ColchChronic

Friday 5th April, 2024

And so the Runners and Riders list for the next set of Colchester City Council elections taking place on 2nd May has been published.

Our instant reaction?

Meh.

There’s not a lot to get excited about, tbh. We called the last set of elections twelve months ago The March of the Dull.

Not a lot has changed in the past twelve months.

As a reminder, the current Scores on the Doors at the Town Hall are:

Tories 19

LD 16

Lab 14

Green 2

Any objective observer would say yep, the Tories have the most seats, they should form an administration.

But that’s not how local politics works. It all about keeping the Tory Bogeyman out. Hence the LibDems and Labour lot banding together and getting all touchy feely.

But not THAT touchy feely.

The LibDems have formed a minority administration over the past twelve months. They got bored waiting around for Sir Keir to give his Comrades the go ahead.

He shit his pants over the word ‘coalition.’

COALITION. BOO.

This is a man who seriously thinks he has the balls to be the next PM.

But anyway. Back to Sunny Colch.

You can see where the main battle is next month. It’s all about who will hold enough seats to form either an overall majority (unlikely), or be the senior partner as part of the bed hopping.

The BONKERS election by third means that a change in any administration is unlikely. Looking down the list of candidates and the most recent results, we can’t see a great deal of change.

It is likely that a one seat gain may allow either the LibDems or Labour to call the shots as part of any coalition.

This is another key set of local elections for Labour in particular. The local party wants to gain momentum ahead of whenever the GE is called.

The exact same plan was in place last year. The Labour NEC pumped some serious cash into Sunny Colch, expecting to take control of the Council and be the party looking the most confident ahead of the GE.

How did that one work out, Comrades?

A disappointing by-election in Highwoods followed last September. The LibDems took the seat from Labour, albeit with a piss poor 19% turn out.

The main battleground in May will be around Castle ward. The Greens currently hold two seats. Labour picked up a seat here by default after the defection of Cllr Steph Nissen from the Greens to Labour.

Both parties have placed their door knockers in the ward in recent months. The delicious irony is that Cllr Nissen is up for election once again.

Personalities are key here. The defection was incredibly personal and bitter. Both sides have made little attempt to kiss and make up.

Ultimately it’s down to the voters to decide if they want a Councillor who has worked hard over the past four years, but did the dirty in making the switch to Labour.

Both Pam Cox (Labour) and Darius Laws (Tory) are both up for election. Having the PPC and the Deputy Leader of your local Group failing to get elected locally is not a good luck. Both scenarios seem highly unlikely.

Elsewhere and the Labour old timers Mike Lilley and Dave Harris are both standing. Both should win at a canter; both prove what hard work and serving your patch means to residents.

Cllr Lilley is the incoming Mayor, should he retain his Rowhedge seat. It is very, very rare for a Mayor in waiting to be booted out. GOOD EFFORT btw in asking LibDem Lyn Barton to be the Mayor’s Escort for the year ahead.

Greenstead is interesting. Last month and the electorate was expecting to vote for only one Councillor. The resignation of Labour Cllr Molly Bloomfield has led all parties scrambling around to find a second candidate.

The decision will be made a little easier with the LibDems only being able to field one candidate at Greenstead.

The electorate meanwhile has still yet to be told the official reason leading to the resignation…

Up at Highwoods and Simon Appleton finds himself fighting his second election in eight months. Ex-Tory Cllr Chris Hayter is also standing.

Tory Cllr Dennis Willets should ROMP home in Lexden and Braiswick. Likewise for Tory Cllr Kevin Bentley in Marks Tey and Layer. He’s a busy boy, also being the Leader of ECC…

Mersea and Pyfleet is a little bonkers. There’s a Reform candidate standing, along with Independent John Akker. It shouldn’t be enough of a distraction from stopping Tory Martin Parsons from winning.

Meanwhile, up in Mile End and we’re talking LibDem Martin Goss territory. Cllr Goss will have his magpie eyes on a bigger prize later in the year as the LibDem candidate for the Colchester constituency.

