Involve residents over Town Centre, says MP

12.00.00am GMT Thu 8th Feb 2007

Colchester Town Centre

Colchester residents should be involved in discussions over the future development of the "St Botolph's Quarter" of the Town Centre, MP Bob Russell said during an after dinner speech to more than 250 people held in the Moot Hall.

He made his plea in the wake of the revelation that Colchester Borough Council has invited developers and architects to put forward their proposals - and that a decision will be made, not by Councillors, but by a panel of whom only one is a councillor.

Proposing the toast "Colchester 2007" at the Annual Dinner of The Colchester Association for the Protection of Property, Mr Russell contrasted the lack of public involvement in formulating the future of the "St Botolph's Quarter" - an area comprising the remainder of the Queen Street Bus Station and the frontage, St Botolph's Street, Vineyard Street and Osborne Street - with how the Culver Square development had been undertaken 20 or so years ago.

Praising former Conservative Mayor Mr David Holt, who was in the audience, Mr Russell said that the then Councillor Holt had chaired a Council Committee which had first sought the views and opinions of local residents and businesses, drew up a brief which the Council's 60 councillors approved, and then put the project out to open competition for developers. One was selected in due course by Councillors.

He then criticised the growth of quangos at every level of public life, and said that the decline in democratic accountability and decision-making was detrimental to society. He wanted to see powers restored to elected representatives who were democratically accountable to the public for the decisions they made.

Mr Russell, who is a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said that Colchester was one of the safest towns in Britain. He praised the Police for their role, and also Neighbourhood Watch and the charity Crimestoppers.

Special praise was given for the success of Colchester United Football Club, and he thanked the Borough Council for agreeing to build a Community Stadium in North Colchester which will be the new home for the U's.

Referring to new developments, particularly those in the Mile End area of Colchester where he grew up, Mr Russell said: "I am saddened to see the fields of my youth being built on, but we need homes for people. There are an estimated 4,000 children in Colchester who live in housing which, by current standards, is deemed inadequate for their needs."