Middlesbrough Council - News Forum - Setting a light to the News

The mayor said: “This campaign has brought out the very best in the town and its people, and that can only stand it in good stead. A key theme of this bid is that it was for and by the people – their contributions and support were central to the case that Middlesbrough is already a city at heart.
“This is a town that feels and acts like a city, and can deliver the opportunities that any city can deliver.”

City Status bid successful.
March 15, 2012 by rocklifferover
Yes, you read that right. The City Status bid achieved its aim. It got Ray Mallon re-elected again!
In todays Gazette, (tucked away on page 4) Ray tells us that the bid was ‘by and for the people’. He doesn’t say who these people were but, whoever it was ‘by’, it was ‘for’ his own political gain.
Read more http://bettermiddlesbrough.wordpress.co ... uccessful/

and there's more

Middlesbrough 'a city at heart' says mayor
by Sandy McKenzie, Evening Gazette Mar 15 2012
MIDDLESBROUGH has missed out for a third time on gaining city status.
But the borough’s mayor Ray Mallon says Middlesbrough has its focus firmly on the future and was “a true city at heart”.
City status to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee has been granted to Chelmsford in Essex, Perth in Scotland and St Asaph in Wales. Armagh in Northern Ireland had been granted a lord mayoralty.
Middlesbrough was among more than 20 UK towns seeking city status. It emerged as one of the bookmakers’ favourite to win the accolade.
But, as in 2000 and 2002, Middlesbrough’s bid was unsuccessful.
Those behind the latest campaign say the town and the area as a whole have gained from the competition, and the work will stand Middlesbrough in good stead for the future.

Mr Mallon said: “We might not have gained city status this time around, but no one can have been left in any doubt over Middlesbrough’s ambition for the future.
“This a town with its focus firmly on that future – a true city at heart.”
Middlesbrough’s campaign cost around £10,000.

The mayor said: “This campaign has brought out the very best in the town and its people, and that can only stand it in good stead. A key theme of this bid is that it was for and by the people – their contributions and support were central to the case that Middlesbrough is already a city at heart.
“This is a town that feels and acts like a city, and can deliver the opportunities that any city can deliver.”
Middlesbrough’s campaign was launched by schoolchildren in March 2011, with the formal 25-page bid document submitted in May.

Claire Wordsworth, from the bid team, paid tribute to the enthusiasm shown by people, including the hundreds of youngsters who wrote to the Queen telling her what city status would mean to them.
Many businesses and organisations provided sponsorship and offered their services free of charge. Nearly 7,000 people joined lovemiddlesbrough on Facebook and Twitter and hundreds contributed to the campaign.
Claire said: “The support we had has been fantastic and has come from every part of our community, from political leaders and stars in many fields to members of the public.”
Lovemiddlesbrough young ambassador Tommy Dunn, who is also a Middlesbrough College student and community radio DJ, said: “Of course it’s disappointing to fall at the final hurdle, but for the thousands of people who backed a vibrant and creative campaign, this is by no means an ending or a failure.”
Middlesbrough MP Sir Stuart Bell, said: “I am seriously disappointed that Middlesbrough does not have the same status as Newcastle and Sunderland.
“The Tees Valley deserves better but we shall all continue to work to build up the town, improve employment prospects and give our people a sense of pride and well-being.”
Tom Blenkinsop, MP for Middlesbrough South and east Cleveland, said the decision was a deliberate snub by the Government to hard working and honest Middlesbrough.
He said: “I don’t want to upset the locals in those places that gained this status, but I do have to say that ennobling a town that is essentially a suburb of East London, and a small settlement of 3,000-odd people whose only claim to fame seems to be being the birthplace of Liverpool footballer Ian Rush looks weird when placed against Middlesbrough.”
BBC presenter Steph McGovern said it was a shame her home town had not won city status.
“Middlesbrough has so much going for it and really deserves the recognition. But we’re used to the knock-backs and will power on like we usually do. I think we have a lot to be proud of and no matter what official title we have, the most important title Middlesbrough has to me is ‘home’,” she said.
Middlesbrough girl and Spanish TV football pundit Kay Murray said: “I’m absolutely gutted that we didn’t gain city status but Middlesbrough is a wonderful town which will always be defined by the spirit and strength of its locals with or without the status.”

