Councillors in Keynsham have expressed their dismay at the news that objections to the naming of the streets in the new town centre have been dismissed by B&NES Council.
Despite concerns about the way in which the Council arrived at the name of ‘Market Walk’ for the streets within the town centre development, the Council’s Cabinet has decided not to change its mind over the naming of the streets.
The Cabinet’s original decision was ‘called-in’ by Keynsham’s B&NES Councillors, who complained that the views of residents in the town over the naming of the streets had been ignored.
Councillor Charles Gerrish (Cons, Keynsham North) said:
“It’s extremely disappointing that the Council has decided to completely ignore our concerns about the way in which it arrived at the name Market Walk and push ahead with this street naming.”
Councillor Brian Simmons (Cons, Keynsham North), who led the call-in of the Cabinet decision, added:
“All we have asked is for local people to be given a genuine say over the naming of their new town centre, with name options put out to a public vote, in the same way as the clock tower design has been. But this simply request has been flatly refused. So much for a ‘listening Council’.
“To claim that the name Market Walk has historic links is also not true, as the old Keynsham market was not in this location.”
Councillor Alan Hale (Cons, Keynsham South) added:
“I believe that this action displays an arrogant disregard to the people of Keynsham who, despite many making known their wishes via the Town Council and the Keynsham Development Group, have been dismissed out of hand.”