Tory Cllr Sue Lissimore won’t allow her Prettygate Crown to slip.

Shrub End could be interesting with LibDem Lyn Barton stepping down after many years of service. Mark Arnold will be hoping to step up and continue the work of his LibDem colleague.

It’s a similar situation in St Anne’s and St John’s. With LibDem Cllr Mike Hogg stepping aside, there’s not a lot to see beyond LibDem Catherine Spindler.

Tory Jeremy Hagon should be safe in Stanway. He’s worked his patch well in the past four years. Ditto for Tiptree with Tory Cllr Roger Mannion.

And then we come to Wivenhoe.

Oh.

Councillors across all three main political parties have represented the ward over the past fifteen years. It now seems to be firm LibDem territory.

Cabinet member Cllr Michelle Burrows isn’t standing for the LibDems. In her place is Sean Kelly. Labour have put up Phil Long.

Both parties have struggled to find candidates that aren’t tainted by the bloody Garden Village. The voters have very long memories.

Only a FOOL would predict the election results. We can only speculate that our headline on the morning of 3rd May will be something similar once again to March of the Dull.

But you never know. Stakes are high ahead of the General Election. Labour need a strong profile, the Tories need to somehow distance themselves from the national shit show.

The LibDems carry on doing what the LibDems always do – which in Sunny Colch is surprisingly being very popular with the voters and running a dull campaign and delivering a dull administration.

Colchester is a very conservative town / city.

Well done to all those standing, and the agents. Giving voters a choice across most wards is no mean feat.

Thursday 28th March, 2024

After a little bit of searching and a few false leads, here we have…

*drum roll*

The Colchester LibDems manifesto for the 2024 local elections in May.

Oh joy. We spoil you.

As a reminder: the LibDems currently have 16 seats.

Sir Keir Starmer shat his pants last year over the word ‘coalition.’ The local LibDems thought BALLS to this as they waited around for their Labour pals to join them.

They went solo and formed a minority administration, backed up with ‘support’ from the Labour Group. Just don’t tell Sir Keir about it, OK?

Seventeen seats are up for grabs in May. The LibDems will be hopeful of at least maintaining their current base. A few seats may – or may not – change hands.

Either way, it looks unlikely that either the LibDems or Labour will have enough lead in their pencil to go it alone.

…aka anyone but the Tory Bogeyman.

And so what is there of interest in the current LibDem manifesto to tempt the electorate to stick with the wishy washy middle ground?

Not a lot, tbh.

Much like the Labour manifesto, it’s full of sensible ideas that you find hard to disagree with.

There’s also little in there to excite you.

Local politics is never about shitting the bed, especially in Colchester.

The manifesto of sorts reads more like a shopping list. It fails to trouble two sides of A4.

The Fit for the Future CCC mantra is lifted:

“Balancing the books and changing what we do to keep essential services running. Living within our means but still investing in our future and delivering what matters most well.”

This means absolutely CHUFF ALL in real terms.

Tell It Like It Is, etc.

There’s vague talk of:

“Continuing to help those struggling or at risk of homelessness. Tackling crime and ASB.”

But no detail or figures.

Support for Jumbo, the Castle, the BID and the New Town Down are all name checked. Bringing ‘vibrancy’ to the city is mentioned.

Some manifesto pledges remain just that.

It gets a little more lively when it comes to transport:

“Opposed to ULEZ for Colchester. Committed to a new bus station and transport interchange and better public transport.”

Hang on. A new bus station?

Bring it on.

But once again there is no explanation as to how this will happen, where it will be and who will pay for it.

Tackling the flooding at the Hythe is highlighted. It makes you wonder why the LibDems haven’t done anything about this sooner.

There was talk of S106 funding from a developer wanting to build yet more student accommodation down by the Muddy Banks coughing up for pump. That’s all gone rather quiet.

The heading ‘Integrity’ led us to a slight snigger:

“Our commitment to act on what matters and tell the public the truth.”

The LibDem Cabinet is currently led by Cllr Dave King. He was a Trustee at the charity Community 360 when a £200,000 loan was agreed for the charity’s Chief Executive.

