Council trip to UAE to attract new business

Deborah Linton

November 05, 2009

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Sir Richard Leese

TOWN hall bosses will fly to Abu Dhabi in a bid to attract new investment for Manchester.

Council leader Sir Richard Leese and chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein are among 22 delegates from the city travelling to the United Arab Emirates next week.

Their four-day visit ties in with Manchester City's trip to the UAE where they will play a friendly match against the national team on Thursday.

Sir Richard and Sir Howard will travel with two other council officials, staying in the five-star InterContinental hotel, at a total cost of £6,000 to the taxpayer.

They will fly business class but the council said they have managed to get a deal from Etihad where they only pay for economy class.

Representatives from Marketing Manchester, Manchester Investment and Development Agency Service (MIDAS), the University of Manchester, Manchester Airport, and Manchester International Festival, as well as 11 private sector delegates, are accompanying them on the visit which will see them meet with leading UAE business, sports, culture and education figures.

They will attend a reception hosted at the British Ambassador's residence, aimed at raising awareness of existing and potential links between Manchester and Abu Dhabi.

Sir Richard said the trip had come about because of the 'commitment' the team's owners have shown to the city. He said: "The links between our two great cities have never been closer. This trip will also demonstrate to others seeking to invest in the UK why Manchester is the ideal choice."

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j John (05/11/2009 at 10:31)

In short, it will be a Manchester City Fans meeting at our expenses.

Thanks

Mamaduke, Broad Street (05/11/2009 at 10:43)

Will "senior" councillor Pat Karney also be going on this junket?

Mark,Radcliffe. (05/11/2009 at 10:43)

Should Mr Leese really be there ? because according to his own mouth,he should have resigned over 10 months ago.

Jay B, oldham (05/11/2009 at 10:47)

oh what a coincidence that city are over there at the same time playing a friendly match! this is just yet another way to fleece the tax payers and then sticking two fingers up at us!
the economy is just as bad over there as it is here? they're looking after themselves? why would they want to invest more over here?
why is leese still in charge? i say this time and time again. he said he would stake his career on the con charge vote being a yes.
it wasnt. so why is he still taking the micky out of every person in the greater manchester area?
even this story is carefully written trying to justify this trip?

Local lad, outsidethebox (05/11/2009 at 11:01)

Yet another trip made on the ratepayers of manchester.Lets get a elected mayor of manchester.No doubt they will be selling manchester off cheap.

GazMCFC1971, Hulme (05/11/2009 at 11:08)

Maybe they can explain in person to Sheikh Masnsour why they allegedly won't accept the £280 Million he wants to "invest" in Manchester by buying the Eastlands site ? Or is that because once sold they will have no say in what he does with it ?

The Watcher, Manchester (05/11/2009 at 11:14)

How on earth do they get away with it? Most of us can't even afford a ticket to see Man City at HOME (even if we wanted to!) and they get to travel in 5-star luxury. Resign!

Jay B, oldham (05/11/2009 at 11:16)

im actually amazed they didnt go out last thursday and make it a longer trip. then they could have got the last formula one grand prix in too!

Local lad, outsidethebox (05/11/2009 at 11:24)

If MCC had any idea of saving money for the ratepaers of manchester and get really great investers all they need to do is sell eastlands stadium to the arabs who will then invest in east manchester and then they wont have to keep wasting ratepayers money by going away on these trips.

Jay B, oldham (05/11/2009 at 11:28)

you can tell this is a guardian group newspaper with the total support of labour.
here we have a report on labour councillors trying to justify yet more abuse of their powers and fleecing the tax payer.
then over in diane cookes opinion she's backing up gordon brown. the most useless pm of all time!

readersdigest (05/11/2009 at 11:39)

What a joke it gets better and better we are struggling in a ghetto (East Manchester) created by Leese and his cronies and there he his on a jaunt truly pathetic.
Get them out as son as possible

Lovable Blue Frog. Any pond life around here by any chance?, Manchester (05/11/2009 at 12:33)

If it is going to bring business and jobs then it is all good. Maybe this trip might not have happened had The Sheikh not bought CITY.

