Joining 'Greater Birmingham' would be good for the City, says Ann Lucas.. (1 Viewer)

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W

wingy

Well-Known Member
It's all related to this surge for devolved power
The govt will dish out regional funding then the locals can take the blame for poor spending of inadequate funds
I sense London becoming a Principality holding onto its own wealth here
 
skybluebeduff

skybluebeduff

Well-Known Member
The leader of Coventry City Council says people need to “grow up” when it comes to the possibility of Coventry joining forces with Birmingham as part of a combined authority.
Labour leader Ann Lucas told the Telegraph the Midlands risks being left behind if politicians cannot come to an agreement over what any combined authority should look like.
Four Black Country councils and Birmingham City Council have already agreed to create a combined authority and discussions are ongoing between the leaders of Coventry and Warwickshire’s councils, as well as Solihull and Hinckley, about whether to join Birmingham or go their separate ways.
A combined authority is a combination of local councils which have joined together to receive increased powers and funding from central government and make joint decisions over issues such as economic development and transport.
Story Link All you need to know about plan for Coventry to join 'Greater Birmingham'

Speaking to the Telegraph ahead of a meeting tonight where the city council’s ruling Labour group will discuss taking the proposal forward, Coun Lucas said: “If we don’t all grow up as politicians, and look to the greater good of the Midlands region, then we are going to be squeezed out, isolated and forgotten. Shame on us all if that happens.
“If we have the opportunity to get greater resources, funding, power and responsibility we would be doing people down not to talk about that seriously.
“My view is that the Midlands needs to work more closely together. How wonderful if we could be grown up and say to people come and talk to ‘Central UK’ or ‘Midlands Incorporated’.
“Nobody is the boss and we all look after each others interests. They have a minister for the North now and I would like to see us have a minister for the Midlands.”
BP3273410.jpg
Birmingham's Bullring bullMany Coventry residents fear a return to the days of West Midlands County Council or even a situation where decisions about Coventry are taken in Birmingham.
Those fears have been heightened after Conservative chancellor George Osborne recently insisted that combined authorities must have a ruling metro mayor in order to receive extra powers and funding promised. Voters in Birmingham and Coventry rejected the idea of regional mayors during a referendum in 2012.
But Coun Lucas insisted Coventry would not lose its identity if it joined forces with Birmingham.
She said: “I think that Coventry people should know, whatever happens in the future, Coventry will always be its own sovereign being.
“We will never stop being Coventry. If anyone thinks that we are going to lose our own identity, look at Oldham in Greater Manchester, it just isn’t going to happen.
“They are very proud to still be Oldham, despite being in Greater Manchester.”
Coventry should...


  • Stay as it is - 67%
  • Join forces with Warwickshire - 33%
  • Join forces with Birmingham - 0%
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She added: “If we go on our own, good luck to a city that’s red with three Labour MPs and a Labour council.
“We will be isolated, and that is not doing a service to the people we represent.”
The Conservative opposition in Coventry have called on the Labour leadership to pursue a partnership with Warwickshire alone, covering a total of 0.87million people, and resist any alliance with Birmingham.
But a Greater Birmingham alliance could make the Midlands the biggest Combined Authority outside of London - ahead of Greater Manchester’s 2.7m.
Story Link Coventry Manifesto: YOU want MPs to stop city becoming part of 'Greater Birmingham'

Coun Lucas suggested the Tories were trying to make political capital out of the situation and said: “It is not a big enough partnership with just Warwickshire.
“Before the election both parties made it clear there wouldn’t be the freedoms we are looking for with just Coventry and Warwickshire.”
Coun Lucas also confirmed that a decision on the future of Coventry will not be put out to a public vote.
She said: “There will be a consultation process, but no referendum.
“There hasn’t been one anywhere else, it’s incredibly expensive, very few people take part and they are not binding in law.”
 
A

Ashdown

Well-Known Member
wingy said:
It's all related to this surge for devolved power
The govt will dish out regional funding then the locals can take the blame for poor spending of inadequate funds
I sense London becoming a Principality holding onto its own wealth here
Click to expand...

Bang on Wingy, I have wondered if that wasn't the strategy all along. I've heard Londoners claiming that they subsidise everywhere else as it is. No wonder though is it when all roads, stadiums, major tourism etc are funnelled in. Imagine though our small group of councillors in a large council full of Brummies managing to pull any favours. We'll become even more of a scruffy underfunded suburb !
 
Covstu

Covstu

Well-Known Member
This woman makes my blood boil! Yes lets talk to 'Midlands Incorporated', she is even trying to franchise the fecking city!!!

Again Conservatives making sense around engaging with Warwickshire (which i have always felt more affinity towards) rather than being swallowed up by Birmingham. Does she really think we would retain our soverignty with Birmingham protecting their interests and probably outvoting Coventry Council 2:1. Absolute idiot!
 
chiefdave

chiefdave

Well-Known Member
Covstu said:
Does she really think we would retain our soverignty with Birmingham protecting their interests and probably outvoting Coventry Council 2:1.
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This is what I don't get, surely every vote will be in favour of the dominant area, in this case Birmingham. If its lets spend £10m in Brum or in Cov what are all the councillors from Birmingham going to vote for?

