Saltburn Parking ‘consultation’ Following a wave of complaints and protests from local residents, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council extended their “pre-consultation” period over proposed parking charges and regulations for Saltburn. The deadline for comments was moved from 2nd January to the 18th and two further opportunities for public consultation were added. The first was on Saturday, 12th January, when the council’s public display caravan was parked in Station Square for six hours and a large number of residents and business people took the opportunity to ask questions and register their views. Local film-maker Craig Hornby attempted to shoot some footage for a documentary he is planning and initially was ordered to stop by council staff who called the police for “back-up”. On arrival, the police officers confirmed Mr Hornby was within his rights as he was peacefully filming public servants in a public area. Once they left, Mr Hornby tried to ask some questions but staff refused to speak to him. It is estimated a further 250 people left responses over the day. The final meeting was arranged for Wednesday, 15th January, 5pm – 7pm in Saltburn library. Once again this was a drop-in style of venue with council staff on hand to answer questions. Local residents had hoped the relevant and responsible councillors might attend this meeting as they have not once been to the town to explain the rationale behind the controversial plans. This was not to be, however. One resident asked staff at the Saturday drop-in why there had been no chance to meet the councillors (not Saltburn’s) and in particular why they had not attended the meeting last Tuesday. He was told they did not want to face a “disrespectful audience”. At the final consultation meeting, Neighbourhood Services Officer Kellie Hopkins demanded Craig Hornby stop filming the event. This was challenged by several members of the public who asked what the difference was between having a press reporter take photographs and Craig filming. Despite protests from the public who asked him to stay, Mr Hornby was accompanied outside the building by two of the four police officers present at the time and was told he could return but not use the camera. He elected to stay outside and interviewed residents leaving the building,
with a very visible police presence at his side. Whilst attempting to report both that incident and the consultation in general, Jennie Finch, a reporter for the Darlington and Stockton Times was informed she would not be permitted to take any photographs inside the building. Ms Hopkins said this was because of “council protocol” that required permission in advance from the Council. “I’ve been covering events for over two years now and this is the first time I’ve ever heard of a ‘protocol’, she said. “I will be following this up with my ward councillors.” The atmosphere at the meeting was very subdued with residents feeling they were receiving formulaic answers from most of the officers present. Several of the Redcar and Cleveland staff repeatedly broke off conversations with residents to attend to something else, making it difficult to sustain any sort of coherent conversation and the feeling in the event was they were more concerned over controlling the process than actually listening and consulting with the public. A number of residents at the meeting also complained they were not being permitted to take notes of answers given to their questions and no recording or responses were allowed. “Some of what they are saying is very technical,” one said. “It’s very hard to remember everything and make sense of it all.” Once all views have been considered the council will then decide whether to abandon the scheme or move forward to a statutory consultation, a move likely to be stoutly resisted by local people.
Saltburn farmer dies aged 71 Farmer George Michael Blair - known as Michael or Mike died at Corngrave Farm, Guisborough Road, Saltburn, on Christmas Day, aged 71. It was the farm on which he was born and where he had lived all his life. Michael was educated at Barlborough and Mount St Mary’s schools and took over the family farm aged 19 when his father died suddenly. He was at Leeds university at the time, but immediately left to run the farm. He took over his father’s pedigree Northern dairy shorthorn herd slowing evolving it into Friesians. He married Ann in 1971 and 18 months later their first son Peter was born. He was followed two years and 364 days later by David. Michael enjoyed many pursuits including shooting, hunting and sea-fishing, plus trips to the Smithfield and Royal shows. Family holidays were trips to the Royal 32
Highland Show with a caravan towed by a well-used Volvo. His middle years followed the mantra of work hard, play harder, regardless of having to do the milking the following morning. He was especially keen on family events including going to point-to-points followed by social gatherings. Michael gave up day-to-day working a few years ago for health reasons and his two sons ran the farm. Michael took care of the paperwork and found contentment in his garden, particularly his greenhouse where copious quantities of tomatoes were grown. He was a parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes, Saltburn, where the packed funeral Mass was held on Tuesday, 8th January. Monsignor Ricardo Morgan celebrated the Mass.
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