We were appalled and yet not surprised, to read the article in the press this week, confirming the agreement of the local council to fund the new SWRR with a contribution of £1 million from South Holland tax payers.
Forgive us if we are interpreting this incorrectly, but we take this to mean this is being funded from reserves built up from Council Tax payments from South Holland.
Most of those families under threat of losing their treasured homes have lived, if not in Bourne Road, in Spalding all their lives, and are loyal council tax paying residents of South Holland.
We are now in effect contributing to the funding of a scheme that could see the bulldozing of OUR OWN properties, how ironic is that?
We have also met over 1,200 local residents, who have signed the petition to Save Our Homes, and they have been equally perturbed about our plight, and the repeatedly heard quote ‘That could be me one day, how can they treat their residents and tax payers like this?’
We are promised a decision ‘at the end of the summer’ on the route for the central section, and all we, as a group can hope, is that common sense and humanity prevails and our homes are saved from demolition, with an alternative route found that does not destroy not only the physical, most treasured possession a person owns, but lives and memories.
Compulsory purchase of nine homes could see a bill amounting to several million and we, along with many neighbours, friends and family, will struggle to rationalise continuing to pay council taxes to potentially fund the bulldozers obliterating homes in Bourne Road.
We can only wait our fate now, but as a group we find this latest move a real kick in the teeth.
Of course, we may be prejudging, and alternative routes are being considered, including the previously well documented allotment route, although again, there is a suggestion following the meeting on July 29 at
Lincoln this is just ‘smoke and mirrors’ and is not being seriously investigated by the planners.
Frank and Catherine Roberts
Bourne Road
Spalding
