'Spending of £250,000 delaying new Nairn Store', reports the Press and Journal this morning. The paper seems to be indicating that the delay is on the Highland Council side and is stemming from the use of the 250K contribution from Sainsbury's to the Town Centre regeneration. A quote from the P&J:
'A spokesman for the council said yesterday that the discussions on the use of the contribution were "proceeding positively" but had not been concluded.'
Highland Council seriously need to get their finger out and get this sorted. Nairn cannot wait any longer for more shopping choice and the jobs Sainsbury's will bring. Worringly they haven't signed legal documents yet. The paper goes on:
'A public inquiry followed and ministers ultimately rejected the advice of their own officials, to give their blessing for a £20million store which promises to create 300 retail jobs and end the Co-op's monopoly at Nairn. Since then, construction work has been delayed several months because the council has not finalised legal documents and the supermarket's opening has been put back to March 2011.'
Now assuming the Press and Journal has got this right, why the delay in signing the docs Highland Council? The 250K can be sorted out at your leisure, Sainsbury's have obviously agreed to pay it in one form or another.
What have our Councillors got to say on this important matter? Any comment Liz, Sandy, Laurie, Graham? Let Sainsbury's get started! Set aboot your officials and get this sorted!
bump (Sunday 1300)
A typical modern newspaper 'non-story'. No details or facts & we know more after reading it than we did before.
ReplyDeleteI don't see how discussions about how the money is going to be spent can be delaying things.The Reporter said that up to £250,000 was the amount to be paid. I can't help but suspect that the real reason for the delay is our supermarket friends not wanting to pay that much .
They were told they had to give the money for town centre improvements, how it is spent is surely up to the Highland Council and nothing to do with Sainsburys. All they have to do is write the cheque, it's as simple as that :)
What money on them continuing to tread water on the Balmakeith site until a suitable plot comes up in Inverness ?
The one problem for all of us who supported their proposals is that we are dealing with a supermarket,and they have their own unique slant on how to do business & no matter what promises they have made, I'm beginning to wonder if their commitment to Nairn is quite as wholehearted as they would have us believe.
Just been to Forres with my sister and her daughter on a regular shopping trip. Together we spent over £170. Money that could have been spent keeping someone in Nairn in a job if we had a decent supermarket!!!
ReplyDeleteagree with anon about this.
ReplyDeleteSainsburys have been told by the Scottish Ministers to pay up to £250,000 towards town centre improvements , as a condition of planning permission.
Does anyone seriously think that the Council are causing a delay in the build programme, because of 'negotiations' with Sainburys over this money. I would suggest that , if they do, they should take a small towel & dry the wetness from behind their own ears.
Sainsburys know they have to pay the money, so why don't they just pay it? Or at least agree to do so when work first starts.
I could suggest it may be something to do with the fact that the amount is 'up to £250,000' & they may well be trying to reduce it to substantially less than to maximum possible amount.
It may be that they are trying to make sure that the work that will be done with the money reflect well on them as benefactors
Or how about , given the economic climate, they aren't quite as keen to begin the build as they once were?
It was common knowledge quite a few weeks ago that they wouldn't be opening until March next year.It as mentioned on the Gurn & also in the Nairnshire. Interestingly though, the Sainsburys man said at the time that there had been no change to the build programme.
I swear the idea of a new supermarket ( much as we do need better choice of food shopping) has given some people a touch of the vapours & they seem to be struggling to see sense.
I noticed the subject is covered on another Nairn blog in an article that is so silly it doesn't even merit a caustic commment. Once again , the Gurn always seems to manage not to throw a wobbly and keeps the level head in blogland.
Thanks for that Anon,but perhaps the Gurn too is rather misty-eyed about Saisnbury's. However you are spot on with the 'up to 250K' condition.
ReplyDeleteGurnites might wish to go back to the original letter from ministers where the conditions were set out.