Warwickshire would be a better option if it has to be done at all as there wouldn't be a dominant force like Birmingham.
 
hutch1972

hutch1972

Well-Known Member
Covstu said:
This woman makes my blood boil! Yes lets talk to 'Midlands Incorporated', she is even trying to franchise the fecking city!!!

Again Conservatives making sense around engaging with Warwickshire (which i have always felt more affinity towards) rather than being swallowed up by Birmingham. Does she really think we would retain our soverignty with Birmingham protecting their interests and probably outvoting Coventry Council 2:1. Absolute idiot!
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If this ridiculous idea is put forward the people should decide , not "do as I say" which is how the Ricoh was sold.
As someone has already said, this woman is dangerous.
And to think coventry re-elected her just 2 weeks ago.
 
D

Deleted member 5849

Guest
Covstu said:
This woman makes my blood boil! Yes lets talk to 'Midlands Incorporated', she is even trying to franchise the fecking city!!!

Again Conservatives making sense around engaging with Warwickshire (which i have always felt more affinity towards) rather than being swallowed up by Birmingham. Does she really think we would retain our soverignty with Birmingham protecting their interests and probably outvoting Coventry Council 2:1. Absolute idiot!
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Warwickshire might end up in it too...
 
Sick Boy

Sick Boy

Super Moderator
She was banging on about this before. I see that her puppets aren't here to defend her, maybe this is too much even for them to defend.

Poor little anndroids
 
J

Jack Griffin

Guest
skybluebeduff said:
Coun Anne Lucas says Coventry would be left 'isolated and forgotten' if it does not forge stronger ties to West Midlands


She's not contempt in trying to make our History dissipate, she now wants to screw the whole of Coventry too...

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/coventry-council-leader-joining-greater-9277554

Is she on weed?
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Broken link? Anyway becoming a district of Birmingham is not for me, fuck that, the next step will be to pave over the green belt.
 
Grendel

Grendel

Well-Known Member
Ashdown said:
They are gradually building over the greenbelt anyway aren't they !
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Yep - massive estate being built from sandpits lane and they are looking to build a huge estate from allesley green to extend to Meriden. The merger will then be complete.
 
S

Seamus1

Well-Known Member
Councillor Lucas seems to be forgetting that she is effectively on a rolling contract and that it is we who decide her fate. She is behaving like a dictator.

the following link is a few years old, but is nonetheless representative of what the future will hold if this crackpot idea goes ahead:

http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/birmingham-airport-chief-warns-coventry-3919134

So, bearing in mind this example of Birmingham's opinions towards a private business in Coventry expanding and competing, what we can expect from the meetings is for the Birmingham Councillors to vote for money earmarked for projects in Coventry such as Friargate, City Centre South, improvements to Coventry Station to be diverted to projects such as the business district around the HS2 station, the business quarter in Birmingham where HSBC are moving to and retail offerings in Birmingham

So, this is how Councillor Lucas thinks she will get Coventry to be a 'Top 10 city'? Coventry will effectively become Birmingham's 'bitch', we will be relegated to be as important in a region as say Altrincham or Rochdale is in the Greater Manchester area....I've lived in Altrincham and with all due respect to the place it ain't great. To put it into perspective, we will become to Birmingham, what Nuneaton has become to Coventry....nothing more than a commuter town with very little investment.

I'm amazed that anyone could think that it would be a good idea to get into the same bed as a collective that has found itself half a billion pound in debt!! Yes, it wasn't great of the council to sell off the Ricoh, but Christ on a bike, Birmingham City Council cocked up so much that they had to sell off the NEC and are still massively in the shit.
 
S

Seamus1

Well-Known Member
Ashdown said:
They are gradually building over the greenbelt anyway aren't they !
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to be honest, I was in favour of the Gateway scheme. That area of Greenbelt land was previously a sewage works and the Armstrong Whitworth factory. Plus, Baginton is already connected to Coventry by Mill Hill, the Stonebridge industrial estate and the bloody airport. I think the Gateway scheme would have really brought in a significant amount of jobs, and people have not been looking towards what will happen in 20 years from now.
 
J

Jack Griffin

Guest
I reckon the local politicians have pretty much agreed a plan that is foursquare against the wishes of the electorate. They all want this awful airport estate and want to chop up the green belt to house even more people.

Found this fab piccy of AW factory Baginton
Baginton-Factory-Medium.jpg


and Whitley (where Jaguar Whitley now stands)
Whitley-Factory-Medium.jpg
 
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Covstu

Covstu

Well-Known Member
Sick Boy said:
She was banging on about this before. I see that her puppets aren't here to defend her, maybe this is too much even for them to defend.

Poor little anndroids
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to compare Oldham and Coventry is a joke too. Is that what we have to look forward too!
 
A

Ashdown

Well-Known Member
Covstu said:
to compare Oldham and Coventry is a joke too. Is that what we have to look forward too!
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Quite, what a traitorous cow ! Coventry was a civilised and respected functioning City for centuries whilst Birmingham was still a series of mud huts with a few cows on the common land !
 
torchomatic

torchomatic

Well-Known Member
SHe's certainly trying to leave her mark, isn't she? Responsible for bringing in a franchise and ousting the local team and becoming part of Greater Birmingham. She'll be remembered that's for sure!
 
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