Friday 8 May 2009

Nigel Howells confusion on Bute Pake!

BPA had some pretty good press recently including a letter in Wednesdays Guardian and Thursdays Echo. We have it on good authority that the Lib Dem councilors are pretty wound up at the moment. Nigel Howells wrote a response in the Guardian letters today

He is admitting confusion and misunderstanding re. the bridge and road. This can only be the councils fault; lack of information, misinformation and lack of proper consultation. He is willing to discuss these issues with celebrities but not the Cardiff public.

Please write to the Guardian! The more people that write the more likely we will have a letter printed.

letters@guardian.co.uk

Cardiff's green centre is under threat

We believe that the four Grade 1 and Grade 2* listed historic parks that form the unique central core of green space in central Cardiff are under threat. We agree with the Welsh assembly government that: "The whole complex is an asset to the city of incomparable historic, visual and amenity value." Development has eroded and commercialised the three parks to the west of the river Taff. Now Cardiff council proposes to drive a new bridge and 6m wide roads through the Grade 1 listed Bute Park to facilitate commercial events.

We believe that no more development should take place until there has been a proper independent professional evaluation of the four parks and their future long-term, sustainable use. Consequently we call on Cardiff council to agree an immediate moratorium on development in Bute Park, Sophia Gardens, Llandaff Fields and Pontcanna Fields until a wide-ranging public consultation has been held into their use and a future strategy agreed.
Griff Rhys Jones
Ioan Gruffudd
Chris Monger
Gruff Rhys
Mathew Rhys
Sara Sugarman

Cardiff

Parks confusion

Far from being "under threat" our central parks are seen by Cardiff council as intrinsic to the character of the city, one of the greenest and open in the country. We are working to enhance these parks with a £5.6m project to conserve the parklands, restoring historic features and increasing the number of people using them. There has been a lot of confusion and misunderstanding over the proposed access bridge to Bute Park. I can categorically deny this is being built to increase the number of commercial events in the park. The bridge will in fact remove all vehicles from most of the park, making it much safer and more pleasant. I would welcome the chance to discuss our proposals with the signatories of the letter so they can fully understand the rationale behind our plans and realise we have the best interests of Cardiff parks at heart, and are working hard to deliver improvements.
Cllr Nigel Howells
Executive member for sport, leisure, & culture, Cardiff


Friday 1 May 2009

Lib Dem/plaid council in disarray

Chief officer suspended in council leak inquiry
WalesOnline - Cardiff,UK
... with several controversial proposals including the building of a £1.4m lorry bridge into Bute Park and the sale of the city's historic library texts. ...