Parklife

Press release:

Parklife ‘Save Priory Park!’ campaign

Friday 13th March 2009

Contact Parklife directly on 07739 189165

Or e-mail priory_parklife@yahoo.co.uk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
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Southend Council continues to withhold Priory Crescent plans from Parklife.

Campaigners allege cover up and call for scheme to be scrapped amid escalating climate catastrophe.

Controversial latest plans for changes to Cuckoo Corner and the widening of Priory Crescent have been withheld from local campaign group Parklife, under a recent – and much delayed – Freedom of Information response from Southend Borough Council (SBC).

The Parklife group – formed in June 2001 to prevent the road widening – requested the latest details and drawings in January, after establishing that funding could be made available as soon as April 2009 in order for work to commence on the first stretch of road. (1)

Campaigner Shaun Qureshi said, ‘This is a cover up with crucial information first being delayed and then subsequently withheld. Council officers would not return e-mails or telephone calls regarding the information request, nor meet face to face to explain the latest situation. Meanwhile the scheme moves inexorably forward behind the scenes.’ (2)

It is believed that the public is being intentionally kept in the dark until £5m in regional funding is secured from the East of England Regional Assembly. Meanwhile, Parklife are now held up in the complaints process, and believe that they are unlikely to obtain any relevant or timely information based upon this scenario. (3)

Mr Qureshi issued a direct challenge to the councillor responsible for transport and planning, stating, ‘Cllr Anna Waite can resolve the situation here and now by publicly announcing that the road widening is no more. Road building should have no place as part of a sane and connected planning response to the unfolding climate catastrophe that we are beginning to witness.’

The world’s leading climate scientists, meeting for an emergency climate summit in Copenhagen this week, have called for politicians to act now to avoid catastrophe. (4)

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ENDS.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

(1) Initial request was made under Freedom of Information and Environmental Information Regulations on Thursday 22nd January.
Response was made by SBC on Wednesday 4th March stating with regard to statutory undertakers drawings that, ‘The information is provided solely to the Council and cannot be reproduced and made public.’ Little else was provided, apart from some costings and a copy of a report to the East of England Regional Transport Forum, made on Tuesday 10th February:
http://www.eera.gov.uk/GetAsset.aspx?id=fAAyADQAOAAyAHwAfABGAGEAbABzAGUAfAB8ADAAfAA1

(2) SBC would not formally acknowledge receipt of the original information request via e-mail, would not return telephone calls made to the team leader of the highways department, and an Engineer from the team would not meet face to face when requested at the Civic Centre on the day (18th March) before the original deadline.

(3) Complaints have been lodged by Parklife both with the Southend Borough Council Complaints Officer, and the Information Commissioner.

(4) For more news on the Copenhagen emergency climate summit see:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/environment/4982149/Worlds-leading-scientists-in-desperate-plea-to-politicians-to-act-on-climate-change.html