Council leader says SKIPP protestors are “misguided”
By Rachel Charman
The leader of Southend Borough Council, Cllr Nigel Holdcroft, has spoken about the disruption of last night’s council meeting by the Saxon King in Priory Park committee (SKIPP).
Last night, SKIPP protestors brought the meeting to a standstill from the public gallery, as they heckled, threw leaflets into the chamber, and called on Cllr Holdcroft and Cllr Anna Waite to resign.
SKIPP objects to the redevelopment of Victoria Circus and Cuckoo Corner, and has made several claims that the behaviour of the Council in dealing with these matters has been misleading and underhand.
The group has set up a sit-in protest on Priory Crescent, preventing development work from moving forward.
Today Cllr Holdcroft said that he does not believe SKIPP has much public support. He told Councilbust.com:
“If the protestors are attempting to capture hearts and minds by these actions then I think that they are misguided.
“For members and officers, many of whom have worked a full day already and who face an early start for work the following morning, the extension of an already lengthy meeting for a further half hour whilst police persuaded the group to leave was tedious; a view shared by those members of the public who were there to listen to the important budget debate scheduled to take place later on the agenda.
“The basis of objection to the removal of a small number of trees and to a junction improvement which will assist access to the Town for residents, visitors and businesses is unclear.
“Assurances have already been given as to tree replanting in the vicinity (some of which has already taken place) and represents a continuation of our current policy of replanting two trees for every tree removed which has resulted in over 1000 trees being planted in the current year.
“The scheme involves no encroachment into Priory Park and does not break any assurances which have been given by me previously.
“In the meantime the protestors, some of whom are not even Southend residents, create an eyesore on the main artery into the Town and will no doubt cause substantial additional sums of public money to be expended to implement a government funded scheme which has been subject to extended consultation and debate.
“I do not accept that they have the public support which they claim!”
