The polls are closing up in the last two days that is the word on the ground. Steve Gibson spoke to me this morning about his wish for a Labour victory in tomorrow local mayoral election that he is calling the most important election for Teesside in a generation.
Teesworks can be the future of Teesside so says Steve Gibson, not only the head of Middlesbrough Football Club but also Bulkhaul a multi international success story founded in Middlesbrough and now spanning the world. But there is a stark warning from Steve Gibson Teesworks will not deliver on its promises with Ben Houchen as Tees Valley Mayor. It needs the safe pair of guiding hands in experienced Labour candidate Chris McEwan.
Steve Gibson was on the board of the development corporation for a year before Ben Houchen. “Then I had to work him,” he told me, glumly.
“His business record was SEVEN unsuccessful businesses. One went bust owing creditors several £million.”
“This is the guy in charge of the biggest regeneration in Europe.”
Steve then goes into detail about his time on the board of the STDC with Ben Houchen. “Back in 2019 Houchen, without consulting myself or any of the board, sold off 250 acres that was a gateway to the site. He concluded that deal on his own. I was vice chair at the time and knew nothing about it.”
“Houchen announced it and delivered it as if he had delivered a triumph for the area. But he had sold a key site in a really ill judged deal.”
"Following his relection he sacked the trio Steve, Sir Alan Cockshore (Shawbridge) and Paul Booth (sabic), within 3 months he had a concluded a 90/10 deal withCorney and Musgrave. He knew we would have opposed this and kicked up a fuss.”
“He was conned,”Steve claimed.
“He didn't save the airport the tax payer saved the airport. We all saved the airport.”
“He didn't create the jobs at the Freeport – the land created the jobs.”
“Chris McEwan is a good guy and he will make the right decisions. But he won't do this on his own and in a vacuum. He will consult people and he will work with people.”
Steve Gibson asks people to consider two points in his argument.
“Ben Houchen has already given away over £1/2 billion in land rental.”
I was staggered by this sum and Steve had to repeat the number that he said could have transformed Teesside if it had not been given away in a 90% 10%deal to two private businessmen Chris Musgrave and Martin Corney. Yes £500million
“ The public only has 10% now, he never explained why he did that deal,” Steve said clearly even now still upset by the level of this giveaway.
“Jobs have been created because of the site not because of Houchen,” Gibson states. He goes on to say, "10s of 000s of jobs will be created but will Houchen set up the skills training needed?” He has shown little appetite for doing anything to help Teesside earn a skilled legacy from the windfall.
“Only Chris McEwan recognises we need a skill set on Teesside for well paid jobs that will in turn pump money into the local economy."
Secondly, the Teesworks site will bring in £100m a year in business rates, split 50/50 between Redcar and Cleveland and South Tees Development Corporation. Do we really want Houchen in charge of spending our money?”
Steve followed that question by detailing how truly transformative that money could be for all of us. But in the right hands.
“ We can use it for training etc. But it has to be in the right hands – spent for the local good not for propaganda purposes.”
“Chris will seek the right hands. Ben Houchen never meets the public he never asks or cares about what we need. This money could transform our declining town centres. It could revamp youth centres. It could provide jobs and infrastructure to retain young people here and kick start th elocal economy.”
It is one of the biggest opportunities since Second World War – right here on Teesside - we need it in the right hands.
We all need to act tomorrow and
#Bin Ben
Vote Labour Chris McEwan.
Teesworks can be the future of Teesside so says Steve Gibson, not only the head of Middlesbrough Football Club but also Bulkhaul a multi international success story founded in Middlesbrough and now spanning the world. But there is a stark warning from Steve Gibson Teesworks will not deliver on its promises with Ben Houchen as Tees Valley Mayor. It needs the safe pair of guiding hands in experienced Labour candidate Chris McEwan.
Steve Gibson was on the board of the development corporation for a year before Ben Houchen. “Then I had to work him,” he told me, glumly.
“His business record was SEVEN unsuccessful businesses. One went bust owing creditors several £million.”
“This is the guy in charge of the biggest regeneration in Europe.”
Steve then goes into detail about his time on the board of the STDC with Ben Houchen. “Back in 2019 Houchen, without consulting myself or any of the board, sold off 250 acres that was a gateway to the site. He concluded that deal on his own. I was vice chair at the time and knew nothing about it.”
“Houchen announced it and delivered it as if he had delivered a triumph for the area. But he had sold a key site in a really ill judged deal.”
"Following his relection he sacked the trio Steve, Sir Alan Cockshore (Shawbridge) and Paul Booth (sabic), within 3 months he had a concluded a 90/10 deal withCorney and Musgrave. He knew we would have opposed this and kicked up a fuss.”
“He was conned,”Steve claimed.
“He didn't save the airport the tax payer saved the airport. We all saved the airport.”
“He didn't create the jobs at the Freeport – the land created the jobs.”
“Chris McEwan is a good guy and he will make the right decisions. But he won't do this on his own and in a vacuum. He will consult people and he will work with people.”
Steve Gibson asks people to consider two points in his argument.
“Ben Houchen has already given away over £1/2 billion in land rental.”
I was staggered by this sum and Steve had to repeat the number that he said could have transformed Teesside if it had not been given away in a 90% 10%deal to two private businessmen Chris Musgrave and Martin Corney. Yes £500million
“ The public only has 10% now, he never explained why he did that deal,” Steve said clearly even now still upset by the level of this giveaway.
“Jobs have been created because of the site not because of Houchen,” Gibson states. He goes on to say, "10s of 000s of jobs will be created but will Houchen set up the skills training needed?” He has shown little appetite for doing anything to help Teesside earn a skilled legacy from the windfall.
“Only Chris McEwan recognises we need a skill set on Teesside for well paid jobs that will in turn pump money into the local economy."
Secondly, the Teesworks site will bring in £100m a year in business rates, split 50/50 between Redcar and Cleveland and South Tees Development Corporation. Do we really want Houchen in charge of spending our money?”
Steve followed that question by detailing how truly transformative that money could be for all of us. But in the right hands.
“ We can use it for training etc. But it has to be in the right hands – spent for the local good not for propaganda purposes.”
“Chris will seek the right hands. Ben Houchen never meets the public he never asks or cares about what we need. This money could transform our declining town centres. It could revamp youth centres. It could provide jobs and infrastructure to retain young people here and kick start th elocal economy.”
It is one of the biggest opportunities since Second World War – right here on Teesside - we need it in the right hands.
We all need to act tomorrow and
#Bin Ben
Vote Labour Chris McEwan.
