Response to petition regarding a proposed exercise path on Grange Field - 6th May 2021

On 26th April 2021, Charlton Kings Parish Council received a petition, signed by 127 residents, stating that they oppose the proposed exercise path on Grange Field. We are making a public response as the names and contact details of the person(s) who organised the petition have not been provided so we cannot respond to them directly. We also feel that it might be helpful for the wider community to have sight of this communication.

The petition states that its signatories oppose the construction of the exercise path but does not include the reason or reasons for this opposition. In order to engage actively in relation to the petition, we ask those who signed it to let us know the reasons for their objections by contacting the Clerk (contact details below).

One of our Councillors has been holding small, informal face-to-face meetings (in line with current COVID-19 guidance) of up to 6 people to hear their concerns about the exercise path. If any residents would find it helpful to have such a meeting, they should contact the Clerk in the first instance (contact details below).

Through our engagement with local residents, it has become clear that there are some misconceptions about the proposed exercise path and the wider work of the Parish Council. We have a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on our website which is intended to provide clarification on issues of importance to local residents. This can be accessed at Grange Field: Frequently Asked Questions page on the Parish Council website or a print out can be provided by the Parish Office for those who do not have access to the internet. We intend to regularly update the FAQs in response to ongoing questions from local residents. If you have a question about the project, please contact the Clerk (contact details below).

A group of residents has provided us with some suggestions for an alternative design for the proposed exercise path. We will be actively engaging with this group of residents to see if the existing path design might be improved.

If you have any questions or comments in relation to the proposed exercise path on Grange Field, please contact the Clerk on clerk@charltonkingsparishcouncil.gov.uk or through the Parish Office on 01242 250087 or in person during its normal opening hours (10-2 each weekday):