Westbridge Park is at the centre of a huge debate in the town
Stafford Borough Council voted to approve the Local Plan at a meeting last night – including an amendment that states that Stone needs a new supermarket by 2015. However, the meeting was overshadowed by Cllr Philip Jones calling Keep Westbridge Park Green campaigners Cllr Jill Hood and Cllr Rob Kenney “the Taliban of Stone”.
Jill Hood
Jill Hood, independent town and borough councillor, spoke against the supermarket amendment at the meeting. She said: “The study that’s referred to only takes into account 119 telephone interviews and is flawed. By adding the amendment Stafford Borough Council is actively encouraging a supermarket development on Westbridge Park. By including the sentence the Borough Council are giving legal validation that another supermarket should be built. It’s not up to Stafford Borough Council to encourage supermarkets to Stone. It’s up to the supermarkets themselves to put forward their own proposals.”
Councillors were asked to vote ‘for’ to add the supermarket amendment to the Local Plan, or to vote ‘against’ to have it removed. A majority of councillors voted to include the supermarket amendment.
This is how Stone’s borough councillors voted:
Jill Hood (Independent) – AGAINST
Philip Leason (Independent) – AGAINST
Joyce Farnham (Con) – FOR
Mike Williamson (Con) – FOR
Margaret Goodall (Con) – FOR
Philip Jones (Con) – FOR
Geoff Collier (Con) – ABSTAINED
The Local Plan as a whole – the document that sets out the planning framework for the borough for the next 20 years and identifies Westbridge Park as a site for mixed-use development – was approved by the Council. Now that has happened it will go before Government inspectors at a public examination next summer. Keep Westbridge Park Green campaigners now say they will mount a campaign
During the fiery debate at last night’s meeting, Cllr Jones said that Jill Hood and Rob Kenney are “the Taliban of Stone” and that they were dictating to the people of Stone what they could and couldn’t have.
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Referring to Cllr Jones’s remark, Jill Hood said this morning: “At last night’s meeting we discussed how thrilled we were at The Staffords being able to retain their regiment’s name in the new Mercia Regiment. These brave boys have fought and will fight again in a terrible war in Afghanistan. How insensitive of Councillor Jones straight after to refer to me and Rob Kenney as Taliban. I found it disgusting and I will be writing to the chief executive to ask for this to be removed from the record and for Cllr Jones to make an apology.”
Rob Kenney
Town councillor Rob Kenney was in the public gallery. He said after the meeting: “Tonight he insulted not only me and Jill Hood by calling us Taliban but he also insulted the troops that have given their all to fight in Afghanistan. He thinks using the word Taliban in a jovial joking way is OK or even the norm. How wrong can he be? Many families have lost loved ones at the hands of the Taliban. I‘m sure they don’t think that the Taliban are a joke.”
Dozens of people have criticised Cllr Jones’s comment on the Little Bit of Stone Facebook page. Many say they have emailed Cllr Jones to complain about his comment directly.
Cllr Jones issued this statement today, which is printed here in full:
First of all I have made it plain to the Leader of Stafford Borough Council, on three occasions, that I will not support a proposal for a supermarket on Westbridge Park. Not only will I not support it, I will vote against it.
Philip Jones
The Kenney/Hood petition says “We do not want retail or housing development to be built on Westbridge Park” and this is what 4,000 people signed up to. The reference to housing, incidentally, was unnecessary as this has never been proposed. But Messrs Kenney and Hood then went much further and, I quote from his published remarks – Councillor Rob Kenney, who started the petition, said: ”We do not want any sort of development on the site.” I don’t think the 4,000 people signed up to that.
What, no proper play area for the 2,781 children under the age of 14 where mums can sit with a coffee from a kiosk as they can in Victoria Park, Stafford? What, no modern health centre even though both doctors’ practices have expressed in interest in moving into one and have identified Westbridge Park as the only location acceptable to them and accessible for their patients? We have in Stone 4,497 over-60s (1,917 in Cllr Hood’s Walton ward). Are they not entitled to all the services ancillary to medicine that a modern health centre can offer?
Last night I asked the Leader of the Council, and he agreed, that there should be in Stone a full, comprehensive public consultation where the Council’s plans in full with all the implications for Westbridge Park can be seen and that the wishes of the people of Stone should be respected. The consultation starts in January and the results will be known at the end of February. All those who put their trust in democracy will wait and listen to the voice of the people and not tell them now what they shall not have.”
Click the LOCAL PLAN tag below to see all our coverage of the Local Plan / Westbridge Park issue from the last few weeks.
Jill, the whole premis for your argument is wrong. It is WYG that stated that an additional supermarket was needed in Stone by 2015 in there report on the retail needs assesment for the borough not the council. Please read the documents before making comments.
