What next for Biddick Hall?

Jan 4th, 2010 | By admin | Category: Biddick & All Saints

Four Seasons, the owners of Brydan Court, the former nursing home on Galsworthy Road, have applied to the council for permission to convert the former care home into 41 assisted living units for people with a history of drug and alcohol problems.

Steve Pattison and Kraig White alerted residents about the proposal and within days a public meeting was organised at Chuter Ede Community Centre to give residents a chance to express their concerns.

The meeting was chaired by Ken Diver, a local neighbourhood watch activist and staunch Labour Party supporter. Also present at the meeting were Mike Davies from Four Seasons and two out of the three Labour councillors.  

During the meeting Mr Diver was criticised by the public for answering some of the questions aimed at Mr Davies.

At one point he was asked “as a resident of Biddick Hall, do you want this on the estate?”  Although hesitant to answer, he was urged by the public to do so.  He replied that “As a resident no, but as chair I cannot have an opinion”.

A member of the public responded with “You have answered for them (Four Seasons) all night!”

Shortly after the meeting the Labour party distributed a leaflet explaining Cllr Tom Piggott’s absence from the meeting; apparently as a member of the planning committee he could not have any involvement until the application was brought before the committee. 

The leaflet included a tear-off slip for people to complete and return to the planning department (if they wished to object). However, the Labour councillors failed to mention that this would be classed as a duplicate objection and therefore is likely to be classed as just a single objection no matter how many people return the slip. 

Subsequently a number of letters appeared in the local ‘newspaper’ including one from Mr Diver and Cllr Anne Walsh (Labour).  Mr Diver used his letter to criticise “a small minority” for using the situation for political gain. Surely he wasn’t referring to himself was he? After all it was Mr Diver that sat with two Labour councillors in front of the public at Chuter Ede and when they did eventually speak it was to state nothing more than the obvious! Yes, Mr Diver you were right – the meeting was being used by the Labour party for political purposes.  

Cllr Walsh stated in her letter that “The three Labour councillors back them (the residents of Biddick Hall) 100%”. Of course she failed to mention that Cllr Piggott “cannot become involved nor express any opinion for or against the application”.

Surely this wasn’t a deliberate attempt by Labour to compromise the application in favour of Four Seasons was it?  Or maybe Cllr Walsh just doesn’t know what she is doing. 

Last but not least, don’t be surprised if the application is suddenly delayed, after all there’s an election coming up in May.

But then we wouldn’t be surprised to see the application being approved once the election is out of the way, of course!

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7 comments
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  1. Eric Hundin January 4th, 2010 7:48 am :

    I found your blog on MSN Search and I will checking back to read more.

  2. Ken Diver January 4th, 2010 9:00 pm :

    I have been informed about your comments and have now read them, first of all
    I have never had any affiliation with any political party and I never will have.
    The article also says that I answered some of the questions for Mr Davies, actually
    I reiterated what Mr Davies had already said because some of the public could not hear him.
    Also the pre printed letters are not counted as one objection all letters will be counted as single objections.
    At least try to get your facts correct, as your allegations about me are totally incorrect.
    Unlike some I have to answer to three levels of committees, who I immediately filed a report of my actions at that meeting, I have since had a letter back with full support from them and my actions have been classed as totally unbiased towards any section of the meeting.
    Yours sincerely
    K Diver.

  3. A worried resident January 10th, 2010 3:38 pm :

    As someone who was present at the meeting with no connection to any party and who knows Ken well, I believe he does indeed have an association with the Labour Party. I can also assure readers that Ken did answer several questions aimed at Mr Davies and it didn’t sound like he was repeating what Mr Davies had said for the benefit of those standing at the back.
    In most circumstances pre-printed objections are collectively classed as one objection but it would seem the Labour Party have the backing of the council’s legal department on this matter and not for the first time? It might be a different story when the planning inspector looks at the case though.
    I confidently predict that this application will be refused – just before the local elections – because Labour councillors on the planning committee will be told to reject it. I also predict Four Seasons will appeal and that a government planning inspector will then grant the application. This will allow Ken and his Labour friends to say they did their best but the decision was taken out of their hands. A clever tactic but one that many residents have already seen through.
    Come on Ken we all want the same thing, it’s just the methods used by some that are indefensible, just look at your behaviour at Wednesday night’s Pact meeting, and yes I was there too.

  4. Concerned resident January 28th, 2010 9:32 pm :

    I too was at the meeting. As a resident of Biddick Hall for the last 32 years I have always taken an interest in local affairs. I have known Ken Diver for a number of years and can say he has no connection with the Labour party.
    I was one of the first residents to get a letter about the proposed conversion of Brydon Court and when I contacted Ken Diver he was not aware of any such proposal. He immediately contacted the appropriate authorities to find out exactly what was going on, as a result of which, it became apparent that there were a number of councillors who were also unaware of the proposal. Mr Diver, out of common courtesty, contacted the local Residents Comittee who were also unaware of the proposal.
    Ken Diver has tried to help the people of Biddick Hall but seems to have become a target for deirsion and accusations of false dealing. This subject seems to have degenerated into point scoring for political gain with personal comments being used to ridicule people.

  5. a resident in support January 31st, 2010 5:15 pm :

    I dont think the stories are attacking Mr Diver it is pointing out his association with the labour councillers. I saw him arrive to the meeting at chuter ede in december with olive punchion and she sat beside him. It is known that he has had visits by olive to his home as well. he defends labour in his attacks at people who are trying show labour for what they are. I think this justifys the term association.

    I felt compeled to comment after reading this story and then seeing the comments attacking it. I have lived long enough to recognise a labour publicity stunt when I see one as brydan court clearly is. I find it insulting to believe that labour councillers do not know about matters such as brydan court. it is a labour council and from what i have discovered it is a labour dominated planning comittee that decides apllications. It is either a case of they are not doing what we pay them to do or they are totally useless and i dont know what is worse. I would rather have a point of view that opposes labour and the puppets they have that are supposed to represent Biddick hall than none at all.

  6. yet another worried resident February 1st, 2010 5:06 pm :

    Well I attended that meeting and I did not think ken driver sided with four seasons.
    Also I too have been guilty of being polite and talking to olive punchion and she has been to my home to sort out a problem I had , however i have no affiliation to the labour party either!
    I did however recieve of paper through my door this morning , declaring a rather convoluted conspiracy.. ( if as you say labour are incompetant as a council then I hardly think they could concieve never mind carry through this dastardly plan).

  7. steve pattison and kraig white February 2nd, 2010 9:08 pm :

    In response to this anonymous comment:
    We can only assume you are referring to the comments from “A resident in support” and if so you should be aware that like yourself it is the comment of a member of the public in the comments section.
    If you have received a visit from Cllr Punchion and she has also sorted a problem you’ve had then you are one of a handful of residents. The majority of people on Biddick and All Saints tell us they never see her, if they ring she never picks up, if they ask her to help them she never does – but expects people to vote for her.
    There is no conspiracy. The three Labour councillors for Biddick Hall asked for the application to go before the planning committee when they knew full well it would win on appeal if denied. It is a shocking misuse of public money for what is essentially nothing more than a publicity stunt for Cllr Punchion’s election campaign in May. We are sure to see her again in the Shields Gazette before the week is out and being hailed as stopping the application.
    Finally, we have not set out to attack anyone, merely highlighting how Labour is not working for the people of Biddick and All Saints, if at all.

    Steve Pattison and Kraig White.

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