Comments on: Big City Plan misses the bus and the point

By: Talk About Local (alpha)

Talk About Local (alpha) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:19:07 +0000

[...] bus from my neighbourhood for a photoshoot on the other side of town, I initially responded with righteous indignation. My emails and calls to the press office were met with a wall of silence until the fantastic local [...]

By: Are you taking the mick? « Talk About Local

Are you taking the mick? « Talk About Local — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:15:09 +0000

By: Big City Talk — Getgood Guide

Big City Talk — Getgood Guide — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:06:47 +0000

[...] Some felt it was more of a PR exercise than a genuine consultation and incidents such as missing the promised consultation bus didn’t help. People I spoke to felt alienated rather than engaged – a comment on Digbeth is [...]

By: Nicky Getgood

Nicky Getgood — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:30:36 +0000

@peteashton – I emailed the press office yesterday asking them to comment. So far I’ve not received a response, or a reply indicating when they might respond. I will, of course, keep you posted.

By: Steve Coxon

Steve Coxon — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:50:04 +0000

Hmmm. I’m not in the slightest bit surrpised that the Council chose to behave this way. The Big City Plan consultation exercise is piece of PR nonsense. When they implement the plan – complete with expensive pomposity and more photo opportuniuties – they will point proudly to the consultation process. They will claim that the plan has been “widely discussed” by the people of Birmingham. Not that they actually care what the people of Birmingham have to say or what they really think. If they did, they would have created a consultation process that took place BEFORE they wrote their plan.

Mike Whitby’s willingness to disrupt even this sham con-trick of a consultation programme simply to take part in yet another photo shoot is further proof – if any were needed – that we, the people, are nothing more than an irritation to our so-called leaders.

If you do make any comment on the Big City Plan, remember. It’s their city, it’s their plan, it’s their big ideads on which you are commenting. Our role is to be the statistics that they use to play their games.

Look out for the press release that trumpets “x,000 people contribute to Big City Plan discussion” (or words to that efect). What you won’t see is the subhead “And we haven’t listened to a single word.”

By: Steve Coxon

Steve Coxon — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:34:48 +0000

Hmmm. I’m not in the slightest bit surrpised that the Council chose to behave this way. The Big City Plan consultation exercise is piece of PR nonsense. When they implement the plan, they will point to the consultation process and claim that the plan has been “widely discussed” by the people of Birmingham. Not that they actually care what the people of Birmingham have to say or what they really think. If they did, they would have created a consultation process BEFORE they wrote their plan.

We, the people, are an irritation to our leaders. They think we don’t notice their crass and amateurish PR posturing. They are, as is os often the case with this sad b

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 11:46:21 +0000

Disgusting. You don’t advertise something and then pull out at the last minute. The myth of consultation – if it suits the powers that be more, then sod the people.

By: Pete Ashton

Pete Ashton — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:04:33 +0000

This is bad enough but to have actually sent people there makes any anger you have beyond righteous. I’m not sure, though, that what you’re asking for comes under a FOI request. It might do but don’t be surprised if it gets rejected. Would also be worth contacting the BCC press office for a clarification. Maybe point out that you’re the third result in Google for “Digbeth” so pretty much the premier local news source and you ain’t gonna let this one lie.