I find it interesting that the Liberal Democrats in power in Sheffield City Council should begin a process of encouraging the city council, local businesses and organisations to 'buy locally'.
Coun Paul Scriven, leader of the council, seriously lambasted Sheffield City Council during Labour's leadership for awarding the contract to build the stainless steel/water feature, outside the Midland Station, to companies in Bristol and Bolton.
His highly vocal condemnation of the city council was echoed by business leaders, and other senior figures. Clearly Coun Scriven sees there is a potentially rich goldmine of support for this 'new' initiative.
Sadly Coun Scriven was very economical with the truth about the awarding of the contracts to those outside of Sheffield companies.
Sheffield One, the urban city centre regeneration body, set up by the Government, was given the 'lead' role in developing the multi-million pound redevelopment of the area outside the station.
Coun Scriven was a board member of Sheffield One.
What do you think? Post your comment below.The Cutting Edge sculpture was part-funded by European Objective 1.
The process for contracting this sculpture required Sheffield One to advertise the tenders across the whole of the European Union, in each, and all, of the nation states.
Any business, organisation, private company, single person business, from any of the member states, could thus bid to win the contract.
Exact and specific criteria would have been identified by officers, within Sheffield One, to evaluate each proposal. The business whose proposal closest meet the criteria would have been awarded the contract.
It would have been illegal for Sheffield One to promote a Sheffield business to top of the pile, over those who had better proposals closer fitting to the established criteria.
Coun Scriven, as a board member of Sheffield One, would have known that with European money you can't ride gung-ho over rules and regulations. Doing so would have resulted in legal action.
Coun Scriven failed to be open and honest. He chose to make political capital .
If Coun Scriven is serious about local businesses getting European-funded projects, set up a unit within the city council Regeneration Unit, that has specialist officers who will work with Sheffield businesses.
Phil Proctor, Whirlow ParkREAD MOREYour letters.
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