Gypsy & Traveller site to be set up in Calne? (updated 4th June)

Regardless of location (Bear in mind that I am directly affected by the two Calne sites)I feel strongly that if a group of people demand the right to conduct their lives in a different manner to the law abiding citizens of this country then it would be a natural and responsible course of action to treat them in a different manner. If this group of people expect to drive their vehicles with neither a road fund license or valid insurance and avoid the payment of national and local taxes then they deserve special treatment. There are sites for example disused military establishments or closed government facilities where they could carry on their lifestyle and create as much filth and rubbish to live in without encroaching on the local community who do not like being taxed to death but have a healthy regard for their surroundings. It would perhaps also have a positive effect on the crime rate which always increases with the arrival of the travelling people as we experienced several times when we lived just outside Windsor

W. J. Crozier
19 Lake View
Quemerford
Calne
SN11 8JA

Dated – 17/06/08

Area 5 – Calne Town Meeting 16th June 2008
Disgraceful debacle -
THIS MEETING MUST BE HELD AGAIN WITH A PROPER SOUND SYSTEM

The meeting in the Leisure centre in Calne last evening was a complete and utter disaster and a travesty of democracy. To say the presentation and meeting agenda were disingenuous is a complement.
The questions being asked by the ordinary people of Calne were ignored, the audience was talked down.
The NWDC Committee members did not pretend to understand or be concerned in any way with our concerns or points, they were in no way empathetic or sympathetic. In fact they continuously talked down to the town’s folk and used process and procedure designed for town hall meetings to avoid answering questions.
They certainly left us with the feeling that WE were the unreasonable ones and that realistically we should have already had our very own gypsies that we could be proud of.
Although it was interesting that the main speakers of the night live no where near a proposed site, in fact Allison Bucknell (displaying an absolutely disgraceful attitude) informed us that Wotton Bassett has already been removed as a possible option, I think she said it had nothing to do with the fact that SHE lives in Wootton Bassett.

1. Sound System –
From the outset it was very obvious the sound system deployed by the Committee was not up to the task or anywhere near the level of operational ability or professionalism that was required for an audience and a room of that size.
The action that should have been taken at that time was to suspend the meetings re-plan it for another day and time and to then reconvene when right and proper with the right technical equipment in place.

2. Deaf (disabled) speaker –
Mr Robertson was served very poorly indeed and suffered a severe injustice because of this Committee from the outset of this process. To ask a deaf (“disabled man” as described by Alison Bucknell) to run presentations and answer questions for an emotionally charged audience that are there for a question and answer session when clearly he needed to have every single question repeated was an embarrassment for him, a huge point of annoyance for the audience and led to the vast majority or irritation and annoyance of the participants. If this was a deliberate tactic to ignore the people of Calne it worked but if it was supposed to be a real listening exercise it was a complete and utter disaster, I suspect the former however. If it was for any other reason, like recording questions AGAIN perhaps telling us that is what you were doing would have been most informative and helpful!!! Maybe even recording or employing a stenographer would have been a sensible use of some of the 150k you have been given for this project?
Imagine the scenario, he finished his presentation, during which he managed to completely ignore every questions asked of him. The floor is opened up to a very emotional charged audience who have just been told by the speaker that there is no reason why Calne should not have the site and that they are wonderful people who are a real asset and that we should not be mean and pick on them, only to then have every question asked ignored. That is certainly how it was perceived by the audience - questions asked on very sensitive subjects and the response was – Silence - of course then audience members start to shout the obvious, “Come on where is the answer”
The questions where sometimes very straight forward but ignored – After the speaker pointed out that it was completely reasonable and acceptable to have a gypsy site right next to a Secondary School, he was asked if he would send his children to that very school. NO answer.
A Lady in the audience asked simply why had he sped through the constraint slides in his presentation and that he head spent the vast majority of time in the presentation showing the positives of having the site and no time on the negatives – Answer, I have given my presentation, next question. That was not the question nor the answer required and he knew it.

3. Not answering questions –
The theme for the whole debacle was “I cannot hear your question” and or “I am sorry I cannot hear you”, but yet no one, and I lay the blame for this squarely at the Chairpersons door, it was blindingly obvious that neither the committee nor the towns folk could hear the other yet the chairperson ploughed on. I am sorry to say that I am not surprised by this as the whole thing smacked of a box ticking exercise as they had already decide before they arrived as none of them live in Calne that that is where the site is going to be placed.
Time and time again questions that had been heard were also ignored completely. The audience as a whole requested repeatedly that the questions be answered but the chairperson completely ignored these requests and asked for the next question which was again ignored. So yes it was very one sided, questions asked and no answer forthcoming so yet another question asked with no answer forthcoming and so on……..
It was very clear from the questions asked that even though not being able to hear was the main excuse, the criteria used for selection of the sites was not in fact reasonable or standard. The speaker himself at one stage tried to convince the audience that they way the Council measured 100 meters is different to the way the ordinary man in the street measures 100 meters.