Other contributors on here have explained clearly how the Borough Council meeting on 27th November was conducted and which of the Stone councillors voted to included the supermarket ammendment. Phil Jones said he would not vote for a supermarket and then voted for the supermarket ammendment. Mike Williamson told us at Alleynes that he would do nothing to spoil Westbridge park for his grandchildren and then voted for the supermarket ammendment. Quite astonishing to say one thing to your electors then do another, Cllr Goodall had an hysterical rant at the organisers of the petition and the 4700 people who signed it. I have never before seen local politics in action. It was not an edifying site.
Cllr Hearing uses the phrase,’Stone is a cash cow for Stafford’ This is my view on what the Borough Council are trying to do:
The Tory groups at County, Borough and Town level have been told to toe the party line in terms of not raising the costs to pay for local services. One aspect of this is to make sure there is no council tax rise in Stafford next year.
Eric Pickles is offering extra cash to councils who do not raise council tax next year.
The borough council should be providing (or refurbishing) leisure facilities in Stone (like they have in Stafford) but they cost money. They have the money to do it BUT If they get a major supermarket company to build a supermarket and a sports facility, the money they have to spend in Stone on leisure facilities can be used to keep Stafford’s council tax frozen.
supermarket chain come in and buy the land. They would then build a supermarket and a sports hall for free. Stafford borough Tory group could then use the money from the sale of Westbridge Park to subsidise Stafford council tax bill in the hope of Tory electoral success in 2014. Stone being used as a cash cow to subsidise Stafford. A cynical ploy??
Allan what evidence do you have for this statement:
They would then build a supermarket and a sports hall for free. Stafford borough Tory group could then use the money from the sale of Westbridge Park to subsidise Stafford council tax bill in the hope of Tory electoral success in 2014. Stone being used as a cash cow to subsidise Stafford. A cynical ploy??
Lets remove the party politics from this debate and have a sensible discussion, rather than usual political in-fighting which is neither helpful or wanted,
Ben
So here are some easily checkable numbers.
According to the well known Tory communities minister Eric Pickles says councils have the largest amount of money in contingency funds that they have ever had. Hence the 1.7% cut in grant. Stafford council have just approved £23million for new council offices in Tipping street. After wasting £40,000 on Stone balls outside £38million new County council Headquarters.
And we are expected to believe they could not afford a sportshall or a refurbishment of existing facilities if there was the political will.
Its not the 4700 who signed the petition who are playing political games. The council have the money but choose to spend it elsewhere.
In answer to your question of evidence I went to the Town and Borough council meetings where the questions were asked and answered. We have already been told that the money which will come from the building of houses on the Eccleshall road will go to keeping coucil tax rises down. That is in the public domain and has been for weeks since the question was asked at the Borough council meeting.
Clearly some councils do have a vast some of contingency reserves, which I acknowledge should not be ring fenced and used to improve the areas in which they are supposed to serve. But to change that will involve a shift change in the way Councils are governed.
Allan, I totally agree that SCC have been reckless in spending unnecessary money on a new headquarters and stone balls. This money should have been invested in more worthwhile causes. Notwithstanding this, this money was spent by SCC not SBC. The two authorities have different priorities, funding pots and remits.
I’m sure your aware that the Country is going through a series of austerity measures and jobs are being lost at Council’s throughout the UK, as such I do not believe Mr Pickles. I think there may some political spin in play here – or maybe he is referring to other pots of money that the Government will give to local council’s if they approve developments. The Tories have sought to do this through the New Homes Bonus, which I believe you are referring to in your seond paragraph. As you may be aware, the NHB is a non – ring fenced fund which the Government will pay Council’s if they approve housing applications. A sort of sweetner for allowing housing applications (it also helps fill the shortfall as a result of the austerity measures).
The New Homes Bonus can be spent on whatever the Borough Council (not Town Council) deems fit.
It is feasible that all of this money could be spent on leisure facilties in Stone, however i am sceptical.
Also i’m not sure that any costings have been produced for the new leisure complex, or whether the exact number of new homes proposed at Ecclesshall Road is yet known. As you may be aware the amount of NHB is dependent upon the number of dwellings built and council tax band.
A S106 agreement provides greater assurances than a NHB and is more transparent. As part of any forthcoming planning application at Westbridge, a figure will be costed for the new leisure complex and the supermarket operator will be required to sign a legally binded agreement to pay this money.
Sadly I did not hear the interview on Radio Stoke.
To make light of the use of the phrase”Taliban of Stone” against fellow Councillors is beyond belief.
Those of you who see Cllr Jones in action will know that he belittles opponents in the chamber on a regular basis. Remember he had a go at Cllr Green at Alleynes.
This time he has gone too far.
If he does not offer a full public apology to the people involved and their supporters he must stand down from public office.
