This anonymous comment, which I am not sure I understand, was left a couple of days ago.
To place on equipment such a long process has to be followed. No other option has to go as per the rules and regulations.
At the risk of boring everyone let me go through the "long process" Biggleswade Town Council followed.
16th June 2010 - Planning application to CBC.
Comment - Biggleswade Town Council and their Agent did not identify the land as contaminated, although it was common knowledge locally that it was and is on the contaminated land register. I would have hoped that the Town Council would know what sites within their area of responsibility are registered as contaminated.
26th July 2010 - CBC asked Biggleswade Town Council for a contaminated land assessment by the 16th August.
Comment - A contaminated land assessment is a paper exercise that could be completed within a matter of hours. It is a gathering together of information from CBC minerals, Anglian Water and others. Biggleswade Town Council considered the correspondence at the Council meeting of 24th August. The date to provide the information having now passed.
31st August 2010 - CBC then agreed that the work could proceed under permitted development, but the contaminated land assessment was still required.
14th January 2011 - Biggleswade Town Council advised CBC that the Town Council are awaiting a test pit to be dug and a risk assessment carried out in order.
Comment - what happened in the intervening four and half months we shall probably never know.
9th August 2011 - At the Biggleswade Town Council, Public Land & open Spaces Committee, the Town Clerk advised "he was currently awaiting 2 forms of information for a survey to be undertaken to move forward. This item would be brought to the next Council meeting".
Comment - again what happened in the intervening seven months we shall probably never know. It was not brought to the next Council meeting on 23rd August 2011, or 27th September or 25th October 2011.
5th November 2011- I was advised by Steven Watkins, BTC Councillor that the soil testing has still not yet been carried out. Now awaiting another quote for the work, having originally obtained one there was a delay meaning they had to go out to tender again. He said in the defence of the Clerk he does have a heck of a lot of work on at the moment.
Comment - another three months have gone by, obviously the quotes received time expired as no action was taken on them. This continuing delay has nothing to do with rules and regulations.
23rd January 2012 - I was advised by Steven Watkins, BTC Councillor that the soil testing is very close.
7th March 2012 - The Town Clerk is now asking C.B.C. to allow use of some of the S106 monies to pay for the soil samples.
18th May 2012 - Soil sampling finally being carried out.
26th June 2012 - At the Biggleswade Town Council meeting, it was reported that the results of the soil sampling do not show any issues with contamination and the Town Council are able to proceed.
If anyone can tell me what rules and regulations delayed this by two years I would be interested know.
The next question is, when is the play equipment going to be installed? This summer, next summer ????????????
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