The trouble with Government strategies is that it’s often too late by the time we find out that they were barmy in the first place.

And so it is likely to be with the programme of cutbacks being so zealously announced by coalition ministers.

Ministers are scything through budgets, with the inevitable result that many people’s lives are going to be damaged.

But I’m puzzled.

No-one can deny that the national deficit needs tackling. The debate is about the pace at which it should be done and the scale of the cuts required.

The new Government has gone for broke, adding another £40 billion of cuts to the £70 billion envisaged by its predecessors.

The Government is placing all its chips on private sector businesses to make up for savage cuts in the public sector. It claims millions of new jobs will be created. And yet the measures it is setting out will lead to about 1.3m jobs being lost.

I can’t help fearing that the promised Nirvana will prove to be a mirage.

There’s little doubt that encouraging business, as some of the Budget measures did, is a good thing.

It also seems to have finally dawned on ministers that manufacturing matters – which is of particular importance to Bradford.

But, the deeper and faster the cuts, then the danger of damaging the fragile economic recovery increases.

Several commentators have voiced fears of a worldwide ‘double dip’ recession. Even China is finding the going tougher.

So, where are all these new private sector jobs coming from?

Think back, if you can, to the early 1980s when the then Industry Secretary, the late Sir Keith Joseph, alleged there was an army of maiden aunts with money to invest waiting to help businesses. It turned out to be a misplaced hope.

What we saw instead was the decimation of Britain’s industrial base and dole queues the likes of which had not been seen since the Depression of the Thirties Hopefully this time it won’t be so bad.

We shall see. But by then it may be too late.

Biz Awards sponsors deserve a gong

It is good news that sponsors have come forward to rescue the Biz Awards. Over the past three years this event has rewarded the achievements of entrepreneurs and small firms which have overcome adversity.

They were threatened with the axe due to shortage of cash but will now go ahead after local professional firms, accountants Clough & Company and solicitors Gordons, stepped in the support the event. For the first time the awards will be staged in Bradford this September.

The Biz Awards were established by Stephen Waud, fund director of the Bradford-based Business Enterprise Fund, and have attracted an increasing number of entries each year.

As Stephen said, the awards give a real sense of achievement to those who never thought they would make it.

Bob was never shy in coming forward

The recent death at the age of 85 of former Bradford businessman Bob Slicer in Australia brought back memories of a larger-than-life character.

Bob (pictured) did what he said – and was never too shy to talk about what he did.

Never backwards in coming forwards, as they say, Bob was someone who actually had something to shout about.

He was a shrewd operator who was always looking for the next business opportunity. He rose from fish shop proprietor to head the country’s largest vehicle breakdown service.

Although not the founder of National Breakdown Recovery Club, he was the driving force behind its growth and success which led to it becoming part of Green Flag.

Bob drove a Rolls Royce, but he never took his feet off the ground.