Well everybody else is writing about this so I should too. That said, most of the work has already been done by bloggers Nottingham is Crap and Bent Society so I'll make this more or less a collection of links. That way, should you find yourself landing here first you can get up to speed.
MIPIM website
Nottingham at MIPIM
NCC website page Welcome to Yachtingham*
NCC webpage 'MIPIM Success for Nottingham'
Evening Post article about the costs
Latest post on Nottingham is Crap (with links to earlier posts)
Recent Bent Society post
Now, if we give NCC the benefit of the doubt for a moment (and it will only be a moment don't worry) I will accept that funding networking opportunities for local businesses is a legitimate local authority economic development function. Except if you work in social welfare like I did your networking opportunities tend to be in places like Derby.
But its precisely because its being held in Cannes using a luxury yacht (called 'Powder Monkey' by the way, which I thought was slang for a cocaine enthusiast. Maybe this was a way to get 'flowers for the model' past accounts and there wasn't a yacht at all) that it does in fact look so much like a junket. In these circumstances I would therefore expect the 'reputation managers' to be pulling out the stops to explain to Council Tax payers why the event is so important and what spectacular gains have been made that make it all so worthwhile.
Yet instead we get a load of guff which does mention the word 'party' quite a lot with a lot of non specific prattling on about 'raising profiles'. One businessman on the trip proudly boasted that 'two' new deals had 'come his way' (i.e. presumably not finalised) but failed to explain why this couldn't have happened on an industrial estate in Guildford. All in all the gains described in the 'MIPIM success for Nottingham' article look a bit vague and intangible.
Perhaps the only way to get someone to invest in Nottingham really is to hook them up with a 'powder monkey' on the Riviera but we just can't say that out loud.
*I kid you not. I presumed the 'Yachtingham' thing was some tabloid piss take but no, NCC's PR boffins came up with it themselves. Why do the words 'goal', 'own' and 'fail' seem to be appearing before my eyes?
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ReplyDeleteThe problem is if we let them away with such blatant and dire disregard for the hard-pressed tax payer's of Nottingham - what will they do next? We gave them an inch and they took this nautical mile already.
ReplyDeleteWe demand proof that this floating gin palace and beach party is value for money. There appears to be none on offer - so why party in Cannes for a second year - and in global recession to boot?
You know I wouldn't mind about this expenditure half as much if Nottingham City Council were able to point to specific examples of investment brought into the City as a result of attending MIPIM. But from their general comments, it seems as if they can't.
ReplyDeleteWhats more Nottingham City Council has been attending MIPIM for 4 years, so it really has had long enough to come up with concrete examples of what has been achieved as a result.
Come on guys - we can no longer give these criminals in your city council the benefit of the doubt.
ReplyDeleteRobin - should that be "naughtycle" mile?
Perhaps we need to ask ourselves: "What would Peter Mandelson do?" - Oh yes we know the answer to that one....go on a luxury yacht and then lie all about it.
Shit at the top of the waterfall = shit at the bottom.