A correction and an apology

I had a good chat to Tim Scott this morning. Tim is a very good pal of mine and I fear I've upset him. I first met Tim over three years ago when he'd arrived in town as the Administrator of the Stone Market Town Initiative scheme. We got on like a house on fire. Although he lives on the other side of Uttoxeter, he lives, eats and breathes Stone. He's totally committed to the town and has been, and still is, a very important member of our Food and Drink Festival working group.

Tim has been reading this blog and was concerned by the comments I'd made in the item about the MTI's Community Chest presentation a couple of weeks ago at the Crown Hotel. I'd questioned the need for such an event and suggested that the cost could have been better used to fund some extra projects.

Tim points out that the event was organised in order to publicise the completion of the very successful Community Chest project. Over twenty local groups and organisations had directly benefited from grants and this was an opportunity for them to meet and get to know each other. It also presented an opportunity to express appreciation for the work done by the organisers of the project.

Tim also wanted me to know that the cost of the event was borne entirely by Stafford Borough Council - no expenditure was incurred by Stone Market Town initiative. So I was entirely wrong to suggest that the costs of the event could have been better used to fund other MTI projects.

So I happily publish Tim's comments and apologise unreservedly for my comments about the costs of the event. Sadly, the new facts simply reinforce the other views I expressed in the original blog.