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Robert ANDERSON's avatar

So commercial lenders aren't prepared to lend except through the local authority? Sounds like it's a bigger risk than they are suggesting.

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Alastair Thomson's avatar

Have they learned nothing after the fiasco of the NTFC stadium loan?

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David Brede's avatar

So no more wringing of hands about the overspending on the SENDs and other budgets?

We have seen innovative spending by other authorities in the Look East area of disused schools being repurposed as homes for homeless people. This would spend this money more effectively.

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Dave Pearson's avatar

Evolve Estates is part of M Core, who describe themselves as a pan-European property collective with a combined portfolio size of £5.8bn. If they've got that much money they can easily find a measly £3 million. If not they could borrow it from a bank. Why is the council lending them our money? This sounds like another of those schemes where risks are socialised but profits are privatised.

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Michael Edwards's avatar

Strange for a local authority to be borrowing millions to lend to part of the Grosvenor Estate - whose main owner is surely the Duke of Westminster, reputedly Britain's richest man.

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Craig Lewis's avatar

Hmmm... presuming the council, and the taxpayers whose money this is, will be getting a nice fat share of any profits Evolve make? After all, surely our hard-earned cash isn't being used to prop up a corporate entity?

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