Topic: houses

[Terry Reynolds]

I have just discovered, that a leaflet was sent out this week to houses in this area, but I didnt get one, about the Headlands Trading Estate. It seems the owners have now realised that they can get more for the land if they build houses on it instead of the rent they get from the firms, so we now have the prospect of 140 houses there and down the road about 200 houses on the sports field, is this town going mad with houses, where are these people coming from.  All these people in the firms, like the ones at the Okus trading estate, who lost thier jobs when they built on that, will loose thier jobs.   How can these people moan about unemployment and then do this. the mind boggles...

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[I Could Do That]

Swindon Borough Clownschool will no doubt reassure us that the building of these properties will create x number of thousand jobs (temporary)

Have they gone mad building houses?

I reckon so. Oh yes

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[Richard Symonds]

Where are these new house dwellers going to gain employment in the town 'where business wants to do business'? (Rod Bluh on many occasions in Council).

I for one cannot see any new jobs just an increase in the number of empty shops,

and what are the Economic Development Team doing about it?  Nothing that I can see so do they represent value for money when we are cutting back Adult Care?  Can we afford them?

Or are the Council trying to build a dormitory town with all the infrastructure available for people to travel elsewhere to work?   

Planning, does the Council understand the meaning of the word or is it a case of just let it be and see what comes up?   

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[the gorgon]

Well sadly Swindon is becoming a dormitory town in particular for Oxford, Reading and London (I know people who live in Swindon and work in all three places). 

That, in part, is what drives my opposition to building more houses here, no new employers, no new houses. 

I know a load of land in the EDA (behind Sainsburys and Toys r us) has been set aside for employment, but what's the betting that it's nothing more than more warehouses/distribution centres?

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[Muggins]

Didn't they already build on part of that trading estate Ko, on the site of the old cake factory?

I think we've had the message for some years now, if it's green or brown, if there are not house on it already, they will try to build on it.

And its happening all over the country - just worse here.

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[the gorgon]

Ah yes R & K Wise, ah if you heard some of the tales of what went on there you wouldn't buy their cakes 

They were meant to be building houses there but whether they did or not I don't know.

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[Richard Symonds]

I know a load of land in the EDA (behind Sainsburys and Toys r us) has been set aside for employment, but what's the betting that it's nothing more than more warehouses/distribution centres?

Well Gorgan, nothing wrong with warehouses if they offer employment, but in my experience of this particular sector is they increasing use of Agengies and they in turn use an increasing number of Asians and Eastern Europeans on the minimum wage.  Either the local people don't want to work in this environment or are fed up with the fact that agencies can and do send them home without notice and without pay.

When I looked a few minutes ago I noticed Des Moffatt was reading our comments.  What does the Labour party think about all of this building here there and everywhere without the employment oppoertunities to sustain it?  Is it possible that rather than reacting in comments as to what the present administration are doing that they construct their own 'master plan' for the town and then share it with us as an original concept?  I think this would really put them on the map as a credible alternative to Rod and his Bluhligans.    O0

Although I know the Labour Party was actually committed to reversing the Whalebridge disaster did they actually tell anyone that this is what they do when they achieved office?

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[ph1lc]

Don't knock the Eastern Europeans Richard.

At work we employ a lot to work alongside the English packing, and their productivity is far higher.

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[Muggins]

Ah yes R & K Wise, ah if you heard some of the tales of what went on there you wouldn't buy their cakes 

Did better than that Gorgon, I did my obligatory 4 weeks there, some time early 70's, it seemed at the time most women with children did a short stint, part time and temporary.  Nothing I saw would prevent me from eating their cakes... if they were good enough for Marks and Sparks, they were good enough for me.  Having said that ,my cake making to mouth standards are pretty low. 

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[the gorgon]

I know a load of land in the EDA (behind Sainsburys and Toys r us) has been set aside for employment, but what's the betting that it's nothing more than more warehouses/distribution centres?

Well Gorgan, nothing wrong with warehouses if they offer employment, but in my experience of this particular sector is they increasing use of Agengies and they in turn use an increasing number of Asians and Eastern Europeans on the minimum wage.  Either the local people don't want to work in this environment or are fed up with the fact that agencies can and do send them home without notice and without pay.

Jobs are jobs but having done a stint at the old Woolies depot in Dorcan many years ago I know that thee majority of jobs in such a warehouse are low-skilled and low-paid.  Such jobs are necessary but if an area becomes too dependent on such jobs the local economy does suffer.  East Europeans are good workers and do these jobs damn well (which is good for the companies they work for) trouble is a lot of them that I've known spend as little money as they possibly can as they're saving money and/or sending it back home (not so good for the local economy).

Muggins - some of the tales I can certainly believe (people deliberately sneezing or coughing over cakes) others are more unsavoury but despite probably not true do make you think twice.

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[Richard Symonds]

Don't knock the Eastern Europeans Richard.

At work we employ a lot to work alongside the English packing, and their productivity is far higher.

Didn't think I had said anything that was by implication a criticism of the Eastern Europeans?  You are quite correct they do make good employees even if it is at the expense of the local indigenous population.

I went to the local chip shop here in St Albans the other day and was served by a Roumanian girl.  She was helpful and industrious but the only reason why she is here on her own admission for three years is to earn sufficient money to buy a house back home with her husband for a mere £35k!  She said she would never earn enough money at home to be able to afford one!!  The trouble is that they take the money out of our economy and only spend it on their own at home.  Meanwhile our indigenous population either work with them on the minimum wage or take benefit and do nothing to contribute to it and become trapped by that system in some cases for a lifetime.   Anyone any ideas as to how we could change that situation?

