Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Development and Safety

The Mayor referred Members to the procedure to be followed as set out in Appendix 2 of the Petition Report. He then invited Councillor Harman as the petition organiser to address Council.

Councillor Harman introduced the petition and explained that the numbers of people and businesses signing the ongoing petition now stood at 5885. This was therefore the single biggest petition this Council had received illustrating the importance of the issue and the fact that the Boots Corner closure was the most controversial scheme Cheltenham had ever faced. He wished to put on record his thanks to those residents who had contacted him. Hesummarised the feelings of those signing as being too little gain for two much pain. He then quoted from a letter from a Mr Lester Maddrell , Solicitor and for 16 years deputy traffic commissioner and coroner. He had expressed concern on a number of points but mainly the displacement of  traffic following the implementation of the closure and in particular the deterioration of a) the situation in Gloucester Road/Tewkesbury Road and b) the  High Street between the two pedestrianised sections without the safeguard of traffic lights to Winchcombe Street and beyond.

Councillor Harman questioned whether the town centre’s issue with air quality had been moved from the town centre to where residents lived and sleep was progress.

He also quoted from an email he had received from the Manager of the Regent Arcade who did not agree that trade had increased and felt that it had dropped since the trial closure. Cllr Harman then referred to one of the public questioners who believed that the base figures for footfall were last years figures prior to the opening of John Lewis and so the increase could not be attributed to the Boots Corner scheme.

He then expressed concern that the danger was that members of the public signing the petition would not get a clear answer at this meeting. He therefore gave notice that Cllr Mason would move a motion to vote on what the petition was calling on, i.e. to re-open Boots Corner at the earliest opportunity.

Finally, Cllr Harman emphasised that this was a vital issue for Cheltenham. Everyone aspired to having the best town and the best High Street and he questioned whether the closure of Boots Corner was the only way to achieve this. .

The Cabinet Member Development and Safety was invited to address Council. He believed that the petition called for allowing  9000 cars back through Boots corner, for dividing the High Street and would undermine the economic growth seen in the town over the last few years. Government policy on new transport schemes was to have cycling, walking and public transport at the fore. What the petition called for was contrary to the County Council’s transport plan and CBCs corporate strategy. The Cabinet Member proposed that the full debate took place during consideration of the next agenda item and that at this stage the petition should be simply noted.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9