Humberston Fitties residents blast hearing to determine how long they can stay on site
"A COMPLETE waste of public money!"
That is the view of angry Humberston Fitties residents about a hearing to decide if they could stay on site for 50 weeks a year.
-
LET US STAY: Paul Harwood, chair of FORAB, pictured in 2011 with Humberston Fitties residents who want to stay on the site for 50 weeks of the year.
-
ANGRY: Paul Harwood, chairman of FORAB, at theHumberston Fitties Select Committee hearing at Cleethorpes Town Hall.
-
AIR VIEW: Humberston Fitties and Thorpe Park caravan holiday park.
North East Lincolnshire Council's Cabinet has approved a select committee recommendation to keep the "closed" period at eight weeks a year.
The Fitties Owners Residents' Association Bungalow (FORAB) had asked for the final decision to be put back until March when they are at the park. This was backed by the committee, but ignored by cabinet.
MAYFAIR ESTATE AGENTS
If we cannot find you a tenant within one month, we will find you one for FREE, yes FREE, you will pay no fees
Contact 01472 355553
Terms: Terms and Conditions Apply
Contact: 01472 355 553
Valid until: Wednesday, May 22 2013
The decision was made following a referendum, a consultation and the two-day hearing costing £1,674.78 – despite the planning department having the final say.
Chairman of FORAB, Paul Harwood, said: "We said before they started this whole consultation the final decision lies with planning and the consultation would be a waste of time. This whole process has just been to delay the decision until the closed season. It has been a complete and utter waste of public money."
The council is able to extend terms of Fitties leases but permission for residents to stay on site for longer can only be granted by the planning committee when applications are submitted, which residents can now do.
Nine other recommendations, published by the select committee, were also approved, including: establishing a working group for management or disposal of the site, exploring options to improve tourism, and implementing emergency evacuation arrangements.
FORAB wants to develop tourism but think the working group should be managed by residents not officers, which is the most likely case. Mr Harwood said: "They want to run us down and keep the Fitties' voice under wraps. Progress could have been made but we are not being given a fair crack of the whip. We should be responsible for our own destination."
Making the final decision at Cabinet, council leader Chris Shaw said: "We need to get on and deal with this once and for all. I appreciate why the recommendation to defer was made but the decision-making process of this council is decided by the Cabinet."
The consultation was held in response to a petition by the Fitties residents.
Councillor Ray Sutton, chair of the select committee, said: "It was important for everyone to be given an opportunity to have their say.
"At the hearing we heard all sides of the debate and the recommendations strike a fair balance between the needs of the community, the council's many different responsibilities and also the unique character of the Fitties."
FORAB will decide whether they will submit an application to shorten the "closed" period to NELC planning department at their Annual General Meeting in May.
Comments
by VoltaAmp
Saturday, January 19 2013, 11:57AM
“Fitties1, Re power supplies:
If a burglar alarm goes off during the hours of no occupancy, who responds-even the police would be delayed at the locked gate?
CCTV, now there's a good point. If the NELC placed a couple of heat sensitive cameras they would show heated occupied chalets instantly! We use hand held units to detect hot spots on switchgear-they are superb at showing thermal imagery on buildings losing heat!
Pest control, we use passive non-powered means to control vermin and stop cable gnawing damage etc.
The only case for needing power on an unoccupied site is for the covert occupants! And before you mention it, wet central heating systems in un-occupied caravans use anti-freeze!
Linc4x4 seems to have knowledge needing the NELC to investigate!”
by Fittie-Fan
Friday, January 18 2013, 3:18PM
“FORAB have not been elected and do not represent all the owners of the chalets on that site
Why are the council talking to them
It's a holiday park
always was and should be kept as such
These structures are not fit for permanent residence as they do not satisfy Building Regulations”
by Malcolm_Ex
Friday, January 18 2013, 9:16AM
“Jo (Calypso) - pot? kettle? black? Ring any bells? Metric system? School plays?”
by lincs4x4
Friday, January 18 2013, 1:06AM
“Why do you all get so worked up about the fitties! Its commonly known that although everyone should be off there now. they park their vehicles on land around there and then sneak back onto camp at night and off really early in a morning ! crazy !! What is the point of all of this?”
by calypso
Friday, January 18 2013, 12:52AM
“Malcolm x wrote: "Calypso, you have a (very) long history of getting worked up about things that don't impact your life, so less of the hypocrisy please."
It's not the 'getting worked up' that I find depressing .. getting worked up about things you feel strongly about is good - it's the vitriol . There's no need for it.
You of course .. are one of the main offenders.”
by Wilderness
Thursday, January 17 2013, 5:54PM
“@TheAps
So anyone who disagrees with your opinion shouldn't get the vote? My relatives fought against people like you so we have the freedom to express an opinion.
People have fought for centuries against laws they thought were wrong. Otherwise it would still be illegal to be homosexual, for instance.
I personally don't care whether people live in the Fitties 52 weeks a year, but everyone else is entitled to their opinion, even if it's barmy.”
by Fitties1
Thursday, January 17 2013, 4:07PM
“That's like putting a fox in charge of the hen house. A patrol paid for by the residents is not going to report residents staying in their Holiday Homes outside of the terms in the lease agreement they signed."
paid for by Residents..........supplied by the Council
Not a Fox more like a Snake”
by Seahunter_1
Thursday, January 17 2013, 3:53PM
“by Fitties1
Thursday, January 17 2013, 3:37PM
The Fitties has a Security Patrol (paid for by Residents) that drive round twice a day for 20 mins max checking that no-one is staying. Hardly a burglar deterrent."
That's like putting a fox in charge of the hen house. A patrol paid for by the residents is not going to report residents staying in their Holiday Homes outside of the terms in the lease agreement they signed.”
by Fitties1
Thursday, January 17 2013, 3:37PM
“Volta Amp...............wrong, ill informed, bigoted rubbish...........as usual
Burglar Alarms, CCTV and Pest Control..........are some of the reasons why the power needs to be available.
Thorpe Park has proper Security Guards who are there to protect the Caravans, The Fitties has a Security Patrol (paid for by Residents) that drive round twice a day for 20 mins max checking that no-one is staying. Hardly a burglar deterrent.”
by VoltaAmp
Thursday, January 17 2013, 3:02PM
“I cannot understand the logic of leaving the site electrical supply on through the closed season. Bereft of power, all the chalets would be emptied similar to the thousands of nearby caravans, and this annual farce would be terminated.
No power= no guards, no nightly sneak ins, no further expense to the NELC on pointless meetings. And finally when the NELC enforces the holiday leases against offenders, there should be robust prosecution and eviction. The NELC owes enforcement to the council tax payers who own the Fitties.”