Tomorrow evening (17 March), Ludlow Town Council will meet to “consider confidential legal advice from a barrister relating to Ludlow Town Walls”. Members of the public and unitary councillors will be allowed to speak at the beginning of the meeting, then the council will go into private session.
I am not a member of the town council and have not seen any details of what is to be discussed about the town walls beyond the simple statement above.
I visited the site on Friday. I am shocked by the state of the collapsed area. There are sycamores and a buddleia growing out of the rubble of the collapsed wall. All vegetation needs removing as a matter of urgency to prevent further damage to the wall. Next February, will see the tenth anniversary of the wall’s collapse.
The security fencing is partly collapsed. The site is an eyesore. That’s not fair on nearby residents. The area needs tidying up immediately.
There is security fencing blocking off part of the Garden of Rest above the collapsed wall. This area has been allowed to go wild. It should be a wildflower meadow. But even wildflower meadows need to be maintained with mowing once a year.
This saga has been going on for nearly 10 years. It is time for the town council to act.
This long saga needs to end but frankly I am not confident of it being resolved and the wall rebuilt within five years. The cost to the town council will be astronomical, perhaps up to third of its annual budget.
When the walls collapsed in 2013, there were a wide range of heritage grants available. With the tightening of public finances, and set to get tighter according to the latest Chancellor this weekend, it will get much more difficult to get a grant.
A prime example of the dysfunctional uselessness of our political class at every level! I mean how difficult is it to arrange to have a wall rebuilt?
Why are all the meetings regarding the walls being kept secret. Maybe the legal advice but as far as I am aware the survey by specialists to outline various repair options has never been released.begs the question what are Ludlow Town Council hiding. Also don’t mean to be pedantic but it will be Ludlow town residents that will pay not the council so all this secrecy is totally out of order in my opinion.
Any reports of the outcome of the meeting ?
Would a Freedom of Information request open up the discussion ? It is hard to see who would be harmed by being open, honest and accountable.