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Prior to the meeting proper County Councillor Simon Walsh addressed the council and reported that Councillor Chapman had at last agreed to look into the matter of the pedestrian footway. Councillor Walsh had briefed the Head of Highways. Things had not progressed since the exorbitant costings produced on a rather ‘over-engineered’ proposed solution several months ago. Councillor Walsh agreed to make a strong case but said budgets were very tight and there were competing demands on them.
The Chairman reminded him that the council had been assured in the past that this scheme was top priority because of the risk to pedestrians. He strongly expressed the parish council’s frustration and annoyance at the lack of progress or even any communication on the matter. Councillor Chapman had never replied in the nearly nine months that she had been in office to any communications or requests for a visit. He said it felt as if we were an ignored backwater on the northern border of the county and easily forgotten. The purchase of the land had been agreed with landowners. The parish had volunteered to use some of its reserves to aid progress of a scheme that had been discussed for over 40 years.
Miss Frost said that the council now needs answers to the following:
- When will revised costings be available?
- Where will the budget come from?
- What is the timetable for completion?
- When will the Parish Council be able to meet with Councillor Chapman?
The Chairman expressed the view of the council and local inhabitants that they were no longer going to sit quietly and be ignored but would take steps to ensure that our case would get the maximum publicity even if it meant contacting press and local media, staging demonstrations and protests.
Councillor Walsh accepted some of the blame for not arguing the case strongly enough but said that he had been left in no doubt as to the strong feelings that surround this topic.
The topic of policing was also discussed, again with strong views being expressed on the sudden changes and seeming reduction in manpower. The Chairman again expressed the feeling that we are a remote rural area with infrequent and very low profile police visits. No speed checks or support on the footway issue had been forthcoming. Councillor Walsh promised to communicate these feelings to the new commander.
Councillor Walsh was thanked by the Chairman for his attendance.
District Councillor Simon Howell addressed the meeting and pointed out that consultation on the Local development framework was taking place from 20 January until 5 March.
He hoped to raise some of the council’s and local area’s policing concerns with the Assistant Chief Constable who would be attending the West Area Forum on the first of March.
The revised opening hours of Saffron Walden Recycling centre were discussed. Miss Frost suggested there could be an adjustment in the hours so that it opened one morning a week at 8am. This would enable people to use it on the way to work and thus reduce pressure on the weekend usage. Councillor Howell agreed to look into this. He was thanked for his attendance.
The meeting proper began at 8.27pm
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