Topic: Honda In Swindon - Rod Bluh Scaremongering To Influence Planning Cmttee Result?

[Geoff Reid]

BBC Wiltshire quote Rod Bluh as having said: "There is no economic plan in place, should Honda decide to leave Wiltshire"




As Honda want to spend £x millions on renewable energy generation at their South Marston plant it seems unlikely that Honda are planning to go anywhere just yet.

Isn't it more likely that Cllr Bluh is scaremongering in a desperate and stupid attempt to:

1. Influence public opinion against the sizeable number of objectors to Honda's planning application to site several windmills at South Marston.....

2. Get the application approved on behalf of Honda a.s.a.p, having already given quiet assurances that the planning process was 'a minor detail'.


We learned a long time ago that Councillor Bluh and his fellow Conservatives are usually much vexed when the public voice their concerns and exercise their rights during the planning process so I think this little show is indicative of the behaviour we will often see from Councillor Bluh & Co as things increasingly do not go their way.

Although I'm generally in favour of windmills when they are built in the right places for the right reasons I would not presume to interfere in the planning process on one side or the other so when Councillor Bluh  Scaremongers on a Borough Wide basis and uses the politics of fear to influence the planning process, he's demonstrating that, once again, he's out of his moral and political depth.


The end does not justify the means Roderick. Silly man.



Also bloggedHere

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[20Eyes]

As Honda want to spend £x millions on renewable energy generation at their South Marston plant it seems unlikely that Honda are planning to go anywhere just yet.

Honda will do what Honda want to do. If they can't spend their money in Swindon, they'll make the investment elsewhere - possibly taking their production facilities and jobs with them.

What I find interesting about your post is that it would be of far greater surprise to me to learn that SBC did actually have an economic plan in place should Honda decide to leave Wiltshire. Despite the fact it would spell dire times indeed for the town, it's very difficult to see how Swindon could attract anyone/anything else to fill what would be an essentially disastrous hole.

Whether we like it or not, large corporations such as Honda provide the means for literally tens of thousands of people in Swindon to actually exist and lead their lives outside of a dole queue. While it's clearly fashionable in some quarters to like to stick one's middle finger up at such benefactors, once they get tired of it and take their money elsewhere, there's only ever one (or, in this case, many thousands of) loser(s).

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[MsD Meanor]

How far removed from economic reality do you have to be to run this council? 

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[Ringer]

Rod Bluh is he so far removed that Swindon is Swindon in Swindon? Honda will leave Swindon, not Wiltshire have he already been morphed into the LEP Borg? I think the conservative leader  lost his grip on reality about years ago.   

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[Muggins]

Honda are announcing a new car today and have every reason to stay in Swindon at present. 

The damage that an apparent attempt at  blackmail on their behalf and the pubilicty so caused, will hardly endear SBC to Honda.  Having a dodgy council qas any sort of partner is more a reason to leave the area than an objection to wind turbines - which after all can be negotiated.

Perhaps the nick name should be 'bluhnder' aye?

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[Geoff Reid]

Haha...I've been out for most of the afternoon and was discussing this topic with some Shaw residents.  They all laughed, but one handed me a copy of todays Adver - it was the first I'd heard of today's good news story at Honda http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/9160972.Honda_s_fresh_look_will_save_3_000_jobs/

If Roddy was raising the spectre of Honda leaving because he thought it would influence the planning process in Honda's favour over their windmills application and in doing so ingratiate himself to Honda and its workforce, then he's an even bigger fool than many of us thought.  Muggins is spot on with her comment on the same.

I've heard two rumours which run along roughly the same theme: 'Honda is blackmailing us - if we don't approve their windmill application they'll leave Swindon'.  I don't believe either rumour but I do believe they are indicative of political fuckwittage of impressive magnitude.  Honda doesn't need 'help' like this.  The planning process must be seen to happen properly, recent political manipulation of it is, I suggest, really starting to piss people off in several areas of the Borough.   

20 makes a valid point, is it the business of the council to have a 'plan' if and when Honda do eventually decide to leave Swindon?

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[Muggins]

Yes, they should have some sort of plan for any of our bigger businesses leaving town - look what happened when the Factory closed down......

I know I keep banging on about it, but if out here in Vol-land we have to have things like Organisational Risk Assessments then I am darned sure Councils should. 

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[MsD Meanor]

20 says "While it's clearly fashionable in some quarters to like to stick one's middle finger up at such benefactors, once they get tired of it and take their money elsewhere, there's only ever one (or, in this case, many thousands of) loser(s)."

interesting use of the words "benefactors" .....there was and is nothing in it for them then?

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[Geoff Reid]

Who's flipping the finger at Honda in this instance?

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[Ringer]

Being in Swindon outside the Eurozone must be a big help to Honda than if they were in Portugal, Ireland, Greece. or Spain.

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[AnnCalsox]

Rod Bluh is he so far removed that Swindon is Swindon in Swindon? Honda will leave Swindon, not Wiltshire have he already been morphed into the LEP Borg? I think the conservative leader  lost his grip on reality about years ago.   

You do him an injustice......he cant lose something he never had

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[Mellon]

You do him an injustice......he cant lose something he never had

Bingo! I said the same thing earlier this evening to Mr Reid. Seems Rodders 'if I say it, its mine' Bluh is carrying on his usual behaviour

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[Mart]

Thinking out loud here, p'raps Rodders is a Commie sleeper and has been activated by Putin.

His task?

Bring Swindon to it's knees, I for one think he is doing a stellar job, his economic wizardry is exactly what poor old Richard Pryor could have done with in Brewster's Millions.

Alienate every potential investor, well that's nailed.

Provide a bombed out landscape without the need for all those nasty bombs. Check.

I think the Rikkster is his Political Officer.

It's the only possible explanation.

It'd be lovely if Honda said either he goes or we do.........

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[Mellon]

I feel a red october spoof coming up....or red dawn

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[20Eyes]

Who's flipping the finger at Honda in this instance?

Of course, that's not actually what I said, if you re-read my post. However, to deny that there isn't a significant percentage of people who routinely flip their collective finger at multi-national corporations would be naive in the extreme.

As a member of the Labour party I'm sure you rub along with quite a number of them.

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[Mart]

More like an ongoing run of red nose days.

I've never liked clowns.

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[Jodie Maggio]

Has anyone stopped to wonder why SBC are keen to get the turbines into Honda?

Could it be that it sets a precedent for SBC to start erecting these monstrosities all over the borough.

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[Ringer]

Now there is a question to tilt at.

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[swindoncentric]

Fully blogged here : http://swindoncentric.blogspot.com/2011/08/honda-power-of-nightmares-foolhardy.html

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[Drone]

Has anyone stopped to wonder why SBC are keen to get the turbines into Honda?

Could it be that it sets a precedent for SBC to start erecting these monstrosities all over the borough.

I'd prefer turbines to an incinerator.

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