Vivien Hotte
Sutton Post Office
Saturday, February 27, 2010 12:13 |
Park Gates
I would be interested in any more feed back from people with their views to the proposed plans to widen Sutton Park gates. Quite a few of our customers have been talking about it and it seems most are opposed to the idea.
They feel it is a bit extreme, as this is for the sole purpose of getting bigger rides in for the fun day, which is only once a year.
Anyone interested in putting their views forward? |
Dawn Stebbings
Sutton
Saturday, February 27, 2010 13:52 |
... don't get me started on the park gates! Not happy :-( |
David Dear
Sutton in Craven
Saturday, February 27, 2010 17:13 |
I personaly think that the purposed plan for the park gates is a complete waste of money, which has been donated by the villagers (if i'm not mistaken).
I think that the villagers should have more of a say on what the money is spent on in the local village instead of letting 10-15 people decide what to spend the money on. I can't really see the justification in spending that sort of amount of money on park gates which will only be required once a year for a Funday
I would like to see a proper YOUTH Club built, (and I don't mean a shipping container like last time, I mean a proper building) to give the younger members of the village somewhere to go instead of the Bus Shelters, and the street corners on night.
I'm sure other people have other ideas on what that money could be spent on.
So i'm very unhappy with the idea of spending money to widen the park gates |
Stephen Bielby
Sutton in Craven
Saturday, February 27, 2010 22:51 |
What a waste of money! Fun day is fun enough with out turning the park into Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Do we realy need huge rides?
Lets get some perspective its a village fun day, its the tombolas, the whack a rat, cake stalls type of things that make it a traditional village fete.
If we can fit in a few smaller rides all well and good but as Viviene said whats the point its once a year? I agree with David lets put the money to a more usefull purpose. |
Liz Kildunne
NODISC
Sunday, February 28, 2010 11:25 |
Am totally against this - what's the point of widening the gates (which are in a conservation area after all) unless they also plan to widen the paths - i.e. making a ROAD through the park, or is that what the long term plans are???!!! Not happy at all! We don't want to encourage even more big wagons into our village, its bad enough now with drivers taking detours through Sutton to avoid Cross Hills traffic. Aaaagh, don't get me started either....... ,-)
Urge everyone who has a view on this to use your democratic right and go onto the Craven District website and comment on the application 66/2010/10381 - you can object, support or just comment - the choice is yours..... |
Liz Kildunne
NODISC
Sunday, February 28, 2010 11:27 |
P.S. Maybe this might be on the agenda at the next Parish Council meeting? Is it tomorrow night? |
Dawn Stebbings
Sutton
Sunday, February 28, 2010 11:31 |
Parish Council agendas and minutes are usually posted on their website
http://www.suttonincravenpc.co.uk/ |
Stephen Bielby
Sutton in Craven
Sunday, February 28, 2010 13:22 |
When searching on the coucil site just use the 10381 bit of the reference. |
Liz Kildunne
NODISC
Sunday, February 28, 2010 16:19 |
To see the full picture about why these plans have been put forward, you need to go to the Parish Council website and look at the minutes of the meetings, particularly 9th December, 15th December and 4th Jan. There's also a note under the News section. I personally wasn't aware of these plans until this week, but it appears that there have been various notices placed around the village asking for views.
I urge everyone to make up their own minds by checking out Sutton PC website and the plans on Craven DC website (app no. 10381) - you can put your views across there, whatever they may be... :-) |
Paul Wilkinson
webmaster
Monday, March 1, 2010 09:30 |
Just for info, there was a public consultation about this last December. The following was posted on the news and events page, on village notice boards and in the local press...
...only a handful of people attended. This was followed by an Extra-ordinary General Meeting of the Parish Council on 15th December to discuss the issue, notice of this was also posted on the news and events page and notice boards. Minutes from the meeting can be viewed on the Parish Council website.
|
Alan Pickles
Bingley
Monday, March 1, 2010 16:58 |
I do not live in the Sutton Parish Council area so therefore I am not entitled to a vote on this or any other matter concerning Sutton. I am however entitled to voice an opinion on any matter affecting Sutton as a villager borne and bred. I am surprised that so few of those living in Sutton have no apparent interest in what goes on. The idea of widening the park gates and the expense involved in doing so just accommodate a one day event, to me is an absolute waste of money. Has anyone considered the knockon effect. Is the pathway down the park going to be able to carry the weight of the vehicles which are used to tow the large fairground rides and equipment? How much more is that going to cost if the pathway needs to be reinforced?
Electing a Parish Council is not always the ideal as you are now coming to realise. It is just another layer of legislature and is nothing like the old Parish Councils. I fought against the forming of one in Bingley and made certain that as many people as possible knew that it would cost money over and above their normal council rates. It was successful and we do not have one. There is no limit to the amount that can be levied in the way of Parish Coucil precept so keep an eye on them.
