Stratford Voice Manifesto

 

Stratford Voice will not be putting forward candidates for the May council elections. But we do have a view of what policies we would like successful candidates to support. Taken together these policies amount to a Stratford Voice Manifesto that residents might like to use as a checklist when faced with candidates or canvassers on their doorsteps.

 

1. We are opposed to further greenfield housing developments in and around Stratford . We believe that new housing should be dispersed in small developments in towns and villages around the district where it is needed to provide for local growth and to help support local services such as schools and public transport. All new housing should be matched to local demand and to the employment opportunities available, to avoid unnecessary commuting. It should not be a policy objective to reduce house prices in Stratford to the average of the West Midlands by overbuilding. Greater effort should be made to encourage the occupancy of the 800+ empty houses in the district. Innovative approaches are needed to ensure an adequate supply of affordable housing.
2. We seek greater openness, involvement and democracy from our local government. All too often decisions appear to have been taken before the public is involved. ‘Consultation’ is seen either as a one-way process to tell residents what has already been planned or at best to offer a choice between a narrow range of predetermined options. Decision processes are opaque and, should a council committee make a decision that does not satisfy senior officers and ruling party leaders, it is rapidly called in and changed (e.g. Waterside & Southern Lane redevelopment). As a start, democracy and openness could be improved by:
   1. Establishing, with representative bodies such as Stratford Voice and Stratford Society, a code of practice for public consultations.
   2. Always recording the names of councillors voting for and against motions that come before council committees.
   3. Delegating decisions to the lowest (i.e. most local) level possible.
   4. Councillors always wearing name badges when attending council and public meetings and other public events – not everyone know who is who.     
3. We support Stratford Society’s Historic Spine initiative and would like to see its scope broadened (as set out in our SCARP proposals). The town centre is overrun by traffic and excessive on-street parking by delivery vehicles, coaches and cars. Many shopfront design schemes detract from the appearance of the historic buildings. There is little in the way of signage and other information to inform visitors about the town and its many listed buildings.   
4. Public transport is very poorly catered for and, as a minimum, we would wish to see:
   1. A transport interchange in the vicinity of the railway station where buses could layover. All other stops to be pick up and put down only.
   2. Improved accommodation for bus passengers at the foot of Bridge Street (or nearby), including more space, shelters and seating.
   3. Facilities for drivers and passengers at the coach park by the Leisure Centre, together with onward transport from there into the town centre by smaller buses
   4. A drive to introduce electric buses in the town.
   5. A southern Park and Ride.
5. There should be an immediate weight limit on Clopton Bridge in order to preserve this historic structure. This step would have the additional benefit of limiting through traffic in the town centre.   
6. We would like to see the development of a vision for Stratford ’s future, based upon the widest possible involvement and consultation, which would address issues including:
   1. Future employment opportunities and the development of our tourism industry in a way that builds upon the historic and literary connections of the town.
   2. The provision of facilities for young people, particularly bearing in mind the growing student population of the town.
   3. Steps towards the achievement of ‘transition town’ status, in supporting initiatives for greater local food production more sustainable lifestyles. Requirement for allotments to be included as part of any larger developments.

The overall aim would be to build a forward-looking vision of the town that would guarantee the conservation of all that is best of our historical, cultural and scenic legacy while providing the employment, leisure and social opportunities that its residents would expect. 

 

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