I would also like to pose the question, is it acceptable and sensible for one person to represent our Stone on the Town/Borough/County councils at the same time?
Please remember we have County elections coming up in May.
Before I have my say I must make
several things clear, I do not live in Stone, I have never lived in
Stone and until 5 years ago Stone had never appeared on my radar.
Following a chance meeting with current and former members of the
“Stone Taliban” I became involved with the Food & Drink
Festival (as hired help). I quickly realised what a wonderful place
Stone is and what a wonderful group of people live there. Where I
live in mid-Wales we had a good sized Morrisons, a smallish Co-op(nee
Sommerfield) a Sainsbury’s local and a decent Spar serving a
population of about 7000. It was decided to move the livestock market
out of town and sell the site for redevelopment. This involved a new
one-way system and guess who? Tesco.
The Spar reported a 30% downturn, the
Co-op has closed, a national shoe retailer is about to go, we have
lost two newsagents/ tobacconists, a butcher and an electrical shop.
This has certainly improved the town centre as it is now possible to
walk down the street unhindered by shoppers! Without going to check I
can think of nine empty shops in my town centre. Is this what Stone
wants? You must unite and fight this at all costs, the town has a
wonderful asset not only in Westbridge Park but also in the people
organising events there and the people fighting to save it.
Until Stafford BC has completed the consultation phase no decision will be made regarding what if any development will take place at Westbridge Park. This process will undoubtedly be market led, but i would be highly surprised if the Food and Drink festival would be lost.
I have just looked at the superimposed view of Westbridge park with all the developments proposed! Gosh what an eye opener there’s almost no green space left it’s really scary. If you stand on the canal bridge all that you’ll view is a long dark corridor of concrete. http://www.keepwestbridgeparkgreen.org/blog is where you can see the view!
I attended the Borough meeting on Tuesday and as a lowly Town councillor for Stone I feel dismayed. I can’t help feeling that all the information is not being shared. How can we make a choice for our Town when we don’t know what they have planned. I came onto the town council to do things for Stone and to hopefully represent families. I can’t help look towards Stafford and feel envious of the play facilities their children enjoy, whilst ours were removed in 2009 form Westbridge Park. The borough councillors let it slip that super markets were circling Stone . Ever likely they are, we are an affluent area in many respects. But a supermarket in the centre of Stone is just not needed, never mind the traffic chaos it would cause. It would damage many small businesses on our High street.The Borough are very attracted to the large amount of money these big super markets would bring, and would they invest all that in Stone I think not I look back towards their park and I don’t see any sacrifice of space for their facilities. Stone is a cash cow for Stafford Borough, just go and see their Christmas lights. They have an event team, and never plan events for Stone and yet the Borough has two towns. They enjoy our income but alas people of Stone we do not reap what we pay to be a member of this borough in facilities do we, not even for our children. I hope the consultation process is open and transparent and includes the information so we all can say actually no we don’t want a super market but we would like play facilities for all abilities and ages of child back in Westbridge park.
Who on earth do you think you are philipl jones? you clearly show a lack of education for who or what the Taliban are . As someone who has had close dealings with the Taliban, i personally think you should be truely disgusted at your comments. You clearly show a huge lack of professionalism, and sympathy, let alone being grosely out of touch with the views of stone town.
You Phillip hold a privileged position with a duty to uphold public morals. You should at the least offer up a public apology to the two cllrs and serving personnel of stone to whom you have offended. Personally I would like to see you step down.!
I don’t need any lessons from Cllr. Jones about who the Taliban are and what they stand for. As the proud father of a son who has already done two tours of duty in Afghanistan, I am personally deeply offended by his comments – as will be the hundreds of people who have loved ones out there who are putting their lives at risk every day in our name.
All Cllr. Jones needed to do was to offer an apology to Jill and Rob but instead he tries to justify his comment. Disgusting behaviour.
Just read the page on http://www.staffordshirenewsletter.co.uk headed ‘Public voice on Westbridge Park’ A former resident of Stone tells us ,councillor Joyce Farnham says it’s only going to be a ‘small supermarket’ it won’t wreck Westbridge Park. There isn’t going to be any housing. The Borough Council Circus has begun its propaganda trying to convince the public of how much we need the leisure facility on Westbridge Park saying it won’t make any difference to our festivals and events. If a development is allowed on Westbridge Park We WILL LOSE the GREEN AREA held so dear by everyone in Stone. The area suggested for retail space is massive, do the maths. The proposed area works out that the green space would be completely taken up with buildings and car parks. We need a leisure facility, we need a play area for toddlers, we need a BMX track and a skate board area for our teenagers, what’s more we DESERVE it. We do not need any other a development on the Park. Recently in the news there are terrible scenes of flooding, if we build on this flood plain the water will have to drain away somewhere and will increase the flood risk for Aston. I issue this warning to Councillors who continually vote to destroy our town, using the phrase ‘it will benefit our town’ we will remember what you said and did and will lodge our protests in ballot boxes in 2015.
