THE running sore of a public body valiantly struggling against cuts, closures and disappointments boiled over into a war of words when Studley parish council met on Tuesday night.
At its heart was a report circulated by district councillor Justin Kerridge (Con, Studley North & Mappleborough Green) in which he suggested that, as the council was looking to improve the way it runs things, it might be worth making an appointment to visit Alcester Town Council to see how they perform.
He praised that council’s committee system and its ability to delegate decision making so that the full council only had to meet once a month – Studley meets fortnightly.
He further praised Alcester’s support for ‘arms length organisations’ and its active involvement in promoting business and commerce in the town.
He then praised Studley’s new parish plan before adding the council could actively do more to facilitate change in the village.
However his comments provoked a furious reaction.
The village has faced the closure of its fire station, police station, both banks and more recently Studley Medical Centre as well as having to deal with major traffic problems, issues that the parish has been at the forefront of combating.
“We are not Alcester!” thundered Coun Maureen Rickhards. “Alcester does not have the A435 running through it and this parish council supports virtually every group in the village.
“We are actively involved with Studley Stports & Social Club, with the Brickyard Lane recreation ground, the nature reserve, we support the library, Studley in Bloom, and countless organisations with grant applications.
“Alcester runs a very good Health and Wellbeing scheme, and we would like to do something similar. However Alcester was chosen as a pilot project and when we apply for grants to run something similar we do not get them. It is not a level playing field.”
District Coun Hazel Wright (Lib Dem, Studley south & Sambourne) added: “You cannot say Alcester town council is well run – you only have to look at the Greig Hall – Alcester has poured thousands into it while our village hall didn’t cost us a penny.”
