Published August 28th, 2008
More Leisure Centre Problems
Below are the contents of an open email to Forest Heath’s Director of Services. When will this debacle end?
Dear Nigel
I understand that the project manager of Newmarket Leisure Centre resigned some time ago.
I would be grateful if you can tell me:
1) When the resignation occurred?
2) What reasons were given for the resignation?
3) Were any health and safety concerns brought to officers’ attention by the project manager at any time and were these resolved to his satisfaction?
4) What measures are now in place to ‘manage’ the project?
5) What effect this has on any completion date?
6) What is the anticipated opening date of the pool facility?
7) When could council reasonably have been informed of this serious change in handling of the most major project which has been undertaken in previous years?
What is the latest final cost/budget estimate for the project?
Regards
Ian Radford
Published August 6th, 2008
St Felix Middle School
The fire at St Felix had just destroyed the school.
The Focus team are devastated that this much loved school has been destroyed and we extend our thoughts and sympathy to everybody associated with the school in the coming weeks and months.
Published July 13th, 2008
Town Centre Parking chaos
Days after last year’s local elections in Newmarket, local Conservatives in Mildenhall decided to scrap the Newmarket Parking Strategy Working Group saying that the problems of Newmarket’s car parking problems were solved.
This committee comprised Councillors from Newmarket only. Now Conservative controlled Forest Heath has put forward plans to introduce residents parking in Newmarket. The plans which would allow for only 1 space per household and no increase in parking spaces in the town and no plans for alternative means of transport to encourage other methods of commuting into town. This would penalise people who live, work and shop in town equally.
Liberal Democrat Councillors Andrew Appleby and Ian Radford have opposed the scheme and its costly PR campaign that would only tell the council what local people already know. That without a proper parking strategy that actively encourages alternative transport uses. Any residents parking scheme will only penalise local residents.
Cllrs Ian Radford and Andrew Appleby have launched a petition to scrap plans for a Residents parking scheme until a full multi modal transport and parking strategy is introduced for Newmarket.
Published July 12th, 2008
Leisure Centre costs spiral to £14.65 million
Costs on the new Newmarket Leisure Centre have escalated once again to £14.65 million and the opening date has been put back to November, over 18 months behind schedule. The ability of the Tories to manage capital (spending) projects has once again been called into question.
Published May 31st, 2008
Studlands Park Flytipping problem
Local Lib Dem Cllrs Ian Radford and Andrew Appleby were contacted by angry local Studlands Park residents who had been told that if they reported illegally dumped rubbish they would be the ones handed a a ?20 charge for reporting the problem.
Previously the bin men would clear up the rubbish when reported or if they spotted it, now they have been told to wait until it is reported.
Cllr Andrew Appleby said’ This is a ludicrous situation and I hope that the Council will see sense and revert to its old policy of clearing the rubbish as and when is necessary without charging those that spot it.’
Published April 28th, 2008
Member Champion Farce
FHDC have introduced a list of twelve ’member champions’ in the last year. These range from Community Safety to Transformation. On the FHDC web site at present we have two posts held by the same councillor and one post shown as vacant, (the previous incumbent saw the light and resigned as a tory councillor). All of these ‘champions’ are chosen because they are tories and not because they have any particular ability in the post. This was plain to see when at last Thursday’s Extraordinary Council meeting, a debate on a procurement item was discussed and the Member Champion for procurement walked out saying he knew nothing about it.
Published March 28th, 2008
Local Government Ombudsman concludes maladministration at Forest Heath
I have received and read the Report issued today by the Local Government Ombudsman into a planning decision taken by Forest Heath District Council in 2006. This report is clear in its finding of maladministration. It has sadly confirmed our opinion of the lack of control and professionalism shown by the lead Tory Group over several years. Their massive majority on the council has lead to a complacency which appears not only to have affected their management of budgets and council affairs, but to have fed through to legal and regulatory processes.
Published March 7th, 2008
Telecoms Mast - Exning Road Say NO2 O2
When I first went past the eyesore that is the O2 telecoms mast on Exning Road, I thought it was a temporary structure associated with the new (not so new) leisure centre building works. Sadly I was mistaken. A human error in the planning department in January 2007 meant that O2 were perfectly within their rights to erect the mast. So what can be done? Two things. I have ensured that the procedures within the planning department are examined before the next Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting to ensure that they are robust and fit for purpose when dealing with what are called prior applications. Secondly, it is apparent that a petition to O2 asking thet they reconsider the siting of the mast may be a way forward. Watch out for your next Focus leaflet on which you will have a chance to say NO2O2
Published March 6th, 2008
Forest Heath Council Offices Refurbishment
Last July, I was the only councillor to vote against the £3.2million budget for the project on the basis that proper costings had not been carried out or full choices presented. Last night the project was debated again. Over seven months later, a full specification has yet to be drawn up. I proposed that the refurbishment proposal be put on hold. I did this for two reasons, firstly, we still do not have full costings for the essential repairs that need carrying out and secondly, the boundary commission has been asked to report on the future of local government in Suffolk. It is clear that one of the least likely options is the status quo, and therefore it would be an irresponsible use of council taxpayers’ money to go ahead with a major reorganisation of the building until a clearer idea of the likely outcome of the review is available. Draft proposals are due in only a few months time, so why can’t we wait ?
What was the result? My colleague Tim Huggan and I were the only Councillors in favour of my amendment, Cllrs Allen and Waters abstained and all the rest of the Conservative Group voted against. Watch this space, let’s hope it is not another leisure centre!
