Graham, Tom and Ian

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Conservative attempts to smear me are untrue – here’s the proof

by Lib Dem team on 18 March, 2011

Last night in Full Council, Conservative councillor Mick Jones, claimed that I’d put out a leaflet in my election campaign which “promised” the people of Gatley that a land swap deal for the old Tatton Cinema site was imminent.

(The land-swap idea was for the Council to take on the land behind the Tatton and convert it into a public car park, with the developers getting an equivalent piece of land elsewhere in the Borough in return.  We put a lot of work into it and kept residents informed of progress, but much to our frustration it wasn’t possible to find a piece of land to swap that the different parties involved were all happy with.)

Although I’ve not yet seen it myself, I’m told that the Conservatives have made the same claim in a negative leaflet they’re distributing (their first since the General Election last May) – along with several other dubious claims.

The idea, I assume, is to suggest that I’ve been dishonest and failed to keep a promise.

But the claim is completely untrue, and here’s the proof. 

Below is the leaflet that we put out during my by-election campaign about the possibility of a land-swap. As you can see, there’s no promise of a land-swap deal, not even the hint of a promise. 

In fact, I went out of my way in the leaflet to make it very clear that it was early days, that this option was a possibility but no more.

As a result of the leaflet, I had back a little over a hundred responses with a small majority in favour of pursuing the land-swap idea. As I mentioned earlier, we did that fully – which Cllr Jones knows as he came to several of the meetings – but it didn’t work out.

We also made a small mention of the progress on a land-swap in one leaflet in the campaign for the May 2010 local election, where we said:

“We are continuing to meet with the developer regarding a possible land swap in order to get a car park at the back of the Tatton.”

Again, entirely accurate.

I’ve no regrets about trying it. It might have worked and, if it had, the Tatton site might have been developed by now. We’re now looking at other possibilities – again with no guarantee of success, but we will keep working on it and we will not give up.

I hope that distribution will be stopped now I’ve provided the evidence that they are clearly and wholly false.

Tatton land swap leaflet sept 2009

   8 Comments

8 Responses

  1. John Hartley says:

    I’ve got a great collection of election leaflets from all parties in the last couple of years – excellent for checking up on what folk actually said at the time. And the leaflet you show is certainly in the file – I remember it well as I thought the swap was a great idea

    As for facts, back on 21 October 2009, Cllr Jones posted on the Gatley Forum, in a thread about the land swap, that he was attending a meeting the following day with the developer, all councillors, the relevent senior council officer and the council’s executive member for regeneration. He also intmated that he would report back to the Forum (but never did). I assume this must be one of the meetings that Iain says Cllr Jones attended on the issue. Seeing as he clearly knows what actually happened it seems a little “cute” to describe this as a “broken pre-election promise”. An early start to the dirty tricks this year, eh?

  2. Dzvid Le Grice says:

    This is the post woolas era and this is a alse statement of fact in relation to the candidate’s personal character or conduct if ever i’ve seen one. Time to lawer up!

  3. […] Further update: a Conservative leaflet now being delivered (their first since last May) makes several false claims, include one about the possible Tatton land-swap. I have the evidence to prove the claims are false here. […]

  4. Emma Burrows says:

    Just more proof that the right guy is in the job in Cheadle and Gatley. Keep up the good ( and honest) work Iain – Typical Tory tactic! Can’t trust them – ever.

  5. bruce thwaite says:

    A couple of years ago the Libdems opposed the Tatton plans to change the site into a convenience store and care home. In a Libdem leaflet is stated ..”this development would cause parking problems as well as threatening some of the local shops”

    So why have Tesco been allowed to open up as surely the same arguments apply?

    Also there will always be some opposition to any new applications – you cannot please everyone all the time!

  6. Iain Roberts says:

    Hi Bruce,

    In the case of Tesco, the answer is simply that they didn’t need permission.

    Planning law, slightly oddly, says that if you’ve already got permission to have a pub, you don’t need any further planning permission to open a retail unit.

    It is an odd one, though!

  7. Steve Whitaker says:

    The Conservative leaflet that I think you are referring to delivered to my address is now in it’s rightful place – the bin. If my memory serves me correctly, Mick Jones made a big issue of fund raising to restore the clock tower in Gatley. In a time of severe economic hardship Mick seems to have certainly solved all our problems by getting the clock in a working condition again. Sorry Mick but you are a dreamer, but be encouraged Iain, this guy is no threat and he would do better to consider a change of career to ‘stand-up’.

  8. Phil Johnson says:

    Iain,
    Those of us who have followed your blog since your election know that your dedication and integrity are beyond reproach.
    Keep up the good work.

    Is there not a “Standards Committee” at the Town Hall to deal with these smears?

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