Read More http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teess ... -30543720/

Captain_Cookie
11:11 AM on 15/3/2012
You must excuse the Captain as I know very little about football and don't have a TV, so the lady making the last comment Kay Murray doesn't mean much, but I echo that beautiful sentiment "Middlesbrough is a wonderful town which will always be defined by the spirit and strength of its locals with or without the status."
A rose by any other name.

oggy
11:37 AM on 15/3/2012
I had to Google St Asaph to find out where it was - Street View shows a little village and I think I could just make out a yokel with a straw sticking out of his mouth.

abu57
12:23 PM on 15/3/2012
Cant help thinking, "Its not what you know but who you know", no disrespect to the winners but St. Asaph, never heard of it, *SIGH* maybe one day we may hold the world cup final, hold that thought, more chance of having The Queen and the Pope round for tea on Sunday !!!

PredatorDrone
12:29 PM on 15/3/2012
I see Mbro has failed in it City Status bid...... what a surprise...NOT.
Not the size of a parcel that counts, but what's inside it!
Why would they select a town.....
Ran by a Mayor who is a demolition king.
A town blighted by the scars of his and MBC's broken promises.
A town with not much left in the way of its historic heritage.
Sadly a town that is good at coming top in the negatives league tables and a knack of coming low down in the positives league tables.
A town ran by Labour (into the ground).

timetogetreal2012
12:30 PM on 15/3/2012
Mallon is deluded. There is no way that Middlesbrough can be defined as a city - no major events venue (and don't say Mima!!), commodity stores with no major sub regional retail outlets (not Debenhams, M&S etc), a football stadium that is surrounded by wilderness etc etc
A fine town maybe, a city never

Aaron_Bishop
12:43 PM on 15/3/2012
In all seriousness the Town Centre may look nice with all the 'posh' stores if you would like to call them such and such, but as you move further down the back end of Middlesbrough is a lot worse and to throw in a throw examples such as Linthorpe Road, now don't get me wrong I don't live in the heart of Middlesbrough but have visited the town in recent months. Anyway, what was Mallon thinking that it was a city? The last time I checked it was called a town... Remember, that sometimes some people enjoy to get there hopes up and claim the town to be city status, well I guess they are proved wrong. No disrespect to the people of Middlesbrough though however the Town Centre is fine as it is but certainly not a city.

borocoffindodger
12:45 PM on 15/3/2012
No surprise at all! £10,000 could have gone a long way into paying someone's wages. Maybe even gone towards Brady and Lowes mileage claims. Mayor Mallon does not even live in Middlesbrough and therefore does not even pay taxes to this town. Maybe if he had to pay the £10k that has gone down the drain himself he would have thought twice about it. £10k is a lot of money to me but who takes notice of me certainly not the Councillors who agreed to waste this hard earned taxpayers money.

darkcloud
1:47 PM on 15/3/2012
Trying to get city status is all about Mallon who wanted to be "City" mayor, he won't get it as long as he has got a hole in his %#€$, this was a waste of £10,000 of our money, Linthorpe road is full of kebab and pizza shops, how many empty business units are there loads, look at CNE next to the town hall. Nearly empty, gurney house a wreck and eyesore in the centre of town, so come on get off the cloud.

block2
1:48 PM on 15/3/2012
and just up the road you av 15 -30 east europeans storming a bar tooled up......we will never get city status with u involved.....get a grip otherwise you will be ousted...fodder for us good citzens of the BORO..Mallon OUT OUT OUT

colinha
2:39 PM on 15/3/2012
As a born and bred Teessider....
Middlesbrough was never going to gain city status in a million years. It is a small scruffy town which does not deserve it
However, if Teesside could be re-created, the City of Teesside would be a flying certainty.

LOOPYLOO
3:12 PM on 15/3/2012
As expected the spin doctors at work telling how we all feel. What a waste of £50k. It is hardly a surprise that we didnt achieve city status. Operation Lancet, operation Sacristy, Ray Mallon CV hardly reads well leading the town, demolishing the town . Whilst he is in charge Middlesbrough will get nothing, too much dity linen . If he loves Middlesbrough then do the right thing Mr Mayor.....JOG ON ASAP. Time for fresh start so that we are not burdened with an ex liar of a bent cop at the realm with his merry muppets around him

Liz
3:27 PM on 15/3/2012
Asiph

regulator
4:01 PM on 15/3/2012
As the seat of an ancient Cathedral and Diocese, St Asaph was historically regarded as a city.
Ripon and Ely are hardly major population centres but they, quite properly, have city status.
About time Mallon spent our money - yes, that's our money - on something constructive instead of pathetic posturing.

