor – what Else can you put your foot in every time you open your mouth?
As for residents’ concerns about losing the Redgrave Theatre, well Councillor Liz Wheatley blamed Farnham people for not supporting it and then said enough taxpayers money had been wasted by “Your Waverley” bailing it out to the tune of £1.3m. So she said they could go to the Cinema instead. She failed to mention the rents WBC pulled in, from the theatres restaurant, or the huge subsidies that Waverley’s preferred alternative venue , The Maltings, has been receiving for years.
Well the Council’s Executive Meeting this week would have made a first class production for the poor old Redgrave’s stage, but then of course, silly old us, it isn’t there any more!
Every councillor – except two – had read their perfectly scripted lines, were well rehearsed and directed. Some performances were better than others – and not all were word perfect – perhaps the dress rehearsal should have had another hour or two when it was held behind closed doors earlier and then…
Of course the real debate (what are we talking about there was no real debate. The only people who had the audacity to oppose the scheme were the Farnham Residents’ councillors and Independent, Councillor Andy MacLeod, and even he was told to shut up as he was out of time!
Did anyone mention how much it has cost “us” to get this far over 14 years? No, of course not – but the figure of £5.9m already spent, actually exceeds the £2.8m (the premium WBC for one quarter of Farnham less the 1.5m of public funds being spent on relocating the Gostrey Centre to the Memorial Hall, added to the £1.5m cost of the CPO enquiry on the Marlborough Head pub and even then only taking into account a small part of the officers’ time!
Should we really be selling a one quarter of Farnham for 1.3m!? Well that is what Potty’s bunch has just done!
WW cannot believe someone somewhere in the Tory ranks didn’t have just a few niggling little doubts about the Waverley Production of a Midsummer Night’s Dream? Unless…
they spoke up when it went into Exempt…
yes, you guessed behind closed doors due to “commercial sensitivity.”
WW didn’t wait for the decision – because we had already written the script. There may have been a standing ovation for Gone to Potts – who achieved what… Waverley’s very own Mrs MOP – the plumply salaried – golden booted former CEO couldn’t achieve … the deal!
So now, councillors boast, we can all rest easily in our beds because all the young people of Fanham who want “affordable” homes are going to get them – all the young people of Farnham who want “an evening economy” in the restaurants and cinema – are going to get them. There will be more jobs for all and lots of jobs for the construction workers employed by Crest Nicholson.
Now the final act. “Your Waverley” says it will get £2.8m + 800/900 p.a. Surrey County Council will make a return on its ??? circa £58m – and CNS will make a bob or two. Councillor Kevin Deanus is thrilled because he predicts more car park income and fines! Nobody told him there will be fewer spaces in future, did they?
So there you are then – as the curtain went down on one of the best productions we have seen since Brian Rix played to packed houses on stage at the Whitehall Theatre has there been such a slick, well rehearsed production… We are however, left with just one final thought ?
It ain’t over – until the Fat Lady sings?
Hi, Well then that’s all good & sorted then, I have difficulty comprehending that these people know what Farnham people want, but have just seen a picture in the Surrey & Hants news of most of the people involved in this & previous posts & wonder what the photographer said to get them all to smile so smugly, prehaps it wasn’t “CHEEEESSE” but” BBIIGG PENSIONN” Try saying it without smiling! Keith (Talbot Rd.)
I attended the Executive meeting and watched the rehearsed speeches and then watched many of the same speeches repeated in the Council meeting at 8pm.
As no questions were allowed I was not able to ask “If the Counsel opinion is such that it makes a Judicial Review success unlikely, and the report by GVA is so favourable to the Council’s position why are they only discussed in Exempt? surely they should be shared with the doubters to put their minds at rest, after all it is our money that paid for these opinion.
Methinks the Council are telling us porkies again!
Rosaleen
Brian Rix? Don’t think the younger readers will know who he is and after all if the Councillors who spoke up last night are to be believed all of this regeneration is for the young professionals, no mention of ordinary everyday shop workers or factory workers who won’t be able to afford all the “entertainment” on offer
This is fantastic news! So many of us residents are firmly in favour of this development that is long overdue and has been uneccessarily delayed so many times. Hopefully we can now look forward to a swift regeneration of East Street and, along with the Woolmead improvements, look forward to a revitalised town for all. Excellent!
WW looked up the King of Farce – and up comes the name Brian Rix as The Master of the genre.