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[Muggins]

[

 East Europeans are good workers and do these jobs damn well (which is good for the companies they work for) trouble is a lot of them that I've known spend as little money as they possibly can as they're saving money and/or sending it back home (not so good for the local economy).

Well, that's what they say about us pensioners, but we are still contributing. Mr Muggin's nearly fall of his chair when they tell us that we are economically inactive..........

I known an eastern European, their work ethic and skilled knowledge is second to none and is using a British car, paying British taxes and renting a British home, eating food bought at a British shop, cooking on British Gas, switching on British electric light, buying British clothes,  after that I think some money is sent home to her elderly Mum - I think that's contributing!

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[ph1lc]

Meanwhile our indigenous population either work with them on the minimum wage or take benefit and do nothing to contribute to it and become trapped by that system in some cases for a lifetime.   Anyone any ideas as to how we could change that situation?

Therein lies the problem Richard. come up with the answer and David Cameron will have a job for you as an adviser!!

To me it's a scandal that anyone is expected to work for the minimum wage, if we paid our packers more we simply wouldn't be competitive. Most of the workers get their wages topped up by benefits, but even so they are barely any better off working.

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[Mart]

I known an eastern European, their work ethic and skilled knowledge is second to none and is using a British car

Dear me, they're driving a 1962 Morris Minor then?

The trouble is that they take the money out of our economy and only spend it on their own at home.  Meanwhile our indigenous population either work with them on the minimum wage or take benefit and do nothing to contribute to it and become trapped by that system in some cases for a lifetime.   Anyone any ideas as to how we could change that situation?

Yes. Make it illegal to export your wages, or set a maximum proportion. I think that may lossen up the jobs market. In effect they are taking advantage of a fiscally advantageous legislative anomaly.

Bit like being a tax exile, who are of course socially leprous, it's that question of degree dilemma again.

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[ph1lc]

Yes. Make it illegal to export your wages, or set a maximum proportion. I think that may lossen up the jobs market. In effect they are taking advantage of a fiscally advantageous legislative anomaly.

Bit like being a tax exile, who are of course socially leprous, it's that question of degree dilemma again.

You mean a bit like the Wilson government did?

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[Mart]

Funny old world innit?

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[Muggins]

Can't remember what car it is, maybe not 'British', but bought here and maintained here all the same.

i.e. money earned here and spent here.  How can they be taking advantage when they are working for it? And paying taxes? 

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[the gorgon]

muggins -  perhaps I should have qualified East Europeans by saying transient E. European workers (those that come here for 3-6 months). I've known a good few East Europeans and there are some who've decided to settle here permanently/long term and contribute to the economy much the same as Brits do, thing is they are probably in the minority. 

A lot of them still come to do short term work, will happily sleep several to a room (some grew-up doing this as their homes were so small), they'll use minimum heating (they grew-up where winters could get to -20c), some will even come with a month or so's supply of food, they'll pay taxes but will claim a tax rebate when they leave.  This is all stuff I've either seen with my own eye or East European friends/colleagues have told me that they are doing or people they know are. So compared to someone living here permanently (of whatever nationality) they contribute less.

In my books this is all fair enough and you can't blame them if they can earn a years salary back home for 3-4 months work here.  Didn't British builders do this sort of thing in the 80's and hence inspired auf wiedersehen pet?

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[Terry Reynolds]

The old wise cake site has been and gone a long time now, it is now covered in houses, no this trading estate is the second turning on the left, up from the sports field, so in the very near future, we will have 200 houses sending out cars from there and then 140 houses from this site also  sending out cars going down cricklade road, when they come back at night, expect the queue now to start at the transfer bridges....

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[Richard Symonds]

muggins -  perhaps I should have qualified East Europeans by saying transient E. European workers (those that come here for 3-6 months). I've known a good few East Europeans and there are some who've decided to settle here permanently/long term and contribute to the economy much the same as Brits do, thing is they are probably in the minority. 

A lot of them still come to do short term work, will happily sleep several to a room (some grew-up doing this as their homes were so small), they'll use minimum heating (they grew-up where winters could get to -20c), some will even come with a month or so's supply of food, they'll pay taxes but will claim a tax rebate when they leave.  This is all stuff I've either seen with my own eye or East European friends/colleagues have told me that they are doing or people they know are. So compared to someone living here permanently (of whatever nationality) they contribute less.

In my books this is all fair enough and you can't blame them if they can earn a years salary back home for 3-4 months work here.  Didn't British builders do this sort of thing in the 80's and hence inspired auf wiedersehen pet?

Well Gorgan I need to tell you a story that involves my sister who some eighteen months ago moved to France.  She decided she still wanted a base in the uk near to her two daughters and granddaughter who live on the Bedfordshire Cambridgshire border.  She agreed to view a newly built two bed flat in St Neots and was due to meet the estate agent there by appointment.  Upon arrival she found the door to flat open and assumed the agent was waiting for her inside and so she went in to find two eastern europeans in each of the two bedrooms asleep and three beds in the living room.  That means that seven people were living in this flat!!  Needless to say she did not buy and said to the estate agent she did not know how he was going to sell under such circumstances.

Yes it is amazing what these people will sustain just to work in this country for a few months or longer, but I am fairly certain that little of the money earnt actually goes back into the uk economy and therefore on balance does not in any way benefit us.  You only have to see the introduction of the Bristol £ to see how important it is to circulate money within a community!  It is called an economy.

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