Friday 20 November 2009

Post meeting

Hello everyone,
Great to see so many people there last night, I counted over 50 a great turn out at really late notice.

I'm putting together an email with the information and contacts people wanted, which I'll send over the weekend, so that anyone who is concerned can write to the appropriate people. It was heartening so many people asked for that information.

Thanks again, you'll be hearing from us soon and I'll post again soon too.
Best wishes,
Andrea

Wednesday 18 November 2009

reminder:meeting tomorrow (Thursday)

just a quick reminder for those of you interested,the next meeting is held tomorrow (Thursday) at 07:00pm at the Lloyd Park Children's Centre.
The aim is to discuss the council's latest proposal's for arranging car parking in the area.



All welcome.



thanks John,Nick,Andrea and everyone who has helped distribute reminder leaflets around the area.

Wednesday 11 November 2009

PS.

The Lloyd Park Centre, which provides lots of valuable services to the local community, kindly agreed to let me stick up a copy of an email that was written to the council (and cc'd to some of us concerned about parking in the area) to illustrate the problems caused to the centre by the current parking arrangements.

For those who are interested in the issues of parking in the Lloyd Park area; I would like to share with you some recent data that illustrates the impact of the CPZ.
Comparing data about The Lloyd Park Centre's services and activities from the last quarter (July - Sept) against the same period in 2008 found the following:
1) The centre's reach was down by 272 people and,
2) The volume of users over that period was down by 514 people.
Through both periods when this data was collected the centre provided roughly the same services and activities with the same opening hours and number of staff. We continue to receive numerous complaints about the CPZ especially for families with more than one under 5, very young babies, or those who are accessing the centre after daylight hours. I would like to acknowledge and appreciate the problems facing local residents; however the solution to the problems created by the CPZ should consider the needs of the whole community. I would be interested to hear your thoughts about this and would appreciate any comments or advice.

Re consultation news...

Hello,
Some of you may have heard the latest on the reconsultation. 3 of us had the draft delivered on a Friday night by hand with a cover letter asking for feedback by the 30th of October (that days date). On the Monday 1st Nov when the council was next back at work, we asked what the real deadline was and were told the 2nd Nov. So that's 24 hours notice of the deadline.

If the council had told us when we were going to get the documents we could have arranged a meeting for the Monday and given them considered feedback, from the community on the date requested, but they don't seem keen on giving us information as we know.

I sent back my thoughts on the process, (basically outlined below, as in an email sent on the 23rd Sept to which I have still to receive a response from Cllr Belam) and on the wording. There are 3 or 4 documents that will be used depending on where you live.

The Winns Ave questionnaire was far from satisfactory, it asked if we wanted in or out and that was about it. No option to express what days or hours we wanted if it was to remain (we could be included in the N extension if our opinions more closely matched those residents preferences, rather than being left as we are in a zone we didn't want to be in with the hours being the ones least people on the road voted for in LP and the second least popular in the WA section). If the area to the north votes in favour we, on Winns Ave, will be included whether we want it or not and as the document was written we wouldn't have a vote on what those hours would be.

My arguement has always been that we shouldn't have been included first time round as there was no problem and residents didn't want it, we were the end of the zone and so could easily have not been included. Our road is now half empty all the time (according to their own traffic survey) and I have no doubt that we were a buffer that has now been removed, exacerbating the problems outside the zone. But they won't listen, or consult on Winns Ave first and let residents see the changes in surrounding roads if we vote ourselves out. They just want to extend and extend, £££££££££££££££.

The other documents are just as confused, lots of if this road votes this you will be included too, bear in mind this might happen, that might happen, basically I found the documents and the way this has been handled very manipulative.

We even had an email, when we complained that we had no time to talk to residents, implying that it was residents fault, that we delayed the meeting with the council. Just for clarification, we met them in March, they carried out the surveys in March and April (it was only 2 days btw)and then suggested meeting with us in peak holiday weeks in August. We asked for a delay of 3 weeks so that people could attend, they have been delaying for MONTHS. Sorry to shout but honestly, they aren't fooling anyone. I have to say that my first letter (december last year) to the council about this was civil, helpful, had suggestions and and a positive tone. The disregard for common sense, logic, transparency and to be honest an assumption that we, the residents, are stupid is incredible and today I have honestly lost respect for the Council and council officers in particular.

Anyway you should also have received an email inviting you to a group meeting to discuss everything and what response people would like to make.
Phew sorry for a long and ranty one, I will try and check in more regularly and look at any comments/posts that get made.
Hope all are well
Andrea