http://www.swale.gov.uk/dso/download/3B8D53A3818F466B9F1272F036BF5909.pdf
724/12/07 SPEED BUMPS IN GADBY ROAD AND SANDFORD ROAD, SITTINGBOURNE
KHS The Chairman suggested that the Ward Member met with a KHS Officer to write a short report to be considered at the next meeting of the Board and assessed by PIPKIN.
• SENIOR TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER
This matter was discussed with the Ward Member over the telephone. He was advised that
there had been no crashes over the last 3 year period. Nor have there been any claims for
damage to cars from the speed cushions. To change the traffic calming would need the TRO to
be revoked and full consultation with the residents. The opinion was that the Member no
longer wished to pursue the matter.
Saturday, 16 August 2008
Copy of article about Sittingbourne Redevelopment
I have spoken to a considerable number of people over the last couple of years about the High Street and the various ideas being put forward for its development. I have spoken to very few who are enthused by the type of development that seems to be the way the Council is heading. Basically, most people want the existing High Street to be refreshed and re-energised to become the sort of place where they can once again spend an enjoyable period of time perusing various shops whilst also picking up what staples they need for their usual requirements. Noone wants to see the High Street become a redundant area supposedly given over to Parisian style pavement bars, but which could in reality becoming a nightmarish no-go area marked out by a drunken and intimidating atmosphere.
The questions the Council need to consider is why Sittingbourne Town Centre is currently under-used. I would suggest there are 4 main reasons:
1) Car parking provision is woeful, and discourages visitors to the town in any form. This is compounded by abysmal Bus services from surrounding areas.
2) The range of shops has been falling over recent years due to the chronic uncertainty about the future of the high street, and how long it will remain a viable shopping area.
3) The council has allowed a domination of the High Street by a very select range of outlets, especially mobile phone shops.
4) The environment in the Town Centre is not pleasant – it is dirty, it caters fully for neither car traffic nor pedestrians, but falls between the two thus providing a messy uncertain space which is not inviting to shoppers.
What the High Street needs to attract visitors again is therefore
1) Adequate parking space – ie a clean and efficient multi-storey car park around the forum - as other neighbouring shopping centres have, and a drastically improved service from local bus operators. Other car-parking areas could then be utilised to provide greater leisure and recreation facilities, whilst the Library could be revitalised as a useful centre of learning.
2) Confidence must be restored in the Town Centre’s future so that new businesses feel secure in opening shops again, and providing a wider range of different sorts of shops
3) The High Street needs to become either a properly pedestrian area or not – the current half-way house needs to be replaced by an area that is properly utilised for the public to move about in comfortably. The requirement for cars in the High Street would be alleviated to some degree by the provision of the aforementioned multi-storey.
Finally, much is made of the need to attract large chain shops, but shopping habits are changing radically, and the chains are showing year on year slow downs as people are increasingly looking for alternatives to what everyone else is wearing. Further, an increasing amount of supermarket shopping is now done by Internet, and this is likely to grow significantly over the next 10 years. Supermarkets for example will largely become localised warehouses for serving neighbouring districts ordering online. Shopping will therefore become a somewhat changed experience, and this sort of environment is what needs to be considered now. The kind of shopping mall extravaganza that seems to be envisaged by the current plans reflects a style of shopping that is already going out of fashion. Planning for ten years in the future a style of shopping that is already ten years in the past is a certain recipe for disaster.
As for the land the other side of the railway, there is already a superb go-kart track there. Where better to provide a fully equipped BMX track and other forms of entertainment for our youth in one area, whilst the other areas could be used to provide some excellent housing instead of that currently proposed by our local council, and which would relieve the pressure on our Greenfield and rural areas that are currently being forced into accommodating them?
The questions the Council need to consider is why Sittingbourne Town Centre is currently under-used. I would suggest there are 4 main reasons:
1) Car parking provision is woeful, and discourages visitors to the town in any form. This is compounded by abysmal Bus services from surrounding areas.
2) The range of shops has been falling over recent years due to the chronic uncertainty about the future of the high street, and how long it will remain a viable shopping area.
3) The council has allowed a domination of the High Street by a very select range of outlets, especially mobile phone shops.
4) The environment in the Town Centre is not pleasant – it is dirty, it caters fully for neither car traffic nor pedestrians, but falls between the two thus providing a messy uncertain space which is not inviting to shoppers.
What the High Street needs to attract visitors again is therefore
1) Adequate parking space – ie a clean and efficient multi-storey car park around the forum - as other neighbouring shopping centres have, and a drastically improved service from local bus operators. Other car-parking areas could then be utilised to provide greater leisure and recreation facilities, whilst the Library could be revitalised as a useful centre of learning.