Cllr King told Cabinet earlier this month that he didn’t recall the decision that was made two years ago.

Integrity…

We’ll leave it with the sign off:

“We will live our values. To welcome new residents, whatever their background or needs. To welcome difference and diversity.”

This should be a given for any administration. It’s good to see it as a policy commitment, whatever form it might take.

Anyone seen the Tory manifesto yet?

Wednesday 20th March, 2024

The local Labour Party is first out of the blocks ahead of the next set of Colchester City Council elections taking place on 2nd May.

The Comrades of Colchester Labour have published their Colchester Labour Manifesto 2024. Which can only mean one thing: a heavy Easter weekend of #labourdoorstep.

Best to close the curtains.

Truth be told and there’s not a lot in there to disagree with. There’s also not a great amount of detail and explanation, either.

Coming up with broad sweeping policy ideas, yet not setting out how you will achieve these, is an easy task.

Under the heading of We will work to create more affordable, warm and sustainable homes, Labour pledge to:

“Support the Tendring & Colchester Garden Community.”

Good luck with that one on the Wivenhoe doorsteps.

The heading: We will work to create more thriving and healthy communities adds:

“Improve our bus services, bus station and active travel routes.”

This reminds us of once being stopped by a local Labour type outside a shop and being asked:

“Do you want to save the NHS?”

NO. I bloody don’t want to save the NHS, fella.

Ask a silly question.

There is no further explanation of how Colchester Labour will improve the bus station (that isn’t a bus station.)

Start from nothing, what have you lost? NOTHING!

We were also interested to read how Colchester Labour will:

“Protect Middlewick entirely from housing by making it a designated ‘local green space’ or nature reserve.”

We suspect Westminster will have more of a say when it comes to deciding the outcome of Middlewick Ranges.

This is a key set of local elections coming up for Colchester Labour. They are the third party in the Town Hall Chamber, yet have ambitions of electing a Labour MP for Colchester.

Two resignations have taken place in recent years under the Group Leadership of Cllr Julie Young.

Labour Cllr Catherine Bickerstaff resigned her Highwoods seat last year after only eight months in the role. The LibDems cleaned up in the by-election that followed.

This week Labour Cllr Molly Bloomfield also resigned in Greenstead. She had two years left to run on her term.

Labour is confident in making up ground on the LibDems and taking control of Cabinet. This looks a tough ask.

The LibDems currently have 16 Councillors, with Labour having 15 – one of which was a defection from the Greens.

Colchester Tories meanwhile are left with the largest number of Councillors, but with no control of the Town Hall.

Colchester politics is very odd.

Labour need momentum this May if they are to head into a General Election campaign with any confidence. A reduction in seats will be a severe blow whenever the GE is called.

The local Labour manifesto adds:

“We have the support of a dedicated Labour Party.”

BETCHA.

The Labour NEC pumped in some serious funds locally for the 2023 campaign. The plan was for Labour to control Cabinet, and look like they were the serious local political players ahead of the General Election.

‘cos that went well.

It will be interesting to see how much money the NEC stumps up this time.

If a political stalemate is once again the outcome, it will also be interesting to see if the NEC allows Colchester Labour to enter into coalition with the LibDems.

Keir Starmer was so shit scared of the word ‘coalition’ twelve months ago that he put a stop to this. The LibDems got bored sitting around on their arses and formed a minority anyway.

Pity the poor Colchester Tories.

We think.

Tuesday 19th March 2024

There’s some decent news coming out of Colchester City Council regarding air quality. It makes a change from having the hot air often seen at Full Council.

The four Air Quality Management Areas that were identified in 2012 are now down to slightly less than one.

The Environment and Sustainability Panel will consider the latest data when it next meets at the Town Hall on 21st March.

An Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) is a localised area where the pollutants coming from cars is identified as being a concern for residents.

It wasn’t looking good in 2012 with the four areas identified in the borough.

To be fair to the City Council, various administrations have addressed this over to the years, leading to some positive outcomes.

