Although not strictly news of our village, this may be of general interest to local residents interested in art. The Croydon Art Society is one of the oldest art societies in Britain (having been formed in 1881) and won The Artist/Leisure Painter Art Club of the Year in 2018. Art Societies and clubs are not just about painting and, in these troubled times, The Croydon Art Society has had to devise new and innovative ways to support and connect with its members. During Lockdown, the Committee were ringing round the members to see if they were OK and there have been talks and demonstrations via Zoom. This year there is going to be a 'virtual' Annual Exhibition of members' work in November 2020. For the first time, you will be able to see what a local art exhibition contains by simply going online at www.croydonartsociety.org. The Croydon Art Society has recently had a trial virtual exhibition called 'Into the Light' (because we all want a bit of light at the end of the Covid-19 tunnel) and this has been seen by people all over the country and as far away as Tasmania. The dates for The Croydon Art Society Annual Exhibition are: Monday 16th November to 16th January 2021. Jennie Grover Croydon Art Society
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Following the article in the September newsletter, Cllr Mike Botting has advised that he contacted the Head of Highways at the Council, who responded as follows: "There have been 8 minor injury collisions at the junction of Glentrammon Road with Farnborough Hill in the past three years (to the end of 2019) with only one being in 2019. This makes the site count as a location to be considered for remedial measures (if funding for such is reinstated). However, this junction has been “treated” at least twice in recent years and there is nothing more that can reasonably be done to make improvements here. The road markings are not particularly worn, so there is not even that to be improved. I am not sure I can say that statistically it is a safe location, but it is not a priority for intervention as, even if we had funding, there is not an obvious cause to treat." Cllr Botting further responded as follows: "From a personal perspective this is one of the safest roundabouts in the area, the sightlines are excellent on three of the four roads and adequate on the other. If drivers drive in accordance with the directions of the highway code and within the speed limit we really should never have collisions at this location. I have however still asked the head of highways to get a traffic engineer to examine the location and advise if any further improvements can be made. The article itself refers to ‘being ignored by unobservant drivers’ which I think is the main cause of collisions at this location, perhaps this should be the theme of the article and not the apparent lack of signage which I personally disagree with. You will note that the word Accident was removed several years ago and replaced by the word Collision because frankly the is no such thing as an accident, every collision is caused individually or collectively by a person’s actions?" Our ward Councillors work hard on behalf of local residents but this particular matter, although a continuing concern locally, does not have an obvious solution. If drivers do not adhere to speed restrictions and ignore road signs, it is a challenge to overcome the issue. A suggestion of a larger roundabout sign between the Crescent and the roundabout has been made, as the current one is quite small. The flashing sign should alert drivers to slow down but that straight run tempts some to speeds well in excess of the 30mph limit. Is building on green belt land going to be the future? The consultation on the White Paper regarding revisions to the planning regulations is open until 29 October 2020. The documentation and consultation online can be accessed via the following links: Planning-for-the-future Consultation The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) is protesting to the Government about some elements of the proposals. Visit their website for more information: www.cpre.org.uk There are a number of concerns, such as how those without internet access will be able to engage with planning proposals in future. Development of brownfield sites is mentioned but there is no emphasis on prioritising those before considering other land. As it is, the planning process and Local Plans are a mystery to the majority of the population. They are made so complex as to exclude many people from even attempting to engage and respond to consultations. The White Paper does not recommend making them more accessible to local people by simplifying documentation and providing clear overview summaries which most people will understand. The rhetoric of stating that the aim is to promote more engagement is pointless unless steps are taken to ensure there is more opportunity for people to engage. Margot Rohan Secretary and Trustee |
Orpington Community
AuthorPosts are made by members of the Association to stimulate interest and raise local concerns Archives
December 2024
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