Bridge decision an outrage

[Will]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/c...re/6171271.stm

Despite huge opposition and the majority of the public being against this pointless, expensive, and scenery destroying bridge. The council appear to not care less, and have elected to go ahead with the bridge regardless.

Apparently attracting tourists and visitors to the town is far more important. Although I don't know quite who's going to be rushing to see the 'thinnest bridge in the world'. Not to mention that the bridge is going to have very limited use in all the ways it's apparently being built for.

They couldn't have picked a more ridiculous and uninspiring design to ruin this part of the river.

[chillitt]

Will do you honestly think warwickshire county council have the slightest regard for what people who live and work here think about anything? there are targets for infrastucture spending, development, increases in this, reductions in that, but absolutely no targets for doing what we want.
i believe some council employees visit here, perhaps they would care to defend this decision(and a few others...) purely in the interests of accountability...

[Will]

I'd always believeed the idea was that the councils worked for us, it seems to be the complete reverse these days. We work hard to pay them above inflation rates which they then spend on things we don't want.

It sickens me.

[chillitt]

from the council website..
"Cllr Chris Saint, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, said: "I’m delighted that the council has approved further work on this scheme. It’s an integral part of the World Class Stratford development. A town like Stratford cannot stand still.

“There will be further consultation alongside new plans for open spaces beside the river, Waterside and Southern Lane."



ah, plans for open spaces... like them not being open spaces anymore...

[Shizara]

Sadly, I think Chillitt might well be right with that one.

[Lex]

Originally Posted by chillitt

Will do you honestly think warwickshire county council have the slightest regard for what people who live and work here think about anything? there are targets for infrastucture spending, development, increases in this, reductions in that, but absolutely no targets for doing what we want.
i believe some council employees visit here, perhaps they would care to defend this decision(and a few others...) purely in the interests of accountability...

I agree with Chillit. WCC don't give a damn; the word arrogant pushes it's way into my head. At least Stratford District Council backed local opinion, but WCC have trampled all over what they said as well. Perhaps if the CC had to pay for it themselves, they'd have a rethink (then again, maybe not; they'd build the bridge, then hike the council tax up)

[Sarah]

Local opinion doesn't matter, the decision for anything is always based on 'will it help us cram more tourists in the area?'

The announcement by the council was a frank admission that this was all about money, and the locals can go take a flying one for all the WCC care.

It's corrupt, it's undemocratic, and it's disgusting.

[Madhatter]

This won't attract tourists though, and doesn't enhanse Stratford at all. As for the comment ...
A spokesman for Warwickshire County Council said: "It's an integral part of the World Class Stratford development.

"A town like Stratford cannot stand still."
"We've made a decision here which could influence the ability to attract future investment into Stratford and I believe we've made the right decision."

... I don't see why it can't stand still, it has up to now whether the locals have wanted it or not for the sake of tourism. Suddenly the council is claiming that tourists and investors don't want stratford to be old and steeped in history, they want new record breaking thin useless unwanted bridges.
The right decision is govern yet obey, and 56% say they don't want it, so obey them.

I've lived in Stratford for five years and this bridge saga has been a right eye opener to me..As previous posters have stated Warwickshire County Council clearly don't give a damn about what the people of Stratford think about their town.

We have I believe three county councillors who represent the local town. What is apparent is that their influence is completely limited (in fact it raises the question as to why bother voting in local elections) since any voting that takes place in Council chambers they can and have been completely outvoted by other (dare I say voting on party lines) councillors from places as far away as Rugby & Nuneaton.

What is clear is there needs to be some proper campaign to restore some proper democratic process so the people of stratford can at least influence the decision making process..

Whilst I do not wish to make this note personal this individual "Councillor Saint" basically every time he issues a statement I am in total disagreement with him. I believe he represents Shipston?..My own view is that as I don't live in shipston my councillors should have very little influence over what goes on in Shipston..Equally as I didn't vote for Councillor Saint and cannot therefore either elect him or remove him, he should have little or no influence as to what happens where I live