By Julian Whittle Political editor

Last updated at 10:04, Friday, 07 August 2009

Carlisle Renaissance is under fire again for a lack of progress, four years after it came into being.

Labour's Michael Boaden

Renaissance was launched to revive the fortunes of the city after the 2005 floods.

Last year, control was handed to a private-sector-led board.

Now Michael Boaden, Labour group leader on the city council, claims there has been “little meaningful progress”.

He said: “The council is contributing more than £250,000 a year to Carlisle Renaissance.

“What value we are receiving for that significant sum?

“The most important projects in the city – the Carlisle Northern Development Route, the academies and the further development of Carlisle College – are all happening without any discernible involvement of Renaissance.”

Mr Boaden has been tipped to succeed MP Eric Martlew as the Labour candidate for Carlisle at the next General Election.

He added: “The board came into being as a response to failings in the political leadership for Renaissance provided by the city council, but it is doing things in exactly the same way.

“Commissioning expensive consultants to produce reports that, in many cases, are telling us all what we already know.

“What it is singularly failing to do is engage the public in the idea of positive change.

“This is such a missed opportunity and I am sad it has been such a conspicuous failure.”

Various Renaissance initiatives have stalled and been shelved, including redevelopment plans for Rickergate and a scheme to discourage cars from the area around the cathedral.

But Bryan Gray, who chairs the Renaissance board, has defended its record.

The board is focusing on getting the University of Cumbria into Viaduct Estate in the city centre, developing sites for business near the M6 and harnessing historic assets to boost tourism.

Mr Gray said: “I am disappointed that Councillor Boaden thinks we’re not having an impact but I think that’s based on a misunderstanding of the role of Carlisle Renaissance. Our purpose is to work with partners to create a vision for Carlisle and make it happen. That doesn’t mean we do everything ourselves.

“An example is how we’re working with the university. If it wasn’t for us, there wouldn’t be progress in terms of assembling a site.

“We are pulling people together and looking for ways around problems.”

Mr Gray is about to step down as chairman of the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) to concentrate on his role in Carlisle.

He also disputed Mr Boaden’s claim that Renaissance had no involvement in plans to redevelop Carlisle College. Those proposals are back on track after the NWDA pledged £5m this week.

Mr Gray added: “No one has done more to help Carlisle College than Carlisle Renaissance.

“We brokered negotiations with the NWDA. That [pledge of funds] wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t pulled together people to make it happen.”

First published at 05:16, Friday, 07 August 2009
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk