Is this: http://www.basingsto
kegazette.co.uk/sear
ch/display.var.20830
72.0.gresley_road_fi
asco_leads_to_calls_
for_resignation.php a heavilly commented article from the aftermath of the Gresley Road Fiasco relevant to his resignation?

LOL. That's precisely the point I made on the www.kempshott.com website David!

www. kempsnot is a troll website and has no relevence on a properly run board like this.

This has been the worst kept secret going, I heard about this over a month ago, he was under pressure over Gresly Rd, wont be long before Cllr Reid is leader and then the infighting starts.

Carlos Tilbury wrote:

... wont be long before Cllr Reid is leader...

Yes, I was surprised that Stephen's name hadn't been put forward, given he experienced the position of B&DBC's Leader some years ago. Perhaps it's a workload issue, what with being a County Councillor, part of the Save Manydown Group as well as holding down a full time job... We'll await to see what happens next Thursday.

By what I hear Cllr Leek is a pretty nice chap, and he did express that in my view when they lost the Warden call in.
Its funny that Cllr Ried says that he didnt have any idea that the CC is going to spend £100k at looking into the Manydown building program, think someone is telling fibs! and lets not forget he was leader in the 90's of the party that sold it for future development.
Its going to be interesting to watch this one unfold.

Its going to be interesting to watch this one unfold

You may need to get out more often ;-)

in fact I'll have 50p on Cllr Reid being in that role in 6 months, but when he does thats when the splits start in the party.
You have to remember, B&D are putting off building on Manydown, but HCC has £5 million tied up in the land and the farmer who sold the land, who is a tory wants to get his money back, if you didnt know the farmer will be getting a dollop of cash for every house built.
If you voted Tory on the basis of them saving manydown then you might be short changed, the land is worth a fortune, so you may well have put the cross in the wrong box.

Carlos: you lose your 50p. I have told my colleagues that I cannot let my name go forward for Leader. With the Cabinet system it is impossiable to do that job at the same time as holding down full time employment. I am therefore delighted to support Andrew Finney, who will make a superb leader.

With regard to Manydown, you are repeating misconceptions that are, in fact, very wrong.

I played no part in acquiring the land for development. I chaired my last meetings in April 1995. The purchase was, in fact, initiated in July 1995 by the new Policy Committee chaired by the incoming Leader of the Council, Councillor Paula Baker (Liberal Democrat). (Minute R286 refers).

The new administration used part of the money gained through the Large Scale Voluntary Transfer of the housing stock, for which I had proposed a very different use - I wanted to establish a 'trust fund', the interest from which could pay for housing initiatives and improvmeents in perpetuity (Leader's speech Feb 1995 refers).

Actually HCC does not have £5million tied up in the land - it has never paid the money. Instead it pays interest to Basingstoke and Deane on the £5million Basingstoke stumped up on Hampshire's behalf - a deal to which I would never have lent my name.

In the event that the land is developed, the profits from the land get split 25%, 25%, 50% with the 50% going to Manydown. So you are right: there is a huge financial carrot for the Councils - so big that I worry about the separation within the two Councils of the planning and the revenue-generation functions. The Officers assure me they have 'chinese walls' in place.

I was unaware that the County Council Officers planned to pay outside contractors to conduct the topographical survey. At the last Manydown meeting the Borough asked the County to note that it was still wishing NOT to promote the land for development and I would have hoped that the County would have noted this.

I have therefore tabled a question for the next HCC meeting asking whether it is sensible to incur external expenditure whilst Basingstoke is seeking not to promote the land.

My Group at the County knows that, if Manydown comes to the vote there, I will vote against developing Manydown and in defence of the green fields. I hope you will agree that this is a position of principle: the promise I give to my constituents takes precedence over Party loyalties.

The fact is, that had it not been for the Save Manydown Group, which I have had the honour to lead, the bulldozers would be on the Manydown land right now. We won the day at the public enquiry but, as I warned, the argument will start over again.

As I see it, the only people fighting to Save Manydown are the all-party Save Manydown Group amd the Conservative Borough Councillors who have pledged to fight for that cause. I have stood for the Borough Council in the hope of strengthening its resolve not to develop on Manydown.

Will we win? I don't know: the forces ranged against us are huge, including the Government with its very high housing numbers. Will we fight? Yes.

I hope this clarifies a few points for you.

ok, so the B&D has 5 million invested in the land doing nothing when it could have been put to better use supporting services in the borough.
Will you win saving Manydown? you have no chance, the money involved is too great, and the need for housing is to big, rightly or wrongly the government is saying build house, thats because we need them! this area is screaming for housing, and we cannot go on any longer with increasing numbers wanting somewhere to live be it private or social housing, as much as I hate seeing the country side being concreted over we have to do something, I guess if you ask the 5000 - 6000 people on the housing list if they would like Manydown to be built on I think we know what nmost people will say.
We need a good mix of housing in the area, from flats to family homes, although in my view the flat market is top heavy and estate agents tell me that they need family homes.
I'm like many many others who cant afford to buy, see shared ownership as a con and renting is just too expensive, and when your told that you maybe waiting upto 15 years for social housing then the future is bleak for alot of people.
If you didnt know I got myself on natioal TV last year, I spoke my mind, how I saw the market, and I do except that I didnt speak for everybody, but I can tell you I had messages from all over the country and I lot of feed back locally, even on friday when I paided my bill at my mechanic they told me I was spot on, they're worried about what their children are going to do for housing in the future and this is a concern is repeated to me alot and many questions are being asked about what the council is doing about it.
As to promoting the land, the B&D has already spent nearly £600k, this isnt advertising the land for development, this is money spend by B&D internally, Tony Curtis sent me all the relavent doc's detailing this and explained the difference between promotion and advertsing.
Its very confusing Cllr, are you saying you had nothing to do Housing stock transfer and Manydown, if you can clarify that then that would be good.
If you want to speak to me on a one to one basis then please feel free to email me.

I think Councilor Reed has covered your points very well Mr Tilbury. If you don't mind me saying so he has made you look a bit of a tit too.