To those of you who are annoyed about the widening of the gates, get yourselves organised and make certain that your objections are heard. |
Paul Wilkinson
webmaster
Tuesday, March 2, 2010 08:12 |
Just so everyone is aware of the situation, I understand the driving force behind the project is Sutton Village Committee. Sutton Parish Council originally rejected the idea of widening the park gates but subsequently rescinded the decision at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Parish Council. The planning application was submitted by the Parish Council (rather than Sutton Village Committee) as a cost saving exercise - a planning application costs £170 but the Parish Council gets them at half price (£85). This is all documented in the minutes of the Parish Council meetings which are available for viewing at the Parish Council website (see link in my previous post).
I've attended the majority of Parish Council meetings in the last 12 months and can say hand on heart the Parish Council is committed to maintaining and improving the well-being of the village and keeping the precept as low as possible. |
Clerk
Tuesday, March 2, 2010 10:24 |
All the members of Sutton-in-Craven Parish Council reside in the village and many have lived in the Village all of their lives. They joined the Parish Council because they care about the place they live and want to help retain its identity, improve its services, protect Open Spaces and Village life.
Parish Councillors do not get any financial reward! They do not get paid! They also pay the same rates as everyone else in the Village.
With regard to the Park Gates:
The Village Committee are again a small number of volunteers who work tirelessly to raise funds to put on events such as Bonfire night and Funday for this village.
The Village Committee approached the Parish Council with a request to widen the Main Park Gates to the Park by relocating the stone pillar on the left as you enter the park, then have extra pieces in a matching design added to the original gates, painted to match and the gates re-hung. Tarmac would be made good as required.
This proposal was itemised on several Parish Council Agenda's which were posted on notice boards and the website. All these meetings have a public participation session where residents have the opportunity to come along and express their views.
The PUBLIC EXHIBITION OF THE PLANS AND THE EXTRAORDINARY MEETING was well advertised and was especially held to give another chance for residents to come and express their views, discuss the plans and ask questions. As was stated earlier only a handful of people attended.
The Parish Council went above and beyond the legal requirement to give residents a chance to make their views known. Following all these meetings no adverse comments were received at Parish Council Meetings, the Exhibition, by letter or phone to the Council Office.
Based upon this response and the information supplied by the Village Committee the Parish Council granted permission for the proposal subject to conditions. (see below)
A great deal of discussion went into this decision, which was not taken lightly and the response from residents played a major part.
Below is an extract from a letter from the Village Committee:
"As you will be aware the larger fairground rides can be no longer sited anywhere adjacent to or near the park on future Funday's. Thompsons field, Holme Lane and Greenroyd Mill sites are no longer available to us, and also as the smaller rides are updated to meet Health and Safety requirements the vehicles/trailers upon which they are built have had to increase to accommodate the rides. Therefore for the fair to continue it must be able to access the park.
The fairground rides put the 'Fun into' Funday for a large section of the community helping to make it an all inclusive community event catering for all family members irrespective of age.
You have noticed that the number of large rides have remained the same or of a similar type for a number of years now, but that the vehicles transporting them are slightly longer which results in a greater need for a turning circle."
A large number of letters were presented to the Parish Council from local school children who detailed their enjoyment of Funday, particulary the rides.
ALL THE COSTS SUBJECT TO PLANNING APPROVAL ARE BEING MET BY THE VILLAGE COMMITTEE NOT BY THE PARISH COUNCIL.
Based upon the response from residents at the Parish Council meetings which as stated above was, no adverse comments, the request was granted subject to the following conditions:
Planning permission be obtained
That no more than four large vehicles enter the Park now or in the future
That the large number of rides does not increase
That the fairground takes out adequate insurance for any damage/repairs to paths etc
Any cost of repairs for damage not met by the Fairground will be met by the Village Committee who will be held liable.
As stated above details are documented in the minutes on the Council's website.
|
Stephen Spencer Place
Sutton
Wednesday, March 3, 2010 12:04 |
The Park Gates - an open and shut case? What swings the argument pro or anti and what do these arguments hinge on? Are there wrought iron reasons for their widening?
Having read the contributions to the subject I am surpised at the number of wrong assumptions made by some, especially after a long and exhaustive, yet thorough public information/consultation exercise carried out by the Parish Council. Full credit to the PC who could have done little more to inform the people of Sutton.
Firstly, all costs involved will be met by the Village Committee and not the ratepayers of Sutton via the Parish Council precept. The central avenue will not be widened - the present problem being that due to the narrowness of Main Street, larger vehicles cannot achieve the necessary turning circle to enter through the present gate opening and that is why the proposal is only to widen the gate opening.
Why the expense for only one day a year (funday)? Not so! There have been plenty of examples in recent years where the narrowness of this gate entry has caused concern to our PC. Remember having to crane-lift huge tree trunks over the park railings and public footpath to an HGV parially blocking off Main Street? Creating wider access will assist in routine Park maintenance, and give access to emergency vehicles, mowers,etc and give increased facility to the Park to stage community events (Band in the park staging for example). And this added park facility is, I repeat, not at the expense of the ratepayers of Sutton!
