CTSE Briefing
I hope all Societies
received a copy of this first “newsheet” from CTSE, produced by our very own
Merrin Molesworth! Congratulations to
Merrin for putting together the excellent format – and at very short notice.
Successful liaison between
CTSE and Societies in the region is constantly under review. It is intended that this Briefing Sheet will
be produced 2-3 times a year and distributed electronically. A website page will also be available –
watch this space.!
Although still in their
infancy, Civic Trust Regional Associations will play a greater role in the
representation of the civic society movement for their regions.
To do this effectively will
mean a salaried officer in each region.
All societies therefore are being asked to raise the level of their
subscriptions. Martin Bacon and Gill Smith
on behalf of the nine Regional Committees have written to all Societies
explaining this in greater detail.
Subscription increases will
be scaled to take account of Societies’ own membership.
There is no magic wand we
can wave over this pill. If we want the
Civic Society movement to have proper representation at regional and national
level, we must be prepared to fund it properly.
To put the case into
perspective, other environmental organisations ask for individual contributions
of £20-30 per head (CPRE annual subscription is £20.00). The increases anticipated by The Civic Trust
will amount to an annual increase of approximately 30p (thirty pence)
per individual!
This is one of the topics
CTSE are trying to investigate within the South East region. What success are individual Local
Authorities (LAs) having in increasing
the provision of affordable housing?
You will have seen a request for information from Brian Horsley, CTSE
Chair in the Briefing.
The Office of the Deputy
Prime Minister (ODPM) has just brought out a thick report on the subject
(available on line at www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/odpm.cfm
- if any of you feel strong enough to read it).
Very, very briefly, they
conclude:
It would be useful to hear
if any of you know (or can investigate) what method your own Local Authority
favours and why.
I believe that because many
LAs are still placing the greatest reliance on the provision of affordable housing
via agreements with developers on greenfield sites, they are all
too ready to bypass brownfield development sites. This needs monitoring.
The ODPM Report states :
“The
calls on brownfield sites in terms of reclamation costs, infrastructure and other
assembly issues make it much more difficult to get affordable housing as part
of that development component”.
Do please contact Brian at
143 Orchard Street, Chichester, East Sussex PO19 1DH with any relevant
information you may have.
CTSE are holding their AGM
on Tuesday, 6th May at Carlton House Terrace. Do try to come.
A CTSE Conference Event will
be held in Windsor on Saturday, 4th October. As this is relatively local to our area, it
would be good to se ANTAS members there.
Carolyn Cumming
February 2003