Promises, Promises, Promises

12.00.00am GMT Fri 10th Nov 2006

The safe pavement

At the Public Meeting on November 2nd in the school Cllr Charles was asked if Stoney Middleton was going to get a controlled crossing which the Parish Council has been requesting for at least 30 years. In reply Cllr Charles said: "If there needs to be a crossing the council would look at it". However he rapidly corrected himself and said: "There may be a crossing control warden rather than a pedestrian crossing".

When asked if there would be crossing control wardens in every place where the children would have to cross the main road (at least 3) Cllr Charles replied: "No - we are working on the assumption there is an adult with the children"

To a follow up question - "How does a working mother walk to Calver before she starts work at 9.00am?" Cllr Charles replied: "We have to work within the law - that is the legislation."

Kevin Mason asked if Cllr Charles was aware of the extensive flooding on the road which had forced the County Council to install traffic control lights on the A623 at the bottom of Coombes Dale for the last few winters. These lights force the traffic on to the pavement side of the road and the pavement rapidly becomes muddy with the splashing. Cllr Charles promised to raise this matter with the highways department. Stoney residents hope that Highways Department act as swiftly on this as they did on taking the "Save Stoney School" signs down

One reason given for the closure of school was the lack of affordable housing in the village. Geoff Mason asked why houses could not be built on 10 acres of land behind Meadow Close, which belongs to Derbyshire Dales District Council. Cllr Charles promised to investigate this although it is unlikely building will be allowed, as there are greater crested newts on the land. David Humphries confirmed that a formula is used to determine the number of primary children forecast from housing developments. Twenty houses would be forecast to produce four extra children but if Stoney School is closed there will be no room in Curbar for these children.