ITS A VISION THING - SO WHERE IS THE VISION?

I recently attended a planning event for Cllrs on the Borough Council to discuss the "THE CITY MEADOWS WORKSHOP" which asked members their views on the future of the river valley through Midsummer and Cow Meadows within the town centre.

The workshop itself had already taken place in October where council officers and outside consultants had already been busy engaging with each other and drawing up plans which they could put to the council. But now the Lib Dem administration felt it needed sharing with us less important back bench councillors

It all had an air of familiarity about it! I remembered back to 1998 in the pre millennium days when we drew up similar plans for a Millennium Mile on the same site. Mark Fisher the then Arts Minister joined myself as the town's MP and Will Alsop and Roger Zagolavich and Marie Dickie as Chair of the project to look at what was possible. Will (an internationally renown architect) had a vision for a series of buildings which bridged over the river on stilts which would could  house amongst other things a National Shoe Museum and restaurants and art galleries. Despite our best intentions It was in the end all fornothing, the opposition at the time (Tory/Lib Dem) threw cold water over our plans saying they were not realistic, too grand, the buildings too wacky!

Will's design for the National Shoe Museum went on to become Peckham Library (left) and won a European prize for architecture in the bargain, and the planners having dismissed our radical ambitions went back to sleep and congratulated themselves and the Lib Dem opposition on having scuppered our vision.

So now the roles were reversed! Now the Lib Dem's wanted our views on their plans, but what would they entail? more lights and fountains? a shining monument to a new coalition government? The only way of me finding out was by attending, so I did.

I was thoroughly underwhelmed! What plans did they have to use the space for future city dwellers to enjoy the riverside in a vibrant go ahead town?

Well dog walking was suggested, or a fitness trail! maybe a motorhome park! Other suggestions from the officer group workshop and the assembled councilors included bird hides and dipping platforms!

Now I have nothing against any of the above activities, and I am sure people derive hours of pleasure from them, but this was "City Meadows" This was our chance to put Northampton on the map and having shot down Will Alsop in 1999 surely the Liberals could have spent the Councils cash more carefully rather than engaging consultants and using officer time to come up with a plan to turn Northampton Town Centre riverside into a Pocket Park!

This is a key gateway to the town the consultant kept reminding us before waxing on lyrically on about integrated street furniture the location of hubs and a possible equestrian centre!

Just where is the real vision I asked? What is it about our council that cannot see what is happening elsewhere all around them ? I pleaded with them for once to have some balls, and to think the unthinkable and to use the space and opportunity to think and do something big to locate something of iconic size and value at little cost to the Council.

"Why don't we go out to the market I suggested, tell them we have free open land available in a town centre environment for  a national project looking to be innovative and exciting. And then use such a facility/building to act as a catalyst to bring more  people down to the riverside where we can then provide even additional facilities for them.

I reminded them of (hush hush) Milton Keynes and the Snow Dome and the MK Bowl and asked why we couldn't compete and for once do something that is a little bit more adventurous than rambling.

Open mouths, silence and then a spark of energy from the back benches of the administration and some opposition Councillors, "yes why not" they all joined in. The moment was almost revolutionary the worm may just have turned?

So help me keep it that way, help me maintain the enthusiasm of others and tell me what should we chase as our dream for the meadow? The peoples plan! free from consultants invoices!

The largest in town outdoor music venue in the UK outside Hyde Park? An Iconic tall building to celebrate Northampton's rebirth? an ecosphere? an HQ for a national sport? and do you agree that we should chase ideas from the market/rest of the UK? spend our money on offering the site rather than on consultants and bridleways

I would welcome your views.

OVERPAID - OVERATED - OVERTHERE NO MORE

Not much to add to the wall to wall post defeat evaluation of England's exit from the World Cup apart from statements of the blindingly obvious:

1: How come the highly paid superstars of Italy, France and of course now England are on the plane home and yet the part time and hardly paid youngsters of Slovakia, Japan, Chile, Paraguay and Ghana march on?

Answer:  Hunger and the pride in wearing their national shirt are more important than wage and personal status.

2: Is it time for goal line technology?

Answer:  No, no law should be introduced to the game that cannot be implemented at all levels of the game from World cup down to park pitch. Players make mistakes (Like green's fumble) and they often cost games. Referees and linesmen ( I refuse to call them assistant referees) make mistakes and equally we should all learn to live with them.

3: Why were we so poor?

Answer: We weren't, we were mediocre, lethargic, didn't play as a unit and Germany wanted the game far more than we did and they outrun us and outplayed us.

That's that really