Turnpike "FIT"

AudlemOnline is happy to accede to the request to publish the following 2 posts on ChatBox on this subject:-

From Pete Morgan

To answer and hopefully assuage some of the recent comments and fears regarding costs, tree planting and protection from development concerning the Turnpike field, I can provide the following.

In addition to the small plantation that was planted last year and of which, some miraculously survived the drought, I have recently planted a number of small cuttings of Golden Willow into the Soggy Bottom land adjacent to the stream and also into the bog by the boardwalk. If most of these take and survive the depredations of all creatures great and small, they will, within ten years Impatient, provide a colourful contrast to the abundant Alder and willows already on site. To see the finished product, so to speak, take a look at the two Golden Willows planted by ADAS 30 years ago by Salford Bridge. This is the source of the whips I have planted. In addition, I have also planted a three year old Field Maple and some self-seeded (into my garden) bird cherry plus two native wild cherry. Also the five hazel whips kindly donated via Buy/Sell. All these species are designed to provide an important food source for birds and insects of many types and enhance the attraction of the area, but it will not happen overnight. Last week I had the pleasure of walking through some small woods that I planted ten years ago on the farm but I doubt that I will still be around to experience the same joy with the Turnpike planting ten years from now. But I do hope that many readers or children of, will experience that joy for themselves. It is vital to look to the future which is why Fields in Trust is so important to the future of our community. We know only too well how susceptible and vulnerable our Parish Council can be with our resources, witness the appalling recent events still to be reconciled. And yet, given an opportunity to protect this precious asset by putting it in trust, some immediately rebel against it. Really!

Research online will tell you in a couple of minutes that FiTrust are an open space charity of almost a century's standing that makes NO charge other than the £80 fee to the Land Registry to note the change from Audlem pc to FiT thus securing it from any rogue element on a future parish council.

Turning to the top end of the field, it is the green car park requirement that prevents its inclusion with FiT whose sole objective is to protect green open spaces that are not car parks. Abandon the car park and it can all be safeguarded with FiT But if you want the car park, it cannot be included, those are the rules!

Finally, the FiT allows for flexibility if more than half of the parish wish to do something different with the field at some future date, which to my mind, is a whole lot safer than leaving its fate in the hands of twelve parish councillors, or as at present eight and recently, even less. Get my drift? Vote for Fields in Trust, the parish are still the owners but its future is much more secure.

From Geraint Davies

A day or two ago, on reading the pamphlet regarding the future of Turnpike Field, my first reaction as always, in gratitude to the councillors who do such a good job, was to support the proposal. However one or two submissions on Chatbox (though they were expressd a little more aggresively than I woud have wished) did raise a question or two in my mind and gave me pause for thought.

However, thanks to Peter Morgan's lucid reply, these nagging doubts are completely answered – the cost is minimal; that the situation is not set in stone and can be altered at any time should more than half the population wish it; but the future of the field is safeguarded if any rogue cabal on the council in the future seek to follow their own agenda.

It seems clear to me now that there's no question that this proposal should be accepted.