It has taken me several days to write this blog on Sid, such has been my sadness and anger at our Council for doing such a thing.
Sid’s History
Sid the Sycamore was planted 72 years ago to celebrate Eastleigh becoming a borough. Sycamores are not particularly special trees but because of it’s historical significance and location this one is!
Sadly Sid was cut down by Eastleigh Borough Council on Easter Monday 24th March 2008.
The Point
The Point is Eastleigh’s dance centre. Last year Eastleigh Borough Council put in over £300,000 into the Centre. This year, on February 6th Eastleigh Borough Council Cabinet agreed to pump in a further £2,674,700 over the period of 2008 to 2010 to develop phase 3 of the Point. This development comes at the expense of the taxpayer and the Recreation Ground.
Council connivance
At the Council Cabinet meeting on March 6th Councillor House announced to the Cabinet that there had been a request for a judicial review on the proposed felling of Sid by a member of the public.
According to Wikipedia a Judicial review is the power of a court to review the actions of public sector bodies in terms of their legality or constitutionality. In some jurisdictions it is also possible to review the constitutionality of the law itself. A person who feels that an exercise of such power by, say,… the local council …., is unlawful, perhaps because it has violated his or her rights, may apply to the Administrative Court (a division of the High Court) for judicial review of the decision. If the application for judicial review is successful, the Court may set aside (quash) the unlawful act. In certain limited circumstances, the Claimant may be able to obtain damages. A court may also make a mandatory or prohibitory order or an injunction to compel the authority to act lawfully or to stop it from acting unlawfully .It is thus amazing that the Local Councillors of Eastleigh have allowed the felling of this tree given that they could be in contempt of court and referred to the standards committee.
Lib Dems look on
Lib. Dem. Councillor Chris Thomas, chair of the Local Area Committee, claimed that he had no specific knowledge that the tree was going to be cut down on Easter Monday, but strangely, members of the public saw fellow Lib.Dem Councillors Davies-Dear and Wayne Irish sitting in a car in a side street watching the whole process. In the photograph Lib.Dem councillor Andy Moore(left) looks down with shame and embarrasment when challenged by Conservative Robert Quane on the night before Sid's death..
The Point
The Point is Eastleigh’s dance centre. Last year Eastleigh Borough Council put in over £300,000 into the Centre. This year, on February 6th Eastleigh Borough Council Cabinet agreed to pump in a further £2,674,700 over the period of 2008 to 2010 to develop phase 3 of the Point. This development comes at the expense of the taxpayer and the Recreation Ground.
Council connivance
At the Council Cabinet meeting on March 6th Councillor House announced to the Cabinet that there had been a request for a judicial review on the proposed felling of Sid by a member of the public.
According to Wikipedia a Judicial review is the power of a court to review the actions of public sector bodies in terms of their legality or constitutionality. In some jurisdictions it is also possible to review the constitutionality of the law itself. A person who feels that an exercise of such power by, say,… the local council …., is unlawful, perhaps because it has violated his or her rights, may apply to the Administrative Court (a division of the High Court) for judicial review of the decision. If the application for judicial review is successful, the Court may set aside (quash) the unlawful act. In certain limited circumstances, the Claimant may be able to obtain damages. A court may also make a mandatory or prohibitory order or an injunction to compel the authority to act lawfully or to stop it from acting unlawfully .It is thus amazing that the Local Councillors of Eastleigh have allowed the felling of this tree given that they could be in contempt of court and referred to the standards committee.
Lib Dems look onLib. Dem. Councillor Chris Thomas, chair of the Local Area Committee, claimed that he had no specific knowledge that the tree was going to be cut down on Easter Monday, but strangely, members of the public saw fellow Lib.Dem Councillors Davies-Dear and Wayne Irish sitting in a car in a side street watching the whole process. In the photograph Lib.Dem councillor Andy Moore(left) looks down with shame and embarrasment when challenged by Conservative Robert Quane on the night before Sid's death..
A great loss
What most disappoints me is that part of the pretty Recreational ground is to be lost for a phase 3 extension for a dance centre. Time after time these councilors are chipping away at our green spaces, be they allotments, parks or greens and selling off the land or just building on it. And all the time it costs the Council tax payers more money - £3000 in this case, just for the destruction of one precious and historic tree.
What most disappoints me is that part of the pretty Recreational ground is to be lost for a phase 3 extension for a dance centre. Time after time these councilors are chipping away at our green spaces, be they allotments, parks or greens and selling off the land or just building on it. And all the time it costs the Council tax payers more money - £3000 in this case, just for the destruction of one precious and historic tree.
Just as a man betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver and so condemned him to his death I feel betrayed by our Councillors who have unjustly and unlawfully condemned this tree to its death.
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1 comment:
The sad thing for me about this whole issue is the fact that the council does not even own this land, or Sid. This was and still is PUBLIC PROTECTED LAND, given to the people of Eastleigh in trust. I just can not understand how Eastleigh Borough Council can just turn up, rip out a tree and build on this land AGAIN.. Since 1933 the recreation ground has shrunk to half the size it was when first given to the people of Eastleigh. I fear that we are stealing not from Eastleigh, but from Eastleigh's children and their children’s children. The ‘Save Sid’ campaign has left me feeling bitterly sad that I have failed not just my own children but the future generations of this once great Borough. This rape of OUR land must stop. Once they run out of public space will they start looking at our back gardens for their new white elephant projects.?? Come May I employ the people of Eastleigh to say, 'No More..!!'
Matthew Myatt
Save Sid
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