LATE UPDATE: European Speed Awareness Week. Doing our bit with the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership & TISPOL, the European traffic police network

The majority of motorists behave responsibly. SPEEDWATCH is aimed at the minority who do not. Reports of speeding vehicles are combined, on a national basis, with other SPEEDWATCH groups as well as police speed traps and automatic cameras. Everybody gets a warning letter and persistent offenders may be visited by the police or may have to attend driver awareness training. Our aim is to change driver behaviour, not to catch people. We put out warning signs, wear high visibility jackets and even advertise our presence, in advance, on Twitter ( @beaconstreetara ). SPEEDWATCH through the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership plays it part in making us realise that Speed Kills!

Staffordshire Safer Roads Logo ©, reproduced with kind permission of Staffordshire Police

Futher information available here.

Local communities can step in and protect local amenities under a new right, variously described as “the community right to bid” and “stop the clock”. It allows communities to take over assets such as empty shops, community halls, etc and run them. This may become more important as Local Council’s finances become more stretched and they are tempted to cut back on services or to sell off assets.

Community groups can nominate a building or land whose use furthers the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community. This is a right to nominate an asset, but there is no obligation on BSARA to either “stop the clock” or to bid for the asset, neither is there any obligation to run the asset. In most instances one would hope that the community would see the benefit of selling the asset and would not wish to intervene.

BSARA has applied to Lichfield District Council to register two sites: -

• Beacon Park
• Bird Street (Woollies’) Car Park

The BSARA Committee believes that the local community should be fully involved in any decision making that may affect the future of these two iconic sites that are so important to Lichfield’s Heritage and tourism future.

Bird Street (Woollies') Car Park	Beacon Park
View Bird Street (Woollies) Car Park in a larger map	View Beacon Park, Lichfield in a larger map

In an article posted to Lichfield Live on 29/Mar/2013, City Councillor Ian Jackson called for a "radical rethink" of Lichfield Friarsgate development, which BSARA supports. BSARA does not support Councillor Ian Jackson's suggestion to develop Bird Street (Woollies') car park.

The attachment below includes additional details.

We have to report that Peter Rear passed away on 12^th February after a long illness; our condolences go out to his wife Sue and their family.

Peter was one of the original members of BSARA and was a stalwart Chairman for many years working conscientiously serving the community in the Beacon Street Area.

His funeral is being held on Thursday 28^th February 2013 at Sutton Crematorium.

Lichfield District Councillors Scrutinise the upgrading of Beacon Park — feedback to our members

BSARA is pleased to report that on 12/Dec/2012 a Scrutiny Committee of Lichfield District Councillors met and examined the project to upgrade Lichfield's Historic Parks, including Beacon Park. The reason for the meeting is explained here. Councillors spent over 3 hours considering the post project evaluation report, presented by Chief Executive Nina Dawes, asking questions and listening to the views of the community groups (BSARA, Lichfield Civic Society and the Park Friends). The post project evaluation was honest and self critical and the Councillors did not pull their punches. The Chief Executive's post project evaluation report is available here and what BSARA said is available here.

Councillors emphasised the importance of learning lessons in the following areas:

• Communication must improve. The District Council should do much more to ensure that the public are properly informed, regarding what is being proposed and how it will affect them;
• Projects need to be better managed and the Project Steering Committee must be much more effective. This would ensure that construction work runs more smoothly and minimises the disruption to the public;
• Councillors said they would like to be more involved after site work starts and think that the information they receive should be improved.

BSARA believes that Councillors have highlighted the most important areas and we think addressing these matters will help prevent similar mistakes occurring on the next project. We understand that Lichfield District Council is in the very early stages of planning a similar upgrade of Stowe Pool and its surroundings. The District Council and the Park Friends intend approaching the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a grant under the 'Parks for People' programme. We hope this bid succeeds. It will be an ideal opportunity to show that lessons have been learnt and that the community have a real voice during all phases of such a project.

The Historic Parks Upgrade project has provoked heated discussion at our last two AGM's. BSARA members will have an opportunity to express their views at our forthcoming AGM, to be held on the 17/Jan/2013. We will be inviting local councillors, members of the Cabinet, and Local Goverment Officials and we hope this will be an opportunity to bring this matter to a close.

The A.G.M. will be held on Thursday 17th January 2012, 7:30 p.m., in the Cathedral Lodge Hotel, Beacon street.

LATE UPDATE: This is a public meeting all are welcome to attend and have your say.......

The Agenda will include

• A review of the Lessons learned on the Heritage Parks Project.
• An update on the never ending Local Plan Saga - 8000 plus homes without infrastructure to match.
• Local Issues raised by residents of the Beacon Street Area.

