High Wycombe town centre in "dire need of serious nurturing"

7:00am Wednesday 13th February 2013 in News By James Nadal

The fountain grills were concreted over The fountain grills were concreted over

HIGH Wycombe town centre is in “dire need of some serious nurturing and care”, the district's Liberal Democrat leader says, as he attacked council chiefs' investment priorities.

Cllr Trevor Snaith believes a pot of money gained from developers has been divided up poorly, with the most needy areas not getting the right proportion.

Wycombe District Council's Cabinet has rubber stamped a raft of projects totalling £1.85m and has pledged £19,000 to the town centre, including Frogmoor, to improve public art, street furniture, de-cluttering and greenery.

However, this is not until 2014/15. Another £49,000 has been put aside as a contribution to open space upgrades at Frogmoor between 2014 and 2016.

Cllr Snaith thinks the sums are not enough, particularly in comparison to cash provided for other schemes.

A new crossing for Abbey Way has been given £220,000.

Councillor Trevor Snaith told a public meeting last week: "There's been a considerable weight from councillors and public opinion saying this is not something we really want.

“You've got over £200,000 going in there but barely any going somewhere that really needs it, like Frogmoor and the town centre. The town centre is in dire need of some serious nurturing and care.

“Perhaps the figures the wrong way round and it should read £19k for Abbey Way and £220k for Frogmoor?”

Councillor Hugh McCarthy, Conservative, Cabinet Member for Planning, said: "Frogmoor is tricky one. I know we'd all have loved to have the fountain back but we haven't frankly cracked Frogmoor yet and there's no point spending money if you don't spend it properly.

“That's happened in the past and we don't want to repeat those mistakes.

“We have a working party that is gearing itself up rapidly and we have an internal consultant who is giving some good advice, along with recent work on the town centre that will hopefully transform Frogmoor.”

The town centre, in general, is set to benefit from other projects paid for with the £1.85m pot, including pedestrian and cycle improvements around St Mary's Street, costing £220,000.

Comments (8)

12:09pm Wed 13 Feb 13

Voyeur says...

Other towns in the near vicinity manage to have a fountain like that in Frogmoor. Why is WDC so inept?
Other towns in the near vicinity manage to have a fountain like that in Frogmoor. Why is WDC so inept? Voyeur

12:57pm Wed 13 Feb 13

yog says...

£220,000 to bring traffic to a standstill????

This Council is the biggest joke in Bucks.
£220,000 to bring traffic to a standstill???? This Council is the biggest joke in Bucks. yog

1:04pm Wed 13 Feb 13

williamjames says...

The County Council, not WDC, who contracted a firm that has since gone bust todesign and install the fouintain. The fountain is on land owned by the CC and thus it is not within WDC's power to do anything about it.
The county councillor for the area has tried in vain to get something positive done about the fountain.

Perhaps Trevor Snail, a Socialist masquerading as a Lib Dem, would like to be more specific in what he wouild like so see done by whom and with what money.
The County Council, not WDC, who contracted a firm that has since gone bust todesign and install the fouintain. The fountain is on land owned by the CC and thus it is not within WDC's power to do anything about it. The county councillor for the area has tried in vain to get something positive done about the fountain. Perhaps Trevor Snail, a Socialist masquerading as a Lib Dem, would like to be more specific in what he wouild like so see done by whom and with what money. williamjames

3:10pm Wed 13 Feb 13

sai-diva says...

Don't forget ''FrogFest'' in May!!!
Don't forget ''FrogFest'' in May!!! sai-diva

6:47pm Wed 13 Feb 13

Voyeur says...

williamjames wrote:
The County Council, not WDC, who contracted a firm that has since gone bust todesign and install the fouintain. The fountain is on land owned by the CC and thus it is not within WDC's power to do anything about it.
The county councillor for the area has tried in vain to get something positive done about the fountain.