Jill, its not BC propaganda, its factual evidence that has been produced by reputable planning consultants and planning officers at SBC. Are you suggesting WYG and officers at SBC have fabricated evidence to create a need for a new supermarket and leisure centre when a need does not exist? If you are, that is absolutely outrageous.
Westbridge Park has been earmarked for a mixed use development, this does include any housing.
Westrbidge Park is a huge area, if you use Cllr Kenneys artistic impression, which i have reservations about, it still leaves a significant area of open space. Wouldn’t you prefer a quality area of open space rather than a large area of open space that is underutilised and poorly maintained.
I agree, Stone does need all those things that you have mentioned, however how does the BC fund this need. Have you any ideas? We all need to accept that we need to allow some development in order to help fund what we want.
As part of any future planning application a flood risk assessment will have to be submitted and this will have to consider the risk of flooding. No development will be permitted if it will increase the risk of flooding.
What a disgraceful comment! A bumbling reck and a poor tick in the box for this town!
Lets get some life, youth and passion back in Stone Council like that of Rob Kenney and Jill Hood. 4700 signed to say NO, far more than voted. The next tick in the box needs to represent the people of Stone and not a pensioners day out!
Philip Jones spoke on Radio BBC Stoke this evening and made light of his remarks that Councillors’ Hood and Kenney are members of Stone Town Taliban. He says the Taliban are best known for their rejection of democracy and insistence that they alone are entitled to tell people what they shall have and not have. On the contrary, Jones makes the Taliban sound as though they are law abiding. They are evil and lawless, they recently boarded a school bus asked for 14 year old Malala Yousufzai , aimed their gun at her face and shot her in the head. She lay in a hospital bed fighting for her life and that day the Taliban boasted proudly they were responsible for the shooting stating girls ‘ education is “ obscene” They said they will be back to finish the job. He refers to his statement as colourful language I say his statement is vile and defamatory . The people of Stone are more than capable of making up their own minds on this and have taken the facts presented to them and downloaded documents available to the public from various websites ,forming their own opinions. He says he will not agree to a supermarket on Westbridge Park though he and his fellow Conservative councillors ALL voted for the amendment to include the sentence ‘There will be a need for new supermarket provision in Stone by 2015. The Named Councillors are Mike Williamson, Margaret Goodall, Philip Jones, Joyce Farnham, Geoff Collier abstained, I voted against . So Philip Jones DID vote for a supermarket.Jones refers to the Kenney Hood petition, incorrect, it is the Keep Westbridge Park Green petition. Each time the park is mentioned another suggestion for a development comes up, Why don’t they make up their minds now they say a health centre, our local Doctors are supposedly interested in building on the park. These out of touch councillors are deciding the future of our town .
Out of touch councillors?? I think that accusation accurately reflects you and Cllr Kenney. You fail to understand the modern leisure needs & requirements, shopping habits of stone residents and fail to see that westbridge could be so much more than it is now. It is currently unused area of green space and comprises of a number of unsightly buildings, as well as dilapidated playground.
Furthermore, you have no understanding of retailing planning or how need is established.
Read the 8 lines you have just written. Where is YOUR contribution. All you do is tell other people they ‘do not understand’ or they ‘have no understanding’. By implication you are saying that contributors are not clever enough to know what they want.
Are you saying that the 4700 people who did not want a supermarket on Westbridge park do not know what they want??.
Rather than insult people who have genuine concerns come up with some proposals research the FACTs and argue your case. That’s called democracy.
I am fully aware of what i am talking about and i have provided a number of contributions where i have sought to provide advice and reassurances to those objecting. Please read my other posts.
As far as I understand it the petitiion has campaigned to keep westbridge green, therefore by implication that excludes all built development not just a supermarket. I respect those that have taken the time to sign the petition, however I would like to understand more fully as to what they do want, and to see if a compromise can be made. I’m of the opinion that we can get the best of both worlds.
The only person that I am aware of insulting is Cllr Jill Hood because i believe she is not aware of the full facts or the level of work that is involved in assessing a retail and leisure need. For your information I am a chartered town planner with over 20 years experience of working in the private and public sector, as such i am fully knowledgeable of how planning works. I’m also fully aware of the work that goes into establishing a retail or leisure need. In all my years of experience i have never known of an example where objectors have successfully convinced a council or planning inspectorate that a need does not exist when one has been established. Need is based on objective evidence, as such it is beyond dispute.
I would like to echo those points made by Mark, I am a Chartered Surveyor and therefore I am fully aware of the consultation and development process that Councils and developers go through.