jfkcowes
4:04 PM on 15/3/2012
I was born and raised in Middlesbrough, and have in my adult life lived in many places including Chelmsford and Reading. The reason why Middlesbrough was not granted city status - and the reason it never will is simply this. The place is a dump of the highest order. Those who relentlessly defend the midden of a town are to be commended - but you really need to get out of the place and appreciate the finer areas of the UK. You could not pay me to spend more than the odd night there ever again.

jfkcowes
6:15 PM on 15/3/2012
In my earlier comment I ought to have made it clear that it is only the town of Middlesbrough which I consider to be a dump. The people who live there are, with very few exceptions, the best, most generous and warm hearted people you will ever meet. It is a sad fact that most people who do get the chance to move away (myself included) would never consider moving back. I have not lived there for 30 odd years but keep a keen eye on the place from afar. I never miss an edition of the Gazette. I am addicted to Remember When. But when judged against towns like Chelmsford and Reading, Middlesbrough is not in the same league. Sorry.

ron_jeremy
7:14 PM on 15/3/2012
I heard that when the Princess Royal told the Queen she was going to visit Middlesbrough, the Queen said, 'wear the fox hat?' Geddit?????

goodcopbadcop
9:19 PM on 15/3/2012
Has Mallon had a walk around the town lately, or ever. It could be a city, one in eastern europe, I was in town yesterday and hardly heard an english voice. Dozens of young eastern european lads everywhere.

RAGGED
9:20 PM on 15/3/2012
The Boro never had a cat in hells chance,too much baggage, Mallon Mayor remember Lancet, cost us over £8m, pleady guilty so he could stand as Mayor,we have a Labour party who are sycphants to Mallon, he buys and sells them, There forelocks are on the ground, their financial security is in his hands, Mima is Mallons pet, the people want it closed. So we can keep essentials, Mallon does not give a toss about the people of this town.

alfslefttestosticle
9:24 PM on 15/3/2012
The image of Middlesbrough in the minds of most people in the uk, is of a run-down, deprived dump of a town which has high un-employment and should be avoided at all costs.
The reality is no way near as bad as this image, yet this self-important, embarrassment of a Mayor actually thinks that changing status from town to city is going to make a difference. The deluded fool then goes and wastes £10k trying to convince the rest of the UK that Middlesbrough is something that it is not.
Despite the fact that most of the heavy industry and chemical plants have gone, the first glimpse of Middlesbrough that vistors see when approaching from the North on the A19, is of industrial chimneys belching out smoke. In the TV series 'All at Sea', Timothy Spall commented on the same eyesore as he approached Teesmouth from the North by boat, saying that is it any wonder that we are referred to as Smoggies ? (cont)

alfslefttestosticle
9:25 PM on 15/3/2012
(cont)
In fact many of us even seem to revel in calling ourselves Smoggies despite the fact that it is meant to be a derrogatory term to describe them. And how can anyone believe that promoting the 'Parmo' as a local delicacy, help to improve the image of Middlesbrough and it's people ?
Live football TV audiences always get an eyeful of the worst part of the town which is where the Riverside is situated. So instead of wasting money on trying to convince people that the place is better than what most of them have seen with their own eyes, why doesn't the council do something to improve the appearance of these commonly viewed areas which immesiately give visitors a bad impression of Middlesbrough , and one that is then hard to erase.

Indie
11:05 PM on 15/3/2012
I wonder if any of the people concerned in making the choice heard the exec councillor for regeneration in Mbro, Labour cllr Charles Rooney announce on Radio 5 that unless we stepped up the house demolition in this country, the average house age would be 750 years - that's right 750. When challenged by the presenter who laughed his hat off cllr Rooney insisted it was true because he was given the info by his political researcher. Should one of them be sacked or both of them?? If this political researcher told him the moon was made of cream cheese would he believe that too?

View here - Charles Rooney: 750 year old idiot http://middlesbrough-council.com/forum/ ... =114&t=615

Read More http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teess ... -30543720/

goodcopbadcop
8:21 AM on 16/3/2012
I see that observation of what is happening to Middlesbrough violates EG terms and Conditions

camper
10:42 AM on 16/3/2012
i think i have worked it all out.
if any of you remember it being on the news about goverment papers being released from the eighties about liverpool .
it was about the torys allowing liverpool to slowly imploded because they could not see it being viable to invest in.
i think the same happened to middlesbrough, just look on google earth and compare the wear to the tees and you will see large amounts of land underused on the tees. you can see foundations of buildings long gone. the slipways in haverton hill untouched. look and you will see the extreme lack of investment. thats why cleveland county council was broke up to give us a divided voice to make it easy to
promote other areas at our expense. i dont think i will vote any more.

Read More http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teess ... -30543720/