A young Islander unhappy at the frustration her mother and friends have experienced organising a Jubilee street party has taken the matter to a higher level. She’s written to Her Majesty The Queen.
Katie Fradgley had been looking forward to a street party planned to bring together the entire village of Whitwell on Sunday 3rd June.
Her mother, Clare, told VB that organisers had applied to close a small section of Kemming Road (the road which leads from Whitwell to Niton, mapped below) and hold the party there, as this is where most of the organisers live and would provide easy access to electricity, tables, kitchens etc.
Unfortunately they’ve come up against problems with the Isle of Wight council who say they cannot close the road.
“Council keep moving the goal posts”
Clare tells us, “The council keep moving the goal posts and using different excuses for why we can’t close a small part of Kemming Road. The diversion would only be down to Bannock Road and through the small estate, which in fact is the main bus route anyway. So if it’s capable of taking large buses then it can handle a few coaches on the day.”
Apparently, the council have other ideas though, saying it’s a “principal route within the strategic highway network on the Isle of Wight”. According to Clare, they go on to say that if an alternative venue cannot be found, then it may not be possible to sanction an event in the village.
Big enough for buses
Frustrated by the changing responses, Clare says, “First they said the road was too narrow to hold an event, then it was a major road …. which is it? Then they said the junctions are not wide enough on Bannock estate, yet the large buses have no problem turning in and out of them every single day.
“Then it was that visibility at the junction was not good enough, but buses cope and so do all other vehicles, in fact the turning junctions at Bannock are larger than Kemming Road Junction.”
Willing to marshal if needed
According to Clare, the organisers of the street party even offered to marshal the junctions all day if needed.
Why is that particular stretch of road was so important? Clare told us, “It’s in front of the church which is the only place in the village that is seen as a pinnacle of the village.
“We have arranged to join in the church service and to use an area near the church for games for the children. So the whole area can be contained and kept safe for the children with no roads to cross.”
Their plans seem to make perfect sense, but as Clare finishes, “Isle of Wight council have been far from helpful and very discouraging to us.”
Eric Pickles has encouraged community engagement
According to the Local Government Association (LGA) a whopping 3,500 applications have been received so far by councils around the country for street parties to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Earlier this month, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said, “It’s good news that so many people are getting behind the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The Jubilee is a great opportunity for local residents from all backgrounds to come together and reinforce our shared identity and sense of Britishness.”
“Municipal killjoys getting in the way” says Pickles
He went on to say “The Government has cut red tape on street parties by reining back in the complicated bureaucracy of forms, permissions and risk assessments.
“But councils must play their part too – and there are still a minority of municipal killjoys getting in the way, such as demanding expensive public liability insurance which isn’t actually a legal requirement.”
Clare has written to Mr Pickles explaining the problems she’s experienced.
How many other applications?
We got in touch with council to find out how many applications they’ve received for street parties as part of the Jubilee celebrations.
They told us. “We have received 12 applications which are currently being processed.”
Click image below to see Katie’s letter to HM The Queen.
Click on images for larger versions
