But Ms Portas said the aim of the money from the government-backed Portas Town scheme was to "start the ball rolling".

BBC: Mary Portas in Bedminster to see how money was spent

By pushing back against the attempted PCCW buyout plans of Richard Li and probing the muck of Citic Pacific, the commission and its head Martin Wheatley (profiled in our Jan. 12 issue) have joined with longtime local reformers to start the ball rolling--if still uphill.

FORBES: Magazine Article

In a start-up, all too often the original idea is good and gets the ball rolling.

FORBES: How the Broncos Playoff Loss Compares to Running a Start-Up

"Fifa's announcement effectively sets the ball rolling on the whole process and so this marks the start of an intense but exciting period, " said England's bid chairman Lord Triesman, also chairman of the Football Association, on Saturday.

BBC: Fifa unveils 2022 World Cup plan