OK lets do Grove House. When Cllr Colbert presented her motion to the new Town Council on 5 June, they simply refused to discuss it.
I refer you to a letter from Cllrs Colbert and Howes published in the Fenland Citizen on 20 June 2007:
We find the whole matter of Grove House highly perplexing.
As we understand the situation, Grove House was owned by Chatteris Urban District Council, who transferred its care to the newly formed Fenland District Council in 1974.
The Chatteris Town Council met in the building right up until the mid 1990s and the Museum was housed there.
We understand that in the mid 1990s Chatteris Town Council asked Fenland District Council for the building back, but FDC insisted they would have to pay £250,000 for it (!) so nothing happened.
Then, in 1996, Fenland District Council sold the building to the Isle College for £6,000, under conditional terms and it being used for education for 10 years.
According to the article by Cllr Alan Melton in Citizen Extra, the building was in a poor state and the Isle College undertook a “massive refurbishment” of the building and educational use started in 1997.
First, there are two questions.
(1) Why did Fenland District Council let the building get into such a poor state of repair?
(2) Why were Chatteris Town Council asked for such a huge amount of money only shortly before the sale to Isle College?
Now we move on to the present time, and we are told in Cllr Melton’s article that the building is in a very poor state now and that it cannot be used as a public building “as there is no lift and is not ‘disabled and disability acceptable’”.
This raises further issues.
(1) Why is again in such a poor state if the Isle College had it “massively refurbished”?
(2) Why should it have to have a lift? We have never noticed one in Fenland Hall, or the One Stop Shops.
(3) How about using just part of it as a public building?
(4) How about using the small side building for something like the Youth Cafe that everyone seems to agree that Chatteris could do with?
A motion for the reacquisition of Grove House for the benefit of the people of Chatteris has now twice been put before the Chatteris Town Council, but the majority group will not even discuss the matter.
Surely the Town Council has a duty to the people of Chatteris to fully investigate the condition of the building, and all its possible uses rather than ignore the matter.
And surely the Chatteris community is entitled to some substantial recompense from Fenland District Council for what looks very much like mismanagement of a substantial Chatteris asset.
This was in response to an article in the Chatteris Extra edition of the Fenland Citizen the previous week by Conservative District and County Councillor Alan Melton (and party colleague of 8 out of 12 of the Town Council) Cllr Melton wrote: "... the hope is that some private developer will save the building for domestic use, just like Chatteris House.”
During the life of the previous town council, Cllr Melton stood before them and promised that if at any point in the future Grove House was no longer required for educational use, it would be returned to Chatteris. Well I suppose that a couple of years is “a long time in politics” !
Funny thing though, while Cllr Melton hopes for a ‘benevolent’ developer to ‘save’ Grove House, Chatteris is full of rumours that it has already been promised to a developer. Perhaps Cllr Melton became converted to the idea while working as project manager for a local developer during the restoration of Chatteris House ?
Walter Burnett is a pen name.
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11 comments:
It is utterly risible that the council, or specifically Cllr Melton, thinks that the best way to deal with the Grove House problem is to simply give it away. If (and it is a big if) the building can not be converted for any public use, then it should be sold on the open market, with the proceeds being returned to Chatteris.
I suppose there will be the objection that the property is no longer in the hands of FDC or CTC: my counter-argument to that would be to suggest that the original knock-down sale to Isle College was somewhat short of legal, or at the very least those who drew up the sales contract were acting incompetently, short-sightedly and arguably downright maliciously.
To return to Cllr Melton's letter on the subject, I was astounded to hear that Chatteris no longer needs somewhere providing computer training as everyone is computer literate! I would suggest he reads some of the anonymous comments in this blog to persuade himself that some people in Chatteris are not even remotely literate, let alone with computers.
There is absolutely no speculation as to who this author is, who else has as much time on there hands and is as destructive. It couldn't be more obvious!