Perhaps Trevor Snail, a Socialist masquerading as a Lib Dem, would like to be more specific in what he wouild like so see done by whom and with what money.
Actually it was a joint venture between WDC and BCC as I recall. Obviously the procurement process was faulty because there was no fall back position or bond taken to ensure that any warranties could be honoured. Completely inept Tory run WDC and Tory run BCC.
[quote][p][bold]williamjames[/bold] wrote: The County Council, not WDC, who contracted a firm that has since gone bust todesign and install the fouintain. The fountain is on land owned by the CC and thus it is not within WDC's power to do anything about it. The county councillor for the area has tried in vain to get something positive done about the fountain. Perhaps Trevor Snail, a Socialist masquerading as a Lib Dem, would like to be more specific in what he wouild like so see done by whom and with what money.[/p][/quote]Actually it was a joint venture between WDC and BCC as I recall. Obviously the procurement process was faulty because there was no fall back position or bond taken to ensure that any warranties could be honoured. Completely inept Tory run WDC and Tory run BCC. Voyeur

8:18pm Wed 13 Feb 13

Monte Cristo says...

Masses of money gets wasted.

Potholes get filled in, only for the problem to occur again in the next hard frezze.
Conclusion: waste of money. Invest enough to resurface properly or do not do it at all (though we would all have to endure the consequences of the latter).

Installation of roundabouts in locations patently unsuitable (eg the top of Hicks Farm Rise).
Conclusion: utter waste of money

Removal of perfectly serviceable larger roundabouts that provide simple unproblematic traffic flow, replacing them with expensive traffic lights that simply worsen traffic flow.
Conclusion: ludicrous waste of money.

I'm sure there are many more examples. but the point is: the Government plays the austerity card, the Council says it is broke and needs to cut services , and yet this sort of thing happens.
And we are the mugs that have to foot the bill.

If the country is really that hard up,
it's about time these people took a leaf out of the private sector's book, where everything has been cut to the absolute bone, you need ultra-high level approval before spending anything significant, and nice to haves are all shelved in favour of must haves.
Masses of money gets wasted. Potholes get filled in, only for the problem to occur again in the next hard frezze. Conclusion: waste of money. Invest enough to resurface properly or do not do it at all (though we would all have to endure the consequences of the latter). Installation of roundabouts in locations patently unsuitable (eg the top of Hicks Farm Rise). Conclusion: utter waste of money Removal of perfectly serviceable larger roundabouts that provide simple unproblematic traffic flow, replacing them with expensive traffic lights that simply worsen traffic flow. Conclusion: ludicrous waste of money. I'm sure there are many more examples. but the point is: the Government plays the austerity card, the Council says it is broke and needs to cut services , and yet this sort of thing happens. And we are the mugs that have to foot the bill. If the country is really that hard up, it's about time these people took a leaf out of the private sector's book, where everything has been cut to the absolute bone, you need ultra-high level approval before spending anything significant, and nice to haves are all shelved in favour of must haves. Monte Cristo

10:45pm Wed 13 Feb 13

MCarey says...

there is far too much money going to Wycombe there are other places that pay council tax to Wycombe like Hazlemere Widmer End etc, who never see any money they are even turning off street lights on Sawpit Hill by the junction so you cant see the turning it is so dangerous!
there is far too much money going to Wycombe there are other places that pay council tax to Wycombe like Hazlemere Widmer End etc, who never see any money they are even turning off street lights on Sawpit Hill by the junction so you cant see the turning it is so dangerous! MCarey

1:18pm Thu 14 Feb 13

sparky49 says...

You can polish a turd but it will always be a turd.
I remember High Wycombe town centre in the early 80's, not to bad, but now, full of chav's and their chavettes, East europeans, spongers and Jeremy Kyle fodder. Almost like being in a different country.
You can polish a turd but it will always be a turd. I remember High Wycombe town centre in the early 80's, not to bad, but now, full of chav's and their chavettes, East europeans, spongers and Jeremy Kyle fodder. Almost like being in a different country. sparky49

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