Parish Council Statement
Blocking an easement by erecting a fence on land that was accessed by the public for at least 20 years, without being asked to stop by anybody, seems to be unlawful and it is the considered opinion of the Parish Council that they will support the removal of the fence by official means and will write to NCC Highways and the BC Planning authority to report an alleged unlawful erection of a fence. In addition that the PC echoes the safety concerns of the public relating to the increased risk to school children and teachers caused by the fence altering the otherwise relative safety of the way the MH car park was previously used cooperatively and with permissions of the MH Trust for school employees, parents visiting, dropping off and picking up, in addition to hirers of the MH and the use by the Secondary School bus for turning and picking up/setting down. The erecting of the fence is seen as both unnecessary and provocative anti-social behaviour and disproportionate to the minor inconvenience when access to School Lane is temporarily blocked due to congestion at peak times, a situation that should have been perfectly apparent when considering the purchase of the property adjacent to a school and village hall with a playing field. The Parish Council, although having no duties or powers in what is essentially a dispute between neighbours, is cognisant of the affect it is having on the wider community and will continue to work with the authorities and stakeholders to find a reasonable and practicable solution.