I do have one very important question to ask this author, if he is so unhappy about the town in which he lives, why is he still here? Nobody is forcing him to stay and I think it would be fair to say that there are numerous people that would help him to pack his bags and wave him good bye! (A bit like St. Neots did I suppose) It's not as if he works in the town......!!
I do find it highly amusing that this authors following consists only of family members, those associated wih family members and folk from 'Walk the Dog'!! But then it made me smile at the recent elections, again this author had persuaded a large number of this same following to stand against people that in reality they had absolutely no chance of beating! (And results showed that this was exactly the case...such a shame hey!!)
I must also congratulate this author for his attempts to become a governer at the Cromwell school, my commiserations that he didn't wiggle his way in there either, people are becoming wise, you may have your face plastered in the press every week but you are becoming known for all the wrong reasons. The penny hasn't dropped and you appear to be oblivious to the fact that people don't want you interferring and destroying the good things that they have achieved, working together is something you don't appear to have skills in.
You haven't primed your young readers of this blog that you are infact 'trying' to be anonymous! Chris starts his comment....'regarding Chris Howes', an intelligent move I must say, well done!!
You refer to a 'small and barely literate minority' at least these people have the common sense and intelligence to think for themselves, they support the people that they know work hard for the town and the people in it. They do not have to be brainwashed whilst sitting in a pub as do most of your few supporters.
I'm failing to understand why it is such an issue that Cllr Murphy has missed two meetings, I do believe that a certain Mr Bryce also failed to turn up for the last meeting, your point being what exactly????
The sooner you crawl back under the rock you came out from the better, just face up to the facts, can't you see that you are being blocked at every turn, the people of Chatteris don't want you! This blog can only be described as an absolute joke, exactly how I would sum up the author! Keep up as you are and eventually you will fade into the distance and become insignificant.
If you want to keep any credibility Howes, delete this utter rubbish, resign and move elsewhere!
You have abused my vote, I shall certainly NOT ever be voting for you again. This is scandalous behaviour and it would appear that you are not taking your role as a town councillor seriously!
Where do you get your information from, do you attend any meetings?, do you sleep all the way through them? or do you just dream it all up? It's quite as I expected, a total load of...(for a polite phrase)...rubbish! Do you honestly think people believe any of this? This really isn't doing you or the party you represent any favours.
To the "really anonymous" anonymous poster (can I say J.M.?): your tactic is an interesting one: disregard everything that the blogger has to say, and attack him personally instead. I thought the CTC affairs were (in your view) a matter of friendly interplay of opinions (well, with the exception of Cllr Bryce, who obviously doesn't count, as he is under 50 and hasn't lived in town since the Great Flood). Instead you are stooping to the low and disagreeable level of real politics – I mean "National politics" – and attacking the person, not the policy.
I suppose there is some merit in the old chestnut that "the best form of defense is attack", but why are you feeling such a verbal and heart-felt need to defend the council buy personally attacking the blogger, his family, and his friends when you could so easily (by your account) counter every claim and rebuke with a sound and honest answer?
It’s a shame much of the comment being posted on this blog is merely vitriolic criticism of me. I think Walter’s blog should be used more constructively, and I am disappointed that the important questions on the blog remain unanswered.
But can I set the record straight following ill-informed and mischievous remarks about me?
I served as an elected St Neots Town Councillor 1995 - 99. I found my 4 year term rewarding and fulfilling because I was part of a team that achieved a host of real benefits for the Town in which I lived. I’m proud to have played a small part in the real improvements which St Neots has witnessed since the early 90’s..
In 1999 I did not stand again as by then I worked away a lot. This however was not the end of my civic onvolvement. Christine was re-elected to St Neots Town Council, and served as Mayor from 1998 - 2000. This made me the Mayor’s Consort and I supported Christine in her many and varied endeavours for local charities, organisations, and good and needy causes. I also started an annual dragon boat regatta.
In 2001 Christine and I moved to Chatteris. Our move to Chatteris represented a planned ‘retirement’ from politics.
