Short-term gain is madness
I WOULD like to completely agree with the letter from Rev Anthony Moore (Free Press, January 12) regarding the poor decision making being made about our town - and it isn’t all just about the difficult state of the country’s economy.
I feel he is absolutely right about the poor use being made of the town hall - a building far more suited for community use as opposed to council offices with such a central position in the town, when a well refurbished Belle Vue might function as council offices as it used to be.
What use is being made of the space seems crazy to me, with full council meetings camping out in Sudbury’s prime function suite, where the acoustics are difficult.
The area occupied by officers, the old court room, is a fine large room much more suited to the conducting of council business.
I’m amazed that the idiot, wrongly hung, automatic glass door that threatens visitors as they enter the ‘main entrance’ into a poky little reception area, hasn’t caused a broken nose before now!
There is now the proposition that our great little tourist information centre (which was once so finely tuned to assist visitors, and I feel, contributed a great deal to the prosperity of the town) will be moved to the library.
This will then presumably leave the heritage centre unsupervised and apparently unloved.
The purchase of the land at the back of the town hall was a brave and welcome decision, despite the dent in the local budget that we all contribute to.
With devolution of both district and county councils I’m sure there is a case for the town council taking on more responsibility and needing further office space.
Maybe county should be asked to contribute to development of that site in order to compensate for the town’s increasing burden in accommodating the necessary further staff on their behalf.
No business plan seems to have been forthcoming for this site, which is absolutely prime town centre land and imperative for any expansion of the town all.
To throw this one opportunity away and commit to low cost housing for short term gain is madness and inappropriate.
Thank you also, Tony, for reminding us about the wonderful Christmas lights switch-on events that used to take place within not too distant living memory - when the hard work and imagination of the council under his leadership brought us those Dickensian-style street fairs that so enhanced the town centre in the run-up to Christmas.
ROBIN DRURY
Walnuttree Lane
Sudbury
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sudbury
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
Comments
There are 1 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Liliana
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 09:06 AMI have also thought, over the years, and have written to say so, that Sudbury Town Hall for most of the year is a wasted venue... a white elephant paid for by the tax payers. Being so central it could b utilised for the whole community, a place to draw us in and to be shared by us all. A recent visit to Cornwall showed us that Town Halls were important and well used facilities for their communities...and happy places uniting locals, visitors and tourists. We do have St. Peter's across the road which serves the community too. And please will they put the Christmas tree back on Market Hill.
Page 1 of 1
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.