Cheadle Area Committee Meeting Slams Community Strategy Draft.
| Published: 31st July 2008 14:39 |
"We are not a mini - London - this is national politics creeping into Stockport" - was the reaction of Cllr Peter Burns as the Cheadle Area Committee ‘slammed' some parts of the Stockport Community Draft Strategy document in particularly the non inclusion of the MAELR routes; the provision of a £23 million Health Hub in Stockport Centre; the intended creeping development into our Green Belt and the ambiguous description of ‘deprivation' which would negatively affect poorer parts of the more affluent Cheadle wards.
Cheadle Area Committee - l to r, Cllrs: Mick Jones, June Somekh, John Pantall, Paul Porgess, Brian Millard, Peter Burns; Democratic services - Craig Ainsworth and Leah Shallaker; Emma Curle - planning and Cllr Sheila Humphreys; Absent - Cllrs Pam King and Derek Whitehead
Comment on Draft Sustainable Community Strategy document
Cheadle Area Committee (and all other area committees) had been asked at the last meeting (Tuesday July 29th) to comment on the draft Sustainable Community Strategy which is important to Stockport as it is the overarching plan for promoting and improving the well being of the area. The existing strategy was published in 2003 but since then have been numerous developments in the nation al context and the latest guidance states that ‘The purpose of a sustainable community strategy is to set the overall strategic direction and long-term vision for the economic, social and environmental well being of a local area - typically 10 - 20 years.... Sustainability should be at the heart of decisions taken on the content of the strategy'.
"We are not a "Mini - London", this is national politics creeping into Stockport!"
All the Area Committees have been asked to comment on the draft Community Strategy and in particular to comment on the outcomes in the strategy. To this end, Cheadle Area Committee ‘slammed' some of the outcomes, Councillor Peter Burns said "We are not a "Mini - London", this is national politics creeping into Stockport!" and drafted the following Resolutions to be place on record in their answer to Head of Governance & partnerships as follows.
Firstly in answer to the Community Strategy page 16 of the draft which reads as-
Relieving congestion - no mention of MAELR routes
"Relieving congestion on the roads is one of the highest priorities for Stockport residents. SEMMMS is the South East Manchester Multi Modal Strategy, a 20 year transport strategy aimed at tackling a wide variety of transport issues around the borough, including congestion. By investing in all modes of transport in a sustainable way, including rail, bus, road, cycle, pedestrian and Metrolink provision, we are providing a higher quality transportation system for Stockport, improving the lives of people living and working here. Stockport Council, working with neighbouring local authorities and other organisations such as Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority and Executive, has begun a major programme of work, bringing with it wide ranging local improvements. These include improving public transport, the New Relief Road scheme, improving accessibility to the Town, District and Local Centres, improved highway maintenance, improving road safety, travel change programmes e.g. school and business travel plans and encouraging the use of more sustainable forms of transport."
.... "The Outcome of this bold vision means that we expect to be: Connected - therefore there will be less congestion and fewer cars on main roads and per household because of increased use of alternative modes of transport, e.g. bicycles or public transport."
Cheadle Area Committee's - Resolution 1 - ‘This is all very woolly and all IF's and Buts - the MAELR (Manchester Airport Eastern Link Route from Woodford) Routes need to be mentioned in this'.
£23 million modern health hub that will be a model for community.
Secondly in answer to page 13 quote:
"Delivery of primary health care services will be transformed in the future with the Development of a £23 million modern health hub that will be a model for community.... Stockport is among the first to benefit from a new style of care that will address health and lifestyle issues in an appropriate, modern setting and provide care close to home offering a responsive, personalised and convenient service with a strong emphasis on quality and safety. The new community hub, due to open in 2011, will offer service to the entire population of Stockport and will be the closest and most accessible treatment centre for around 45% of the population. The hub will include:
- A primary care centre
- A health and well-being centre
- A fast track diagnostic treatment centre
- A state of the art, automated pharmacy which will be proactive in health and promotion
- An education and innovation centre.
- Local people will also benefit from a seamless approach to service provision through
- integration of health and social care services at a local level."
At the request of Cllr June Somekh, Cheadle Area's Resolution against the Health Hub above:
a. Enhance and Improve the quality and maintenance of GP practises
b. Any central facility that takes away GP practises is highly undesirable but centralising some of Stepping Hill's functions into the middle of Stockport may be good.
More high density development including in limited areas of green belt
Thirdly in answer to Quote from page 15:
"Creating and maintaining a high quality environment and green space for current and future generations" and ... "This means that we will have more high density development including in limited areas of green belt, although still maintaining the greenness that makes our borough special. "
Resolution against the green belt developmentfrom Councillors Millard and Cllr Burns suggested :
"that this section should be totally deleted - as if they start chopping the green belt it never ever stops - the excuses and reasons for chopping a little here and a little there will be endless! You either have a green belt and stick to it or you don't!
Cllr Porgess added that there is an increasing need now of High quality well designed homes in safe environments.
The word deprivation has to be more specific and defined in the Neighbourhood Renewal Framework
Fourthly in answer to Quote Section 5.14 on page 20:
"The Neighbourhood Renewal Framework is crucial in delivering regeneration and tackling inequalities at a local level. This has a specific area focus and allows targeted action in those areas that experience significant levels of deprivation."
Again Cllr Burns pointed out - that the word deprivation has to be more specific and defined - there are wards which are affluent but with pockets of intensely high deprivation in Stockport, - this ambiguous wording would penalise those pockets as overall they fall within ‘affluent wards' and so risk being excluded
To read a full copy of the draft strategy in details please go to http://193.112.136.165/pdf/Community%20Strategy%20DRAFT%20FOR%20CONSULTATION.pdf
Next Cheadle Area Meeting will be on 2nd September 20th
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