In 2003 we were both asked to stand in the elections here. With some reservations we reluctantly agreed. I was elected to the Town Council and Christine missed by 2 or 3 votes.
With some trepidation I took my seat on Council. From our previous local government experience, it was clear that some things round here weren’t as healthy as they should be.
Particularly puzzling was why improvements to the infrastructure of the community clearly hadn’t been obtained from commercial developers. (In St Neots we had spent quite a lot of council time organising new facilities and improvements for the town with money from new houses and we knew how the system should work.) On Chatteris Council I was promptly told (amazingly) that asking developers to put something into the community was “theft”!
When I resolutely carried on asking about where our money was , 5 members of the Council promptly reported me to the Standards Board of England in what seems to have been a blatant attempt to divert me from what was to become disclosed as the ‘£1 million black hole’.
Several times I suggested to the last Town Council that we should look at the way the council works, perhaps to make us more efficient, possibly more accountable to our public, and certainly to achieve more tangible results. Every time I tried I was vetoed, and often shouted down in place of a reasoned debate.
I have always believed that if anybody asks me about Town Council I should answer as honestly as I can, and in as much detail as the questioner requires. I also believe that ‘honest debate’ about the future of the town in which we live, should engage the people of that town, and when asked I tell people quite frankly what the council is doing (or not). This is neither bringing Chatteris, nor the Office of Town Council into disrepute. If I some times I find it hard to report the Council in entirely glowing terms, well that’s just how I find it. There isn’t anything wrong in simply telling the truth !
To suggest that this reflects adversely on the people I represent is balderdash. I stand up and fight for them.
I find it intriguing that the fact I do fight for the residents appears to have generated most of the criticism about me on this blog !
I hope that Walter keeps up the good work of informing people and trying to encourage intelligent debate.
Chris Howes.
Gosh, "Chris" (if that is your name), have you thought of standing for council? Your comment was obviously a heart-felt response to the whirlwind that is this blog! I wish others (which currently means you, anonymous) would actually be as honest, and lay there cards on the table. Is this all about keeping the status quo? Or will the Town Council actually meet any objectives that matter to the voters?
You have been busy attempting to defend your weak corner, only there is just the 2 of you.....am I suprised...not at all....
'Instead you are stooping to the low and disagreeable level of real politics – I mean "National politics" – and attacking the person, not the policy'.
Excellent I have stooped as low as this author has now, mission achieved!
'counter every claim and rebuke with a sound and honest answer'
It is utter rubbish, why would I waste my time. This author thinks his views are the only ones that count.
'but why are you feeling such a verbal and heart-felt need to defend the council buy personally attacking the blogger, his family, and his friends'
Don't give it out if you aren't prepared to take it!
What was it that rob quoted before 'talk about kettles and black'
'5 members of the Council promptly reported me to the Standards Board of England'
This author is continually reporting every man and his dog, does it not tell him something when 5 people report him, 5 people report 1 individual???
This is neither bringing Chatteris, nor the Office of Town Council into disrepute.
Just read through what is already written on this blog, I think you could also describe it as slanderous. You have nearly covered every councillor and I can't see that you have had a good word to say about any of them. You are missing something terribly important here, the majority are very good at what they do and have earned respect.
Give it up, remove it...it is getting you nowhere and is certainly not working in your favour, I just can't believe that you are blinkered enough not to see it for yourself!
Oh and I have to say, from the few other anonymous comments on here, if I knew who you were I would personally congratulate you for your comments, I totally agree with each and every one of them, keep it up!
Dear Anonymous
I think we’re all getting a bit board with you.
If you can’t make a single rational argument, I’ll have to dump your drivel from off the site.
Go on - if you have any knowledge of the important matters that I endeavour to address seriously - make just one single intelligent and argued point. For example “I believe that the council shouldn’t have a web site because .........”
This is your last chance to add something worthwhile to the debate.
Walter Burnett
Dear anonymous,
there are more people who read this blog than choose to post comments.
keep up the good work, Walter - we do appreciate it
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