When is a done deal done..?

THE FRIDAY THING: ...And when is a deal that has not been done little more than on the wish list of those who want it to be done for reasons the majority of us simply cannot understand?

The building of the new school in Uppermill cannot and will not go ahead until planning permission is granted - and that has not yet been done, and may take some time to come to fruition. In other words those who are claiming a “done deal” are clearly jumping the gun and simply wrong.

But we must not forget that the supporters of building a new Saddleworth school in Diggle - in the main, Saddleworth parish councillors and Oldham councillors, which says a lot - are ignoring the many pitfalls of a scheme that simply does not appeal to the majority of Saddleworth folk.

There is, of course, a side issue to this crucially-important development for the young folk of Saddleworth, and that is money.

If the plan to build a new school on the entirely unsuitable Diggle site goes ahead, there is a scheme to develop the current school site by filling it with houses. In other words there are major financial advantages for developers in this deal. I suppose it is at least nice to know that someone will profit from it.

Stuart Illingworth, in a splendidly researched letter in Monday’s Chronicle, outlined the many disadvantages of pressing ahead with what many of us see as a daft proposal (not least because of the impact it will have on Uppermill businesses and on traffic and transport issues forcing many Saddleworth children to travel further to and from school) to say nothing of the danger of local flooding.

Mr Illingworth quite rightly declared that moving the school to Diggle is not a deal remotely in the public interest but it is not surprising that local councillors Brian Lord and John McCann believe that it is.


CCTV cameras are a boon in most towns and cities, helping the police to identify and catch law breakers and to generally oversee the streets.
Most people (the exceptions being those who are up to no good) welcome the presence of CCTV cameras because it offers them the prospect of safer shopping and nights out.

But many local authorities across the country have taken CCTV cameras to the next, entirely unwelcome and unnecessary level, and are using them not only for public safety but also as a way of making money.

And what a lot of money!

Although regulations were laid down governing the use of CCTV cameras, many local authorities have ignored those that say cameras should not be used by local authorities to make money from drivers who break the parking rules.

A report by Big Brother Watch says local authorities raised £312 million from the use of static CCTV and CCTV cars to trap motorists.

More than 70 local authorities have used CCTV to raise money, the use of traffic spy cars helping them to make up for the money lost in Government grants.

Hard-pressed drivers are being hit by arbitrary fines with CCTV cameras providing the evidence of any transgression - despite the fact that the Tories, in Opposition, committed the Government to increase the regulation and oversight of CCTV cameras.

Local authority use of CCTV for parking fines should be banned, not least because the cameras are about public safety, not taking money out of drivers’ pockets and putting it in the council’s bank account.