Passed to me by Cllr Mitch Wicking and published here with his permission. I think it speaks louder than anything I could say in favour of community driven regeneration.
The meeting to discuss this matter is on 4th June 2008. They need your support.
What more can I say?
Dear Cabinet Member,
Check this out.
http://www.southvillecentre.org.uk/
With a bit of "vision" it's exactly the kind of thing that could happen in Williton... if you got behind it...it's not too late...and if it's reputations everyone is worried about, surely supporting and backing a project like an arts and community centre can only be BETTER for the council's reputation than not supporting it.
Council's reputation is low enough as it is but it could get even lower the longer it continues to dismiss the views of the community and people who are willing to get things up and running AT NO COST to the council.
What is the problem? Non-compliance with a planning condition that council imposed on itself in the first place? In other words the provision of a few car park spaces.
Alternative car parking is available and with the Bridge Farm space only available until September, something drastic needs to be done otherwise there really will be a problem for staff as well as public.
How many NEW spaces are being created if the chamber were to be demolished - that is the question. At least 8 of the 19 that have been drawn up in the plans for that area are ALREADY THERE. That makes only 11 NEW spaces - hardly fantastic when you consider the amount of previous spaces that the new offices have actually taken up to cause the shortage.
Council is going to need way more than that if the Bridge Farm provision is not going to continue. If it does continue after
September, then the demolition of a building for just 11 NEW spaces is hardly worth the effort when you consider the use the building would be to hundreds of people locally and across the region.
In fact, if you analyse it, if the council was offering £85,000 for the land offered by the social club and council stands to save around £20,000 by NOT demolishing the council chamber then in fact council could offer that saving of £20,000 to the social club to go some way nearer to meeting their valuation. If cabinet really wanted to.
Let’s look at this in reverse.
If it was Cabinet’s idea to set up a community center in the old chamber, I can’t see it worrying about a few car parking spaces. Even if it was worried, it would do everything in its’ power to achieve what it wanted by finding an alternative. It would probably be saying exactly what we are – a few car park spaces compared to the future potential of a functional building? There is no comparison.
Look at this positively – not negatively. All the “problems” can easily be resolved.
The truth is out - demolition HAS NOT already been paid for as has been repeatedly stressed over the past few weeks. SAVINGS can be made. Council could raise £150,000 for its’ empty coffers.
All Cabinet needs to do is SUPPORT the idea. Make it accessible, help set it up. We'll handle the running and council can get all the plaudits for being forward-thinking, co-operative, socially-minded, community-spirited. Think of the brilliantly positive headlines! You’ d all be heroes!
With one gesture of community spirit, you could sweep away years of negativity and disrepute and start making the council look "human".
Retain the council chamber, transfer it into the hands of the community, let local people make use of this wonderful opportunity and do the council an image favour at the same time.
There’s more to “regeneration” than shops!!!!
Williton needs more than that – and besides, it is perfectly feasible that the re-designing of the center of Williton could be worked around the retention of the chamber with, again, a little imagination. Let’s face it, those of you who don’t live in Williton, do you really care what happens to Williton?
If you DO, then look at it from the community point of view. It needs facilities – not shops. Shops have been shutting in Williton for years concentrating retail into the very centre. And if the centre of the village does become more developed – ie: 95 new homes at the back of Gliddon’s - then it will need a social/community focal-point not more shops.
People need more than that. And we have enough pubs – it’s the provision of cultural facilities and activities that is important and most needed. A number of clubs and associations and groups from Williton have had to meet in other villages since the demolition of the Red Cross hut! That Red Cross hut was built using funds raised by the community. Council is not going to replace this.
And a community center IS NOT a village hall. It does different things – it is open all day and through the evening and provides a number of facilities all at once. It is an every-day multi-functional social place. It can exist alongside a village hall quite happily.
Have a look at Southville. Marvel at the potential. Imagine the possibilities. Now use the power of the creative mind and transfer that energy to Williton. How good does that feel?
Don’t demolish the chamber. It doesn’t need to be done, it’s not too late to stop it but more importantly, think positively, join the effort and help create something really socially meaningful…
Bye for now
Rob
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