Drew-Peacock, Our House (05/11/2009 at 12:36)

Don't see what the problem is. This is to attract funding into Manchester...Developments at Sportscity etc.
If people want investment, they have to go and lobby for it, it won't come to you!!
People criticising this have no knowledge of how business works. If investment comes in..it'll be a drop in the ocean...speculate to accumulate.

Is It Me? (05/11/2009 at 13:10)

Why does it need 22 people whereas 4 or 5 would be enough?

Jay B, oldham (05/11/2009 at 13:53)

Don't see what the problem is - Drew-Peacock

i do! actually i see two problems drew. Richard Leese and Howard Bernstein.

two people who have no idea what the people of manchester want and shouldnt be still in their jobs.

Sheikh Rattle 'n' Roll With It, Bury (05/11/2009 at 14:10)

Good luck on the trip....... the money spent will no doubt be money very well spent if the trip brings inevestment to the City. Anyone who follows Manchester City will know how much has been invested in the Club by Sheikh Mansour and how keen he is to develop the land around Eastlands.

Would those of you opposed to the trip prefer no investment?.... as much as I hate Politics myself, I realise the leg work that has to be done by Politicians to get investment at times. It may seem to some that it is just an excuse for a holiday, but that is a very blinkered view to take. Just look at the developments in Abu Dhabi and just imagine what Manchester could be like in a few years time, we could be the envy of the rest of the UK.

Jay B, oldham (05/11/2009 at 14:28)

investment? its just a football club?
they dont even own the ground.
the uae's economy has slowed down dramatically too. this isnt the right time to be doing this as even they will keep their money there!

why havent the council gone to america for united then? maybe as they're blues not reds?

The Poison Dwarf (05/11/2009 at 14:44)

Well the clocks have gone forward again and they are off at it again. With all the trouble with MPs and this lot not giving a toss. If anyone wants to live the life of Riley get a job with the council and join the free loaders and junket warriors, but beware a prerequisite is that you don't have a conscience.

Sheikh Rattle 'n' Roll With It, Bury (05/11/2009 at 15:07)

Jay B, oldham
5/11/2009 at 14:28

It isn't about football, it's about redevloping Manchester and creating jobs in Manchester ..... now do you really want the obvious answer to your question at the end about America???

Jay B, oldham (05/11/2009 at 15:18)

sorry Sheikh. why would anyone in uae want to invest outside. their economy is largely based on oil. manchester lost its heavy industry a long time ago.
i fail to understand what they would be investing in. i dont recall any other storys on other uae residents investing in the area?
city where the only thing avaliable at the time and at the right price..

Jay B, oldham (05/11/2009 at 15:22)

52 weeks in the year Sheikh! any other time and we might not have been bothered really. but the way it coincides with a friendly match is just so very convenient for them.
if you really believe this is about attracting business, then i bet you think that hazel blears had done nothing wrong in the expenses scandal too!

Sheikh Rattle 'n' Roll With It, Bury (05/11/2009 at 16:08)

Jay B, oldham
5/11/2009 at 15:22

The City friendly was planned months ago and the Business Trip will not have just been thought up at short notice. City's Chairman has already hinted at further investment in the local area around Eastlands and I think we will find next week that announcments will be made with regard to the site that was earmarked for the Super Casino.

If you took time to look at ADUG, then you would see that they are not a Company who simply rely on oil as a form of income, but then again, I don't expect you to have done any research into this matter at all, you probably believe everything you read in the Press or from undeducated and ill informed people.

Lovable Blue Frog. Any pond life around here by any chance?, Manchester (05/11/2009 at 16:50)

Add 30,000 seats to the stadium.
then build 30000 properties and include in the deal 2 years free membership to CITY, we will then swell the stadium to 77,000.

Jay B, oldham (05/11/2009 at 17:06)

well i wait patiently with the news on the future investments!

Dick Burns, Heald Green (05/11/2009 at 17:58)

Jay B, Oldham

Judging by the way you construct a comment and your writing skills, I take it that you are still in primary school. Perhaps writing to the Beano might be more in your line.

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