Thanks to the Cathedral Lodge for their kind co-operation.

Address: – see google map here – 62 Beacon Street, Lichfield, WS13 7AR

Telephone: – 01543 414 500

LATE UPDATE: What BSARA intends to say at the Overview & Scrutiny Committee

BSARA is pleased to announce that Lichfield District Councillors will be investigating the project to upgrade of Lichfield's Historic Parks, including Beacon Park. This meeting is open to the public. Details are as follows:

WEDNESDAY 12th DECEMBER 2012 at 6.00 p.m. in the COMMITTEE ROOM, District Council House.

Residents are hoping that the meeting will provide a proper explanation about why the parks were such a mess for so long, why the work dragged on for as long as it did and what has been done to prevent similar problems on future projects.  

Community groups including BSARA, The Lichfeld Civic Society and the Historic Parks Friends have been pressing for this investigation. Lichfield District Council Chief Executive, Nina Dawes, has published a report which is available on the Council's website. The community groups will be attending the meeting and will be presenting the views of the public.

Nina Dawes has already acknowledged that mistakes were made and lessons need to be learnt – refer to summary below. Once the scrutiny committee meeting has taken place, we will put a copy of the BSARA presentation and a summary of the meeting on this website.

“Lessons learnt” inquiry into Lottery Funded Heritage Parks upgrade – meetings with District Council CEO

Lichfield District Council Chief Executive Nina Dawes met with community representatives to consider any lessons to be learnt from the upgrade of our Parks. The meetings took place on 20/Dec/2011 and 26/Mar/2012 and involved the Park Friends (Ken Webb) the Lichfield Civic Society (John Thompson) and BSARA (Bob Smith & Andre Hefer).

Nina Dawes explained that negotiating a final settlement with the lead contractor (Casey) was proving to be a difficult and time consuming process. Despite this, Lichfield District Council wanted to capture the knowledge gained and move forward to address the new challenges, such as the Friary Outer development.

Nina Dawes thanked all those who had contributed, both within Lichfield District Council and from the community. Lichfield District Council has a genuine wish to address all significant points raised. She acknowledged that there are lessons to be learnt and that mistakes had been made. Looking forward the District Council could use the experience gained to ensure that future projects ran more smoothly.

Once final settlement with the lead contractor has been achieved¹, a report would be submitted to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee. The District Council has already started applying some of the lessons leant, so operational changes have not been held up by the delayed publication of the report.

The Outer Friary project has benefited in a number of ways from changes that have been introduced:

1. Clearer internal accountability and a more structured approach in decision making;
2. A commitment to consult more widely regarding sensitive areas e.g. within the conservation zone;
3. A commitment that the District Council will keep the public better informed;
4. Within Lichfield District Council there would be a stronger emphasis on delivering results.

1 – 2012 Audited Report and Accounts, Note 6, Events After The Balance Sheet Date – "During the latter part of 2011/12 the Council was in negotiation with the Casey Group Ltd in relation to the level of the Final Account for works undertaken in the Heritage Parks. ….…… However, on 25th May 2012 the Council reached agreement with the Casey Group Ltd over the level of the Final Account ….……"

The latest newsletter is available for download here  Articles include:

• A Great Historic Spectacle – The Sheriff's Ride
• Let's Support Pipe Green Trust
• Local Development Plan
• The Chairman's Message including the dates for the Parks "Lessons Learned" meeting and BSARA AGM
• The Friends of Lichfield Historic Parks
• Lichfield Burglary Alert
• Beacon Traffic / Speedwatch

The newsletter also includes a flyer promoting Beacon Park.

The latest newsletter is available for download here. Articles include:

• Beacon park is back to its former glory
• Making Beacon street a safer place – community speed watch
• Managing the fabric of our streets – FixMyStreet.com
• The construction of Friary Outer has started
• Use of signs and banners for advertising (in the conservation zone)
• Morrison’s Stores licensing application.

The newsletter also includes a flyer promoting Beacon Park.

The newsletter is available for download here. Articles include:

• City Centre Retailers in Fight for Survival!
• Council reviewing plans for 8,000 new homes.
• Who will pay for infrastructure improvements?
• Poor Project Management derails Parks Upgrade.
• Many new things to do in Beacon Park.
• Parking Changes & Double Yellow lines in Beacon Street.
• Crime Alert.

The newsletter also includes a flyer promoting Beacon Park.

The A.G.M. will be held on Wednesday 19th October, 7:30 p.m., in the Cathedral Lodge Hotel, Beacon street.

Thanks to the Cathedral Lodge for their kind co-operation.

Address: – see google map here – 62 Beacon Street, Lichfield, WS13 7AR

Telephone: – 01543 414 500