I would urge Cllr Hood to review the various reports on High Streets compiled by the Mary Portas report, GVA Grimley and CBRE these all stress the need to improve the retail and leisure provision to rejuvenate the high street.
I have no objections with people expressing opinion, my only gripe is when people make outlandish comments without any factual evidence to corroborate what they are saying. Especially when these comments come from the mouths of Councillors who hold a priviledged position and should no better.
Allan, I have not said other people are not entitled to an opinion. I think its fantastic that people care about where they live. My only concern has been that some comments that have been made without fact and have the potential to create unnecessary worry. If we all shared the same opinion life would be boring.
Cllr Jones must surely realise that in voting for the adoption of the SBC Plan including the designation of Westbridge Park as a ‘zone for mixed use development’, he is weakening any opportunity to deny retail development on the Park. There is not point in him voting against at some later stage as the battle will most likely already have been lost – as he surely knows.
His comments about the motivation of Rob Kenney and Jill Hood, his attempts to belittle the legitimate concerns of the community of Stone and his highly misleading comments in his statement above do him no credit whatsoever.
If he truly believes that a supermarket (WYG report for SBC) , leisure centre (SBCown report) and (now above) other development on the Park is acceptable then he should stand up and make the case. If not, he should have spoken against the approval of the Plan last night.
Here is what over 4700 people signed:
We ask that Stafford Borough
Council withdraw their proposal from the Plan for Stafford Borough.
“Provision of mixed use development at Westbridge Park“ We do not want
retail or housing development to be built on Westbridge Park.
No mention of not building play facilities
or anything else. But I certainly do not wish any development on the existing
grassed areas
Cllr Jones had the chance to state his feelings with regards to a Super market at the Alleynes meeting.A proposal put forward was that Stone Town Council fights against any Super Market development on Westbridge Park. He did not back this proposal and did
not comment against the building of a super market when his Leader at the
Borough let the cat out of the bag.
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28 comments
Ben Alcock
Jill, the whole premis for your argument is wrong. It is WYG that stated that an additional supermarket was needed in Stone by 2015 in there report on the retail needs assesment for the borough not the council. Please read the documents before making comments.
Allan Skerratt
Other contributors on here have explained clearly how the Borough Council meeting on 27th November was conducted and which of the Stone councillors voted to included the supermarket ammendment. Phil Jones said he would not vote for a supermarket and then voted for the supermarket ammendment. Mike Williamson told us at Alleynes that he would do nothing to spoil Westbridge park for his grandchildren and then voted for the supermarket ammendment. Quite astonishing to say one thing to your electors then do another, Cllr Goodall had an hysterical rant at the organisers of the petition and the 4700 people who signed it. I have never before seen local politics in action. It was not an edifying site.
Cllr Hearing uses the phrase,’Stone is a cash cow for Stafford’ This is my view on what the Borough Council are trying to do:
The Tory groups at County, Borough and Town level have been told to toe the party line in terms of not raising the costs to pay for local services. One aspect of this is to make sure there is no council tax rise in Stafford next year.
Eric Pickles is offering extra cash to councils who do not raise council tax next year.
The borough council should be providing (or refurbishing) leisure facilities in Stone (like they have in Stafford) but they cost money. They have the money to do it BUT If they get a major supermarket company to build a supermarket and a sports facility, the money they have to spend in Stone on leisure facilities can be used to keep Stafford’s council tax frozen.
supermarket chain come in and buy the land. They would then build a supermarket and a sports hall for free. Stafford borough Tory group could then use the money from the sale of Westbridge Park to subsidise Stafford council tax bill in the hope of Tory electoral success in 2014. Stone being used as a cash cow to subsidise Stafford. A cynical ploy??
Ben Alcock
Allan what evidence do you have for this statement:
They would then build a supermarket and a sports hall for free. Stafford borough Tory group could then use the money from the sale of Westbridge Park to subsidise Stafford council tax bill in the hope of Tory electoral success in 2014. Stone being used as a cash cow to subsidise Stafford. A cynical ploy??
Lets remove the party politics from this debate and have a sensible discussion, rather than usual political in-fighting which is neither helpful or wanted,
Allan Skerratt
Ben
So here are some easily checkable numbers.
According to the well known Tory communities minister Eric Pickles says councils have the largest amount of money in contingency funds that they have ever had. Hence the 1.7% cut in grant. Stafford council have just approved £23million for new council offices in Tipping street. After wasting £40,000 on Stone balls outside £38million new County council Headquarters.
https://www.expressandstar.com/…
And we are expected to believe they could not afford a sportshall or a refurbishment of existing facilities if there was the political will.
Its not the 4700 who signed the petition who are playing political games. The council have the money but choose to spend it elsewhere.
