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PM gives regen assurances

Annette Lord
4/ 7/2008

PRIME minister Gordon Brown sounded out local Labour Party members on their feelings over the supercasino during a whistlestop tour of east Manchester.

He discussed alternatives to the doomed £265m casino bid and other regeneration issues during a behind-closed-doors meeting with invited guests at the Velodrome on Friday.

The PM also had a one-to-one with council leader Sir Richard Leese on the controversial issue of what regeneration and jobs the area will get in its place.

An Olympic standard national BMX centre, national skills centre for hospitality and facilities management, and a cluster of digital and animation businesses is being considered for the location.

The working party of government ministers thrashing out an alternative are expected to report back before the end of July with progress on the different options. But insiders say this is likely to lead to more alternatives being considered rather than less.

It is expected to be next March before a decision is reached.

Sir Richard said: "Gordon Brown reiterated what he said when I last saw him three or four weeks ago – that he is committed to delivering jobs for east Manchester.

"He didn't shy away from coming to east Manchester, which I think is a good thing."

Mr Brown’s next stop was Openshaw's Mancat campus during his tour of the area, where he watched a group of students learning the art of plastering before looking in on a painting class.

He even agreed to put his signature on 19-year-old Toni McGurk’s work.

Principal Peter Tavernor said: "There has been a real buzz of excitement about the place today and everyone has been genuinely pleased to see Mr Brown here in east Manchester.

"This will be a day that many of our students will remember for a very long time."

Others attending the private fact-finding session at the Velodrome were local councillors Mike Carmody, Pat Karney, Mick Loughman, Paul Murphy and John Longsden.

Cllr Carmody told the Advertiser: "There were six to eight tables and he spent a few minutes at each table. I couldn't hear what was said on the other tables but a lot of the conversation was around the casino.

"I asked him a specific question about housing, as housing associations are answerable to the Housing Corporation which is goverment run.

"There's a massive waiting list for housing in Ancoats and Clayton.

"Although there have been houses built, every time an estate is constructed, only five or six of the homes are for social housing.

"The rest are sold privately and a lot become buy to let.

"I said maybe we should be a bit more inward-looking and steer things in a different direction."

Pat Karney discussed the hardship people are facing in terms of petrol and food prices and also about increased opening hours at GPs surgeries.

The Prime Minister also met cycling stars including world champion Victoria Pendleton and Olympic gold medallist Jason Queally.