Town centre revamp is a debacle
I TOO share the same concerns as Mr Bladon in his letter of September 11 over the proposed redevelopment of Bourne Town Centre.
We are in the grip of a recession, possibly the worst since the 1930s, the full extent of which has not been felt in terms of job losses, spending cuts and increased taxes.
Hard choices will have to be made by all local authorities in this respect, and South Kesteven District Council is no exception.
The idea of a project group being set up to develop the business case for the redevelopment of the town centre, and the cost of doing so, simply cannot be afforded, especially so in view of the warning from the Audit Commission that the prospects for the project were uncertain.
I find it strange too that the decision to set up this group for the purpose stated has only been considered necessary at this late stage rather than at inception. It gives the impression that the whole project was not thoroughly thought through in the first place.
The redevelopment of the town centre has been beset by problems from the start and is a complete debacle.
Our elected representatives must take some responsibility for this state of affairs. However, ultimate responsibility rests with the council leader: This is a long-established management principle equally applicable in any organisation in both the private and public sectors, and is irrefutable.
Clearly then, it would be foolhardy for South Kesteven District Council to ignore the warning from the Audit Commission, but better to wait until the full effects of the recession are known before any decision on redevelopment of the town centre is made.
R J Cole
Browning Court,
Bourne
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Weather for Bourne
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
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Temperature: -6 C to 1 C
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