Protest at delays to Community Projects

2.00.00pm GMT Mon 9th Jan 2006

Important community projects such as CCTV, flood alleviation and improved lighting have been shunted off the Borough Council's planned spending programme, and have to wait instead for 'planning gain' funding. Speaking at last week's Council meeting Cllr Vivienne Johnson, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Resources, pointed out that under the Conservatives council funding for such minor schemes has been slashed by £ ¼ million per year, and many of the wished-for schemes have been taken out of the funded programme and put on the 'Community Interests List' instead. Schemes on that list have to wait for planning gain money to be received from new developments, and most face an indefinite wait for appropriate planning approvals in the local area.

Cllr Johnson condemned the complacency shown by the Conservative Lead Member for Resources, who had boasted that all the minor schemes in the programme would be funded during the next two years. Cllr Johnson said "It's scarcely surprising that all the minor schemes will be done within their reduced budget - there are only 14 of them! Those shunted over to the Community Interests List include CCTV and flood protection works - schemes which have been around since 2001. It is quite clear that the vast majority of projects on that list will never be financed, since planning gain won't provide enough funds for everything our community wants us to do."

Projects now waiting for planning gain funding include:

• Replacing old CCTV cameras across the borough, and digital real-time recording for CCTV

• Lighting improvements across the borough, including the Burpham shops, the arches under Onslow Bridge, Bellfields and Park Barn, the High Street and Epsom Road shops

• Subway CCTV in Friary Passage and at Milkhouse Gate

• Environmental improvements to green the approach roads into Guildford, including schemes on Woking Road, Worplesdon Road, the Stoke crossroads, Onslow Road and Portsmouth Road

Cllr Johnson has set up a working group from the Community Development Scrutiny Committee, which she chairs, to prioritise the schemes on the Community Interest List. Cllr Johnson said "We will certainly be making proposals for some of these community projects to go back on the programme for planned Council funding. This is surely a better use for the £1 million that the Tories want to spend on a prestige new reception area at the council offices."