Peers and potholes - levelling up in action.

[shed driver]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/dec/29/l...

£330,000 to resurface a road to a Tory peer's place. Meanwhile local councils dump a few spade fulls of tar into potholes as that is all they say they can afford.

I know it's a Guardian link, and I know there will be more to the story, but it looks bad.


SD.

[JuanCarlosFandango]

Looks pretty bad to me having spent the day "levelling up" the unadopted road to my house with a spade, but it's about opportunity rather than outcome, and while I don't have the opportunity of being descended from a 15th century landowner or a Tudor courtier,it's nice to know that even if one of my descendents cocks up as badly as losing a war our ever forgiving meritocracy will get the road fixed in another 500 years so long as we stick with it.

I am the least socialist person I know and no republican but by God it does look bad.

[Jasandjules]

Funny how they can always find money for this kind of thing..... I guess it is a drop in the ocean of the 400 billion p**ed up the wall for the Covid boll**x

[gazza285]

Nothing in that article actually confirms it is his land or his road, or that it goes to his house…

[14]

East Sussex Council probably gave them the money at the same time as the A27 was widened at Charleston.

[Murph7355]

Article said:

A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Communities and Housing said the money had been allocated by the LEP, whose “independent evaluators assessed it as offering value for money”. They added: “Charleston is a charity-owned, internationally recognised site of cultural importance, with a museum and art gallery, and this work is estimated to provide a £1.6m boost to the local economy by creating jobs and increasing visitor numbers.”

If true....

[JagLover]

Murph7355 said:

Article said:

A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Communities and Housing said the money had been allocated by the LEP, whose “independent evaluators assessed it as offering value for money”. They added: “Charleston is a charity-owned, internationally recognised site of cultural importance, with a museum and art gallery, and this work is estimated to provide a £1.6m boost to the local economy by creating jobs and increasing visitor numbers.”

If true....

Once you start talking about the aristocracy often private residencies and charitable or private sector organisations are in close proximity. It is common for example for families to live in part of a house while the rest of the house is open to public viewing.

If this is owned by a charity and then it receives money to resurface a drive, who benefits?, the charity?, the visitors?, or the family?.

[mike74]

I read that Ashton-under-Lyne in Tameside, Greater Manchester received £10m in Levelling Up funding... £5m of which they have apparently allocated to refurbishing the interior of the Town Hall.

[shed driver]

mike74 said:

I read that Ashton-under-Lyne in Tameside, Greater Manchester received £10m in Levelling Up funding... £5m of which they have apparently allocated to refurbishing the interior of the Town Hall.

And the local MP is a bit of a favourite in N,P&E.

SD

[jmn]

Lots of road resurfacing/pothole repairs going on in Devon. I doubt that they have any political significance.

[JagLover]

jmn said:

Lots of road resurfacing/pothole repairs going on in Devon. I doubt that they have any political significance.

Some of them have some strange timings as well. They decided to resurface the main road to Barnstable during peak tourist season and when most people couldn't travel abroad.

[Gecko1978]

If levelling up money ia being used for road repairs I think it's safe to say there will be no levelling up or building back better. They are just words to get people drunk on. Nations need infrastructure but it has to have a purpose. HS2 will people say speed up movement of freight. If true what is the benefit. Cross rail will allow people to cross river in London (I always thought it was a poor argument but is what it is). But how will these things in reality change the fortunes of Joe an Jenny average in middle of the road town in faceless northern county.....I don't think they will

[Chrisgr31]

If you have a look at a map https://www.google.com/maps/place/Charleston/@50.8... you'll find that the road/driveway concerned does serve Charleston House but is a long way from the main house Firle Place.

The quality of a driveway serving a tourist attraction does need to be better than that serving a farm and other businesses/dwellings. Seems to be a bit of a non-story to me.

[98elise]

gazza285 said:

Nothing in that article actually confirms it is his land or his road, or that it goes to his house…

Agreed. I can't see any link?

The guy is also not a peer. He was about 20 years ago.

[bitchstewie]

Sky say the drive is owned by Lord Gage.

Michael Gove questioned over why £330,000 of taxpayer's money spent to fill former Conservative peer's driveway potholes

I'm sure opinions will vary on whether it's the best use of £300,000 v other projects but the Conservative Peer angle looks pretty lame.