The organisers of the London 2012 Olympics have won a legal battle over the land for the proposed Olympics site.
They are now allowed to buy that land, and force some businesses currently occupying the area to vacate their premises.
Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) were confirmed by Industry Secretary Alistair Darling.
Manny Lewis, Chief Executive of the London Development Agency (LDA), said:
"Whilst we have been granted the CPO powers, we will continue to negotiate with landowners in an effort to reach agreements.
We have already managed to secure 93% of the land through negotiation and the LDA is on course to deliver an incredibly complex project on time."
The LDA claim that around 70 businesses may have trouble moving and some jobs may be lost, but the Olympics would lead to an extra 11,000 jobs in the area.
Wednesday, 20 December 2006
Friday, 15 December 2006
New Olympic Domain Names
Two new domain names, that link to this site, have now been purchased:
www.olympicsweblog.com
www.olympicsdiary.com
The other domain names linking to this site, as listed in the menu bar, all remain active.
www.olympicsweblog.com
www.olympicsdiary.com
The other domain names linking to this site, as listed in the menu bar, all remain active.
Thursday, 14 December 2006
The Clean Olympics
Liu Qi, secretary of the Chinese Communist Party's Beijing Municipal Committee, promised a "clean" 2008 Olympics.
This promise comes one day after the party expelled Liu Zhihua, the Beijing vice mayor in charge of Olympic construction projects. He has been accused of bribery and other offences.
Liu Zhihua took bribes of "several million yuan" and "helped his mistress to seek profit in projects".
Liu Qi said:
"We must tighten auditing and monitoring efforts on the preparatory work of the Olympics to prevent all potential problems. Efforts must be made to ensure that staff members involved in the Olympic preparations and venue construction projects remain on track, and make sure the Olympics are clean."
Lucrative projects, such as the Olympics, do seem to bring out the worst in people.
This promise comes one day after the party expelled Liu Zhihua, the Beijing vice mayor in charge of Olympic construction projects. He has been accused of bribery and other offences.
Liu Zhihua took bribes of "several million yuan" and "helped his mistress to seek profit in projects".
Liu Qi said:
"We must tighten auditing and monitoring efforts on the preparatory work of the Olympics to prevent all potential problems. Efforts must be made to ensure that staff members involved in the Olympic preparations and venue construction projects remain on track, and make sure the Olympics are clean."
Lucrative projects, such as the Olympics, do seem to bring out the worst in people.
Tuesday, 12 December 2006
Livingstone Guarantees No Tax Rise
Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, has "guaranteed" that Harrow residents will not pay more tax to fund the 2012 London Olympics.
Speaking on BBC Radio London, Livingstone said:
"I know concerns have been raised recently about increases to council tax to pay for the Olympics, I guarantee to Harrow residents that there will not be a rise.
Last year we set the Olympics council tax precept at 38p for the average London Council Tax Payer. It will remain at 38p next year and the year after and the year after that. When people see that it has not risen from 38p they will accept my firm guarantee that Londoners will not be asked to pay any more to fund the 2012 Games."
Those of you with long memories may recall that Livingstone promised faithfully, when he stood for re-election as Mayor, that he would not raise congestion charges.
Once re-elected, he reneged on that promise and raised congestion charges.
Good luck to the people of Harrow, and London, if they really believe Livingstone's promises!
Speaking on BBC Radio London, Livingstone said:
"I know concerns have been raised recently about increases to council tax to pay for the Olympics, I guarantee to Harrow residents that there will not be a rise.
Last year we set the Olympics council tax precept at 38p for the average London Council Tax Payer. It will remain at 38p next year and the year after and the year after that. When people see that it has not risen from 38p they will accept my firm guarantee that Londoners will not be asked to pay any more to fund the 2012 Games."
Those of you with long memories may recall that Livingstone promised faithfully, when he stood for re-election as Mayor, that he would not raise congestion charges.
Once re-elected, he reneged on that promise and raised congestion charges.
Good luck to the people of Harrow, and London, if they really believe Livingstone's promises!
Friday, 8 December 2006
The True Cost of The Olympics
It is reported that Beijing intends to demolish 22 remaining "urban villages", which are home mainly to poor migrants, as it "cleans up" in readiness for the 2008 Olympic Games.
The villages will be demolished by the end of June 2007.
The destruction of the "urban villages" are part of the greening programme to "create a better environment for the Olympic Games".
Beijing denies that they are trying to force poor migrants out of the city before the Olympics.
Over the past 10 years, as Beijing maked ready to host the 2008 Games, many residents have accused developers of using violence to evict people unwilling to move.
Such is the price people have to pay, if they wish to host the Olympics. Sponsorship and advertising deals come before people's rights and liberties.
The villages will be demolished by the end of June 2007.
The destruction of the "urban villages" are part of the greening programme to "create a better environment for the Olympic Games".
Beijing denies that they are trying to force poor migrants out of the city before the Olympics.
Over the past 10 years, as Beijing maked ready to host the 2008 Games, many residents have accused developers of using violence to evict people unwilling to move.
Such is the price people have to pay, if they wish to host the Olympics. Sponsorship and advertising deals come before people's rights and liberties.
Thursday, 7 December 2006
Barclays Boycotts Olympics
Barclays has withdrawn from sponsoring the 2012 London Olympics. This is rather ironic, as Barclays is housing the Olympic organising committee in its headquarters.
The sponsorship would have contributed to the currently expected costs of £2BN, needed to run the games themselves.
Barclays, which has loaned the organising committee £50M, was expected to have been among the leaders applying for main sponsorship places.
The winning sponsor, from the world of banking (sans Barclays) will be expected to put up £100M.
Had Barclays become a sponsor, it would have had the right to use Olympic rings in advertising, the right to associate itself with the games and personalities involved in them, and the right to advertise its name and logos at Olympic sites.
Despite what Tessa Jowell and the other Olympics organisers might try to claim, this withdrawal is undoubtedly a blow for the already shambolic Olympics.
The sponsorship would have contributed to the currently expected costs of £2BN, needed to run the games themselves.
Barclays, which has loaned the organising committee £50M, was expected to have been among the leaders applying for main sponsorship places.
The winning sponsor, from the world of banking (sans Barclays) will be expected to put up £100M.
Had Barclays become a sponsor, it would have had the right to use Olympic rings in advertising, the right to associate itself with the games and personalities involved in them, and the right to advertise its name and logos at Olympic sites.
Despite what Tessa Jowell and the other Olympics organisers might try to claim, this withdrawal is undoubtedly a blow for the already shambolic Olympics.
Wednesday, 6 December 2006
The Olympics Bill
Approximately 66% of Londoners believe that they will end up footing the bill for the 2012 London Olympics, as costs continue to spiral out of control.
That at least is the finding of a BBC poll, which showed that 65% of those questioned said that they thought that Londoners will end up paying for the additional costs.
The good people of Greece could tell the citizens of London a thing or two about budget overruns. They are expecting to continue to pay for the financial disaster of the 2004 Athens Olympics for many years to come.
That at least is the finding of a BBC poll, which showed that 65% of those questioned said that they thought that Londoners will end up paying for the additional costs.
The good people of Greece could tell the citizens of London a thing or two about budget overruns. They are expecting to continue to pay for the financial disaster of the 2004 Athens Olympics for many years to come.
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