Published: Thursday, 28th August, 2008 07:00
Woodley Christmas bash in doubt
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THE WOODLEY Christmas showpiece could be in jeopardy unless a new town centre manager is appointed soon.
As the process of shortlisting from nine applicants begins tomorrow (Friday), a meeting heard fears that Liz Creighton’s replacement would face a race against time to organise the town’s annual Christmas Extravaganza.
At a meeting of the Town Centre Management Initiative (TCMI), Lib Dem Cllr Beth Rowland said: “It’s the Extravaganza that concerns me really. Liz will have done some work for it but not all.
“It’s a lot of work to get it off the ground and it’s going to be a big job. Someone new is going to have to hit the ground running.”
Cllr Rowland said it was important that Mrs Creighton’s notes were up to date for her replacement when she leaves her post on September 16, and TCMI chair Mary Holmes said that Mrs Creighton had agreed to assist her successor on an informal basis if required.
Mrs Creighton resigned last month citing political squabbling on the supposedly non-political TCMI as the main reason she had to leave.
But Woodley’s next town centre manager will be able to steer clear of politics if proposed changes go ahead.
The TCMI is considering formally enshrining the principle that it is non-political via a new constitution in an attempt to take some political pressure off the next town centre manager, whose salary is paid for by grants from Wokingham Borough Council and Woodley Town Council.
Tory Cllr Keith Baker said: “I firmly believe this organisation should be 200% non-political and I suggest that concept is enshrined, that the TCMI is not beholden to any other organisation and is non-biased.”
At the meeting last week which discussed Mrs Creighton’s resignation, town centre property landlord Alan Cornish asked: “How hard have we tried to keep her? Would it help if the people involved resign or apologise?”
Mary Holmes said Mrs Creighton would not change her mind over her resignation.
Woodley neighbourhood police officer PC Jen Banfield told the meeting: “From a police point of view, we worked with Liz more than anyone on probably a daily basis and I’ve tried my best to make her stay, so you are not going to get her to stay.
“For us it’s so important that whoever you get is compos mentis with the shopwatch radios. We’ve had 10 to 12 shoplifters we wouldn’t have caught without Liz setting up that radio.
“I hope you get the right person because we’re the ones that work so closely with the town centre manager.”
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