In answer to your question of evidence I went to the Town and Borough council meetings where the questions were asked and answered. We have already been told that the money which will come from the building of houses on the Eccleshall road will go to keeping coucil tax rises down. That is in the public domain and has been for weeks since the question was asked at the Borough council meeting.
Ben Alcock
Clearly some councils do have a vast some of contingency reserves, which I acknowledge should not be ring fenced and used to improve the areas in which they are supposed to serve. But to change that will involve a shift change in the way Councils are governed.
mark
Allan, I totally agree that SCC have been reckless in spending unnecessary money on a new headquarters and stone balls. This money should have been invested in more worthwhile causes. Notwithstanding this, this money was spent by SCC not SBC. The two authorities have different priorities, funding pots and remits.
I’m sure your aware that the Country is going through a series of austerity measures and jobs are being lost at Council’s throughout the UK, as such I do not believe Mr Pickles. I think there may some political spin in play here – or maybe he is referring to other pots of money that the Government will give to local council’s if they approve developments. The Tories have sought to do this through the New Homes Bonus, which I believe you are referring to in your seond paragraph. As you may be aware, the NHB is a non – ring fenced fund which the Government will pay Council’s if they approve housing applications. A sort of sweetner for allowing housing applications (it also helps fill the shortfall as a result of the austerity measures).
The New Homes Bonus can be spent on whatever the Borough Council (not Town Council) deems fit.
It is feasible that all of this money could be spent on leisure facilties in Stone, however i am sceptical.
Also i’m not sure that any costings have been produced for the new leisure complex, or whether the exact number of new homes proposed at Ecclesshall Road is yet known. As you may be aware the amount of NHB is dependent upon the number of dwellings built and council tax band.
A S106 agreement provides greater assurances than a NHB and is more transparent. As part of any forthcoming planning application at Westbridge, a figure will be costed for the new leisure complex and the supermarket operator will be required to sign a legally binded agreement to pay this money.
Antony.
Sadly I did not hear the interview on Radio Stoke.
To make light of the use of the phrase”Taliban of Stone” against fellow Councillors is beyond belief.
Those of you who see Cllr Jones in action will know that he belittles opponents in the chamber on a regular basis. Remember he had a go at Cllr Green at Alleynes.
This time he has gone too far.
If he does not offer a full public apology to the people involved and their supporters he must stand down from public office.
I would also like to pose the question, is it acceptable and sensible for one person to represent our Stone on the Town/Borough/County councils at the same time?
Please remember we have County elections coming up in May.
Dave of Wales
Before I have my say I must make
several things clear, I do not live in Stone, I have never lived in
Stone and until 5 years ago Stone had never appeared on my radar.
Following a chance meeting with current and former members of the
“Stone Taliban” I became involved with the Food & Drink
Festival (as hired help). I quickly realised what a wonderful place
Stone is and what a wonderful group of people live there. Where I
live in mid-Wales we had a good sized Morrisons, a smallish Co-op(nee
Sommerfield) a Sainsbury’s local and a decent Spar serving a
population of about 7000. It was decided to move the livestock market
out of town and sell the site for redevelopment. This involved a new
one-way system and guess who? Tesco.
The Spar reported a 30% downturn, the
Co-op has closed, a national shoe retailer is about to go, we have
lost two newsagents/ tobacconists, a butcher and an electrical shop.
This has certainly improved the town centre as it is now possible to
walk down the street unhindered by shoppers! Without going to check I
can think of nine empty shops in my town centre. Is this what Stone
wants? You must unite and fight this at all costs, the town has a
wonderful asset not only in Westbridge Park but also in the people
organising events there and the people fighting to save it.
Ben Alcock
Until Stafford BC has completed the consultation phase no decision will be made regarding what if any development will take place at Westbridge Park. This process will undoubtedly be market led, but i would be highly surprised if the Food and Drink festival would be lost.
Kate
I have just looked at the superimposed view of Westbridge park with all the developments proposed! Gosh what an eye opener there’s almost no green space left it’s really scary. If you stand on the canal bridge all that you’ll view is a long dark corridor of concrete.
http://www.keepwestbridgeparkgreen.org/blog is where you can see the view!
Cllr Charlie Hearing
I attended the Borough meeting on Tuesday and as a lowly Town councillor for Stone I feel dismayed. I can’t help feeling that all the information is not being shared. How can we make a choice for our Town when we don’t know what they have planned. I came onto the town council to do things for Stone and to hopefully represent families. I can’t help look towards Stafford and feel envious of the play facilities their children enjoy, whilst ours were removed in 2009 form Westbridge Park. The borough councillors let it slip that super markets were circling Stone . Ever likely they are, we are an affluent area in many respects. But a supermarket in the centre of Stone is just not needed, never mind the traffic chaos it would cause. It would damage many small businesses on our High street.The Borough are very attracted to the large amount of money these big super markets would bring, and would they invest all that in Stone I think not I look back towards their park and I don’t see any sacrifice of space for their facilities. Stone is a cash cow for Stafford Borough, just go and see their Christmas lights. They have an event team, and never plan events for Stone and yet the Borough has two towns. They enjoy our income but alas people of Stone we do not reap what we pay to be a member of this borough in facilities do we, not even for our children. I hope the consultation process is open and transparent and includes the information so we all can say actually no we don’t want a super market but we would like play facilities for all abilities and ages of child back in Westbridge park.
