Not lording it over but simply the PR man!

15 June 2022

Dear Bob

You stopped me when you thought that I was talking about transport on a retrofit Zoom.  Fair enough but this was what I wanted to say and I think it needs to be said as clarification and correction.  There was a discussion about the WMCC and the WMCA that I was responding to.

As you know, the WMCC councillors were elected and it was they who approved the Metro project in 1981.  At one time, if I remember correctly, it was for 200 Kms by the year 2000.  Not the WMCA but Andy Street is elected and it was he who published in Jan 2020 his £15 billion tram scheme of 8 lines and 150 miles.  He was re-elected with that intention in his manifesto.  With both the CC and the CA there has never been a single debate in any council chamber, although I cannot be 100% sure about that in the 1980s but, I very much doubt if there was any vote in the 80s.

Andy's powers, from what I have read, do not include lording it over the seven district council leaders but to be their mouthpiece and representative and public relations man.  Hence, there needs to be a fair process of discussion, then debate, followed by a vote to determine councillors' wishes. 

Tens of millions are now being spent on trams when that money could be used for retrofitting - urgently. Or, to help with fuel/food bills when many are suffering from inflation and the fuel and cost of living crises, especially those on UC.  Therefore, Metro is immoral, socially unjust and is the exact wrong thing to do to build an eco-socialist society!

Transport money is the key to accelerating retrofitting.  And free solar electricity from your roof, not solar farms, must be emphasised because it is so urgent to get electricity without using oil and gas from Russia that is our main weapon to punish them and, to try and reign them in.  Rather than using violence and certainly not to widen this disgraceful war.

One thing leads to another!

Best wishes