If planning permission is approved, the Village Committee have stated that only the best materials will be used and the modification will mirror exactly the present design. I again give credit to our Parish Council and especially its Clerk, Denise, for working closely with Sutton Village Committee in, hopefully, giving Sutton an increased facility fit for the 21st Century (100 years on from the horse and cart) |
Liz Kildunne
NODISC
Wednesday, March 3, 2010 12:41 |
Just a suggestion about informing people....would it be possible for the PC to have an e-mail mailing list for local residents, at the click of a button, all us folk who missed the consultation (which I now know happened and that Denise tried very hard to get peoples' views) would have been informed electronically and then have no excuse for not knowing what was going on :-)
Denise - if you think this is a viable option, maybe you could put a note on the forum, and all those residents interested in being on such a data base could e-mail you directly with their addresses? I, for one, would be keen to be on such a list. I know that all the information is put on the PC website, but in the rush of everyday life, months pass by so fast, its hard to remember to check out all the information sources - there's nothing quite like having a message in your in-box as a reminder. |
Vivien Hotte
Sutton Post Office
Wednesday, March 3, 2010 20:27 |
For the villagers of Sutton who do not have access to a computer. Our Post Office window is always available to display posters for the Parish council as I'm sure is "Places" window. |
Ian Park
Wednesday, March 3, 2010 20:38 |
If my history serves me right the park was given to the people of sutton by william hartley for them to enjoy after an hard weeks work in the 2 mills that sutton had, and if my memory serves me right also dont we the tax payer's of sutton pay extra in our council tax for the up keep of the park.
So at the end of the day i think that the people of sutton has a right to say what goe's on with their park, i salute what the sutton committe do for the village with the funday and the bonfire and all the people that put their time and effort in, but please dont let us end up like skipton and keighley and have a load of idiot's turn ing up when all these big rides turn up.
Let's remember what it is a funday and not a money making scheme, the gates have been wide enough for the last 100 year's or more, so has my father use to
say if it's not broken dont mend it.
Ian Park |
Liz Kildunne
NODISC
Thursday, March 4, 2010 10:40 |
PS In case I didn't make it obvious in my last post, the idea of an e-mailing list was to be in addition to the normal ways of publicising local news. Hope it didn't come across as "instead of". |
Nikki Barrett
Sutton
Sunday, March 7, 2010 19:31 |
I agree with Ian Park, we are a village and should remain so with our activities, there is something very special about village life, why do we want to go and change that to compete with bigger and better?
Also I have the same concern as Ian regarding the amount of - to quote...'idiots' turning up when the big rides do, why do we need big rides? Its not a case of moving with the times, but a case of preserving a unique village experience, so lets embrace what we have. The funday is always well attended and great 'FUN'.
I remember the days when we called it Sutton Gala and the memories of the stalls and the procession still linger. Please no big fairgrounds!
I would personally like the gates to remain as they are and have always been!
|
Mark Jobling
Sutton in craven
Sunday, June 20, 2010 20:45 |
I had no real problem with the widening of the gates, it was done using funds given voluntarily & with a public consultation, which seems fair.
Now the work is done it seems to be of a good standard.
That said, I was curious how widening the gates would really help get larger vehicles into the park, given the width of the road the turning circle seemed too tight.
As the fairground vehicles arrive last night it seems this was a problem, they had to use a jack to lift and turn an un-hooked trailer.
This has resulted in damage to the brand new Tarmac on the recently surfaced road which as we know, will certainly worsen over winter if not repaired.
As a resident of Greenroyd Court, I was frustrated at being trapped in my street last year as rides were set up without any prior notice that my street was to become a fairground, so I am pleased the rides are part of the Funday rather than spilling out into the rest of the village thus time.
I do hope to see the road repaired in a timley manner by the same village donations that paid to widen the gates, rather than it be ignored and left to worsen/be repaired with council tax money! |
Andrew Monkhouse
Hanoi, Vietnam
Monday, June 21, 2010 11:06 |
Ah, the main gates have been widened I see.......actually I don't see. I'm intrigued, any chance of someone taking a photo and adding it to this thread - please? |
Paul Wilkinson
webmaster
Monday, June 21, 2010 11:15 |
Hi Andrew - I've got "before" photos, haven't taken an "after" shot yet but will do soon. From what I've seen it's a very well done job - the wider gates look better as they've received a new coat of paint! |
Paul Wilkinson
webmaster
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 08:12 |
Photos of the park gates before and after the alterations...
|
Andrew Monkhouse
Hanoi, Vietnam
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 13:29 |
Thanks for your speedy response in showing us the ‘before & after’ shots Paul
Actually, that’s pretty damn good, a better job than I anticipated. Wide enough now to fit a rampaging herd of elephants PLUS – and very importantly- all the original character is still in place.
Complements to the Parish Council and Village Committee for a job WELL DONE |
Paul Wilkinson
webmaster
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 14:07 |
Hi Andrew - I woke up at 5 this morning and the sun was shining so thought I'd pop over and get an "after" snap while the gates were still closed. |
