Parklife

Priory Crescent costs being withheld – campaigners say.
   
Local residents campaign group Parklife still await a response from Southend Borough Council (SBC) in relation to recently asked questions regarding provision of funding for the controversial Priory Crescent road widening scheme (1).
   
The group claim that up to £3.5m of local taxpayers money will be required towards the project. This figure includes the possible 25%/£2m towards construction of the road, but not the additional £1.875m that it is now known has been spent to date by SBC on planning and development alone (2).
   
Campaigner Shaun Qureshi said, ‘It was recently reported in local press that Tory Council leader Nigel Holdcroft would not comment on the cost of the road, saying that nothing has yet been decided. Considering that SBC made their case to regional Government late last year, the cost breakdown should be fully understood, especially in light of the potential impact on local taxpayers.’ (3)
   
Qureshi continued, ‘It would now appear that we have a situation where the leader of the Council will not inform the public of the outstanding costs, whilst Executive Councillor for Transportation Anna Waite is unaware of the huge sum that has already been wasted on her flagship project. People deserve much better than this, and from our understanding many are incensed and want the road widening scrapped once and for all.’
   
Three Freedom of Information requests regarding costs have been submitted to SBC by both Parklife and the Priory Park Preservation Society (PPPS) to date, and as of yet both campaign groups still await a response from the local authority (4).
   

(3) Presentation made by SBC to Regional Transport Forum of East of England Regional Assembly on 30th November 2007.

(4) Outstanding Freedom of Information requests made to SBC:
  Parklife (via Department for Transport) 18/10/07
  Priory Park Preservation Society 12/03/08
  Parklife 02/04/08