In 2018 AQMA 3 at St Andrews Avenue and Harwich Road was revoked. East Street and Ipswich Road both followed in 2023.

Ipswich Road is something of a surprise, given the standstill traffic due to the roundabout road works at the time.

Lucy Lane North in Stanway also had the dreaded AQMA status lifted last year.

Which brings us up to date with the one remaining AQMA in the borough in the centre of the city. This isn’t being permanently lifted, but it is being reduced.

Still causing concern when it comes to polluting cars are Brook Street, Osborne Street, St Johns Street and Mersea Road.

And so how have we got here?

It’s all about policy, innit.

Praise for the City Council in identifying the air quality hotspots, and then acting to successfully reduce them.

This started back in 2012 with the Love Your Car campaign. We always thought it was a bit of a crappy strapline for a policy that was aimed at reducing car travel.

£35,000 of Defra funding helped to push the policy which promoted car sharing and eco driving.

The Clean Vehicle Technology Fund stumped up £194,000 in 2015. This was used to retrofit ten commercially operated buses around the borough.

A further £137,453 funding application to the Energy Trust was successful in 2020. This money was used to buy a fleet of ecargo bikes for business use.

Also in 2020 was a £248,700 Defra supported scheme to help set up an electric car club, as well as build two ecargo bike hubs.

In 2021 Defra stepped in again with £188,587 to trial an ecargo bike concierge service to transport shopping direct to the homes of residents.

The Environment and Sustainability Panel report also looks at the introduction of Tier ebikes in to the borough last year. 22,000 journeys have been made to date, covering covering 38,129 miles equating to a NOx saving of 7.6 tonnes.

The eScooters have ridden 562,392 miles since their introduction, which translates to a NOx saving of 112 tonnes.

The Panel report sets out what is to come in 2024. This includes:

“New Cycle Colchester map and website, short term hire ebike/ecargo bike scheme for residents and extensive community and business engagement.”

Elsewhere on the agenda is the Sustainable Travel Projects Update.

This includes feedback on what concerns residents have that might stop them from cycling in Colchester.

The three main barriers are:

Not feeling safe cycling on the roads

Lack of signage and disjointed cycling networks and

Bike security and theft.

Steps are being made to address this:

“Over 179 adults have received a free Cycle Training session funded by our DEFRA funding, this includes Learn to Ride, Cycle Confidence and Advanced cycle training.

15 members have joined the City Centre cargo bike pay as you go service since it launched in October. Most popular uses to date are for Leisure and shopping.”

The report adds that back in 2020, the Council was aware of only one ecargo bike in the borough. This figure is now just under 80.

One less car, etc.

Friday 15th March, 2024

Ferry Marsh in Wivenhoe looks set to have a controlled system of managing the water levels.

This recommendation has been put forward for the Environment and Sustainability Panel at Colchester City Council to consider when it next meets at the Town Hall on 21st March.

Ferry Marsh is part of the Colne Local Nature Reserve. It is managed by the City Council.

The decision to encourage more wildlife on the site is a consequence of private sector liquidation and the intervention of Mother Nature.

In 2018 a sluice on the Marsh became blocked. This led to the water levels rising. Public access became restricted with much of the Marsh under water.

The sluice was originally installed by the Environment Agency. A replacement was installed by a developer as part of the Ferry Marsh development. The developer entered liquidation and so wasn’t around to unblock the sluice.

Enter Mother Nature and rising water levels.

Although access became restricted for residents, new incomers did take to the site.

The Environment and Sustainability Panel report includes detailed observations documenting new forms of wildlife that were able to flourish with the changing landscape.

Having declared a Climate Emergency, the challenge for the City Council was to maintain this new eco system, but also not to piss off the public who still wanted access.

As ever with local politics, a compromise has been sought:

“In partnership with Natural England, Essex Wildlife Trust and Wivenhoe Town Council, the Council would like to introduce a system to control the water levels to an acceptable level that encourages the new wildlife to flourish, whilst minimising the disruption to existing wildlife and still enabling the Rangers and Volunteers to maintain the site as per the management plan.”