Stuart
Who on earth do you think you are philipl jones? you clearly show a lack of education for who or what the Taliban are . As someone who has had close dealings with the Taliban, i personally think you should be truely disgusted at your comments. You clearly show a huge lack of professionalism, and sympathy, let alone being grosely out of touch with the views of stone town.
You Phillip hold a privileged position with a duty to uphold public morals. You should at the least offer up a public apology to the two cllrs and serving personnel of stone to whom you have offended. Personally I would like to see you step down.!
RichardS
I don’t need any lessons from Cllr. Jones about who the Taliban are and what they stand for. As the proud father of a son who has already done two tours of duty in Afghanistan, I am personally deeply offended by his comments – as will be the hundreds of people who have loved ones out there who are putting their lives at risk every day in our name.
All Cllr. Jones needed to do was to offer an apology to Jill and Rob but instead he tries to justify his comment. Disgusting behaviour.
Liz Mills
Jill Hood – often to be seen in Stone – hits the nail right on the head.
Ian
…. and presumably a good thing when you represent the residents?
Jill Hood
Just read the page on http://www.staffordshirenewsletter.co.uk headed ‘Public voice on Westbridge Park’ A former resident of Stone tells us ,councillor Joyce Farnham says it’s only going to be a ‘small supermarket’ it won’t wreck Westbridge Park. There isn’t going to be any housing. The Borough Council Circus has begun its propaganda trying to convince the public of how much we need the leisure facility on Westbridge Park saying it won’t make any difference to our festivals and events. If a development is allowed on Westbridge Park We WILL LOSE the GREEN AREA held so dear by everyone in Stone. The area suggested for retail space is massive, do the maths. The proposed area works out that the green space would be completely taken up with buildings and car parks. We need a leisure facility, we need a play area for toddlers, we need a BMX track and a skate board area for our teenagers, what’s more we DESERVE it. We do not need any other a development on the Park. Recently in the news there are terrible scenes of flooding, if we build on this flood plain the water will have to drain away somewhere and will increase the flood risk for Aston. I issue this warning to Councillors who continually vote to destroy our town, using the phrase ‘it will benefit our town’ we will remember what you said and did and will lodge our protests in ballot boxes in 2015.
mark
Jill, its not BC propaganda, its factual evidence that has been produced by reputable planning consultants and planning officers at SBC. Are you suggesting WYG and officers at SBC have fabricated evidence to create a need for a new supermarket and leisure centre when a need does not exist? If you are, that is absolutely outrageous.
Westbridge Park has been earmarked for a mixed use development, this does include any housing.
Westrbidge Park is a huge area, if you use Cllr Kenneys artistic impression, which i have reservations about, it still leaves a significant area of open space. Wouldn’t you prefer a quality area of open space rather than a large area of open space that is underutilised and poorly maintained.
I agree, Stone does need all those things that you have mentioned, however how does the BC fund this need. Have you any ideas? We all need to accept that we need to allow some development in order to help fund what we want.
As part of any future planning application a flood risk assessment will have to be submitted and this will have to consider the risk of flooding. No development will be permitted if it will increase the risk of flooding.
Disillusioned
What a disgraceful comment! A bumbling reck and a poor tick in the box for this town!
Lets get some life, youth and passion back in Stone Council like that of Rob Kenney and Jill Hood. 4700 signed to say NO, far more than voted. The next tick in the box needs to represent the people of Stone and not a pensioners day out!
Jill Hood
Philip Jones spoke on Radio BBC Stoke this evening and made light of his remarks that Councillors’ Hood and Kenney are members of Stone Town Taliban. He says the Taliban are best known for their rejection of democracy and insistence that they alone are entitled to tell people what they shall have and not have. On the contrary, Jones makes the Taliban sound as though they are law abiding. They are evil and lawless, they recently boarded a school bus asked for 14 year old Malala Yousufzai , aimed their gun at her face and shot her in the head. She lay in a hospital bed fighting for her life and that day the Taliban boasted proudly they were responsible for the shooting stating girls ‘ education is “ obscene” They said they will be back to finish the job. He refers to his statement as colourful language I say his statement is vile and defamatory . The people of Stone are more than capable of making up their own minds on this and have taken the facts presented to them and downloaded documents available to the public from various websites ,forming their own opinions. He says he will not agree to a supermarket on Westbridge Park though he and his fellow Conservative councillors ALL voted for the amendment to include the sentence ‘There will be a need for new supermarket provision in Stone by 2015. The Named Councillors are Mike Williamson, Margaret Goodall, Philip Jones, Joyce Farnham, Geoff Collier abstained, I voted against . So Philip Jones DID vote for a supermarket.Jones refers to the Kenney Hood petition, incorrect, it is the Keep Westbridge Park Green petition. Each time the park is mentioned another suggestion for a development comes up, Why don’t they make up their minds now they say a health centre, our local Doctors are supposedly interested in building on the park. These out of touch councillors are deciding the future of our town .
