Rochdale Market: Is there going to be a reprieve?

 Shy Councillor John Blundell & the Regeneration of the Town Centre
by Brian Bamford

EARLIER this week stall-holders on Rochdale Market were looking forward to a possible temporary reprieve after the Council had threatened closure of the Market next Monday, two days before the next full meeting of the Council. Since Councillor Blundell, the Cabinet member responsible for Regeneration, took the decision to give Rochdale's 178 year-old market the chop under this latest Council attempt at regenerating the Town Centre, the authorities seem to have been shocked by the local uproar among the public and in the media.

Following a slot on last week's consumer program 'You and Yours' on Radio Four, one local councillor told NV that Cllr. Blundell was under pressure and was now 'changing his tune'.

'Unlike you Brian I don’t fraternise with the opposition.'

NV contacted the good Councillor Blundell:

'as the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, can you tell me how you propose to use the former Santander Building which is now housing the current indoor market stalls. What does the council intend to do with the building after the stall-holders have departed?'

To which minutes later the e-mail reply from the Cabinet member for Regeneration & Business came back:

Councillor John Blundell:

Mon 30/09/2019 10:39

Dear Brian,

'There has been no attempt to fill that building until now due to it being occupied by the cafe and market. The council are now looking for alternative uses – I am all ears to anybody who wants to submit any proposal to the Council including a market. I will have officers look at this, to get a professional opinion, and I will then decide how to proceed.

'I will not be discussing these with you as these are private conversations that we will hold with businesses and other potential occupiers.

'I won’t be contacting Cllr Paolucci. Unlike you Brian I don’t fraternise with the opposition.'

Well! Well!  Does this not show how transparent, tribal and trite our politicians are these days?

'Why would I share any of this information with you?'

LAST Tuesday, I again e-mailed Cllr. Blundell to confirm what was going on:

Dear John,

'Yesterday, I spoke to the stallholders on Rochdale Market and they said there is to be a reprieve for the local market for a period of 6-months? I was also told that you had been down. 'Furthermore, it was said that you are awaiting the completion of the new market centre?  Does this mean that once that is finished you will be relocating the current stall-holders to that location?  As you must be aware there has been some recent publicity about local markets, has this had some impact on your change of mind?'

Yours sincerely,

Brian Bamford

And Cllr. Blundell's further reply was:

Hi Brian,

'Why would I share any of this information with you?'

John

  Followed by yet another frantic e-mail from the noble councillor:

'I have asked you to stop emailing me several times.

'Please stop.'

As the Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Business, Councillor John Blundell, is a public figure paid by local citizens. Does he not feel he ought to answer questions from a member of the public or the press?  Or is he just shy by nature?

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