EXCLUSIVE: Mansel Park Bomb/Explosive Device - Council Chief Executive Defends Council

 

Andrew Pope at Mansel Park
Photo: Southampton Independents (CT)

 

On 12th April, an explosive device was found by a metal detectorist in Mansel Park. It was later destroyed in a controlled explosion by the Army Bomb Squad.

Since then, local residents told Redbridge ward candidate Andrew Pope that they were very worried, as they had been in the area shortly before. And including with their families.

Andrew was worried for them, and because he was also at the exact site of the find with a colleague, just days before (see photo above).

Added to that is the fact that this was the site near where the play area used to be. Now there is just a climbing frame.

Immediately after the incident, Andrew asked the Chief Executive of the Council the following questions:

 

"Why did it take a metal detectorist to find something which should have been checked and found by the authorities (namely, Southampton City Council, as it is your land)?

Wasn't there a play area near where the device was found?

Was this turned up when the play area was removed?"

 

No reply was received. Not even an acknowledgement of receipt.

Andrew had to chase the Chief Executive, twice, to get a response.

Eventually a response was received from the Chief Executive today, almost three weeks after the bomb was found:

"As you may suspect I wanted to gather the facts before responding to you and it has taken some time to do so. From my emergency planning colleagues, I understand that while this matter was not reported to us, the appropriate agencies were contacted by the individual and the ordnance made safe which is good news.

 

Whilst the Council carries out routine visual inspections of its open spaces it does not search for buried ordnance by way of invasive or other means, it would be impractical to do so. If ordnance is found either by Council staff or reported to us by residents there are strict escalation procedures via Emergency Planning and as you will appreciate these involve partners such as the police and army if appropriate. 

 

In the circumstances I am comfortable that the Council takes a responsible and appropriate approach to dealing with such matters and acts in line with both professional advice and as other local authorities do."

 

What do you think of the Chief Executive's response? 

 

Do you think residents will be reassured by it? Are you?

 

Do you think the Council could do more to protect residents and workers on their land from explosives?

 

Or do you think we are asking too much?

 

 

Andrew says: 

 

"I am disappointed in the Chief Executive's response, and how long and how much effort it took to get it. I respect the emergency planning function at the Council from previous very positive dealings with them.

But I do not know why other local media have not asked these questions about something which is worrying a lot of park users and Council staff too. It's all a bit of a mystery.

I do not think it is too much for Council workers and contractors to look out for bombs or other dangers on Council land, when conducting work. They surely do, but somehow this was missed. Why and how?

I am worried for the public and for Council workers. I understand these things - if a war explosive is what it was - by nature are hidden but was it inadvertently churned up by works and missed. If so, why? And could anything more have been done? If it could then it should.

At Southampton Independents and the Independent Network, we listen to residents and act on their concerns. We do the investigations that other local media do not, and inform the Southampton public about important and urgent issues. We are volunteers. They are paid."

 

 

VOTE TODAY FOR DENISE Polling Stations Open 7am - 10pm!

Look out for this dropping on your mat!

Lots of residents are backing Denise!

Denise Wyatt is the Southampton Independents Council Candidate for Redbridge Ward. Denise lives and works locally.

Denise Wyatt

Denise says: 

"Please vote for me today!

I am at the bottom of the ballot paper, because the names are in alphabetical order. With your help, when the votes are counted, I will be at the top!

I have been receiving amazing support from people on their doorsteps and on the streets. Lots and lots of people told me that they have already voted for me by post, and asked their friends and family too.

So many people have put posters up in their windows and put Southampton Independents boards in the gardens. Have you seen them? Thank you. Will you do the same? It's brilliant if you do it today. Show your support.

And it's not over yet! I'm not elected yet! Only one seat needs to change for a positive future! Labour has just a two majority and one seat changing means no more majority and we will stop their stupid decisions.

Please get out there and get all your friends and family to vote for me too.

We can't carry on with this useless Council!

You know that I stand up for you."

Sylvia and Richard support Denise

Sylvia Priestley (left), who lives in Redbridge says:

"I have joined Southampton Independents because they listen to you and they act upon your problems."

Richard Smith (right), who lives in Maybush says:

"Southampton Independents are the only party that actually DO what they say they will. They listen and act on what residents say."

Jenny supports Denise

Jenny Murray (left) lives in Millbrook, next to Mansel Park. Jenny says:

"Vote for the best. Vote for Denise Wyatt Southampton Independents."

Shelley supports Denise

Shelley Jones (left) lives in Redbridge. Shelley says:

"Vote for Southampton Independents for the things you want done.

They listen and act for you."

Southampton Independents Councillor Andrew Pope, who Denise hopes to join on the Council, lives in Maybush and says:

Southampton Independents
Councillor Andrew Pope
supports Denise

"Please put your cross next to Denise Wyatt Southampton Independents Putting You First and the Southampton Independents logo.

Denise has worked hard for 3 years for this. I know because I have worked with her and with lots of other local residents who want a better area.

