brennon

Nothing like a bit of exaggeration to get people interested, hence the title.  However, the concerns about pedestrian safety in Wygate Park are not exaggerated and continues to be a real worry to parents going to Spalding Primary. 

Through the planning process we obtained funding for not one, but two pedestrian crossings and yet nearly two years after getting that funding from the developers, nothing has happend.

The bizarre thing is, that when I made enquiries about this and the improvements to the Pinchbeck Road/Woolram Wygate junction in the middle of last year, it was the junction work that seemed to be stuck in the slow lane (sorry, couldn't resist that one!).  So when I received a list of the latest planned highways works last week and the junction work was on it (provisionally), but the pedestrian crossing wasn't, I had a mixed reaction to say the least. 

I've been trying to get the junction work underway for the last 3+ years (again, since we got the money from the developers through the planning process (they're such generous people these developers!).  So seeing this work on the list was a big (good) surprise.  However, NOT seeing the pedestrian crossing on the list was very much the opposite.

Once again I've written to Boston (Lincs highways dept for the area is located there, for reasons best known to them!) to ask what's going on.  Watch this space, or rather this blog, for developments (I hope!).   

Well not just water unfortunately, but also raw sewage.  Despite an assurance that the last time it happend (July 07) was an exceptional circumstance and therefore the problem would not be treated as a priority, part of Woolram Wygate in Spalding was awash with sewage system overflow caused by the heavy rain.

Even worse, I understand from the two local residents who alerted me to this situation, that the local primary school became flooded again by the toilets backing up and had to be closed, just the same as last time. 

Understandably, residents are demanding action and asking how the district council can continue to allow more house building to add to the pressure on the local infrastructure when it cannot cope the the existing demands.  Future development is always controversial with existing residents and Anglian Water have a duty to make sure that their existing systems and any new ones can cope.  I have again written to Anglian Water seeking answers and demanding that they re-prioritise the work to stop this happening again.

I will also be writing to the education authority to insist that they put pressure on Anglian Water to fix this problem once and for all and stop more tax payers money being wasted on the cost of cleaningup each time and more importantly, to stop the damage to the children's education everytime the school is closed.

As with just about every other public utility that is now in private hands, the public has little or no confidence in their service delivery ethic and with some justification now feel that these companies have only one master - the shareholders.   

The government is consulting on the introduction of a 'call for action' scheme that will give citizens the opportunity to raise a petition calling for a council to seriously consider taking action on a particular local issue.

However, before that system is in place, I would like to repeat my own previous calls for action.  A short while ago I posted an entry inviting members of the Wygate Park community to get involved in deciding if a new community centre should be built.

More recently I invited the community to get involved in determining how a new piece of public open space should be developed and what sort of equipment should be provided for our older youngsters, who currently have nothing to cater for their recreational needs.  Maybe people are having trouble visualising what I was going on about on this one, so I've found some pictures so readers can see what I mean.

My point is, that there are already a number of issues requiring input and involvement from the public, so they don't need to wait for any call for action system to be in place to get something done!

We have a contradictory situation going on in the ward at the moment.  On the one hand we are desperate to see an increase in the facilities available to the residents of the area, whilst at the same time have real concerns about an attempt to gain planning permission for a hot food takeaway.

The local Coop have done a great job in turning what was a very limited convenience shop, into a well stocked local shop that presents a genuine alternative to the local supermarkets.  However, as well as extending the supermarket, they have also added another small shop unit to the shopping centre and whilst the addition is welcome, it does create a quandry for residents.

The planning application for a second takeaway raises fears that the new one will make the existing one unviable.  In a town centre, this is called open competition and the planning system doesn't tend to get too involved in trying to restrict the numbers of a particular type of business that opens in a town centre. 

However, this is not a town centre, it's a small neighbourhood shopping centre and we probably need to look at things in a different way.  The application was refused when it came to the district council and is now with the Planning Inspectorate on appeal.

If anybody reading this has an opinion on this, they can make their feelings known via the planning portal website by no later than 24 December 07.         

Better news for Wygate Park residents is the probability that the pedestrian crossing promised for the road called Wygate Park (confusing to have an area and a road called the same thing isn't it!) will be in place by Spring 2008.  Like the traffic lights on Pinchbeck road, this has been paid for by the developers and without this money, the highways dept would not have supported it because of a lack of funds and because it didn't meet their proven need criteria.  Luckily as soon as somebody else is picking up the tab, the criteria becomes a lot less important!!

At this point I will offer you a piece of my homespun wisdow on the subject of highways.  Planning used to be the Cinderella service within the council, used by everybody but seriously under appreciated and always an easy target for the critics.  That situation has changed in recent years and planning has now become a great deal more central to the council's activities.  Unfortunately, even though planning and highways are run by different areas of local government, highways has always been the Cinderella area of Planning and that still seems to be the case.  Always underfunded, never praised and seldom appreciated - who'd be a highways officer!!!!!!