Controversial plans to replace Hermitage bus shelter
HERMITAGE Parish Council has voted to approve the replacement of a village bus shelter – despite complaints from some residents that the money would be better spent elsewhere.
A £5,000 grant was recently made to the parish council by West Berkshire Council.
At a meeting on March 18, the council voted to allocate this money to replace a bus shelter along the B4009, opposite Hermitage Primary School.
Councillors were split on the proposals, with the chair intervening to cast the deciding vote.
But there has been a strong reaction to this decision in the village.
The scheme will cost around £7,500 and many local people have argued that the funds could be spent on alternative services, or even returned to West Berkshire Council entirely.
They claim that there is little demand for the facility, which has already been demolished.
Jane Smart lives directly behind where the shelter once stood. She had a series of unpleasant experiences, and has raised the issue the parish council.
She said: “It’s very under-used for the purpose intended.
“There are groups of both males and females, meet there on almost a daily occurrence to smoke drugs. The bus shelter was used as a public toilet.
“That anti-social behaviour will start from early evening and go
through until 4am in the morning.
“They’ll just come back, go away, come back, go away, come back.”
Resident Ian Govier added: “The bus shelter’s turned into a sort of a drug den, toilets, what have you.
“The general feeling in the village – because I put it out on the Facebook page – was actually ‘a waste of money’, ‘shouldn’t be spending this money, particularly at this moment in time’, ‘should give it back to the council, or at least ask for it to be reallocated’.
“The parish council have totally ignored the feeling.
“All the comments that came in, all the letters of complaint, they only said that we’ve got one person in favour of it … no. The whole thing was totally skewed.”
Hermitage Parish Council chairwoman Ruth Cottingham said: “The council made what it considers to be an inclusive decision.
“It’s true that antisocial behaviour is an issue in Hermitage, not just around the old bus shelter but at the village hall and in children’s play parks.
“The council is reaching out to Berkshire Youth to see if a solution can be found.
“Again the council does not think a minority should be allowed to spoil an amenity meant for all local residents.
“Additionally the majority of the cost of a new replacement shelter will be met by a grant from West Berkshire Council.”