- Mobile site
- E-Newsletters
-
- News feed
- Find us on Twitter
@Bradford_TandA
All the latest news and views from the T&A
@tandasport
All the latest sport from the T&A
@TandABusiness
Latest business headlines from the T&A
- Find us on Facebook
The Telegraph & Argus
Like us on Facebook
Bradford Council regeneration chief promotes enterprise bid to MPs (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting TANEWS to 80360, or email
Commons Communities and Local Government committee told how Bradford is behind enterprise zone bid
8:20am Thursday 9th June 2011 in News
Regeneration chief Barra Mac Ruairi
A top Bradford Council official used a copy of the Telegraph & Argus to show a powerful Parliamentary committee how the city is united in bringing regeneration to the district.
Barra Mac Ruairi, strategic director of regeneration and culture at Bradford Council, gave evidence last night before the Commons Communities and Local Government committee into regeneration.
He told MPs that Bradford becoming an enterprise zone would be the boost the city needed.
The city centre has been shortlisted to become the new Enterprise Zone for the Leeds City Region, but three other areas are also being considered.
A decision is expected later this month.
Mr Mac Ruairi said: “There has been significant entrepreneurial growth in Bradford and these jobs have grown and lasted and it needs to be pushed.
"There is a chance for us as a growing population to achieve more.” But he warned: “There are structural issues and cities with post-industrial history need continued investment to unleash opportunities.”
- Read the full story Thursday’s T&A
Comments(10)
Thee Voice of Reason
says...
9:19am Thu 9 Jun 11
.
"There has been significant entrepreneurial growth in Bradford and these jobs have grown and lasted"
.
What a load of tripe.
.
If Bradford is such a great city Barra, why do you live in Sheffield?
rugger-tyke
says...
9:22am Thu 9 Jun 11
You mean like Sheffield, where you reside, where still exist the buildings that were unnecessarily flattened here , which has developed the more public parts of the centre and when Bradford get this, could follow as an example ?.
Wouldn't be MR. Ruairi if he didn't put an unnecessary dampener on a case he's fighting FOR!.
Moon on a stick
says...
9:56am Thu 9 Jun 11
Thee Voice of Reason wrote:Barra is referring to the high number of self employed in Bradford, my concern is that it’s *not relevant* to getting the Enterprise Zone, in fact the high self employment levels are due to the fact quality Bradford jobs are in short supply maybe nonexistent, whereas in Leeds it’s easy to break the £20k barrier (there’s call centre workers well above that at say o2), it’s easy to break the £30k barrier in a financial or technology job, in Bradford it is not the case and anyone wanting to aim well above £30k *has* to become self employed.
Does anyone believe a word this guy says?
.
"There has been significant entrepreneurial growth in Bradford and these jobs have grown and lasted"
.
What a load of tripe.
.
If Bradford is such a great city Barra, why do you live in Sheffield?
.
The fact Barra has talked about Bradford in the terms of growth, that it’s growing, that it’s lasting and he refers to problems in the plural of “cities” suggesting Bradford has the same problems as others, this is surely giving the message to the committee that Bradford doesn’t need their help. He talks of structural issues as though Bradford just needs bricks and mortar when the problems are far more fundamental.
rugger-tyke
says...
10:07am Thu 9 Jun 11
Giving it to Selby would be senseless; perhaps the Coal factory could reopen there, especially given the rising cost of Gas.
Moon on a stick
says...
10:17am Thu 9 Jun 11
rugger-tyke wrote:But Barra's said we're doing just fine with the "significant entrepreneurial growth in Bradford" it makes it sound like we're booming.
Given Wakefield has the new Trinity Walk and Leeds has got a plethora of malls, with many with less than 50%, given that an Enterprise Zone would need to be fairly accessible, Bradford is the only choice as it has a catchment area encompassing most of the North and more importantly God' own counties; Yorkshire and Lancashire, not to mention the land ready to be developed on.
Giving it to Selby would be senseless; perhaps the Coal factory could reopen there, especially given the rising cost of Gas.
.
Maybe if Barra mentioned Westfield hasn't got off the ground, the City Park is going to be unfunished (as the money for the business park area, the most important bit wasn't forthcoming). Maybe if he mentioned key streets like Broadway and Market Street have little trade (if we exclude drug dealing & gambling), maybe if he didn't live in Sheffield and maybe had some real heart felt connection with the city, he might have tried instead of pushing out some sound bites.
basil fawlty
says...
1:46pm Thu 9 Jun 11
MontyLeMar
says...
7:33pm Thu 9 Jun 11
http://www.guardian.
co.uk/environment/20
11/jun/07/white-pape
r-biodiversity-loss
I must admit Barra's pitch leaves me entirely depressed - entrepreneurial growth indeed! No jobs, you're on your own mate.
I also see Barra is responsible for cultural things, in a strategic way you understand? Maybe we can have another stab at European City of Culture??
John_Phillips IV
says...
8:25pm Thu 9 Jun 11
Thee Voice of Reason
says...
11:25pm Thu 9 Jun 11
.
Lets be honest, he lives in Sheffield, he gets paid a set salary whatever he achieves so why would he even care about getting this zone or not?
.
We need Bradford people working for the future of Bradford, not people on massive salaries comuting in who couldn't care less.
Rambo says...
9:13am Thu 9 Jun 11
.
Are you sh*tting us?
.
Why not show them the comments on here to get an idea of what many local think of the "regeneration" of the city. And also what they think of Barra Macs disgusting & insulting annual salary.