IN JULY 2007 when I was chairman of Yatton Parish Council I tried hard to get the issue of a separate council for Claverham debated (your article on page 24, September 18) because the issue was causing
IN JULY 2007 when I was chairman of Yatton Parish Council I tried hard to get the issue of a separate council for Claverham debated (your article on page 24, September 18) because the issue was causing division within the council.
Debate was resisted by Claverham councillors and Yatton Parish Council has still not investigated, discussed or publicly debated the pros and cons of such a split.
Claverham has come within Yatton parish Council jurisdiction since 1895. I have not heard any argument for separating the communities now. I suspect many Claverham residents would like to know how much extra council tax they would have to pay for an additional load of bureaucracy. As a Yatton resident I would like to know how much of the council tax precept for Yatton this little exercise is costing.
Let there be an open debate with facts and figures supplied to Yatton Parish councillors and local residents so an informed decision can be made in a transparent way. Councillor Jean Watson thinks there is a problem. I don't know what her problem is, but I would like more than a sample of 100 households to be asked their views from the parish population of 8,500. I would also like to be sure the person asking the question is 'neutral'.
Yatton Parish Plan survey should at least be regarded as indicative of local views: 876 residents were against or indifferent and only 220 were in favour of a separate council for Claverham. Cllr Watson, who led the Parish Plan work, now says that 105 of these lived in Claverham, yet I was in a meeting last year when she clearly stated the individual questionnaires were not traceable.
Wake up Yatton Parish Council. At least have the decency to look as if you are making democratic decisions.
FAITH MOULIN - Via email
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