The recommendation is to install a new internal water control system. The exact details aren’t specified in the report.

It is claimed that this will allow Rangers to regulate the water levels. There is also talk of creating a loop that will allow residents to access a small section of the reedbed.

A consultation took place in the lead up to this report. Over 70% of the respondents supported protecting the biodiversity of the site through modified access to the Marsh.

Tuesday 5th March, 2024

Colchester’s funding from the Local Highways Panel is set to fall by 50% for the financial year ahead.

These figures will be discussed when the Scrutiny Panel next meets at the Town Hall on 12th March.

Last year the City Council received £500,000 from the LHP. This figure has now dropped to £250,000 for the year ahead. It represents 12.5% of the budget for all of Essex.

The LHP is the body that distributes funding to help improve active travel.

The remit is described as:

“The infrastructure that the LHP funds, which enable more journeys to be made on foot, wheeling, by bike or busses goes towards a quality network encouraging sustainable travel choices.”

Last year the £500,000 Colchester allocation helped to fund:

E-cargo bike Library – enabling those needing to transport goods to access an e-cargo bike for occasional services.

Opening the first in region Secure Cycle Park for those working or visiting the city centre to be confident that their bikes will be safe and secure.

Improvements to Wivenhoe Trail to better link the Wivenhoe to Colchester and University.

The overall budget for Essex for 2023/24 matches the 50% funding drop for Colchester. The £4m budget for 2022/23 has been slashed to £2m for the next twelve months.

A funding formula is used throughout the County to make sure that each area receives a proportional amount of central funding.

This is calculated as a percentage of the total sum of employment, population and road length in each district from the total sum of employment, population and road length in the County

Wednesday 28th February, 2024

Colchester City Council is taking a new approach to active wellbeing – sweating your arse off and getting fit – to you and me.

As ever, funding is behind this fitness rethink. Or rather a lack of it.

Long gone are the days when a Municipal model of funding for leisure centres is possible. And so instead CCC is looking for a more ‘holistic’ approach.

tl;dr Can’t afford Leisure World under its current structure. Shift instead to encouraging fitness in the community.

This is no bad move. You don’t need a Leisure World membership to stay fit; you don’t need to rely upon a local authority to provide access to a healthy lifestyle.

Just look at the continued success of both Castle Park and Highwoods ParkRuns every Saturday morning.

Organising a DIY swim is a different matter.

The Policy Panel meeting on 6th March will review the new proposals. They’re being badged up as part of the ‘Fit for the Future’ strapline.

What’s under consideration here isn’t the fitness of residents, but the fitness of CCC to be able to survive with a reduced budget.

The report Case for Change to Active Wellbeing explains:

“This report provides Policy Panel with an update on key strands of work that make up the Active and Wellbeing element of the Councils ‘Fit for the Future’ transformation programme. This proposes a shift to a more holistic active wellbeing approach for the Council’s Sport & Leisure service delivery model.”

This is broken down into three key points:

Review of the Sport and Leisure service operational staffing structure

Sport & Leisure digital system contract review

Review and development an asset strategy and delivery model for the Council’s estate

It’s grim reading from the start:

“The current sport and leisure service model in Colchester is unsustainable. The Council is required to deliver significant budget savings requiring a significant reduction in expenditure, a significant increase in income, identification of new sustainable external funding streams or a combination of all three.”

The economy may be screwed, but there is a growing demand for fitness and lifestyle facilities:

“The city continues to grow, along with demand for sport and leisure provision such as playing pitches, sports halls and swimming pools with an expectation that the Council delivers such provision.”

Point of order: membership of Leisure World isn’t exactly competitive. There are many private sector gyms popping up around the town / city that are far more affordable.

Swimming isn’t so well served. Bannantynes at the Hythe offers a cheap and cheerful alternative to Leisure World. David Lloyd in the north of the borough is also northwards when it comes to pricing.

Accessibility is key here. The Policy Panel report notes:

“There is little evidence to suggest the model is supporting those in most need.”

