THIS weeks Redditch Standard letters.
THE CONSERVATIVE Councillors are telling residents that the money from the Town’s Fund will need to be handed back if it is not used to knock down and relocate our perfectly good and well-used library.
This is disingenuous at best and downright dishonest at worst.
As far as the ‘consultation’ is concerned, I fear, like Ipsley Meadows, the ruling Conservative Councillors will ignore the evidence and opinions presented and force their plans through.
This is purely a vanity project and I would urge residents to look at the alternative plans presented in The Standard last week and vote Labour in May 2023 in order to stop the demolition of our library.
Better instead to use the fund to breathe life into the business area outside of the Kingfisher Centre.
What is the point of Dormer Plaza when the area just around the corner is badly run down and neglected?
Monica Stringfellow
Headless Cross
FOR ANYONE following what goes on in this town, it’s been a rough few days.
The Tory vote to destroy Ipsley Meadow was followed by Labour releasing their alternative regeneration plans.
Both parties have been slugging it out on social media and tempers are high. So let’s try and promote a grown-up debate for once.
The main difference between Labour and the Tories on regeneration can be summed up in one word, people.
People use markets not just to shop but as a focal point of their week. For stallholders it’s their livelihood. That’s why Labour wants to bring regular markets back to the town centre.
People use our library. It’s where parents get the books to help kids with their homework and where folk who don’t have a computer can get on the Internet. The building is loved for that reason. Let’s renew it, not destroy it.
People make services work, so that’s why Labour supports the idea of a community hub in the town hall. But the difference is they would staff it properly. So if you have an issue with a council service you can talk to a human being and not be stuck for hours in a phone queue.
The Tories seem to want to solve every problem in this town with bulldozers, wrecking balls and concrete. I would respectfully suggest they have left out the human dimension.
Ian Woodall
Headless Cross
I WOULD respectfully remind the mayor that criticism of the plethora of damaging policies being pursued by this council is very different from criticising the town.
Indeed, it is the very antithesis, as it demonstrates concern Redditch is being ruined.
Most of my letters for the last two years have criticised the council for their proposed destruction of Ipsley Meadow, part of Arrow Valley Park, foolishly given final ratification on December 1.
To this can be added the Mappleborough Woods fiasco, see Mr McLeod’s impassioned letter of December 2, regarding the closure and the manner it was done, of the Community House and the crusade against trees at Arrow Valley Lake and seemingly across the borough.
There is also the destruction of a bespoke library building for a ‘plaza’ when the Kingfisher Centre gets emptier by the month.
TIP ought to stand for Totally Insane Policies.
K Wass
IN THE Standard (December 9), MP Rachel MacLean says: “Redditch is made up of 85,000 people – I don’t believe everyone in our town took part in this survey, so it’s hardly representative.“
A bit like election results, eh Rachel?
David Suszek
Redditch
THERE’S not many towns of like size where you can guarantee to drive from one side to the other in under 10 minutes.
My son lives on the edge of Woking, Surrey, and has to allow at least half-an-hour to get to the other side and it often takes longer.
We have very few traffic lights and traffic generally keeps moving.
We also have miles and miles of cycle tracks winding discreetly behind housing estates.
I’m exceedingly happy with all this!
Mike Budd
WHY IS our Redditch Borough Council actively undermining the library consultation?
I am really disappointed that council social media is promoting the town deal vision for the space which ‘might’ be created if Worcestershire County Council agrees to the library demolition.
This smacks of a done deal and suggests that it doesn’t matter what the public thinks.
I believe this is contradictory to the whole ethos of consultation which should be a process of gathering public views and opinion.
It reminds me of the downgrade of the Alexandra Hospital – where we all said no but the results of that consultation were completely ignored.
There should be no council promotion of the Redditch Tory vision until the results of the county council consultation are evaluated, shared and scrutinised.
Coun Sharon Harvey
Central Ward
