I am not stupid, I know that what is reported in the media is not necessarily what is 100% truth - but this week has seen two news stories jump out with nothing but potential pain for EDC.
The first thing was the News and Star report that Carlisle City was not wanting just a shared chief executive with Eden (you may remember that I and the Lib Dem councillors of EDC were opposed to this in the first place) Carlisle City Council, according to press reports are wanting a wholesale merger with EDC as sharing a chief executive will not be financially beneficial for either of us, despite the assurances we were given in EDC's council chamber that we would be saving money by doing this. This would mean becoming one council. This would mean sharing assets, jobs and debts - absolutely...
OK, so I and my team are opposed to this, this is NOT good for Eden, its residents, its businesses or its future. A shared Chief Executive was hard to swallow, but we lost the vote for this, and made the decision to do what was right for Eden and move on with the Transformation Process.
THEN
Today's Cumberland News has a story that Carlisle City Council are so strapped for cash, so desperate for money that it is selling of a vast amount of its assets. According to the article, they are already selling these assets off to raise money.
So, realistically, what are we getting into? A merger with a council so desperate for money that it is selling off all the land it can (right down to empty fields) How would we benefit from this. If we merge with Carlisle City, then we share their debts and they share our assets.
I think this needs to be looked at again. Quickly and as a matter of urgency, for the good of all residents, business and most definitely its future.
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