30th November 2025
Email sent – Sat 22/08/2009 09:35
Sir
So in December 2005 it was £7.5 million but by 20th February 2006 it was £8 million. Why the further jump in just 2 months?
Kind regards
Mrs Sheila Oliver
Stockport’s Freedom of Information Campaigner
John Schulz Chief Executive and Steve Houston, Section 151 officer simply ignored the above.
18th November 2025
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 7:20 PM
Subject: Re: Harcourt street risk register
Dear Editor
I was very interested to read your anonymous correspondents views on the motives for the resistance to the proposed school in Harcourt Street. I have no idea whether he is right in his conclusions. I would say however that the Express records a continual list of Council Planning errors and so the probability of Harcourt St being yet another seems much higher than the correspondents claims that the toffs in Harcourt Street are bullying the poor council tenants in Fir Road. That explanation seems patronising to the point of absurdity. Conversely I have equally no firm idea that Mrs Oliver is correct in her assertion that the Harcourt Street site is seriously contaminated with toxic elements. From what I understand from her letters to this column she claims the ex tip in Harcourt Street is the same as other old tipping sites in Stockport that have been refused planning permission. Furthermore it appears a less than required testing regime has indeed shown serious toxic contamination. Surely any sensible person would expect a proper and full scientific testing of the site especially as young schoolchildren are involved.
In fairness the Council seems to be slightly veering to this view as it now judges the risk of a full scientific examination as Very High. That seems a very significant change in attitude.
Finally the attitude of the ruling LibDem Group seems at odds with the liberal and democratic attitude of their National Party.
3 Cllrs in particular, Cllrs Goddard, Weldon and Porgess seem to have nailed their reputations and possibly their jobs to the mast by insisting without firm evidence that there is nothing wrong with the site. Mrs Oliver has also pointed out that the cost of the new school is considerably higher than national standards and even the cost of other local schools. To borrow the conspiracy theory attitude of your correspondent are these Cllrs protesting too much because they have something to hide especially when a simple survey as required by the Environment Agency would settle the issue.
Yours faithfully
XXXX (name redacted)
18th November 2025
Friday, July 25, 2008
In the words of Sherlock Holmes. Why didn’t the dog bark?
If contamination is a consideration. If some evidence of contamination has been found. If the risk has even been ‘closed” or resolved. If virtually every conceivable risk has been listed.
Then why oh why is there not even a mention nor a sniff of contamination in this wonderfully crafted risk register constantly being modified over time and experience?
Do they just not care whether there is or isn’t contamination? No, they didn’t.