2) Confidence must be restored in the Town Centre’s future so that new businesses feel secure in opening shops again, and providing a wider range of different sorts of shops
3) The High Street needs to become either a properly pedestrian area or not – the current half-way house needs to be replaced by an area that is properly utilised for the public to move about in comfortably. The requirement for cars in the High Street would be alleviated to some degree by the provision of the aforementioned multi-storey.
Finally, much is made of the need to attract large chain shops, but shopping habits are changing radically, and the chains are showing year on year slow downs as people are increasingly looking for alternatives to what everyone else is wearing. Further, an increasing amount of supermarket shopping is now done by Internet, and this is likely to grow significantly over the next 10 years. Supermarkets for example will largely become localised warehouses for serving neighbouring districts ordering online. Shopping will therefore become a somewhat changed experience, and this sort of environment is what needs to be considered now. The kind of shopping mall extravaganza that seems to be envisaged by the current plans reflects a style of shopping that is already going out of fashion. Planning for ten years in the future a style of shopping that is already ten years in the past is a certain recipe for disaster.
As for the land the other side of the railway, there is already a superb go-kart track there. Where better to provide a fully equipped BMX track and other forms of entertainment for our youth in one area, whilst the other areas could be used to provide some excellent housing instead of that currently proposed by our local council, and which would relieve the pressure on our Greenfield and rural areas that are currently being forced into accommodating them?
Long Overdue Updates
Over the next couple of days I will be posting some summaries of the developments in Grove Ward over the past few months...
I truly have been a useless blogger, but will try to improve over the coming year!
I truly have been a useless blogger, but will try to improve over the coming year!
Monday, 30 July 2007
Update
Well, it's been a long time since I've made an entry here - like diaries there's always time when you've not been doing anything, but never any time when you're busy!
The Gadby Road bumps issue looks like it might be progressing - slowly! A joint meeting between myself and the two elected councillors had been planned for Saturday July 28th but was called off late in the day by Cllr Randall. However, having spoken to him tonight, it seems that he is now planning to go ahead tackling the issue, but probably doesn't need my help! This is good news as long as he is able to get on with it, as it leaves me free to tackle several other issues I want to start acting on, whilst he gets on with sorting out Gadby Road. As long as the problem is cured, I don't mind who does it - as long as issues I raise are looked at, then we all make progress!
Saturday was instead given over to collecting for the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) in Sittingbourne High Street. Along with several of my friends, including Labour colleagues Russell Beardmore and Fiona Gowdy, we raised nearly £250 for WSPA and got several pages of anti-bullfighting and anti-cat fur toy petitions signed. Incredibly, it seems that Nauticalia in Canterbury still sell fur tiys!
Sunday was up at Sainsbury's with Sittingbourne RSPCA where we handed out nearly a thousand leaflets about dogs dying in hot cars. Tomorrow's RSPCA Cttee meeting should be a busy one with AGM plans to make, and several campaign updates.
And hopefully I'll manage to finish distributing my latest leaflet by then!
The Gadby Road bumps issue looks like it might be progressing - slowly! A joint meeting between myself and the two elected councillors had been planned for Saturday July 28th but was called off late in the day by Cllr Randall. However, having spoken to him tonight, it seems that he is now planning to go ahead tackling the issue, but probably doesn't need my help! This is good news as long as he is able to get on with it, as it leaves me free to tackle several other issues I want to start acting on, whilst he gets on with sorting out Gadby Road. As long as the problem is cured, I don't mind who does it - as long as issues I raise are looked at, then we all make progress!
Saturday was instead given over to collecting for the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) in Sittingbourne High Street. Along with several of my friends, including Labour colleagues Russell Beardmore and Fiona Gowdy, we raised nearly £250 for WSPA and got several pages of anti-bullfighting and anti-cat fur toy petitions signed. Incredibly, it seems that Nauticalia in Canterbury still sell fur tiys!
Sunday was up at Sainsbury's with Sittingbourne RSPCA where we handed out nearly a thousand leaflets about dogs dying in hot cars. Tomorrow's RSPCA Cttee meeting should be a busy one with AGM plans to make, and several campaign updates.
And hopefully I'll manage to finish distributing my latest leaflet by then!
Thursday, 7 June 2007
4 Years for manslaughter is no deterrent
Another busy week, not helped with me getting a severe throat infection.
The main news of the week has to be the paltry 4 years given for the manslaughter of Michael Chapman - with this likely to translate into 2 years, and nearly half of that already spent on remand, the 'killer' is likely to be out within a year. What sort of deterrent is that? What message does it send to anyone else planning to attack another person from behind? No wonder the Michael's father was less than impressed with the sentence when it was read out - absolutely disgusting.
Several meetings to report on this week too -
Monday was the Kent Association of Parish Councils Swale Area meeting, where I tried to encourage the KAPC to discuss how better the Parish's voice could be heard through the Swale Rural Forum (SRF). Instead, thanks in no small part to Cllr Lewin's intervention to the effect that there wasn't any relevance to the question in regard to the SRF (despite my quoting from the minutes that this was exactly what they had requested) the KAPC decided to do nothing except bear it in mind for the future. Wouldn't want to rock any boats then huh?
