Flatulence. An embarrassing noise – and the guilty party behaves as if nothing had happened.
Which reminds us of the borough council’s website in July 2014, when it was said that: “the council has published an exciting new video outlining its Vision for the future of Camberley Town Centre, detailing how, by 2018, it will be one of the top 100 towns in the UK.”
We’ve never seen a clear definition of how the town’s ranking was/is to be assessed. The only explanation we’ve heard is that ‘retailers decide it’. But, given the clearly-stated aim, we rather expected that the subject would be mentioned – and progress measured – in the council’s annual plan and annual review.
Much to our surprise we can find no mention of ‘Top 100 town’ in the council’s 2016-2017 Annual Plan. Nor can we find any mention in the twenty four pages of the latest Performance Monitoring Report or in the eighty-plus pages of the latest Authorities Monitoring Report.
So, you can see why we use the word ‘flatulence’. The council must be pretending that it never mentioned a top town, or 2018. But in that case, how can we trust anything else that the council promises – about more serious things like Ashwood House, the London Road Block, Arena, the Mall….?
Is the council – as in Orwell’s 1984 – re-writing or erasing history? Will the Eye find itself locked up in Room 101 for pointing this out?
The Camberley Eye 
And what would be the worst thing in your world that they would use against you in Room 101?
Does anybody know how much money they wasted on all the videos and presentations?
It was a double-waste, Dominic. The pic that I showed – taken from the Vision video – was an artist’s impression of a traffic-free High Street. An impression which the council apparently has no intention of implementing. So the content of the video served no useful purpose, even if the video had been put to a good use.
(Marshmallows would be my Rm 101 nightmare. I can’t resist the things, and after two days of unlimited supplies, I’d be a gibbering wreck.)
Happily the original video is still available on YouTube (including photos taken and used without attribution), so you can continue to enjoy hearing all about the “programme of sustained investment…top 100….blah blah) https://youtu.be/F78Z–sZPNU
It will be interesting to see how long the video will stay there now, does anybody from Camberley Towers keep an eye on the Camberley Eye?
It surprises me, Paul, that the video wasn’t withdrawn ages ago. Which is why I took a copy………
I’ve got a copy too, because of the unacknowledged photos!
Oh yes, I remember that!
The video never decides who the audience is. It’s a mixture of patronising ‘but it isn’t in Bracknell’ snippets and the sort of jargon that only someone in the planning profession would use.
Just watched it! Its ridiculous and should have been updated or removed.. .I have recently emailed 2 Councillors and Mr Gove with a few questions re the acres (possibly owned by SHBC for many years!?) of unused/derelict land in Camberley. One Councillor has completely ducked ALL of the answers, and the other one…… not even the courtesy of a reply. I am relying on Mr Gove now…….at least I received an automated response. I would place these 2 Councillors in room 101!
I’m used to not getting answers from parts of the council, Shirley. I think they’re frightened of the residents.
SCC Cllr Bill Chapman and Cllr Denis Fuller do respond. Thank you again
We desperately need SHBC Camberley Town Cllr representation.
Mike
Thanks, will contact these two.
As far as ranking goes, Camberley is number 13 in the sequel to the Book of cr@p towns…
Indeed it is. But I take comfort in the fact that the book was more of a ‘stocking filler’ than a genuine piece of research.