More Govt Cash For Demolition

Another instantly forgettable Government Minister (John Healey) has announced some £311 million more for Pathfinder projects to create havoc and chaos throughout the north. The controversial scheme has demolished thousands of homes and built a handfull.

Approximately £30 million of this new allocation is expected to arrive on Tyneside with about £12 million spent on Gateshead. In Saltwell and Bensham the effect of buying out homeowners has been an increase in boarded up streets and an increasing feeling of isolation for those left behind. In the "so called" Pathfinder "managed" areas little is spent to improve the neighbourhood. Despite unreadable street signs, increased street litter and dog excrement on the pavements the emphasis is on demolition.

Gateshead Council have now become aware that millionaire developers, despite the help of pathfinder, are still finding it difficult to make large profits from housing. So the most recent attempt to circumvent economic reality is a New Labour favourite - private public partnership. In this case the Council is to form a Joint Venture Company with the private sector. So we have moved from a position of expecting the private sector to fund redevelopment to having to partner with them. Residents were promised £750 million in private sector money flooding into Saltwell and Bensham whereas the truth is that the Council is goimg to have to prop-up the private developers.

The political effects of the scheme have also been massive. In Newcastle the former Labour Council grasped pathfinder money quickly and added this to an already established "slash and burn" policy for thr city. The result was they demolished their own voters homes and have been out of power for 5 years. Right now the Parliamentary seats of Newcastle East and Newcastle North have been made marginal due to the work of Pathfinder.

The worst news for Labour is that many marginal Lancashire seats have had their Labour voting hearts destroyed by Pathfinder. Up to 12 Parliamentary Seats are in areas blighted by mass demolition.

With the Conservative Party committed to abolishing Pathfinder nonsense and heading for a 100 seat majority this may well be the last gasp of funding for the mis-management of housing investment over the last 10 years.

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