Member with Special Responsibility for the Town Hard Report from Councillor Alan Goggin: • 14.07.2011. The Council held a meeting with interested parties in the Chamber. A big thank you for the other councillors who attended and were able to provide valuable contributions. I think there were 7 in total. There were 22 non-councillors and I felt the initiative to have such a meeting was well received. So much so that a “follow up” meeting is scheduled for September.
• Among the 22 items asked to be discussed were the following where specific actions may be possible
• Extra rubbish bins around the hard. We need to check who is responsible for installing and then emptying. Any help here would be gratefully appreciated? I am aware that we have installed new bins at the church, around the western prom and possibly elsewhere. Is it a BTC, TDC or Essex issue?
• It was felt that additional signs were needed to warn cars being parked about the danger of exceptional high tides. I have revisited the site and there are at least 3 or 4 posts which could accommodate signs. Not sure if we as BTC just “put them up”. We will investigate. A good recommendation was a picture of a flooded car with a warning. I am looking at the cost.
• Signs pointing & directing to the Oyster Tank Road car park were felt to be needed. Again plenty of posts to use. I will discuss with TDC. The Oyster tank car park was felt to be underused and yet it was only a few minutes walk away from the hard.
• Although not exclusively a Hard issue mention was made of the growing danger of the wood pile at the wharf. We need to speak to TDC or Colchester environmental officers.
• Again not exclusively a Hard issue but mention was made of the success of the recent regatta and a “steering committee” was suggested to look at the possibility of reviving the old fashioned Regatta. This could be a great issue for the town and would involve all sorts of working together from the western Prom, the pool, Tourism, youth – in fact nearly everybody. Cllr Jayne Chapman has agreed to head up a committee to look at the issues. She will use her many years experience with the Carnival Committee. Please speak to her directly if you wish to be “extra “involved.
• An open air art exhibition was brought forward as an idea. It would require a limited period of “pedestrianisation” - perhaps once per month! An idea only at this stage.
• There was a general consensus that some plans should be brought forward to look at the possibility of extending the walkways in front of the yacht club to include some sort of “town square”. The initial research has already been carried out by the Town Clerk, myself and our solicitors to confirm that the Town Council own the area in question. It was felt that this could be part of the 4 year plan!
• Other more general issues included parking, dog mess, empty shop units, and the rowing club wanting a building.
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