Letter to the Editor from Cllr Greg Morgan, Conservative Opposition Group Leader on Chorley Council
"To our children’s children’s children. That is where Labour controlled Chorley Borough Council is projecting a massive debt. The purchase of Market Walk shopping parade for the sum of £23 M will require approximately £1 M per year in payback for the next 50 years. Whilst it may be possible to see a future for Market Walk over the next 5 – 10 years, a commitment to fund this debt for the next 50 years is both foolhardy and irresponsible.
In deciding to go forward with this purchase the controlling Labour group sought advice from Lancashire County Council. The advice received simply related to how the council should approach this issue and not whether it was a good idea or not. However, the advice did contain a list of risks that should be considered and it is not possible for Chorley Borough Councillors to understand and mitigate these risks over the 50 year period involved.
50 years ago was about 1960 and those of us old enough can remember at that time that not everyone had even a fridge or a phone and the internet had not even been envisaged. Imagine trying to look forwards 50 years to decide what shopping in Chorley will look like then – no chance.
We only need to look at newspaper reports post-Christmas to realise the vast and growing increase in internet shopping right now. Where will this be in the year 2064.
Not only does this decision to purchase Market Walk fly in the face of common sense, it was carried out with no mandate whatsoever from the people of Chorley. Nowhere in any Labour leaflet or manifesto from a previous election is there reference to an intention to move the Council into the property business.
The overall rushed nature of this massive undertaking will be of concern to all; however, no attempt was made to sample public opinion prior to this decision, not even an online poll.
Against the backdrop of failures in budgetary estimating for which Labour controlled Chorley Borough Council must take responsibility, principally the significant overrun in costs attributed to the refurbishment of the White Hart Public House and the redevelopment of the McDonald’s site, how much reliance can be placed on the market Walk investment?
The purchase of Market Walk is a misguided commitment and a massive risk to the council tax payers of Chorley."