News Page 3
82 attend AGM on June 9th!
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT:
It is clear that local people have a real sense of belonging, a pride in their neighbourhood and people care about where they live and are caring for the environment. I certainly feel fortunate to live in such a great place sharing among family and friends all the benefits and pleasures to be found here. But occasionally relationships can be tested between neighbours and engagement on sensitive issues fuels strong emotions which can be difficult to rationalise. This past year has seen an increase in the number of people asking BERA for support especially in cases of planning. Household developments can divide attitudes and be a disruptive thing, but evolution and transformation can also bring about important benefits and not just to an individual. Not surprisingly this presents me with a dilemma as BERA has a fundamental belief in a principle that every person in the community matters, we believe that everybody in our community including there aspirations brings value. Everyone is entitled to fairness, equality and quality of life. We all have a common aspiration for a place to live that is appropriate for our needs, safe and clean where people value there neighbours and neighbourhoods.
Last year we received an anonymous note suggesting that BERA unfairly focuses its efforts in supporting the objection of planning applications by coercing neighbours. This is not true and has never happened. It is important for me to make it clear that under my stewardship as Chairman we do not directly mediate on planning, in fact a core association principle is to value all individuals and there preferences consequently this prevents us from getting intimately involved in this kind of issue. Specifically we do not issue any judgement on a planning proposition based upon the scope, scale or design of a building, and we certainly do not canvass support among residents to object to an individual planning application. I do however very much want to encourage a neighbourhood where local people come together to participate and contribute to neighbourhood life towards helping each other, where people take responsibility for themselves and for each other and for finding their own good-natured solutions to these sensitive planning concerns.
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