Watford indoor market
Posted by Claire Ward, MP for Watford, at 15:45, Tue 22 September 2009:
Market campaign will continue says Claire
Claire Ward MP has said that the campaign to retain some form of indoor market in the town will continue despite assurances given by the Mayor, Dorothy Thornhill.
This follows a council cabinet meeting attended by more than 200 customers and market traders. Many of those at the meeting criticised the late arrival of the resolution, giving no time for traders or the public to consider the Mayor's promise that every effort will be made to find a suitable alternative venue while talks continue to find a company willing to re-develop the existing site in Charter Place.
She said afterwards: " The Mayor tried to gloss over the fact that she has done a u-turn over her plan to get rid of the market because of the tremendous opposition she has encountered from traders and shoppers who use the market. The fact that the traders managed to collect nearly 9,000 signatures for their protest petition shows how badly she has miscalculated the situation. Her assertion that her change of heart is some form of triumph for local democracy is plainly ridiculous.
"If she had not acted like some "tin pot dictator" in the first place and properly consulted local people about plans for the re-development of the town centre she would have got a lot more cross-party support. Despite knowing that there would be intense scrutiny of the proposals, she failed to ensure her officers had to hand the full information, such as how much tax payers money was spent on employing Opinion research and the market consultants.
Instead her arrogant approach has antagonized traders, shoppers and a cross section of opposition parties - including some members of her own Liberal Democrat administration. The Mayor certainly didn't convince me last night that her present change of mind is anything more than a fudge until they get some developer on board . I agree that the market cannot continue on its present site . If she had listened several months ago she would have heard many traders and shoppers saying the same thing."
Ms Ward said she would be meeting market traders later this week and vowed to continue as part of a cross party campaign to keep the pressure on the Council and the Mayor to deliver a new indoor market.
8th September 2009
Comments
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Posted by Chris King, 17:06, Tue 22 September 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
I'm afraid this government has had it. They can't help building on every square inch of land they can find, they overpopulate the country by allowing too many people in, then they complain that there aren't enough houses. Of course there aren't!!!!
There's absolutely no reason why the market can't continue in its present location. None at all. We don't need more flats.
Hopefully they'll be out next election....
Posted by conrad mason, 22:01, Tue 22 September 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
And whose fault is it they politicians get away with the total nonsense they do and say? People allow them to steam roller over any and everything they choose to spending most tax on themselves not giving a hoot for ordinary people, you and me.Don't vote for any party that lies and cheats which doesn't leave too may too vote for but certainly none of the three LIBLABCON will do anything for any of us who are not members of the political classes!1 Think about it!
Posted by conrad mason, 22:02, Tue 22 September 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
Apologies for any spelling and/or grammer errors in my previous post, I'm fuming!