Residents know this. Residents trust Denise. Residents know Denise stands up for them. 

Denise is a respected and trusted woman in our area. 

This is why residents are backing Denise. You can get Denise elected today, or you can carry on with more of the same stuff.

Denise did very well the first time she stood, two years ago, but did not win overall. 

Denise has achieved so much for our area.  As an elected councillor, she can achieve so much more by carrying on her hard work. I am proud to stand up for residents with her and I will be proud of serving you with Denise.

You can make it happen today, polling stations are open 7am to 10pm.

Thank you for supporting Southampton Independents.

We listen to YOU. We put YOU first."

Save Our Parks! Southampton Independents Works With Sports Clubs and Residents

Southampton Independents Councillor for Redbridge Ward Andrew Pope says:

Councillor Andrew Pope

"We work hard to support our local sports clubs, but they have to operate within the rules of local authorities. This includes planning rules and building control. 

This is for safety and to balance uses between all park users. Sports clubs also need to be considerate of local residents and local residents need to be considerate of other park users. We try to help both.

Millbrook Rugby Club at Five Acres listened when we said to them a permanent solid fence around their ground would not be acceptable to residents. We enjoy a constructive dialogue with them, and are happy to see their tubular fencing, as already at Bush Hill FC that I suggested to them, is planned for this Summer. But any more solid fencing would have been unacceptable. They listened and acted to compromise with residents and to ensure fairness with other sports clubs like Bush Hill.

Bush Hill FC listened years ago when I said the same to them, because residents had concerns about their plans. Sadly they have gone back on this since, and we are opposing their 7 foot solid metal fence and plans for gates etc. We hope they will consider alternatives and we will listen if they do. We hope they will compromise. 

However, some residents have told us that they have felt intimidated into not objecting to these plans by a vocal minority of people associated with the Saints Pub and Bush Hill FC. This is unacceptable and we have contacted the Council and the Police. We encourage anybody to contact the Police if they feel this way. In fact there have been attempts to intimidate me. It is unacceptable.

Also recently we have seen a new planning application by Queens Keep FC for a car park, hospitality building and so on, on Five Acres.

We will have a look at it in more detail, and talk to other residents and park users, but it looks like it will take more public park away.

The authorities looked at the shanty town "building" by Queens Keep FC. It was deemed by them unacceptable (see photos below) in terms of safety. It was also a flagrant breach of planning rules on our park. Have a look below for yourself!

They did not apply for planning permission until I brought it to the attention of the Council, having been contacted by residents who felt unsafe and unhappy.

Thanks to my objection, Denise Wyatt's objection and residents' help, and the right decision by the Council, we got permission refused.

We have been totally consistent for all sports clubs. We believe in fairness. We want to help our local sports clubs succeed, but it has to be within the wider community and within the rules.

And we have pledged to protect our parks and open spaces. Because residents asked us to.

We have to, because our parks are under threat. Just look at all the development on Barker Mill land and how much of Five Acres has been taken away. 

Barker Mill took Test Valley Borough Council through the courts recently because they did not agree with the Council enforcing its planning rules. Labour-run Southampton City Council supported the developments, despite not asking residents for their views. I objected to the developments, despite only being given very short notice.

These developments and proposals by Barker Mill, the Labour-run Council and others are putting pressure on our parks to be built upon. The Labour Council wanted to build on Mansel Park and Green Park, until we worked with residents who told them to stop at a public meeting at All Saints Church in 2016. 

The Labour Councillor who chaired the "Regeneration" meeting was booed by residents at the Public Meeting because she (Councillor Cathie McEwing) accused them in the meeting of not caring about our area by asking where they had been. They had told the Council not to build on our parks. And they repeated this at the meeting.

"These are the people's parks" they said at the public meeting. But the Labour councillors wanted to build on them. Do they still want to build on them? Ask them.

In Cathie McEwing's Labour election leaflet, she claims to want housing, but her chairing the Regeneration meetings for three years has only resulted in one public meeting. And that was because Denise Wyatt and I pressured for residents to have their say.

And the Regeneration has resulted in ZERO Council houses. 

Cathie McEwing's chairmanship is like her performance as a councillor - resulting in nothing but talk.

Labour has only built 87 Council homes in entire City in SIX YEARS. So McEwing's promises and Labour's promises on housing are empty. 

They wanted to build on our parks, not protect them.

Residents said no to Labour's plans.

We want to see more Council homes for local people but not built on our parks.

Residents do care about our parks. 

Residents tell us that if things go on like this, with more parts of our parks repeatedly being taken away piece-by-piece, they fear that there will be no parks left for the public to enjoy.

We stand with local sports clubs and with residents, and encourage dialogue with us and with them, to achieve compromise and maintain our area being a great place to live."

VOTE SOUTHAMPTON INDEPENDENTS ON 3RD MAY FOR A POSITIVE FUTURE, NOT MORE LABOUR FAILURE ON OUR PARKS

Redbridge Wharf Park - also under threat by Labour councillors