A petition is being drummed up by @TParkEastleighN and @Alexbourne , to ask HCC to keep the roads closed while Eastleigh LDs consult residents on a permanent closure
(Posting here so the message gets out, as some may have blocked Tanya so can’t see FB posts)
It’s for EBC to properly consult on a full pedestrianisation and to also wait for the HCC survey which was done months ago but they won’t release details until 29 July. The motion was passed unanimously at ELAC.
@Alexbourne , thank you for responding
The petition’s on a LD site, which in itself may alienate people. But be that as it may…
I just don’t think that the Conservative-led HCC would go for it, particularly when their heads in Westminster want to open everything up. A better approach may have been to reopen, and give people a reason to want them closed (I.e. they miss the vibe etc.)
The order was in place due to Covid. I just don’t see how HCC would back a continuous closure to allow for consultation. It just doesn’t seem like a good reason.
EBC officers have been working for months with HCC on lots of plans and improvements- planters as barriers rather than the red plastic barriers, seating and bike racks - then out of nowhere they did a U turn.
Quick question @Alexbourne, why hasn’t a consultation progressed further by now. Town’s been closed for about a year unless I’m mistaken?
It just seems to be done at the 11th hour. And I just don’t see HCC going for it (especially given the mixture of comments on the FB thread)
As an aside, I posted this on Facebook. I’m crossposting it here:
"The roads were closed due to Covid.
Maybe it’s just me, but having them open again while consultation is ongoing may just give people that mental “reset” to say “okay, we came through it, we no longer have to be greeted by covid-19 signs when we approach the barricade”
It may also give those who want them open a chance to rethink and say “actually, we prefer them shut”.
Keeping them closed for a long consultation period may just make the “covid hangover” worse…"
Curious - what will the petition on the Lib Dem site do other than harvest personal data for a political party?
Why wasn’t this run as Eastleigh Borough Council? It might have gathered more support. It’s for that reason I can’t support or sign.
Think EBC/HCC should work together to poll local residents.
Local business owners should obviously have an opportunity to present cases for and against beforehand.
I can genuinely see both sides to this matter.
For a pedestrian it is quite pleasant to walk around and I quite like what some of the cafés/restaurants have done on the streets. However, I can also see that this is probably limited to summer months and that some people may prefer to be set down in front of certain shops or their banks, e.g. because they are not so mobile.
It may possibly be because it’s a County Council matter and so they can’t use Borough resources without the support of full council.
I asked this of Cllr House, Cllr @Alexbourne and Cllr @TParkEastleighN. Cllr House responded with -
“Most people are not tribal. Tanya-Jayne Park, Alex Bourne and the Lib Dems have launched a campaign to get change and put pressure on the Tory Council. Signing up does not imply party support.”
This despite the footer on their website
This was done earlier in the year but HCC will not release the results until 29 July. In order to lift the restrictions it will take time and money reversing everything (including new disabled and waiting bays, road signs etc). The HCC consultation was a short term view - we want a long term plan - levelling the road to pavement etc - which we have heard from the Bid is something businesses would support. They didn’t like the temporary measures.
They sent something to local residents?
Didn’t receive anything myself.
I did receive something on the proposal to parish the town centre.
Several people, including @Sam4eastleigh , @afdy and myself, don’t like it being hosted on a LD site, especially given the site footer
So let’s do proper petitions, with no party affiliation attached, and also do it as a means of polling suggested by @ACulley :-
To Keep them closed - Extend the Road Closure of Eastleigh's High Street and Market Street | 38 Degrees
To reopen them - Reopen Eastleigh High Street and Market Street | 38 Degrees
It would be nice if all parties could back these either way. I don’t foresee the LDs backing when they have just started their own petition, but anyway
(Including @PaulHolmes88 , @LisaCrosher @TParkEastleighN , @Alexbourne , @Sam4eastleigh , @Josh_Constable , @Lou and @Gin_Tidridge for awareness - I think that covers all “party” reps)
Thanks for setting those up @DazzaRPD, it shouldn’t replace a proper consultation but I like the idea of having both options available and on a more neutral website. (Instead of the usual kind of consultation on just the road closures, a citizens assembly on the bigger picture of how to reinvigorate the town centre might be worth a try.)
EBC had plans for the road closure, which seem to have been scuppered by HCC. As per @Alexbourne -
“EBC had arranged a summer of events in the closed roads to attract visitors including a park for kids, musicians to play at venues who wanted them and various arts projects to brighten up the TC. All now put at risk by the reopening of the roads.”
Roads update, and to paraphrase Little Britain - County says NO!
The Economy, Transport and Environment Committee of HCC met yesterday. The above has the discussion, and they are still planning to reopen all roads.
Obviously this hasn’t gone down too well with our Eastleigh reps (who are LD), and the usual “Tory vs LD” lines are being drawn.
HCC need to sort their act out. If ELAC are in agreement they have a clearer mandate than HCC to decide on this. Pretty sure HCC did a consultation a way back but never saw any results does anyone have these? Pending a referendum I can see no reason for HCC to take this decision when they could delegate authority or simply agree with the decision of the local authority.
FYI I’d say this even if I disagreed with the course of action. I might not like a lot of the EBC policy, but their mandate to enact their policies is very clear, HCC’s cabinet however definitely lacks this (in this instance). And an unwillingness to open this decision to greater public scrutiny is part of the culture that councils (Particularly EBC and HCC) need to move away from and is largely responsible for poor decision making.
End backroom politics - bring on proper participatory representative democracy!
HCC will release the consultation results on the 29 July.
Any idea why they’re doing this so late after the consultation first launched?
They conducted surveys across the county and want to release all the results on the same day. I wrote and asked for early sight and that it be taken into account when considering the lifting of the road closures but was told no. Cllr Park raised this at a HCC meeting and was also told no. Very disappointing as the survey was months ago.
Unsurprising lack of cooperation from HCC, survey now very old as you say.