4. Insult to Injury
We then have the Allison Bucknell rip into whole audience for not being considerate and listening to all of the speaker’s presentation and that we were very rude indeed and that we should stop shouting that they were not answering the questions.
Well guess what, as explained, WE COULDN’T HEAR so we had to ask the questions again and again.
She had absolutely no right to speak to anyone that way. Had she bothered to tell us (and it was very clear that she is very used to telling people what to do) that the Speaker had a disability (her words) and that he was deaf I know the audience would have waited until he had finished before slowly and clearly asking our questions.
She then went on to blame us for the sound system, she clearly forgot who was responsible for the meeting its set up and its technical well being. SHE was responsible for the meeting room, the agenda and the equipment used NOT the town people of Calne. She and all the other committee members completely forgot that they are supposedly PUBLIC servants and there to serve us and to provide us with the means and ability to listen to their presentation and to then ask questions and to expect that everyone could hear was fundamental to the whole process.
This was a debacle of the highest order and Allison Bucknell should be brought to book at the highest level and if this is possible I would take personal responsibility of appearing before any committee that could bring about her removal.
The minimum I would expect from Allison Bucknell is that she writes an open apology to the people of Calne and publishes in the local press. Perhaps she could also explain why this was a complete debacle and state that she withdraws her critsisms and condemnation of the people of Calne. As had she bothered to explain about the presenter and apologise for the inadequate equipment we might all have known what to expect from the outset.
She also admitted that not all of the committee had even bothered to visit ALL of the proposed sites!!!!! That is an absolute disgrace, how can they possibly vote for a site they have not even seen.

5. Fundamentally Flawed Scoring Mechanism –
I have emailed you with this point previously but not had an answer. Your scoring system for the sites is fundamentally flawed.
As was clear last night your method of measurement in terms of meters etc. is open to severe scrutiny and question. You appear not to have truly reflected the makeup of the sites, what is in or on them, how far they are from buildings or where they are etc.
I am also very surprised to see that you have not answered all the questions for all sites within your own scoring system. Some of the answers sections to the questions are blank!
More importantly you have somehow managed score the criteria in one method but receive and Executive report back using a different mechanism?
You clearly state that the criteria will be measured using Red, Yellow (not Amber for some reason??) and Green. You then get a recommendation from the Executive Report Appendices 3, saying “The recommended Site 2 (Oxford road, Calne) has a score of 7” Sorry but 7 what’s?
If you look at your own information and actually use your own scoring system then the preferred site order is
1. Chippenham Site A
2. Wotton Basset
3. Chippenham Site B
4. Calne Oxford Road
So how on earth you then get to Calne as being the preferred site really does ask some big questions.
It appears that you are making the facts fit the fiction/desire to stitch Calne up so not to have this site in your own back yard. (Normal Labour tactic - NIMBY)
In any event the system is NOT clear and transparent therefore it is not open and cannot be democratic.

Regards,

Mr W. J. Crozier

If the sites go ahead it will affect most people living in the town one way or another.

With regard to one of the comments wrote.
The shopping in calne is alful but they are trying to sort it and when the phelps parade opens up in december it should improve.

People are trying to get these sites stopped.
You would be surprised at the amount of people in calne who are still unaware that these sites are being proposed.

Leaflets will be handed out to shoppers on saturday.Telling people about the sites and how to stop them.
There are also petitions in most shops in the town.
They are also in the jenny wren,The bug and spider,The north star club and bremhill view football club.

If you want to help us in any way then please contact me at www.calnetalk.com..

we are moving back to our house in Calne. What horror to read of possible new neighbours. Please do not put a site in Calne, unless maybe the travellers are made to pay local taxes, rates etc to help with expenses. We do.

No No NO NO NO thankyou.

I moved here 6 years ago to set up a business and employ 6 local people.
I have settled in this town and really made a go of things.
I was hoping to expand my business.

If this goes through I will leave the area and those six people will be out of work.
I dont want to stay in a town that is obviously a dumping ground for the rest of N wiltshires problems.
We have no decent central shopping area, terrible access to the centre of town and have had real problems with drunks and druggies.
I thought things were getting better since police action last year and council proposals to re model the town centre.
I am ashamed to live here when I see the state of our town centre and things are going to get so much worse.
Who is going to compensate us for the drop in value of our properties,and for the rise in crime rate that will undoubtedly occur?
Local estate agents estimate a 30% DROP IN THE VALUE OF HOUSES in the OXFORD ROAD and parts of the LANSDOWNE ESTATE if this site is built.
This is not about racism it is about FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL.