Town Centre Management Company has received over £700,000 from Council in last three years
Date published: 17 January 2013
Rochdale Town Centre Management Company has received over £700,000 from Rochdale Borough Council in the last three years.
Tens of thousands of pounds of that money has left Rochdale as payments made to so called 'celebrities' and questions are being asked about whether such largesse should continue in the current economic climate.
One town centre retailer said: "Can anyone say that Rochdale town centre is any better for this huge amount of money being spent? In fact, it is worse now than it has ever been. The events bring at best a very short-lived increase in footfall to a minority of businesses, and we are 'sold' the events on this basis, however, lots of businesses find takings drop and some of the events actually bring direct competitors to take away revenue, such as the Christmas market.
"The payments to celebrities are scandalous. It is an ego boost for Town Centre Management and certain members of the Council and is indefensible given they are cutting essential services and raising council tax by so much."
At a recent meeting Debbie O'Brien, Town Centre Management CEO, tabled a proposed 'event' plan for 2013 seeking more money from the council, that is tax payers money, to fund them. However, even with another six figure sum from the council Ms O'Brien warns there will be a significant shortfall and proposes going cap in hand to hard pressed local businesses for 'sponsorship'. Minutes of the meeting state: "Once Council funding is confirmed, the challenge can then be put out to sponsors."
The question has to be asked if, in the current economic climate, spending money on more of the same, that has evidently failed to bring tangible benefits to Rochdale, is justifiable at the expense of front line services?
Moreover, questions about the role and performance of Town Centre Managements are being asked given the serious decline in town centres over recent years.
Rochdale boutique owner Paul Turner-Mitchell writing in the Guardian's Northerner blog says: "Back in 2008 when the recession hit the high street, was there any urgency on the part of town centre managers to start tackling deep-rooted structural problems? It took four years before there was serious talk of the need to transform high streets and start replacing a model that had long ceased to be relevant.
"Equally, have town centre managers challenged poor planning, failed regeneration and the litany of expensive failures by local authorities to support the high street? Of course not – because town centre managers are largely funded by councils."
Comments
I spent a fortune with this shower when I was a licensee.
The police challenged my application for
a late licence stating that alcohol crime was on the increase.
When I eventually got into court having by now got into severe financial difficulties, no evidence to this fact was presented and I got my licence.
TCM then released a magazine with police statement to the contrary.
The copy for this had been in their possession for over six months but it was not policy to argue with police.
Surely all events that require celebrities at some high revenue costs are a complete waste of time and money. Anything that requires the presence of someone to open or cut a ribbon.
We have the excellent offices of the Mayor, Mayoress, and their deputies to preform civic duties.
Town Centre Management should utilise the offices of the mayor before handing out invitations to some celebrity who will visit for a fee. Let us invite our Mayor, Mayoress, who do not charge a fee.
Hmm!
Approximately £250,000pa and not one word yet from a local "worthy" as to "money well spent"!
Town Centre Management Companies started to appear all over the country about 10 years ago. They are nothing more than a buffer to deflect criticism from senior council employees whose job it used to be.
It is not only the council that the TCM receive money from. My understanding is that the two shopping centres have been involved in funding the TCM. Is it then, any wonder that the vast town centre space (that might draw people away from the shopping centres) is rarely utilised?
I run a Town Centre business so feel I can comment: that amount of £700,000 also goes to fund motability and the running of the CCTV in the town centre, or should we just get rid of these valued commodities? It also pays for ‘The Feel Good Festival’ and it isn’t just the businesses in the two big shopping centres that part fund the TCM, it’s small businesses on the high street too, like mine!
Rochdaleboy, I doubt anyone is suggesting those 'commodities' be got rid of, but it doesn't need £700,000 spent to continue them does it? As for the Feel Good Festival, I love it, but why should tax payers have to fund it? I can only assume your business is food or drink retail because they are the only businesses in town that benefit. As for TCM I have no objection to businesses forming a 'club' and having a manager of that club if they fund it, but again why should tax payers money do so?
In response to Rochdaleboy:
What on earth has town centre CCTV and Motability got to do with managing the town centre? Isn't that the police and the DWP's remit?
A tiny office, tucked away above a town centre bar is not the way to go. Plenty of space in the new Rochdale council cathedral, so hopefully they will be allowed into the inner sanctum of decision making.
In Rochdale on 15 January 1931, at the height of the Great Depression in the United Kingdom, the Territorial Army was called to guard the Town Hall during a protest against unemployment and hunger. Has the wheel turned once more? RMBC are you paying attention?
Have Your Say
This is typical of this thoroughly useless council who behave as if our money is theirs. They do not care about the hard working tax payers of this borough and are quite content to waste our council tax money on useless hair brained schemes such as this. It is time they moved into the REAL world and started to supply value for money!
By Oggy @ 17/01/2013 10:43:51