Agenda item

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.

Councillor Mason proposed the following amendments :

a)to vote on reopening Boots Corner at the earliest opportunity

b) to hold a public debate on reopening Boots Corner

The amendments were seconded by Councillor Babbage.

The following points were raised :

• Some Members felt that the Extraordinary Council meeting had not been called to debate the petition but had been called at the request of the County Council to consider the CTP update and express CBC opinion to GCC prior to the meeting of its TRO Committee in February. The main debate should therefore be held during the subsequent agenda item.
• Other Members felt strongly that this was a significant issue for the people of the town and therefore there should be a full debate and vote on the request in the petition.
• A Member recognised the importance of petitions to democracy however requested that the time limit of15 mins for the debate of petitions be considered by the Constitution Working Group.

In seconding the amendments Cllr Babbage felt that taking no action on the petition was wrong so a vote on it was essential.

A request for a recorded vote on the amendments was proposed and with more than 7 Members standing this was accepted.

Vote on amendment a)to reopen Boots Corner at the earliest opportunity

FOR (9): Cllrs Babbage, Cooke, Harman, Mason, Payne, Savage, Seacome, Stennett,Sudbury

AGAINST (26)  Cllrs Atherstone, Baker, Barnes, Barrell, Boyes, Britter, Brownsteen, Clucas, Coleman, Collins, Dobie, Fisher, Harvey, Hay, Hegenbarth, Holliday, Horwood, Jeffries, Jordan, McKinlay, Parsons, Wheeler, Whyborn, Wilkinson,  Williams, Willingham

ABSTENTION: 0

The amendment was lost.

Vote on amendment b) to hold a public debate on reopening Boots Corner

FOR (11): Cllrs Babbage, Baker, Barrell, Cooke, Harman, Mason, Payne, Savage, Seacome, Stennett, Sudbury

AGAINST (23) : Cllrs Atherstone, Boyes, Britter, Brownsteen, Clucas, Coleman, Collins, Dobie, Fisher, Harvey, Hay, Hegenbarth, Holliday, Horwood, Jeffries, Jordan, McKinlay, Parsons, Wheeler, Whyborn, Wilkinson, Williams, Willingham

ABSTENTIONS: (1) Cllr Barnes

The amendment was lost.

A vote was then held on the substantive motion.

RESOLVED THAT

To take no further action on the petition, given the report and recommendations set out in the next item on the Council agenda titled ‘Cheltenham Transport Plan’ which provides the case for extending the trial closure with mitigations to address issues and concerns raised.

FOR : (25)

AGAINST: (8)

ABSTENTIONS: (1)