John Gili-Ross

My Priorities for our Rural Communities

I have 5 clear priorities:

• addressing over-development in north Colchester
• quality high-speed rural broadband
• safer roads
• safer communities
• mayoral election

Over Development

North Colchester landscape is under threat by the number of large scale developments planned or in progress for north Colchester between the A12 and the mainline railway line over the next few years.  Consider the following development programmes:

Active development in New Braiswick Park (the former Woods site) c750 homes;

Planned development of the former Severalls Hospital site will begin shortly.  c 1,500 homes;

The Northern Approaches expansion c 300 homes;

The Turner Village development south of the General Hospital c 450 homes;

The planned development known as North Growth Area Urban Extension. (NGAUE) c.2,200 homes.

These developments coupled with the unknown traffic impact the new A12 intersection will have on traffic into and out of Colchester is a major concern to all of the rural and urban communities to the North of Colchester.

The NGAUE development is the green open spaces bordered by the A12, Myland to the east, Colchester Golf Club to the west and the existing properties fronting Bergholt Road.  This development alone will build more homes than are currently in place in West Bergholt and is almost the equivalent to the total number of homes in Eight Ash Green and West Bergholt combined.  I believe this proposed development should not be permitted until additional routes are implemented under the main line railway in the vicinity of North Station main railway line,improvements are made to traffic flows on Bergholt Road and a segregated cycle way system implemented to connect the existing cycle paths at North Station and West Bergholt.

With your vote it will be my priority to resist any further large scale development to the north and north west of Colchester until we can clearly understand the impact these developments will have on our daily lives in terms of roads, cycle and pedestrian infrastructure, public transport services and travel to and from our schools.

Quality Rural Broadband Services

Access to a quality broadband service is now an essential utility for many residents and businesses in our rural communities.  West Bergholt and many Eight Ash Green residents and businesses are currently denied access to a quality service with no sign that our existing poor quality service will be improved.  With your vote I will lobby Colchester Borough Council to provide our villages with access to a quality high-speed broadband service made possible through appropriate allocation of grant funding.  Alternate broadband infrastructure suppliers are available in Essex and working collaboratively with village organisations. With appropriate funding from Colchester Borough Council and Essex County Council we can ensure these quality services are available to residents and small businesses alike.

Safer Village Roads

As a member of the 20mph “Task & Finish” group I have visited and analysed how communities in Portsmouth and Oxfordshire have successfully implemented 20mph zoning in villages and towns.  I believe residents should have a say on whether 20mph zones are desirable and whether such zoning should be implemented in our villages to make our roads inherently safer for all users.

SAFER COMMUNITIES

We all demand safer communities.  Through the Neighbourhood Action Panel I will continue to represent our village interests and broker suitable solutions between the Police, CBC and ECC to achieve speedy resolutions to identified village issues.  I will lobby constantly to maintain an adequate village police presence using modern police methods.

the right to elect our Mayor

Colchester does not have a Mayor elected by the residents yet the cost of running this office is laid at the taxpayer’s door.  The Mayoralty remains a figurehead position without any effective power and it is customarily awarded to the most senior councillor from one of the political groups, who take it in turn.  Some towns in England have a directly elected Mayor who is also leader of the Council.  This has proved so popular with residents that many “people elected” Mayor’s have been voted in for multiple terms.  I believe it time Colchester residents were permitted to elect a Mayor / Council Leader and that this would be someone of our choosing not that determined by the political party’s.  Merging these two positions will save tax payers money, help to provide the services that residents really want and ensure the position remains answerable to us all rather than a select political few.