Sandy Town Council Fights for the Future of Sandye Place
Date Added: 06/06/2024
Sandye Place is an important part of Sandy’s heritage, at the heart of the town and many residents have fond memories of themselves and their children attending school at Sandye Place Academy until the school’s closure in 2019. The green area at Sandye Place historically has hosted community events such as the Sandy Carnival and recently, the Queen’s Jubilee in 2022 and The Coronation of King Charles III in 2023. Not forgetting the fact that it has been home to the Sandy Horticultural Show (now Sandy Garden and Craft Show) since the 1920s. Residents have a strong connection with the site and have expressed their dissatisfaction with Central Bedfordshire Council’s (CBC) consultation proposals.
Sandy Town Council held an Extra Ordinary Meeting (EOM) on Friday 31st May at the council offices in Sandy to give residents the opportunity to contribute to Sandy Town Council's intended submission at the Executive Committee Meeting, that took place on the 4th of June at the Central Bedfordshire Council Chamber in Chicksands. The EOM was attended by all Sandy Town Councillors, Central Bedfordshire Council Ward Councillors for Sandy; Sue Bell, Robert Pashby and Simon Ford, and more than 30 concerned residents of Sandy. The consensus reached at the end of this meeting was that Sandy Town Council should not accept CBC’s paper detailing its proposals for the future of Sandye Place.
Sandy Town Council was represented by The Mayor Cllr J. Hewitt, Cllr Nigel Aldis, Resident Mrs L Darlow, together with our Ward Councillors Bell and Pashby, who all spoke eloquently as they communicated the sentiments of the residents of Sandy to the Executive Committee. Sandy Town Council is pleased to announce that working together, we have successfully stalled Central Bedfordshire Council, as further work on the future of Sandye Place, including a full and thorough consultation with Sandy Town Council and its Neighbourhood Plan Team, our ward councillors and residents, is required.
The Council is grateful to the residents who attended last Friday's Town Council EOM and to those who have sent their written submissions to the council and our ward councillors and indeed also attended the CBC Executive Committee Meeting.
More updates on the future of Sandye Place to follow as Sandy Town Council and Ward Councillors fight to safeguard this community asset.