Published: Thursday, 2nd July, 2009 9:00am
Arguments after BMX decision
by Adam Hewitt
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THE decision to defer a vote on Earley"s controversial BMX track has whipped up discord among the ruling Tories.
Earley Town Council wants to build the track in the Paddick Drive playing fields, but hit resistance first from neighbours, and last week from councillors on the Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) planning committee which has the final say.
Of the five committee members able to vote at Wednesday"s meeting, four were Conservatives - two of whom voted with Lib Dem Cllr Stephen Conway to defer a decision on the track, to give Earley Town Council the chance to scale back the track design and deal with parking and traffic issues which have been thrown up.
One of them, Norreys ward Cllr Lee Gordon-Walker, who said the track was 'just too big', was criticised after the meeting by a party colleague.
Earley town and Wokingham borough Conservative councillor David Chopping said: 'Speaking as the chairman of the Earley Town Council amenity and leisure committee that submitted the track application, I"m disappointed at how the WBC planning committee considered the application.'
'It"s a shame that a young and inexperienced councillor opened his mouth in this case, Lee Gordon-Walker.'
But he added: 'A deferral is not a refusal.'
The Chronicle put Cllr Chopping"s criticism to Cllr Gordon-Walker, and he said: 'The proposed BMX track is basically an excellent scheme, but I feel that it needs careful scrutiny to ensure that parked cars don't swamp the site. Earley Town Council have clearly done a lot of good background work and consultation, and I want to make sure that everything is right from the outset. The residents' concerns are, of course, paramount.'
Tory planning committee chairman Steve Chapman also voted for deferral, but party colleagues John Kersley and Norman Gould voted against.
The track will come back before planners at a future meeting.
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Cllr. Tahir Maher
(Unregistered User)
Jul 3 09 14:37
Our Ref: 4378
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As Cllr Gordon-Walker a Tory Councillor himself says the track is too big and that the "The residents' concerns are, of course, paramount” and I think for Earley Lib Dem's that says it all.
The concerns of the resident's have been listened to but no concessions on size of the track or traffic related issues have been given by the Tory councillors. They just seemed intent to railroad the change through. It’s a shame that the Tories in Earley didn’t see the need to question the size and in the words of the previous Chair of Earley Town Council Amenity and Leisure committee “ it took an young and inexperienced councillor to open his mouth… well I’m glad someone did. He maybe young and inexperienced but at least he’s considerate.
Initially, we the Lib Dems supported the BMX facility and any other initiative that would be beneficial to the youth in the area, but after listening to the concerns of the residents we agreed and had similar concerns as those expressed by Cllr Gordon-Walker.
This really is a big issue for the residents in that area and I am glad that the Tories at least at Wokingham BC are seeing sense on this – let’s be fair to all.
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