Green Party Councillors Update

This month we were pleased to see that the Environment Agency has started some of the work to start cutting back the badly overgrown weeds in the channel of the brook. However, there are still trees and weeds growing from the bank so we will continue to monitor and chase up until it is a decent standard. The Environment Agency will also de-silt the brook this Autumn/Winter and will also do some clearance work further down the brook in the Pembroke Lane area.
We have been working with the resident led flood group to raise questions and press for answers over responsibilities around maintenance of the brook and the pavements, and are starting to see some positive direction. We have asked for the overgrown vegetation on the railings and footpaths to be tackled, and a long term plan to manage this.
The footpaths are also broken and dangerous. There were plans drawn up in 2022 to resurface the side by Specsavers, but this went on hold. After some chasing up, we have now been told that the ownership of the area is in question.
The lack of clarity around who is responsible for various sections of land has been one of the most frustrating aspects of trying to make sure this whole area is being looked after. Despite this, we are pushing for a solution and some action, as it simply cannot be left as it is any longer.
The other main issue residents are raising with us at the moment, is the proposal to build an additional 960 houses to the South East of Syston, near Barkby. Andy has lodged an objection and will be representing residents, who have serious worries about the lack of services, flood risk and the obvious traffic issues that this development will only make worse.
Whilst we recognise that housing is needed, we seem to be taking a huge number in Syston and the surrounding villages. We inherited a challenging planning situation, making it difficult to stop these planned developments outright, but we will continue to speak up on residents’ concerns and try and get the best outcome from a bad situation.
Laurie Needham, Andy Haynes, David Infield, Chris O’Neill, & Sandra Woodward – Green Party councillors for Syston and surrounding villages.