It is often those most in need who benefit from having cheap access to leisure facilities.

Leisure World is also causing issues for the Council when it comes to the declared Climate Emergency:

“Sport and leisure buildings generate significant carbon emissions. Wet side facilities (pools) are inherently high consumers of energy.

Colchester Leisure World accounts for the largest proportion of the Councils carbon emission footprint equating to 53.7% of the Council’s overall building emissions and 34.3% of the Council’s overall greenhouse gas emissions.”

Ouch.

But it all comes back to the money:

“The proposed structure delivers a £200k reduction in staffing expenditure.”

aka redundancies.

Welcome to the new lean, mean Colchester City Council.

Tuesday 27th February, 2024

Colchester Amphora Homes is dead. Or to put it in #localgov speak, Colchester Amphora Homes is being hibernated.

We don’t hold out much hope for the Council owned company being disturbed out of this deep slumber and into the Sunny Colch sunset.

The plans to confirm that this is a dead company will be discussed when the Governance and Audit Committee next meets at the Town Hall on 5th March.

The Committee papers confirmL:

“In line with the approved Future Strategy for Amphora and following a review of the company’s assets and agreements with third parties, to propose the formal hibernation of Colchester Amphora Homes Ltd (CAHL), including the treatment of its assets and agreements.”

SEE YA!

From the company’s website:

“Colchester Amphora Homes Ltd (CAHL) is a housing development company set up to deliver new homes for the people of Colchester.

It was established in 2018, under the parent company Colchester Commercial Holdings Ltd (CCHL), to provide high-quality new homes for market sale and affordable rent.”

A half decent FoI would be to ask how many homes CAHL has delivered since 2918, and then balance this against the costs.

Being a private company, and the City Council may be able to dodge such a request.

Whatever.

Why the reason for hibernation?

It’s all about the money, innit.

The report admits:

“There is no realistic prospect of an offsetting income in the foreseeable future.”

With the City Council now promoting the strapline of ‘Fit for the Future,’ Colchester Amphora Homes has failed its medical at the Town Hall.

Hibernation rather than winding up is the preferred option. The corpse of the company may twitch back to life in the future. But the reality is that it would cost more to kill the beast, and then attempt a resurrection, compared to the deep slumber.

The company currently has only two employees left standing – itself an indication as to how much of a dead business this has become.

The report adds:

“The Future Strategy for Amphora envisages that both will take up roles elsewhere within the Colchester family.”

Which is nice.

Happy Town Hall Families.

Wednesday 14th February, 2024

Finance and figures dominate the agenda for the next Colchester City Full Council meeting taking place at the Town Hall on 21st February.

We’re talking: Final Budget Proposals 2024/25

The LibDem Cabinet has already signed off on this. The next stage is for Full Council to formally vote through the proposals.

tl;dr Labour will back the budget, the Tories will probe, but they don’t have the appetite or numbers to oppose.

There.

Running deep throughout the 400+ page document is the CCC Fit for the Future new way of working. This is lovalgov speak for cuts and increased charges.

In short, CCC is stuffed, but nowhere near as stuffed as other local authorities. The LibDem middle ground is to take a cautious approach.

Some of the headline figures for 2024/25 cover:

Net Expenditure of £24.959 million.

Council Tax increase of 2.99% – which would raise Band D Council Tax from £211.59 to £217.92.

A Housing Rent increase of 7.7%.

Fees & Charges increase 6.7%.

Plus a 3% pay rise across the board for staff.

Further down the agenda you’ll see the Increase in Members Allowances

A 3.88% increase for Members is proposed here.

Fancy that.

This means that a jobbing back bencher can expect £7576.54 per year.

The Leader of the Council has an allowance of £22,729.42 . Cabinet members are rewarded with £13,637.81.

The pecking order is then laid out:

Tory Group Leader £7071.51

LibDem Group Leader £6268.11

Labour Group Leader £5768.51

Green Group Leader £2770.91

Nice work, etc.