Wednesday was Bobbing Parish Council, and a major upset about the recent decision to block the village hall car park to School staff and parents. A complicated issue that, imho, has pitted two innocent parties against each other, and which the Kent County Council ought to be coughing up some time and money to put right - though as per usual the County Councillor Keith Ferrin wasn't present! The only long term answer to this problem is for KCC to either pay for a Car Park, or for them to provide a School Bus service - by far the better option imho!
Tonight it's time for Borden Parish Council.
The main news of the week has to be the paltry 4 years given for the manslaughter of Michael Chapman - with this likely to translate into 2 years, and nearly half of that already spent on remand, the 'killer' is likely to be out within a year. What sort of deterrent is that? What message does it send to anyone else planning to attack another person from behind? No wonder the Michael's father was less than impressed with the sentence when it was read out - absolutely disgusting.
Several meetings to report on this week too -
Monday was the Kent Association of Parish Councils Swale Area meeting, where I tried to encourage the KAPC to discuss how better the Parish's voice could be heard through the Swale Rural Forum (SRF). Instead, thanks in no small part to Cllr Lewin's intervention to the effect that there wasn't any relevance to the question in regard to the SRF (despite my quoting from the minutes that this was exactly what they had requested) the KAPC decided to do nothing except bear it in mind for the future. Wouldn't want to rock any boats then huh?
Wednesday was Bobbing Parish Council, and a major upset about the recent decision to block the village hall car park to School staff and parents. A complicated issue that, imho, has pitted two innocent parties against each other, and which the Kent County Council ought to be coughing up some time and money to put right - though as per usual the County Councillor Keith Ferrin wasn't present! The only long term answer to this problem is for KCC to either pay for a Car Park, or for them to provide a School Bus service - by far the better option imho!
Tonight it's time for Borden Parish Council.
Wednesday, 30 May 2007
Wickes' Store and Gadby Road
Well our Council has given Wickes the go ahead for an early opening on Saturdays should they evr decide to get on with their unwanted site development! Apparently they were threatening to pull out of the development if they couldn't get the early opening times - well the Council should have jumped at that chance to bring to an end the whole sorry saga of this ridiculous development for once and for all!
Instead they have - as usual - capitulated to big business over the concerns of local residents who will now have their weekends ruined.
A stupid place for a big store - in a residential area with inadequate parking and the likelihood that the main A2 will become (even more) logjammed at busy times!
Let's see if there's anything the local residents can do to display their annoyance...
On a brighter note, Cllr Dewar-Whalley contacted me today to tell me that he has agreed to do the survey of Gadby Road, and has hopefully managed to bring Cllr Randall onboard too. This carries the possibilty that we might indeed be able to get the subject debated at the Joint Transport Board and referred to County...
Instead they have - as usual - capitulated to big business over the concerns of local residents who will now have their weekends ruined.
A stupid place for a big store - in a residential area with inadequate parking and the likelihood that the main A2 will become (even more) logjammed at busy times!
Let's see if there's anything the local residents can do to display their annoyance...
On a brighter note, Cllr Dewar-Whalley contacted me today to tell me that he has agreed to do the survey of Gadby Road, and has hopefully managed to bring Cllr Randall onboard too. This carries the possibilty that we might indeed be able to get the subject debated at the Joint Transport Board and referred to County...
Friday, 25 May 2007
Local Issues update
Today I contacted the Grove Conservative Councillor Duncan Dewar-Whalley to discuss a couple of road problems that came up once more during the local election camapign.
I suggested putting out a letter to all the residents affected, explaining that we would be working together on this and asking them for their views, and asking if they'd like to petition the local Highways folk.
I tried this last year with the other Conservative councillor for Grove, but after 6 months of empty words and no action, had to conclude he was either too busy with other matters (...) or had been told not to work with me because I was the wrong party.
I don't think Duncan would allow himself to be pushed about by his colleagues, so hopefully we might make some progress! I have sent him a draft suggestion for the letter we could put out, so let's see what he thinks.
The first two areas to be addressed in this way will be the Gadby Road area and the Australian Estate.
I suggested putting out a letter to all the residents affected, explaining that we would be working together on this and asking them for their views, and asking if they'd like to petition the local Highways folk.
I tried this last year with the other Conservative councillor for Grove, but after 6 months of empty words and no action, had to conclude he was either too busy with other matters (...) or had been told not to work with me because I was the wrong party.
I don't think Duncan would allow himself to be pushed about by his colleagues, so hopefully we might make some progress! I have sent him a draft suggestion for the letter we could put out, so let's see what he thinks.
The first two areas to be addressed in this way will be the Gadby Road area and the Australian Estate.
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