Corner chaos could all have been avoided

Glorious Gloucestershire Mike Broome took this picture at Ford, near Stow-on-the-wold

✒ CHAOS is something we often have to endure, but not necessarily embrace the reason that caused it.

Chaos was evident on at the Cheltenham Borough Council extraordinary meeting to review the trial closure of Boots Corner when a demonstration of frustration from the public spilled over.

Chaos that could easily have been avoided. Chaos of the council’s own making. Chaos created by a major lack of transparency.

The council should be applauded for caring about reducing nitric oxide levels in the town, but to quote resultant increased passenger bus journeys when most of these are made on dieselfuelled vehicles is a nonsense.

It is great to care about air quality in the town centre, but not at the cost of transferring large amounts of pollutant materials into adjacent, predominately residential areas.

It is unhelpful to quote increased footfall figures that have been recorded at the time of the Music and Literature Festivals when visitor numbers are up.

The retail success and increased jobs quoted were broadly based on the arrival of John Lewis & Partners which was known about prior to any road closure at Boots Corner.

A chaos created perhaps by measured intentions rather than avoided through engagement.

Councillor Mckinlay responded to written questions from the public by stating there had been no intent to propose the trial closure on the grounds of major town centre developments.

He stated: “There are no development proposals for the Municipal Offices beyond a development brief for the area, which was approved by the council in 2013”.

The statement infers any development is on the back burner and does not include Royal Well.

At the same time Mr Mckinlay stated that the owners of the John Lewis site, “made it clear that delivering the Cheltenham Transport Plan, especially the Albion Street phase was a key determinant in their store acquisition negotiations”.

With specific regard to Boots Corner, nothing is seen as a determinant or had been discussed by Council since 2013, according to Mr Mckinlay.

Yet a condition – the closure of Boots Corner, minuted at a council meeting in April 2015 – outlined that failure to do so may render any development proposals for the Municipal Building and Royal Well to be marginal, therefore determining that if there is no closure there is no appetite for development.

Around 6,000 residents signed a petition to have Boots Corner reopened, which was ignored as the council voted against having a public debate.

Chaos often ensues when a mantra of contempt assumes there is nowt so stupid as folk, all of which could well have been avoided had the council engaged with its electorate and shared

it broader plans to which the public may have been more supportive.

So no longer is this Botch Corner, it is Pooh Corner presided over by, presumably, pinstripe pyjama-wearing bears who will not share any of their honey spoils.