Chelmsford Borough Councillors Lt Waltham Questionnaire and Response

A questionnaire relating to the Essex County Council proposals for upgrading the A130/A131 Boreham Interchange to Gt Leighs was circulated in the village of Lt. Waltham week beginning January 8th 2007 by the Chelmsford Borough Councillors who represent the Parishes of Lt Waltham and Broomfield.

We reproduce here, without comment, said questionnaire and the formal response of the Lt Waltham Parish Council by permission.


Reproduction of Questionnaire Delivered in Lt Waltham in the week beginning January 8th 2007
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Dear Resident in Brook Hill and Adjoining Roads.

PROPOSED NORTH EAST BY-PASS AND LITTLE WALTHAM
RESIDENTS.

At the time when a car auction site was proposed in the Cranham Road, localresidents and Little Waltham Parish Council strongly voiced their opposition tothe proposal with particular concern for the traffic which would be generated tothe detriment of village life.

Your Borough Councillors were therefore surprised to learn that at a recentconsultation involving the North East by-pass Little Waltham Parish Councilrecorded the following opinions that they:

1) Favoured development at Great Holts, Boreham Airfield which being a "new settlement" will require an eventual development of 20-25,000houses to be viable.

2) Preferred Route D (from which the above developer provides a link road to Essex Regiment Way) which can only increase the volume of traffic inBrook Hill and other roads in Little Waltham.

3) Opposed the cross-valley route from Pratt’s Farm, Little Waltham to Hospital Approach, Broomfield. This cross- valley route would provide relief from increased through traffic in such roads as Brook Hill and save valuable minutes for ambulances when transporting critically ill patients from the eastern side of Chelmsford, Boreham etc.

As one resident observed "surely no responsible resident would deny those
critically ill people the benefit of those life saving minutes."

Your Borough Councillors now seek YOUR opinion and ask that you kindly complete the attached questionnaire which will be collected from your letter boxbetween 10.0 am and 12 noon on Tuesday, 9th January.

Yours sincerely

Delmas Ashford Alan Willsher
01245 440406 01245 360481
d.ashford@gov.uk a.willsher@gov.uk

Please tick one or more of the following;-

1) There should be no development at Great Holts, Boreham Airfield.

2) The cross-valley route should be constructed to reduce through traffic in Little Waltham and used to speed emergency services to BroomfieldHospital.

3) I agree with the "new settlement" at Great Holts which will bring increased traffic through Little Waltham.

4) Any other comments you may wish to make.

THIS QUESTIONNAIRE WILL BE COLLECTED ON TUESDAY, 9™JANUARY, BETWEEN 10.0am AND 12 NOON.

PLEASE LEAVE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE PROTRUDING FROM YOURLETTER-BOX WITH THE BLUE CROSS SHOWING.


Name...
Address.

X

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STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF LITTLE WALTHAM PARISH COUNCIL


On Monday, 8 January, two of our Borough Councillors, Delmas Ashford and Alan Willsher, delivered a circular and questionnaire to selected properties in Little Waltham. Within hours I had received several complaints about these documents. The subject was also raised in the Public Forum prior to the Little Waltham Parish Council meeting on 9 January. As it was not on the Agenda it could not be dealt with at the meeting but it will be discussed with the two Borough Councillors in public on Tuesday, 6 March at 7pm, prior to the Parish Council meeting.

In the meantime I feel it necessary on behalf of Little Waltham Parish Council to put the record straight about certain statements which Borough Councillors Ashford & Willsher circulated concerning the decisions of the Parish Council. These decisions are published on the Parish Council website and local Borough Councillors are sent copies.

· Councillors Ashford & Willsher claim that the Parish Council opposed the proposed Car Auction site in Cranham Road “with particular concern for the traffic which would be generated to the detriment of village life”. This is not true. The Parish Council made no reference to traffic in the village, but did highlight the traffic problems which would be created in Cranham Road.

· Councillors Ashford & Willsher claim that the Parish Council favours a major housing development at Great Holts, Boreham Airfield. This is not true. The Parish Council has criticised the Borough Council for failing to consult the public about a major housing development at Great Holts. The Parish Council has not gone as far as to express a preference for such a development.

· Councillors Ashford & Willsher claim that the Parish Council’s preference for Route D (the cross country route) for the North-East Bypass “can only increase the volume of traffic in Brook Hill and other roads in Little Waltham”. We know that Route D is not favoured by the Borough Council. However, it is very much open to debate which of the Routes, if any, might generate more traffic through Little Waltham.

· Councillors Ashford & Willsher claim that the Parish Council’s opposition to the proposed cross-valley link would prevent the saving of “valuable minutes for ambulances when transporting critically ill patients”. The Parish Council has consistently opposed the building of a very expensive new road and bridge across the historic and beautiful Chelmer Valley. As far as ambulances are concerned, we understand that Broomfield Hospital has not requested a cross-valley link.

Councillors Ashford & Willsher also circulated a questionnaire, which contains leading questions, such as “I agree with the new settlement at Great Holts which will bring increased traffic through Little Waltham”. The results of such a loaded questionnaire will not be useful. For example the Borough Council’s preference for a major new housing development wide of Springfield, and for industrial or commercial development off Essex Regiment Way might also lead to increased traffic through Little Waltham.

Little Waltham Parish Council will wish to consider how far the wording of these statements and the subsequent questionnaire might have misled the public.

Miles Howarth
Chairman. Little Waltham Parish Council.