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Economy Overview - Posted 14/05/2009
If we are to build a stronger economy in the future it is vital that lessons from the recession and the years leading up to it are taken on board. The economy is not going to go back to the same place and it is not desirable that it does so. It depended for growth on financial speculation, an explosive year on year growth of house prices and an ever expanding public sector. To describe an economy with these characteristics as having a strong base is foolish in the extreme yet this is exactly how Councillor Williams views our local economy. Darlington does have strengths which need to be built upon but it’s weaknesses need to be addressed also. To make these challenges is not talking the town down but it a vital pre-requisite to building a more resilient and sustainable economy.

This is the backcloth against which Councillor Coultas challenged Councillor Williams about his overview of the economy which he presented to Council on the 14 th May 2009.

I would like to make some comments on Item 3 of Cllr William’s overview.

The statement is made: “...that Darlington entered this recession from a strong base which will help our recovery.” Where is the evidence of this?

It seems to me that the aim, as it has been all through this crisis, has been to return to Labour’s comfort zone - the economy as it was before August 2007. An economy built on financial speculation, an unsustainable housing bubble and an ever expanding public sector.

The reality is that unemployment is rising and it is rising most rapidly for the blameless. Even before the recession began, incomes for those at the bottom of the pile were below the level of three years ago. The longer Labour have been in power the slower incomes have grown. Inequality is higher than it was in 1989. Child poverty has increased in the past three years and the public finances are shot to pieces.

Darlington does not live on an economic island. It depends on a healthy sub-regional and regional economy. In the sub-region the potential loss of steel making at the Corus plant, the loss of Elementis and the impending closure of British Visqueen along with the threat to parts of the chemical plant capacity at Wilton is very serious and there will be consequential knock on impact to Darlington. Where is the research that measures the likely impact?

In a Britain, and here in Darlington, where we have a low skilled, low wage economy with some islands of excellence but not enough of them, the loss of sub-regional world class companies such as Corus will be very damaging. They invest in apprenticeship training of high quality and recruit sizeable numbers of graduates. The loss of this infrastructure will be significant.

My view is that we need to build a new industrial base. The question is what is our strategy for doing this and building a high skilled high wage economy?

I applaud the initiatives outlined in Cllr William’s report but question whether we have the strategies in place to build a stronger and more resilient economy. One Darlington - Perfectly Placed was shaped in pre-recesssion days and needs rethinking based on in-depth research to make it fit for purpose to meet the challenges we now face.

Darlington has some substantial strengths and some islands of excellence but nowhere near enough. As the gaps open up again we need to recognise that the world of house prices surging and the City booming didn’t deliver for those in the bottom four-fifths of the income distribution. That’s the reality and it needs to be recognised before making the sort of unjustified statements in Item 3.

Alan Coultas
14/5/09
DBC


Expenses - Posted 12/05/2009
What a National disgrace!

Elected Members of Parliament using taxpayers money to boost their incomes and then arguing it is all right because it is within the rules beggars belief.
Those involved in this shabby materialism should at least refund the taxpayer the unreasonable claims they have made and let their electorate decide on the approporiate punishment for letting down the people of Britain.
Wilful behaviour like this,rules or no rules is tantamount to fraud in anyones language and seems to be a developing culture in our society.
Which trough can I get my snout in please or do I continue to live within my means.


Can Britain survive - Posted 14/04/2009
In July and November 2008 this section referred to the financial state of the UK under Brown and Darling.
Most of what we were predicting has come to pass with Brown still saying it is nothing to do with him and Darling admitting he just got it wrong.
The British people have faced some tough challenges in the past but they were challenges where we could take action ourselves and assist in putting them right.
In respect of the Nation's financial affairs by and large we have to rely on those who created the problems to put them right.
Not a very rosy prospect considering the past performance of the two major players.
Our residents living of their savings have seen considerable reductions in income ,unemployment is rising , businesses closing and all Brown and Darling can do is keep their heads below the parapet and keep shuffling the cards hoping to find a winning hand.


West Cemetery - Posted 14/04/2009
If there was ever evidence of the supposed listening council not listening it is Darlington Council and the West Cemetery.
I have raised the question of security and in particular locking of the vehicle gates several times in Council over the last two or three years.
The response has always been negative.
We are told the police and wardens patrol the Cemetery , as someone who lives over the Cemetery wall I can say I have never seen any such patrols although I have seen motor vehicles in the Cemetery as late as midnight on many occasions resulting in calls to the police.
It seems despite continual residents and councillor complaints and many publications in the Northern Echo the Council does not intend to address the problem.
Lock the gates please dusk to dawn as they were previously before all the liftable artifacts disappeared.

Cllr Charles Johnson
Hummersknott Ward


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