LAST Thursday [June 1] I joined my fellow council colleagues from Newton Abbot Town Council, Mike Ryan, Alex Hall along with the Town Development Manager Sally Henley and we were joined by Cllrs Janet Bradford and Jane Taylor from the South Devon Alliance, at the HATOC committee meeting to discuss the Queen Street proposals, writes Cllr Mike Joyce.

As we were not members of the committee, Cllrs Ryan, Hall, Taylor and myself were each allocated five minutes to speak on the proposals.

Cllr Hall made a passionate plea stating clearly that data from surveys that the development manager and other councillors had done along Queen Street clearly contrasted with the results of the survey the CC and TDC had carried out. An overwhelming majority of residents, businesses and visitors to this lovely town of ours did not want the proposed scheme. Cllr Hall also mentioned the recent annual town meeting where residents, businesses and visitors expressed the view it would do the town more harm than good.

Whilst he was speaking, I was astonished to see numerous councillors either on the phones or iPads. I’m not saying they weren’t listening but it gave that impression it may be they were looking up data but it just didn’t seem right to me.

Cllr Ryan again gave a passionate plea for the town that he has grown up and lived in all his life. This came from the heart of a Newtonian who feels passionate about his town.

I had my opportunity and I pointed out that the Development Manager, Sally Henley, and myself had on several occasions been told: ‘We don’t like what is being proposed.’

One response to the survey read: ‘The proposal meets the requirements for the future High Street fund, but not those who work, live and travel to Newton Abbot.’

I have been asked on numerous occasions by other councillors if I was against inward investment in my town. I am not, surely nobody would be, but that investment has to be what the residents businesses and visitors want and not what others who think they know best for our town feel is right.

The members of the committee had a say, bearing in mind that the majority of the committee were Liberal Democrats and I think three Conservatives, of course the statistics that we put forward ridiculed. You are advised that of course walking up and down Queen Street you are going to get a small sample when talking to residents and visitors and if you walked up and down there a few days later you probably got a different sample so those cannot be taken as a true reflection of how the people of Newton Abbot feel, whereas the survey was a true reflection of how those who completed it (a small sample) felt.

When I looked at the make-up of the committee I felt that this was a done deal. I’ve been advised that this was not the case and was an open and fair discussion. The decision eventually arrived at was democratic and fair. They are and of course entitled to their opinion as I am of mine.

Councillor Bradford spoke as a committee member and pointed out that councillors from the South Devon Alliance had also carried out a survey which mirrored that of the Town Development Manager. The question was asked, was it therefore a possibility that these results were the true feelings of the residents, businesses and visitors of Newton Abbot and not the results of the survey carried out?

Councillor Bradford asked the committee to listen to the many voices of the town of Newton Abbot that this scheme is not the scheme they want.

They fear for the livelihoods of the businesses that are on Queen Street and the livelihood of Newton Abbot as a whole. At one stage a councillor advised that those who disagreed or had a difference of opinion should ‘suck it up’. They then withdrew the remark and apologised. We should not resort to such low standards.

At the end of the day the proposal was voted through with some tweaking to be done. The area by St Pauls Road needs to be sorted out. The type of trees and how they are planted for the greening Queen Street needs to be considered carefully because as it was pointed out.

It was also pointed out that where the loading bay outside of Wetherspoon’s has been proposed, consideration should be given to deliveries I would like to thank my colleagues who attended this meeting and for expressing the concerns of the residents, businesses and visitors with such passions, we could have done no more.

As it was stated to me afterwards, we will have to see who is right and who is wrong, only time will tell. If I am wrong and it all proves to be a wonderful scheme and everybody including businesses residents and visitors are happy, then I will put my hand up and say I was wrong, however if it’s the other way, I fear it will be too late.