Eastney Neighbourhood Forum - 27th May 2010 6:30pm

[Michael H]

The Eastney Neighbourhood Forum are meeting on 27th May 2010 at 6:30pm at Eastney Evangelical Church in Methuen Road, Eastney, Portsmouth, PO4 9JA
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Eastney+Evangelical+Free+Church&sll=50.786574,-1.055213&sspn=0.004592,0.011512&ie=UTF8&hq=Eastney+Evangelical+Free+Church&hnear=&ll=50.786913,-1.055213&spn=0.004592,0.011512&z=17

On the Agenda is a discussion about QinetiQ's recent actions in closing the beach, threatening to force the closure the Fort Cumberland road car park & trying to get Melville Road re-opened to traffic.  None of these actions serve the local community and, quite rightly, many in the local community aren't too happy about the situation.  

The Forum have asked us to give a small presentation and there may well be a lively debate after.  Councillors, Council Officers and representatives from QinetiQ have also been invited.

[naturists2002]

We got caught up in the tail backs on the A3 because of (according to the gantry signs) an accident on junction five,though when we got to the said junction an hour later there was absolutely nothing there.

So we were too late ,sorry.

Hope the meeting went well.

Glen and Cyndi.

[Michael H]

it went very well indeed!  No-one from QinetiQ attended - rather disappointingly, no-one from the council & really disappointingly not a single councillor attended.

Not a dissenting voice was heard - everyone was outraged by QinetiQ's tactics.  Surprisingly, even now, some people didn't really know about the problem with the beach.

After a unanimous vote the forum chair will be passing on the forum's objection to QinetiQ's beach closure & tactics to the council.  Another key vote was taken - should the forum go ahead with a Village Green application (in the neighbourhood forum's name) to try to preserve the public's right to use the beach.  Again unanimously in favour.

[NEW-NATURIST]

Have to say the guy who delivered the speech from Eastney Naturists was very articulate and dropped a bit of humour in there too, went down very well. Very surprised that the PCC City Solicitior was not there.

Qinetiq declined the invitation to attend 3 days ago apparently.

The Police Inspector for Southsea appeared mis-informed when he said that if Qinetiq were taping off their part of the beach then he said he would walk along a bit and just go under the tape!!??? what sort of advice is this? Did he not know that the beach is Qinetiq's property? One member of the public asked the copper what would happen if someone crossed the security tape/cordon and that was his reply.

Can anyone from this group who were present give deatils on what he said privately afterwards?

[Michael H]

That was me - should have collared me and said hello - ah well, next time.  The Inspector was asking to be kept in the loop if there are any developments on the beach.  He was particularly interested in when the security guards are there - he didn't know about them.

[nagumbe]

I spoke to the police inspector after the meeting and confirmed with him that trespass is not a criminal offence - it is a civil matter. As such he will not get involved unless any criminal act is carried out. I specifically said to him that if I was on the beach and a guard tried to move me on I could ask if they had a court order to evict me. If not I could refuse to move on. He agreed that that was the case which I have already stated on this forum.

Happy sunbathing!