18th February 2010

At the Cranbrook & Sissinghurst Parish Council Meeting in Sissinghurst, Howard Cox made a statement of where the Community Centre Project is currently placed. Here is his full statement:

"In a “press release” from the TWB received today regarding SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY STRATEGY it is good to see their second point emphasising what this strategy means to residents: “Communities are to be more involved in decision making and volunteering”  Food for thought.

I have written to Bill Benson, and Peter North has met with him to discuss how the TWBC civil servants can help our cause.  Benson was very cooperative with Peter and suggested we get a bid for any relevant grants into place very soon as they may be disappearing later in the year. Benson has contacted me since to have meeting in the next month to discuss a positive way forward and to meet the new planning officer too.

However, we still have those 2 major hurdles, first to address. Namely, where to locate the centre and what the centre should be. As you know, I was one architect in the WCG group behind developing a self financing centre to reduce the burden on the local tax payer. I and the CWC group still remain committed to this aim, but appreciate that utopia will not appear overnight and a compromise may be the expedient way forward.  It is clear from Coral’s (Parish Clerk) research and what massive local opinion has time and time again said;

We need a LARGE and modular hall, meetings rooms and office space for organisations and tenants all under a sophisticated operational mechanism. It has to be 21st century in its design and functionality and also fit for “all ages” purpose. The CWC is keen to adopt Social Enterprise as the core to the centre and will build synergy partnerships for the benefit of the 12000 potential users. The final location will dictate how forward thinking we can be. Planning approval will of course be the big obstacle to overcome.

The issue that has also delayed progress has not just been TWBC Cabinet’s opposition to the original plan and the Council Offices Site debacle. There has unfortunately been no cohesive approach from all interested parties locally. Each day I get emails and telephone calls from residents who are very concerned we are not moving forward fast enough. I now have 1100 in the email circulation of local issues interest.  And growing in number each week.  The Website averages 2000 unique visitors per month. People care about this project.

The CWC Group continues to be backed by the massive majority of these people, but I have had personal difficulty in getting the local politicians to say what they have done, are doing and will do, to help get our community centre.  After some recent communications, I am pleased to say however,  that 2 of the Borough Councillors have expressed support for the CWC and agreed to meet up with me to express how they will help progress the project in TWBC. I am now more confident that we will all work well together for the benefit of the community.

Peter Davies (Local Borough Councillor) is also presenting a resolution on 24th Feb to TWBC to help the project too:

1. "Tunbridge Wells Borough Council reaffirms its commitment to materially assist in the provision of new community facilities in Cranbrook, as outlined by the Leader of the Council on 22nd July 2009.
2. To this end, the Borough Council will continue to work with the Parish Council and other local groups in Cranbrook in finalising details of the new facility, identifying the site for it, assisting in the preparation of the necessary planning applications and licenses and also actively and materially assisting in obtaining the necessary capital financing. This funding to be channelled through an appropriate body identified for this purpose.
3. The Council acknowledges that the debate with local interest groups has been necessarily protracted, and that this has generated considerable frustration locally. However it now intends to facilitate the progress of this important infrastructural project in the Borough as speedily as possible."

I must take all the local blame for not moving this project further forward as we had previously had expected at this stage. I am convinced that if I had galvanised the key powerbrokers more as a team in the last 12 months, to include the 4 BCs, Roger Manning, Ann Widdecombe and the 2 PPCs.  And then use this team to write to the COOP HQ expressing the community’s delight to locate at their site, we may have had that popular location as our agreed preference by now.  So I am sorry for my failure here. I take full responsibility.

The CWC’s plan of action is still to focus on the best site, which currently favours the bottom of the COOP Car Park, the town’s toilets and the Wilkes Field Area. (We have as yet still not ruled out other areas including the Council Offices Site). Graham Edwards our legal advisor in the team from Buss Murton has investigated the supplementary agreement to the Supermarket Planning Application of 1987, in which an agreement for a Village Hall could be constructed in the COOP Car Park. We hope this work will help us in our negotiations for our community centre development in this location.

In the next 3 months, the CWC will use an independent group to assess all previous evidence, community opinion, stakeholders requirements and other related surveys regarding the type of centre and what content we will develop. We will produce a definitive report that will act as the basis for an initial outline planning application and consensus. From this information, we will create a draft set of drawings for public scrutiny using McCormack & Young’s services. The CWC is very cognisant of the economic climate and this will be reflected in the plans as what is currently can be realistic to develop but we will still try to meet our original aspirations for a 21st century community centre that all have cried out for. . Subject to planning permissions in that location.

Once we get to this stage, we will initiate the “seeking the funds” process. This will be a more speedier process that what has happened or not happened to date. I look forward to this more constructive phase with considerable excitement. It will be fun and we want the whole community involved.     

In order to ensure success we will very much need help from our Local Elected Councillors and you the Parish Council to include:

I remain optimistic that 2010 will be the year we significantly move forward.  Thank you for the continuing support of the Parish Council and the huge number of local community comments by email. I know this is and remains a tortuous saga for us all but our group is dedicated to succeed for the benefit of the community.”

I will keep all of you informed..."

Howard Cox

Chair of the CWC

Mobile 07515421611