At next Tuesday’s District Full Council Meeting, there will be a public question from Bryan Guyett:
1 QUESTIONS BY THE PUBLIC
1.1 The Proper Officer reports that, pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 10, the following question of the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Transportation has been received from Mr B Guyett, Chairman of Hockley Residents Association, 2 Tonbridge Road, Hockley, Essex SS5 5HL:-
Contract 2944, “Consultancy ? Pre-submission drafts of the Hockley, Rayleigh & Rochford Area Action Plans (AAP?s)” details the council’s requirements for the next stage of the three area action plans. It creates a two tier process which heavily discriminates against residents in Hockley.
Page 10 states (inter alia):
“In summary, consultants will be expected to produce a plan which will deliver ………………………..:
?
Redevelopment of Eldon Way/Foundry Industrial Estate for a variety of uses more appropriate for a town centre location, including residential, commercial, employment and leisure.
?
A public space within a defined centre”.
Thus there are clearly pre-defined, major deliverables – deliverables which are contrary to the clearly expressed views in the previous two consultations. The council is obviously ignoring these consultations and this is confirmed by the absence of any analysis of the last consultation despite the volume of responses.
The deliverables for Rochford & Rayleigh are much more open and less prescribed. They are also smaller in scope and impact.
Furthermore, no time has been allowed for consultation in Hockley, whereas it has in the other towns, although all three area plans are, of course, starting from the same point of time and the Hockley proposals are likely to have a greater impact.
It should also be remembered that you [Cllr Hudson] have admitted at public meetings that the first set of proposals were sub-standard, so Hockley has already had less effective consultation opportunity.
All three AAPs are at exactly the same stage but Hockley is being treated very differently. Can you please explain why the council has opted for this two tier consultation approach that discriminates against Hockley by explaining:
(1) how and when the council secretly reached a decision on prescribing a solution in Hockley but not Rochford or Rayleigh?
5.1
COUNCIL ? 17 July 2012 Item 5
(2) why Hockley will not be consulted on these imposed major changes? Is it just to prevent public discussion in Hockley of an imposed, unpopular policy?