As reported by the estimable Leeds Citizen:
They’ll be rejoicing down on Albion St this week after it was announced that Leeds and Partners have won a £2.25m uncontested contract to deliver the city region out of the inward investment doldrums.
You've read that right folks - Leeds City Council (on behalf of the City Region) have bunged a multimillion pound contract in the direction of an organisation it set up itself but which they insist is a 'private' concern not subject to such pesky things as 'freedom of information'.
Does this seem like a fix to you? After all this is a body intended to promote investment into the city REGION - that includes Bradford. Yet I don't recall - as a Bradford Councillor - us being consulted on all this? Nor do I expect 'Leeds & Partners' to pay any attention to the inward investment needs of Bradford - it will, as ever, be "Leeds, Leeds, Leeds". A strategy that has worked ever so well for us!
So we have a contract issued without competition to an organisation that was previously called 'marketing Leeds' - as Leeds Citizen concludes:
Check out the Manchester investment site to see how a serious organisation does this kind of thing. And then tell me we’ve just taken on the only credible organisation that’s capable of doing the same for us.
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