The battle for community access to Stoke Lodge still rages on, but over the past few weeks there have been some crucial developments.
Importantly, the Council’s Public Rights of Way Committee (PROW) has told Council officers it wishes to see tangible developments and no further delays in the TVG process. A clear timetable has now at long last been agreed. Final submissions from all parties have to be made the end of the year. The Inspector will then prepare and publish a report by end Q1 2023. A final decision will then be made by PROW - after time to digest the Inspector’s report followed by a site visit.
Henry Michallat comments: “ It’s been a long, hard struggle and I’d like to pay tribute to the resilience of the campaigners. It would be wonderful to see the fence come down before next Summer’’.
In a world where fact is often stranger than fiction, readers will have been shocked to learn that Cotham School took it upon itself to commence covert surveillance of residents at Stoke Lodge with hidden cameras. Understandably, this unleashed a media storm.
Councillors John Goulandris and Henry Michallat sent a letter to the Head of Cotham School seeking an urgent response to various questions, as well as insisting the camera be switched off immediately and that all data collected without permission be erased. Our letter can be viewed on our Facebook page.
John comments: ‘We have been inundated with emails and phone call from local residents, who are rightly concerned about being filmed without consent. It is crucial that Cotham School does the right thing and switches these cameras off’.
Henry adds; ‘I echo Cllr Goulandris’s comments and I think there are some really serious questions that need to be answered by Cotham School, as well as clarification as to the legality of the covert CCTV. We will continue to keep local residents updated’.
