'Stadium is a community asset'

SIR - So last Thursday, we had another step in the community hub saga at Perdiswell play out - with more intrigue on show!

The Conservative faction of the committee rejected it, clearly without having read ANY of the papers as their questions clearly demonstrated.

They think that a Football Club isn’t a community asset… The Labour councillors on the panel gave very concise reasons for supporting it, it was the complete opposite from the other side.

The trouble is, the Conservative group had decided to reject the plan prior to the hearing (as demonstrated by the pre-printed statement of refusal read out after the vote had been taken), which is why they were all so unprepared.

I’m sure they thought the application was for a standalone football club, as a limited company, with no community benefit at all.

So in advance they chose a particular clause in the SWDP to base their objection.

Remember, the planning committee did not consider the objections from residents over noise / traffic / parking etc. as reasons for rejection.

It was purely down to the community amenity angle, which is needed to satisfy the conditions for development of green space.

One thing that did happen, bearing in mind that Football Supporters have been accused of being rowdy by the objectors group.

There were THREE separate interventions by the chairman of the panel for people shouting out during the proceedings - ALL of them were protesters, including Councillor Gareth Jones, who really should know better.

Clearly Chris Mitchell in particular demonstrated that he had not read any of the planning documents when making these comments.

He’d have realised that the stadium itself IS the hub for community activity, not the 3G pitch.

Like many other community owned clubs (not just football, and many with NO 3G pitch) the facilities at the stadium include more than just a grass pitch, and function rooms and other facilities are available to serve the community.

It is disappointing to see the chairman of a council committee turn up for a meeting so unprepared, and unaware.

To show just how unprepared he, together with the Tory group were, the day before the planning hearing, the applicant was asked to mark out the boundaries of the stadium at Perdiswell so they could go up there and look at it the day of the application.

The day before the hearing!

They suddenly realised that they lacked the capability to visualise the plan that they were making decisions over!

David James Wogan

Worcester

'Support our High Street'

SIR - I was disappointed to see the letter from Mr Duggan in Wednesday’s Worcester News asking what is happening with the road works in Droitwich High Street.

The Town, District and County Councils have co-operated to provide several public consultations, and  items have appeared in the local press.

The businesses in the High Street have all received letters and personal visits to let them know what is happening and how the works are progressing.

At the present time, Severn Trent are carrying out essential repairs and upgrades to the aging sewer system beneath the roadway.  This is why there are areas where a temporary infill with tarmac has been used for safety reasons.

As a local councillor, I wanted to make sure that  once the new roadway is laid, there should be no need to dig it up again for some considerable time!

Mr Duggan can rest assured that what he can see now will not be the final finish.  Once the Severn Trent works are completed, the county council contractors will move in to completely resurface the road and pavements to a high standard.

Full details of how the finished High Street will look can be seen by visiting our Tourist Information Centre at St Andrew’s House (opposite the library) or by looking at http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/info/20411/public_realm_improvement_schemes/1095/droitwich_spa_public_realm_enhancement_and_network_improvements.

I am pleased to say that the project is on track and will significantly improve the look of our town.

I appreciate there is disruption to businesses, but there is no other way to get the result we all want.

Pedestrian access to the area is being maintained and there are car-park concessions to support local traders.  I would urge everyone to continue to shop in the High Street and support our local businesses through this difficult time.

Cllr Bob Brookes

Town, District, and County Councillor for Droitwich East

'St Josephs was great'

SIR -In the WN on the 27/06/17 there was a letter ‘Outsourced to Wales’ by Mike Hemming.

I have just had this procedure last Saturday,  May I say although inconvenient as I had to be there at 7am the clinic and staff were second to none and would certainly recommend St Josephs. (but if the Worcestershire would like to recompense me for my travel i wouldn’t say no).

Keith Sellwood

Worcester

'Spoilt brats in the Lords'

SIR - Who do those pompus people in the House of Lords  think they are ?

They say they intend to “make it difficult” for some of the changes of Brexit!

Their job is to help the country, and as the majority of the people voted out - that’s  basically what they should be doing.  They are acting like  a lot of spoilt brats  throwing their dummies out of the pram - as they probably stand to lose some neat little perks.

The MPs  and Lords  have driven British politics into the gutter with their undemoratic, self-serving and underhand exploits  to de-rail Brexit.

I hope the voters remember the names of the MPs who are trying to scupper Brexit so they can be voted out when they come up for re-election.

GB Dipper

Leominster