Other notable figures from the lengthy report include details of how the recently introduced garden waste tax has led to an annual saving of £995,000.

The General Fund revenue has a deficit of £1.991 million for 2025/26, although a (one-year) surplus of £1.310 is anticipated for 2026/27.

Hurrah for 2026/27.

It looks a little grim further ahead:

“Over the four-year period 2025/26 to 2028/29, a structural deficit of £2.771 million is forecast. This is the currently estimated sum that will need to be removed from the Council’s base budget in order to balance the budget in the medium-term.

The delivery of the 2023/24 General Fund revenue budget is proving challenging. As with 2022/23, the economic background has created multiple, unforeseen, budget pressures with the peak in inflation and higher interest rates persisting for longer than predicted by the Treasury at the time the budget was set.

This is resulting in higher costs, but also lower income from some services as disposable incomes are reduced and residents adjust their spending patterns.”

Pesky residents.

Other outgoings that caught our eye during a lunchtime flicking through of the document include £1.5m for the repair of Fieldgate Quay down at the Hythe. The long term vision here is for re-wilding.

Everything is re-wilding these days.

Plus a cool £1m is needed to repair the roof at the Moot Hall. The building is currently closed for health and safety reasons.

It’s not exactly a Sunny Colch time in which to repair the roof…

The LibDem run Council needs to set a balanced budget. Anything else will lead to a Section 114 Notice and central government stepping in.

That’s now how the LibDems do politics – especially with an overtly cautious and Centrist Leader such as Cllr Dave King.

Labour will prop up the budget to get it through Full Council.

The Tories will question and ask for more information. Some may abstain, but there isn’t any hunger for substantial opposition.

Not when it is your own party’s government that has largely led to this pessimistic outlook.

Same again next year, Comrades.

Thursday 8th February, 2024

Holy Trinity Church in the city centre is on the agenda for the Colchester City Council Planning Committee when it next meets at the Town Hall on 15th February.

Don’t worry – the bulldozers aren’t being sent in to demolish an 11th Century Listed building.

Instead we’re talking about the Town Deal funding. The Council wants to spend £1.8m of this central government handout to help transform the Church into a Community Hub.

Everything seems to be a hub these days.

The proposals are to open up the old building to become One Colchester Community Hub. The plan is for this space to then be managed by Community360, a charity that has hit the headlines itself recently.

The Officer recommendation is for approval. Green Cllr Mark Goacher of Castle ward has called in the application for the Committee to look at in more detail.

His objections include:

“Significant concerns raised by residents about the applications to open up the graveyard to the public and move headstones. Concerns that this alters the settings of a heritage building and could lead to increased anti-social behaviour around one of Colchester’s oldest buildings: littering and urination in particular.

The opening up of the church door and its location could lead to it becoming a stopping off point for users of the night time economy to relieve themselves.

The moving of gravestones amounts to a change in the setting of the building and raises ethical concerns about the encouraging of the public to eat, drink and throw litter onto people’s graves.

Concerns that this shows a casual disrespect and that this lowers to cultural tone of the area. Also significant concerns about the loss of wild flora and fauna to a planned and manicured garden.”

In response, the Officer response claims:

“It is considered that the proposal has achieved an appropriate balance between protecting the character and fabric of the Church and protecting features within the churchyard and on the boundary whilst enhancing the public realm and increasing public accessibility to the site.”

Historic England is broadly supportive:

“Having considered the documentation submitted with the application, including the ‘Heritage, Design and Access Statement’ produced by Hat Projects, we are supportive of the proposals in their revised form.”

The Colchester Civic Society less so:

“This is an ancient graveyard ,hallowed ground for those who lived nearby and worshiped at the church and yet we wish to transform it into an extension of Lion Walk’s social use.

We are now concerned for the residents of the Square and nearby who will learn to appreciate the current graveyard for what it is rather than the probable magnet for unsavoury behaviour.”

Ouch.

Nine other letters of objection have been submitted ahead of the meeting.

Holy Trinity was last used as a place of worship in 1954. Its most recent use was as a community cafe up until 2017.