I WATCHED the cemetery planning meeting with utter disdain; If that wasn’t an example of the most predetermined decision I have ever seen then I don’t know what is.
Throughout the meeting the body language of the committee was very telling.
One member of the committee seemed more interested in his phone; the representative from Worcestershire Highways Agency popped off to make himself a brew during the proceedings!
The body language changed from relaxed and open, to closed, guarded and disinterested when members of the public were speaking.
The chairperson had to backtrack after saying ‘when this is approved’ and one committee member announced that the objectors ‘had lost the battle but not the war’ before the voting had commenced!
And in a final act of indignity, the chair responded to the only non-Conservative committee member with'”that’s your prerogative’ when he made his intent to reject the plans, how rude!
Answers to the questions of what constitutes open space, grass land and open recreational space were very woolly indeed and the committee completely failed to see the difference between public access through the site and public being able to use the site as a recreational amenity.
All this on the day the government published the ‘adapt or die’ report.
It seems obvious which of those options Redditch Council is opting for!
B Kirby, Redditch
SOME readers may be familiar with Walter Savage Landor’s poem beginning ‘I hope in vain to see again, Ipsley’s peninsular domain’.
In the wake of Redditch council’s plans I wondered what he’d write now? I think it would be something like this:
I hope in vain to see again
Ipsley meadow nice and plain.
For t’was there, I used to stare
At waving trees or playful hare.
Sit in a bunch and have our lunch,
For I have found, I’ll be bound
They’ll make it a new burial ground.
The view I adore, will be no more,
Just graves and mourners by the score.
Ah! My old view, how I’ll miss you!
Why must I bid such things adieu?
With apologies to Walter!
K Wass, Redditch
I WAS surprised to read the letter from Councillor Mike Rouse in last week’s Standard.
We set up a petition so that residents who are concerned about the Conservative group’s proposals to demolish Redditch town centre library can have their say.
We have repeatedly asked for a fully costed and viable plan for the future of all the library’s services, but so far have seen nothing.
This is why we will be taking the petition to Worcestershire County Council, which is legally responsible for the provision of library services.
Coun Rouse claims that the Redditch Labour Party suggested the demolition of the library three years ago. This is not correct.
The document he refers to was a multi-agency report proposing a range of options for many sites around the town, which included demolishing the library.
We did not write the report or endorse any of the options.
Had we remained in power, we would have gone out to public consultation on the entire report.
I would also like to make it clear that although the Labour group on Redditch Borough Council supported the Town Deal Board’s bid to the Government for £25million, of which £15.6m was secured, we did raise concerns about the future of the library and its services at the time. These concerns were voiced by our previous group leader, Bill Hartnett, who said this would be a controversial issue.
This has clearly been echoed in the petition comments and on social media.
We continue to push for answers about the future of all the services in the town centre library, and in the meantime residents who would like to have their say still have the opportunity to sign our petition.
Coun Andrew Fry, Labour Group Leader,
Redditch Borough Council
I REFER to the letter from Councillor Rouse in last week’s Redditch Standard.
I really worry about Coun Rouse. I think he probably needs to lay off the coffee a bit.
His party is in power locally for the next few years. But, to quote a great fictional rag tag warrior: ‘With great power comes great responsibility’.
His team’s proposals are going to come under scrutiny. Some of those proposals are good. Some not so good.
We will continue to probe and ask questions because that’s the job of an opposition.
Where possible some of us will do that with humour.
But as Luke Skywalker didn’t give up on his father rest assured we ‘keyboard warriors’ will continue to try and ‘see the light side’ in Coun Rouse and his colleagues.
I Woodall, Redditch
AS A regular funeral mourner I feel that the first impression of the Redditch Crematorium has recently become dismal and unwelcoming.
The pillars as you drive in are in a poor state with paint peeling off and in need of renovation.
There used to be really lovely hanging baskets on the canopy as you entered the building which have now disappeared.
The flower containers on top of the wall to the left of the entrance are full of weeds and saplings, emphasising the overall visual neglect.
I have seen people trip and stumble on the step at the front which needs to be more apparent to emphasise the danger, particularly as a large majority of mourners are in their later years.
Usually this is the first item on any risk assessment, a legal requirement on any business or accident policy.
The granite sets on the edges of the walkways and car parks are loose in several places with weeds and grass growing through most of the edges.
I appreciate this is autumn but there appears to be no obvious attempt to tidy the place up and make it safe. No sign of a road sweeper or weed control here!
This whole mess is in direct contrast to other local crematoria who take a pride in offering an initial welcoming and caring experience.
So much so that many local people I know are now using the facility at Evesham in direct preference, cutting down the essential income to the council.
It is time the Borough Council were told to clean up their act.
The taxpayers deserve better.
Concerned Local, Headless Cross
I HAVE sent this letter to Bird e-scooters and to Councillor Matt Dormer, the Leader of Redditch Borough Council .
I would like to report an incident that has left me and my partner very shaken up.
I was turning right out of the bottom of Plymouth Road by the bus station when a young man on one of the Bird scooters ran through a red light going down Unicorn Hill and then crossed over on the wrong side of the road narrowly avoiding my car.
Had I hit him then he would likely be in an ambulance on the way to the hospital.
It was clearly very dangerous and he showed not regard for the cars on the road at all.
He wasn’t wearing a helmet, which I appreciate isn’t mandatory, however if you are running red lights in a busy town centre on the wrong side of a road, perhaps a helmet would be a good idea.
This was Saturday, October 9 at 4.19pm.
I noted the time because you are able to track where all your scooters are and at what time. This would mean that you would be able to identify the rider.
Knowing that you can track them I would like to ask you how you propose to deal with my report.
Please let me know what your intentions are, and if I should also be reporting this to the police as an incident of dangerous riding.
I would also like to ensure that this incident is added to any feedback on the trial.
I am very much in favour of the use of e-scooters for the future, but behaviour like this could lead to serious injury and will only encourage people to be against their use at all.
Name and address supplied
MANY readers will be aware that the League of Friends coffee shop at the Alexandra Hospital was closed in March 2020.
The closure was part of the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust response to the Covid 19 emergency.
To date, the coffee shop remains closed due to the ongoing presence of the virus in our community.
The need to manage the risk to NHS staff and all those attending the hospital is paramount.
I should like to reassure everyone that the League is in regular contact with the Trust with regard to re-opening the coffee shop as soon as it is safe to do so.
In the meantime I should like to thank all our volunteers and customers for their patience and understanding.
Whilst our office in the hospital remains closed to the public, the League of Friends continues to support the Alex by providing comforts to patients and staff, together with medical equipment which enhances the experience of those needing treatment.
Recent purchases include an ultrasound machine, used by the anaesthetics team during the application of a nerve block for hip or knee replacement surgery.
We are, as ever, grateful to those who support our work with financial donations during this difficult period.
We can be contacted by telephone on 01527 512009, by email on [email protected] or by post to our office at the Alex.
P Hadley,
Chair, League of Friends of the Alexandra Hospital
ABOUT three weeks ago I was feeling really unwell.
Eventually, via my doctor’s surgery, I was taken by ambulance, sirens blaring to the Alexandra Hospital.
There I received wonderful treatment.
I would like to thank the staff at St Stephen’s Surgery, at A& E and the medical assessment unit at the Alex for all their kindness.
Thankfully I am now much better.
F Cadden, Redditch
