Working Party Update 06.07.20
Published: 07 July 2020
Joint Working Party Update 06/07/2020
Since the last update on the 28th June, we have been working hard on preparing the survey questionnaire and supporting documents. We worked with SDC’s “Insight Unit” to fine tune it and submitted it as a finished document last Wednesday (1 July) morning. SDC printed the documents off for us and delivered them on Thursday afternoon. We bundled them into packs on Friday and had them all delivered on Saturday 4th July. Thanks to all those involved in the process and, in particular to Simon at SDC, who opened their closed print room especially for us and to our deliverers who are not part of the Working Party (WP) but were just pleased to volunteer.
We had a Zoom meeting on the 30th June to finalise the content that we wanted included in all the documents that make up the survey bundle and we agreed all the amendments, additions and deletions. One thing cropped up that’s worth mentioning and that is that WCC Highways has indicated that some solutions we are proposing “are not considered suitable”. We have taken the decision that we don’t see it as being WCC’s prerogative to direct us in any particular direction, so we have included options that they don’t seem to like in the questionnaire.
We gave you details on the timeline that we hoped to operate to in the previous update and we’ve manged to keep to that, so thanks to everyone concerned. Its progress is as follows:
1. Draft of questionnaire and covering letter to SDC on 28 June;
2. SDC’s computer analysis of the survey questions, resulting queries resolved with WP, survey and covering letter printed by SDC, documents packaged for delivery (including reply paid envelopes) and returned to the WP by close of business on 3 July;
3. Survey packs delivered by Residents’ Association deliverers over weekend 4 and 5 July;
4. Completed surveys to be returned by post to SDC, or placed in the PC letterbox, by first post Monday 13 July;
5. All survey returns placed in the PC letter box to be delivered to SDC on 13 July;
6. Data processing by SDC during the week commencing 13 July and the full results made known to the WP as soon as that work is completed.
We estimated that we were going to deliver 300 packs and we’ve delivered 296. One or two houses are locked up, so if you haven’t received a pack and need one delivered please contact Ewen on chair@earlswood-forshawheath.org.uk and we’ll deliver as we know which houses we haven’t delivered to.
We have received some interesting emails as a consequence of the survey – the first one having arrived by lunchtime on Saturday. Thanks to all for the input, it’s appreciated and helpful. I think that I’ve acknowledged receipt of them all currently. All your emails are being circulated within the working party and the points that you’ve made will be added to our matrix of issues and will be considered along with everything else when we come to make our recommendations to the Parish Council, hopefully around the 22nd.
A meeting was organised, on Sunday 28th June, at the entrance to Malt House Park to discuss possible traffic and parking control solutions. All the WP committee members attended and we were again joined by James Lines. We invited James to become a member of the WP committee and we’re pleased to say that he’s accepted. The meeting was useful and will give us a better perspective of the issues when we get the results of the survey back. It was also nice, from our point of view, that residents were expressing their appreciation that we’re being seen to be out and about too.
Re CRT’s security personnel operation around the Lakes area, we wrote to Adnan complaining that night fishing had started up whilst the security guys were operating. We also requested Adnan to change the security guards’ operating shift times from 18.00 - 00.00 hours to 20.00 – 02.00 or 21.00 – 03.00 hours as there were still partying activities being reported.
As you may have seen on the PC and RA websites, CRT has responded to our second email letter and we’re not happy with the response and have replied again. You can view it by clicking the link on the website. Adnan has, subsequently, asked to have a meeting to discuss the current issues and we agreed that that was a good idea. However, he’s offered the 22 July as the first date he can make for a meeting and we have replied in the negative as it’s too far into the future. We’ve also asked CRT for the email address of the Chair of the Board of Trustees but they won’t release that to us. Apparently, it’s “not policy”. Not bad, considering that over £50m of income each year is made by way of grants paid from out of the public purse!
Well, this report doesn’t seem to be quite as exciting as the last one but we’ve been working at least as hard, so thanks again from me to everyone concerned.
Ewen Cunningham
Chair, ASB and Traffic Issues Working Party
07/07/2020