(something Campaigners had to go through earlier)
Fire Station Meeting Dubbed “A Fraud”
(At Tamworth Athletic Club)
We all turned up - not really knowing what to expect - actually hoping to let the authorities know just how much we opposed their plans for building the Fire Station next to Kirtley.
But it soon become clear this was a softening up process. Impressive displays - a panel of Fire Station representatives and numerous officials to help the “consultation” along. Problem was they only wanted to consult us on what sort of Fire Station we wanted - not on where it was going to be built. Our mouths were supposed to start drooling as such figures as “........... £40 million worth of Public Sector Finance Investment credits ** ....... and we want you to tell us what you want” were mentioned. Clearly we were being bribed - and all we had to do was to tell them what we wanted “our” Fire Station to be. Well - this was very confusing - because of course all we really wanted was a Fire Station - but now they were telling us it could be full of “community facilities”. What could this mean?? What did they want us to ask for?? Sounded like bribery to me!
Well .... all credit to Kirtley residents ..... the scheme to have us all end up in little work-groups discussing community involvement with the local Fire Service did not even get off the ground. Clearly these people had not come to explain or debate anything.
But the residents gave them their questions and views anyway. And quite forcibly. Some of the questions put were, “Do you realise this is not in line with Tamworth’s Local Plan?”, “Why do you show diagrams of geographical call-outs to fires and yet not have diagrams showing the geographical spread of fire injuries or economic loss?” and “whose idea was it to use this piece of land by Kirtley?”
And so passed a frustrating two hours. Good thing was that six councillors were there to see the strength of feeling. The press were not there - but credit to Amanda Crilly who stirred up some good press interest in the Herald.
** PSI credits. - A government scam to put all our futures in hock to private investors and so short term they can waste our money on God know what. Long term? We’re in serious trouble!!
A WELL DESERVED VICTORY!!
Tamworth’s Planners have thrown out the Kirtley Woods Fire Station Plans.
All credit to the Campaigners. They deserved to win after all the time and effort they put in.
At the Planning meeting where the final decision was made the Planning Officers had already recommended refusal. The Planning Committee was unanimous - and councillors on the committee gave praise to the Kirtley Campaigners - particularly Amanda Crilly who they singled out as being particularly well informed with her presentation to the Committee.
The Campaigners who had turned up in some force to the Planning Committee meeting - returned the compliment with a burst of spontaneous applause as the decision was announced.
The only thing left to say is wasn’t it a pity that something so obviously inappropriate had to be fought with so much time and effort right to the end. It would have been so much more sensible to have pulled the application as soon as it was realised that it just wasn’t acceptable.
And thanks to everybody who got involved. It really made a difference!
