Uttoxeter Restoration Committee report

Chairman of the Uttoxeter Resoration Committee, Mike Maryon, updated members on progress in June 2007. His report was published in the Trust's "Cherry Eye" magazine and is reproduced below:

Probably the most significant thing to have happened that would have an impact upon the Uttoxeter Restoration since the AGM report in the last ‘Cherry Eye’ is the local council elections in May, in both Staffordshire Moorlands District Council (SMDC) and East Staffordshire Borough Council (ESBC) regions. In the SMDC area there was a change of administration as the District moved from a hung Council, where alliances had to be made to govern, to a majority for one group. Interestingly the new Chairman of the SMDC is a member of the Uttoxeter Restoration Committee. In ESBC there was no change, though the governing group increased their majority.

However, what is important is that both of these controlling groups are ‘Uttoxeter Canal’ friendly and see the regeneration possibilities for the area the canal serves. This makes life a lot simpler when we do not have to convince people about the justification of our case.

Politically speaking I am also pleased to say the three MP’s whose constituencies we pass through are also strong supporters and have spoken about the Uttoxeter in the House of Parliament in several debates on the Waterways on our behalf. They are Staffordshire Moorlands MP Charlotte Atkins, Stone MP Bill Cash and East Staffordshire’s MP Janet Dean. In addition we have recently received a congratulatory letter from Janet Dean MP fully supporting our aims and objectives and offering to help us with our endeavours in the future.

In terms of the Restoration Committee’s ‘Elephant in the room’ then it must be the funding and the execution of the outline feasibility study. Having met recently with Vaughn Welch the Restoration Director of the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) he has been very helpful in apprising us of the best way of moving this forward in terms of partnerships, consultants and financing. Therefore our next task is to approach all the interested parties to explore their thoughts on this major initiative and to produce a draft feasibility brief for those joining us in this partnership.

This draft will encompass the reasons for the initiative that are as varied as preserving the heritage of this historic canal and the structures associated with it to delivering an asset that augments the wider landscape to creating a sustainable, high quality wildlife corridor that will contribute to the biodiversity for the County of Staffordshire.

This document will also show how this project can deliver a recreation and learning resource that invites use by all sections of the population, including those of low mobility, the old and the very young. However, it is the developments propensity to deliver and act as a catalyst for wider socio-economic benefits along the canals and beyond, complementing Government initiatives for market towns and the rural economy that is probably its strongest aspect and will be the driver for the study.

To start the ball rolling there is a meeting with Alton Towers in June and others will follow.

Meanwhile the Trust is starting again after a short break, to present to community groups the story of the Uttoxeter canal both its past and its possible future. The Womens Institute’s at Alton, Tean and Marston Montgomery are among those who have requested talks as well as IWA groups in Lichfield and Chester. In the future keep an eye open on our web site http://www.cuct.org.uk as we will be featuring these talks in more details there.

If you think you can help the Uttoxeter Restoration in way even as an armchair enthusiast then please let me know. As I have said before without people’s enthusiasm we would become dead in the water - Please consider it - Your help no matter how small is what will make this restoration happen.