I WRITE with regard to Fred Webster's letter on the membership of the Luneside Single Regeneration Budget steering committee. As he points out there are three councillors on the committee - none from the Castle Ward - where the major part of the development is to take place. Indeed two of the councillors are not even from Lancaster.

I have some sympathy with the Independent's representative from Heysham, given that he did at least, make the effort to attend one of the consultation meetings held last May (no other councillor representative attended either of them) but, sorry, I cannot understand what useful input the Conservative candidate from Arkholme can have on life in inner city Castle Ward. (Mr Webster's information that there were two Independent representatives came from a mistake in the Green Party's ward newsletter - though his points are not altered.)

There are some important local issues that should be understood by the steering committee. We need new jobs in the area but not ones which rely on heavy lorries rattling through the ward. Also, at the second of the consultation meetings we were offered three scenarios for redevelopment of the St George's Works site - all of which had an access road into Long Marsh Lane. This was a surprising result of "consultation" given that just about everybody was opposed to it. A footpath link such as between Milking Stile Lane and Westbourne Road maybe, but not a road. I'm glad that the Marsh residents association is represented on the committee, but the Luneside development affects many parts of Castle Ward and it is vital that these parts are represented too. I know that for a similar regeneration bid in Oxford, it was taken for granted that local ward councillors would be on the steering group. I hope that the first meeting of the committee considers favourably the request of Castle Ward councillors for representation.

Cllr Jon Barry Castle Ward

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