BRIDGE WATCH
Sutton Bridge
The Group whose aims are
'Good Governance' and 'Community Spirit'
in Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire
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Latest Updates:
24/8/10: Planning Appeal Inquiry Opens Tydd St Mary Wind Farm Proposal
22/8/10: Latest Sutton Bridge Community Fund News
11/8/10: Latest Sutton Bridge 4x4 Project News
6/8/10: The proposed Transient Travellers Site in Wingland
2/8/10: Update on Bridge Road Safety Measures
26/12/ 09: Bridge Watch website launch!
About 'Bridge Watch' in Sutton Bridge, Lincs
Bridge Watch was set up initially by a small group of individual local residents, who independently attended a Sutton Bridge Parish Council Meeting on the 26th May 2009 to make a protest about the conduct of a ‘consultation’ concerned with the Bridge Road Enhancement Scheme modifications. A full account of the history and development of the Enhancement Scheme is to be found at Bridge Road Enhancement Scheme.
Under pressure from Bridge Watch, it has now been admitted that the deeply flawed and biassed ‘consultation’ document did not come from the Parish Council at all but was issued at their own expense by certain councillors with a vested interest in getting rid of the Enhancement Scheme. Such an act is contrary to the Code of Conduct for Parish Councils but all that the Standards Committee could find to say of this episode was that it was ‘unfortunate’. Nobody was held to account.
Contrary to what some believe, Bridge Watch is strictly neutral on the subject. What Bridge Watch stands for on this, and other issues, is that, in the affairs of Sutton Bridge, there should always be proper, informed, rational and democratic discussion based on openly researched facts. Members of Bridge Watch have discovered that, in general, the current majority on the Parish Council fight shy of honest openness; most matters are not properly discussed and important decisions are often just rubber-stamped. The intention of Bridge Watch has been to try to influence the elected members to represent the residents of the whole of Sutton Bridge in a comprehensive way.
Bridge Watch will support the Parish Council whenever it finds democracy flourishing.
Bridge Watch will support intelligent, informed, open discussion on all issues concerning Sutton Bridge — between councillors themselves and in their dealings with other community groups.
When ‘Bridge Watch’ became a formal group, the name came up because that is just what its members have been doing: maintaining a close watch on Sutton Bridge Parish Council in action. Bridge Watch will continue to monitor their activities to ensure that proper regard is paid to the Code of Conduct and to encourage councillors to seek training to improve their competence and help them to enhance what ought to be an important community service.
Bridge Watch seeks to encourage residents to take an active part in community affairs by attending Parish Council Meetings. An important aim of Bridge Watch is to see Sutton Bridge become a Community with a heart.
This Website, set up in December 2009 and regularly updated, now with an upwards trend of over two thousand ‘Unique Visitors’ a month,
- informs residents of Parish Council affairs
- offers a space for residents to express their concerns
- provides support to many and varied initiatives in Sutton Bridge
- paints a vivid portrait of Sutton Bridge as a thriving community past and present
The full range of issues and topics that Bridge Watch has concerned itself with to date is to be seen on the left-hand side of this preamble.
You can help:-
- by attending Parish Council meetings
- by signifying your support for Bridge Watch by writing to info@bridgewatch.org.uk
- by offering to contribute to Bridge Watch activities
- by standing as a Parish Councillor with enthusiasm and verve and a proper comprehensive platform at the next Parish Council Elections in May 2011 (see Prospective Parish Councillors)
Bridge Watch welcomes new members!