GORLESTON HERITAGE

COUNCIL BACKING FOR EXTREME SPORT OF POWER KITING ON GORLESTON BEACH PUTS OTHER BEACH USERS SAFETY AT RISK!

I see in the Mercury that the Borough Council and Active X are flushed with the success of taking control of the three and a half mile stretch of our beach to do as they please, without any consultation with residents.

I have no argument with most of the activities which I am sure will be welcomed but power kiting is a most definite NO NO. As a potentially dangerous extreme sport it is just not sensible to promote it on a popular beach such as ours. Those responsible for thinking that residents and visitors who enjoy what is the quiet safety of Gorleston beach will not be put at risk by the various types of power kiting must be held directly responsible in the event of any injury suffered by their decision. Marten Payne pointed out in correspondence I had with him last year that what is recognised as an extreme sport would be covered by insurance - great it doesn't matter how badly anyone is injured then because they will be insured! I also suggested a better place to have power kiting would be a field and was told that was a possibility. If our council is under pressure to provide more space for sport, power kiting would better suited to the less populated north beach at Yarmouth.

The arrogance of the council has come to the fore again because this project has been in the air for a long time so why haven't the rate payers and residents of Gorleston been consulted before any decision was reached. How much beach will have restricted access because power kiting needs a lot of space? Will parking be allowed on the promenade? Who are the councillors for Gorleston who have promoted this? Please stand up and be counted and state your reasons and how well you have looked into it. The council always tries to foist unwanted projects on Gorleston with as much secrecy as they can hoping for a fait acompli. Why don't they think they need to consult residents? The only way a democracy can work is if our representatives are held to account and not allowed to follow their own agenda but what the people they represent want.

If you don't want power kiting on Gorleston beach and want to retain the freedom to roam our beach at will in safety the only way to make your views known is by protesting with letters to the Mercury and your councillor because if you don't make your voice heard whatever happens will be down to you. Remember they wanted to get rid of our yacht pond. They wanted a two storey restaurant on the prom. They wanted five storey flats on the riverside. Then it was up to you and those decisions were altered.

Reply in Mercury 8th June, 2007 to one the previous week suggesting there was no voter apathy in the borough despite the terrible turnout in the local elections, just frustration, alienation and anger at the whole electoral system.

While agreeing with Steve Broadbent's views on the political situation in this borough and indeed the country I would maintain that this could all be changed if there was less apathy ingrained in residents of the borough and elsewhere. It is true frustration alienation and anger is rife, but it is apathy with shows in the majority who aren't prepared to do anything about it apart from moan to each.

If all voters in this borough were determined to take it in their hands to vote for a candidates who would really represent them and not hide behind a political label and become the slave of that party we would be making democratic progress in local politics. There are no independant candidates because there is little chance of election without being aligned to a major political party. In some wards a monkey could win if he wore the right rosette! The system that allows a group of four to rule and make major decisions without even consulting ward councillors as quoted by some of them, let alone the electorate itself, is not only undemocratic but smacks of political systems we deplore in some other countries.

We have a Gorleston Forum (yes I still believe this should be the format and proudly named as such) which I and others condemned for its restrictive format. This has attracted good numbers and condemnation which has put some councillors in the hot seat. I believe if we can get increasing attendance and probing questioning the venture will become more and more democratic in its attitude. None of this will be easy and not for the weak hearted because our council has had it too easy many years.

Those who choose to challenge council decisions have had some recent successes. The yacht pond, the restaurant on the promenade, the selling off of part of Koolunga garden and of course the vigorous campaign in oposing the riverside development to mention some recent cases.

The Mercury is very supportive in printing letters and don't forget the local paper is usually consulted on the mood of residents by the Audit commission. Don't forget the Mercury is the way to bring attention to your grievances. Your councillor is there to listen to your concerns, be it letter, phone or email, we paid for them all to have computers remember. The Gorleston Forum is your chance to get your points across face to face.

DO YOU WANT THIS OR HAVE VIEWS ON OTHER MATTERS, MAKE THEM KNOWN - WRITE TO THE MERCURY, TALK TO FRIENDS, LET YOUR COUNCILLOR KNOW AND WHY NOT LET ME SHOW IT ON THE WEB SITE? ITS THE ONLY WAY YOU WILL HELP TO GET WHAT RESIDENTS WANT FOR GORLESTON.