4 December - Cheryl Curr; Despicable Me
Last week I heard the Bexleyheath Business Improvement District manager address
the Places Scrutiny Committee. Nothing remarkable about that; it was
interesting to hear him say that the BID gets little credit for all the
activities it arranges and the town improvements it introduces because everyone
assumes the Council has done it.
No wonder Bexley Council is so keen on BIDs. They sanctioned a new one in Sidcup
about a year ago. Cabinet Member Linda Bailey is very proud of her achievement
but it appears to be a Stalinist organisation devoid of any humanity or common sense.
Its
manager, with the blessing of Bexley Council, has designated schools as profit
making businesses within her remit. Her remit being basically to improve the profitability of shops.
The annual bill to Holy Trinity Lamorbey CE Primary School, along with four
other schools, is £16,545 which is more than 10% of the BID’s
total budget - and it goes indirectly into shops’ bank accounts.
Writing BiB for eight years has brought to my attention many examples of
Bexley’s injustices but rarely if ever have I been as shocked as I am by the
actions and attitude of the Sidcup BID Manager, Cheryl Curr.
Please
read
a school head teacher’s response, it tells you everything you need
to know about Cheryl Curr and her supporters in Council. Next
time Bexley Council tells you how good their education system is, remember
the money that they are happy to see go into the BID’s pocket.
Unlike Sidcup, Bexleyheath’s BID does not levy unwarranted taxes on schools within its boundaries.