Revamp for Cinderford town centre

“Cinderford needs a TOTAL town revamp and roads do need resurfacing not just the town but all the roads. Church road is horrendous with its pot holes and bumpy surface and stop the racers racing down there like its a race-track,20 -30 mile limits need to be inforced.
I also think that residents could do with helping its town and by sprucing up the outsides of their homes and cut back the bushes on the walkway and get rid of the weeds.
Landlords need to make sure that their houses are maintained properly and the outsides of properties looking nice, Ive seen so many derelict buildings around Cinderford that need demolishing or put up for sale. Cinderford is so behind the times 20 years behind or more...lol....Common on Cinderford CLEAN UP YOUR TOWN!!!! Then we won''t get such bad comments!!!! Don't rely on councils who hate spending our money but we could all do our bit and keep the outsides of your homes looking nice :)”

“Let's face it, when it comes to Forest towns Cinderford has always been the poor relation. What the town needs is jobs, jobs and more jobs - and living wage ones to boot! Sadly it didn't happen in the 'good times' so it's unlikely to happen now. The best we can hope for is that 'prettying' the place up a bit will attract tourism and give its long-suffering populace some regained sense of pride.”

“I hope they do as good a job of smartening up the place as they have done to Newent. ps, not a sarcastic remark, I love Newent.”

“MartinArkway - as stated - regeneration is a lucrative industry whether you get anything built or not - in any business situation - where are the private investors willing to put their money in shifting to Cinderford? Where are the customers for a posh hotel or leisure facility? History shows government (at any level) is powerless to steer harsh economic forces - Cinderford is a dump far away from accessible transport routes to make any business viable (unless it serves the small local hinterland).

Quite right about Ensors and other interested parties on the Board and also the local authority, the HCA going round in circles - copious plans and consultations over the years, promises of a new road or money, the college moving, etc, etc, the only conclusion - a lot of amateurs waffling for ever at taxpayers' expense. Now and the a little beauty treatment for Cinderford which is a dump by any measure.

The only scope in a place like Cinderford - Supermarkets with free car parking and/or petrol - yes there is money there and the likes of ASDA know that.”

“Bonkim2003,
There doesn't appear to be any "arms length" between those deciding where the tens of millions are being spent, and those organisations directly benefiting from the funding. There is cross-pollination between both sets of parties.
Not only that but firms being engaged and paid for advice and consultation are known to have directors, managers or board-members that also sit on the Cinderford Regeneration Board.
But possibly worse of all a director of Ensors, a company who sold land to the board, also sits on Cinderford Regeneration Board. I'd love to know how they agreed a price for the land, especially as, reading the reports, many believe much of it is unsuitable for development.
The re-vamping of Cinderford Town Centre appears to be an after-thought, possibly in response to the increased scrutiny the Regeneration Board is coming under. Scrutiny that is coming, not from the Local Authority, but from local interested parties.
At best, the re-vamp of Cinderford Town Centre can be described as cosmetic. It is not going to generate new business opportunities, and therefore will not attract outside business investment.
When it's all done and the dust has settled, people are going to ask where did all the money go. But by then those responsible will have packed up their bags and moved on to the next "big thing". Possibly Coleford Regeneration Board or Lydney Regeneration Board. Their priorities? Housing and associate colleges.
But why wait? History has shown that it can't be left in-house, to the Local Council, to the District Auditor or to the "Independent" Scrutiny Board, the membership of which is chosen by the Council. It's the people who should be scrutinizing how this "boys' club" is spending the money now.”

“MartinArkway - you appear to have sussed the situation well. It has been going on for over a decade - must be keeping a few employed in the council for life - why spoil the show by finishing anything substantial - best to keep the kettle on the burner - you can have an occasional cup of tea - or in other words the journey is more interesting than arriving.”

“The filthiest and ugliest part of the town is the "sixties" built area in the High Street, where grease and pigeon droppings abound. It's about as attractive as Gloucester bus station.

I do hope that this area gets some attention and that the traders there see fit to keep it clean thereafter, although, there is something so utterly vile about what was done in the name of modernisation of our towns, countrywide, during the sixties that I think the area can never be anything other than a pigs ear.”

“Below - **** said t_u_r_d..... Is that rude?”

“Cinderford's a nice place to live, but the town centre needs a complete rebuild.

Spending money on a revamp is like polishing a ****... It won't look any nicer, it won't be brighter, no-one will want it and it'll still be a ****!

Sorry Cinderford...”

“Needs more than a Revamp !!jj

Try having some new shops (not Charity shops)”