Keep Westbridge Park Green issued a press release today calling on Stafford Borough Council to “stand by its commitment to withdraw the proposal for a supermarket on the Park given the opposition of residents”.
Campaign organisers say that over 700 people completed consultation forms at the KWPG stand on the High Street recently, with the huge majority opposed to a supermarket on Westbridge Park. The group also say that a large number of people who attended the borough council consultation events were against a supermarket.
The official results of the consultation are not public yet but will be presented to a future meeting of Stafford Borough Council’s ruling Cabinet. The results will include responses that were also received online.
Here’s the Keep Westbridge Park Green press release in full…
A THANK YOU TO STONE RESIDENTS
KWPG would like to thank the residents of Stone for their overwhelming support during the recent Consultations on the future of Westbridge Park.
More than 700 residents completed forms opposing the building of a supermarket on the Park when they visited our stand in the High St. Only 10 residents supported building a supermarket.
Many residents called in on the stand to tell us that they had already voted against a supermarket by completing a leaflet or responding electronically. A substantial number expressed concern over the way in which the Consultation process was being conducted.
We monitored around 250 attendees at the Stafford Borough Council Consultation sessions and believe that a large majority of these also opposed the building of a supermarket.
We are now waiting for the formal response of Stafford Borough Council to the Consultations and encourage the Council to stand by its commitment to withdraw the proposal for a supermarket on the Park given the opposition of residents.
8 comments
Tony Dennis
As the swimming pool seems to have taken centre stage, can I just confirm what the total package will be. I understand that the squash courts, sports hall and football pitch will remain. Who will run them and put staff in to take money and clean? I am sure I read that the borough council by having everything on one site would be able to save money. At Westbridge we would have the swimming pool and studios, are they going to be big enough to play Badminton? Before Westbridge was changed it was possible to play 5 a side football and long mat indoor bowling. I take it we are going to loose the tennis courts. The debate will go on about if it should happen, but lets just take a step back and look at what we will get and what we might want if this proposed developement should go ahead.
Tim
So Gemma, what truth is that – be specific, we are still waiting to hear.
Tim
Kate, You are right about the online voting. No checks included. Open to abuse. Not necessarily intentional but poorly organised.
Richard SP Frost
The Borough Council have sent the flyer with a proposed smaller supermarket, despite the opposition. It says it conducted a survey which shows a supermarket would be beneficial. Has anyone seen this survey olr requested it? The survey/research may well be very biased or misleading, and would be worth scrutinising.
With Morrison’s, Co-op, Aldi, Heron Foods, Co-Op 24 hours, Londis, how on earth can another one be beneficial to the town?
Please keep up the pressure on these people.
gemma
700 responses. What’s happened to the remaining 4000 people that supported the petition? May be, now that they know the truth they support the redevelopment of wbp.
Ian Cardinal
The responses may represent more than one person though. My wife and I certainly filled one in between us
Kate
There were two different response forms used by Beatties Consultants one which asked do you want a supermarket YES NO or UNSURE that was the question asked in the leaflet we received by post. BUT- Beatties CHANGED the questions in the questionaires handed out at Christchurch and Alleyenes School and the question about the Supermarket wasn’t included. I wonder why they changed the format of the questions. I’ve also been told you could fill in more than one response form online. How will the age check be carried out by those filled in online? I know that Jack Taylor asked if he could fill in a questionaire but was told he was too young.
Jamie Summerfield
That’s interesting Kate. I’ll get in touch with the council press office and see if I can get a response
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