COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEETING 9TH JANUARY

A local site http://www.thenorthernherald.blogspot.com/ has highlighted a forthcoming council sub committee meeting. The Common Land, Town and Village Greens Committee will meet on 9th January 2007 (4 p.m. Council Chambers) to discuss a request by Mr Ahmed Khan to grant common land status to large areas of land on the sea front. Whilst not a member of the Save Our Seafront Committee, Mr Khan shares the Associations concern for the future of the area. His request to the council committee will have an effect on the Tavistock development, and if granted, will protect the area from any further developments.

The public are allowed to attend the meeting, but at this stage cannot make verbal contributions. However, a good turn out will show that we are not going to give up on this issue. I would therefore urge you all to attend.

Have a good New Year!

http://thenorthernherald.blogspot.com/2007/12/we-arethe-village-green-preservation.html

LEAFLETING EXERCISE WESTOE CROWN VILLAGE

Earlier this month I posted on the new campaign that will begin in the New Year. In the first couple of weeks of January 2008 we are leafleting the Westoe Crown Village and surrounding areas to increase the awareness of the problems the Tavistock development will cause. If anybody wants to help with this exercise or become involved with the campaign, send an email to GypsiesGreen@Yahoo.Co.Uk and I will send you all the camapign details etc.

DISTRICT AUDITOR UPDATE

Whilst planning the New Years campaign, I came across the original template of a letter which was sent to the District Auditor re the plans for the Gypsies Green Stadium and surrounding areas. I have posted the text so that you are all aware that there are many ways to tackle this issue, and that no stone will be left unturned in the fight to Save Our Seafront.



NAME AND ADDRESS (Removed for obvious reasons)



Paul Woolston.
PricewaterhouseCoopers
89 Sandyford Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 8HW


Dear Mr Woolston

RE: SOUTH TYNESIDE COUNCIL BEST CONSIDERATION ON DISPOSAL OF LAND AT GYPSIES GREEN SPORTS STADIUM, GYPSIES GREEN SPORTS GROUND, SEA ROAD, SOUTH SHIELDS, TYNE AND WEAR.

I am writing to you in your capacity as District Auditor for South Tyneside Council.

It is my understanding that South Tyneside Council is to dispose of a parcel of land to enable development to take place on that land. The land in question is known as Gypsies Green Sports Stadium, located at Gypsies Green Sports Ground, Sea Road, South Shields.

It is my belief that the Council has in its deliberation on disposal of this land failed to give full and appropriate consideration to obtaining the best available consideration for the land both in terms of usage and disposal.

It is my view that to obtain best consideration in the disposal of the land the Council must and should have taken into account the value of the land for amenity usage as well as merely its disposal value. The land in question is at present used for sporting, leisure and recreational activity which includes public usage of the land thereby giving the land a high recreational and amenity value. The land also includes a number of facilities, namely a sports stadium, running track, football pitches, changing rooms and car parking.

I would therefore request that you investigate this matter under your various powers to ensure that the South Tyneside Council is in fact obtaining best usage and best consideration for the land in question.

Yours sincerely



SIGNATURE (removed for obvious reasons)

END OF YEAR REVIEW

A meeting of the Save Our Seafront committee was held last night to discuss the progress of the fight to preserve the Borough’s coastline. The public petition exercises were analyzed and found to be a resounding success, with thousands of people signing the petition to oppose the plans to allow Tavistock to build a hotel on the site of the Stadium.

Whilst we will continue to consult the public (something the Council refuse to do) 2008 will see a new and novel programme of opposition to the development. If the Council thought the fight would die a death, they are very, very wrong. Campaigners, thanks to public backing, are now more motivated than ever.

This may be the last post this year, so on behalf of all those involved, thank you for your unanimous support. Keep writing those letters to the Shields Gazette and remember to let your own ward councillors know that you are against the campaign and that you want them to reflect your views.

Don’t forget to visit the site regularly, as campaign programmes will be highlighted here first.

Have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Recharge your batteries for 2008, because that’s when the fight really begins!

Protestors at Jarrow

Many thanks to the number of people who signed our petition, over 500 stopped and signed.It made standing in the cold for two hours worthwhile. In the New Year we hope to be in Hebburn town centre.

I will take this opportunity to wish every one a Merry Christmas and a Happy, prosperous and successful Year for 2008.