mark
Out of touch councillors?? I think that accusation accurately reflects you and Cllr Kenney. You fail to understand the modern leisure needs & requirements, shopping habits of stone residents and fail to see that westbridge could be so much more than it is now. It is currently unused area of green space and comprises of a number of unsightly buildings, as well as dilapidated playground.
Furthermore, you have no understanding of retailing planning or how need is established.
Allan Skerratt
Mark
Read the 8 lines you have just written. Where is YOUR contribution. All you do is tell other people they ‘do not understand’ or they ‘have no understanding’. By implication you are saying that contributors are not clever enough to know what they want.
Are you saying that the 4700 people who did not want a supermarket on Westbridge park do not know what they want??.
Rather than insult people who have genuine concerns come up with some proposals research the FACTs and argue your case. That’s called democracy.
mark
Allan,
I am fully aware of what i am talking about and i have provided a number of contributions where i have sought to provide advice and reassurances to those objecting. Please read my other posts.
As far as I understand it the petitiion has campaigned to keep westbridge green, therefore by implication that excludes all built development not just a supermarket. I respect those that have taken the time to sign the petition, however I would like to understand more fully as to what they do want, and to see if a compromise can be made. I’m of the opinion that we can get the best of both worlds.
The only person that I am aware of insulting is Cllr Jill Hood because i believe she is not aware of the full facts or the level of work that is involved in assessing a retail and leisure need. For your information I am a chartered town planner with over 20 years experience of working in the private and public sector, as such i am fully knowledgeable of how planning works. I’m also fully aware of the work that goes into establishing a retail or leisure need. In all my years of experience i have never known of an example where objectors have successfully convinced a council or planning inspectorate that a need does not exist when one has been established. Need is based on objective evidence, as such it is beyond dispute.
Ben Alcock
I would like to echo those points made by Mark, I am a Chartered Surveyor and therefore I am fully aware of the consultation and development process that Councils and developers go through.
I would urge Cllr Hood to review the various reports on High Streets compiled by the Mary Portas report, GVA Grimley and CBRE these all stress the need to improve the retail and leisure provision to rejuvenate the high street.
Allan Skerratt
Mark Ben
The fact that you have professional expertise in these areas does not mean other with different views are not entitled to an opinion.
Ben Alcock
I have no objections with people expressing opinion, my only gripe is when people make outlandish comments without any factual evidence to corroborate what they are saying. Especially when these comments come from the mouths of Councillors who hold a priviledged position and should no better.
mark
Allan, I have not said other people are not entitled to an opinion. I think its fantastic that people care about where they live. My only concern has been that some comments that have been made without fact and have the potential to create unnecessary worry. If we all shared the same opinion life would be boring.
Ian
Cllr Jones must surely realise that in voting for the adoption of the SBC Plan including the designation of Westbridge Park as a ‘zone for mixed use development’, he is weakening any opportunity to deny retail development on the Park. There is not point in him voting against at some later stage as the battle will most likely already have been lost – as he surely knows.
His comments about the motivation of Rob Kenney and Jill Hood, his attempts to belittle the legitimate concerns of the community of Stone and his highly misleading comments in his statement above do him no credit whatsoever.
If he truly believes that a supermarket (WYG report for SBC) , leisure centre (SBCown report) and (now above) other development on the Park is acceptable then he should stand up and make the case. If not, he should have spoken against the approval of the Plan last night.
Rob Kenney
Here is what over 4700 people signed:
We ask that Stafford Borough
Council withdraw their proposal from the Plan for Stafford Borough.
“Provision of mixed use development at Westbridge Park“ We do not want
retail or housing development to be built on Westbridge Park.
No mention of not building play facilities
or anything else. But I certainly do not wish any development on the existing
grassed areas
Cllr Jones had the chance to state his feelings with regards to a Super market at the Alleynes meeting.A proposal put forward was that Stone Town Council fights against any Super Market development on Westbridge Park. He did not back this proposal and did
not comment against the building of a super market when his Leader at the
Borough let the cat out of the bag.