We had a useful meeting with Jane Storey on Friday night. At the end both parties had a better understanding of each others position and of what should be done better next time. We have insisted that the Friends should be involved in any management committee for the Local Nature Reserve and our continued belief that ownership by a public or trust body would be in the best interests of local people. With the Government responding to pressure and changing direction we remain hopefull.
Our latest letter to Jane is below
Thanks very much for your email, and thanks particularly for taking the time to come and meet us on Friday evening.Our sole concern is to ensure a good future for the wood as a community asset and legacy, and we look forward very much to hearing the outcome of your discussions and consultations about these pointsWe had a meeting of Friends of Rede Wood last night and we were asked to write to you to express the feelings of the meeting.There is genuine dismay that there may have been miscommunication about what was required for the January 21st bidding deadline. We were led to believe that by that date we had to make final, confirmed offers of available cash. That was why we put our weight behind the MSDC proposal. Had we known that we could have made an offer against the promise of fund-raising during a defined time period, we would in all probability have made a proposal of that kind.Our supporters believe that in those circumstances, the County should re-open the sale and allow a community offer so that we can start the necessary fund-raising.We have also noted the government’s decision last week not to go ahead with the proposed sale of various National Nature Reserves, on the grounds that continued public ownership is a better way forward. We think that exactly the same argument applies to Local Nature Reserves, and therefore to Rede Wood.In addition our very strong view is that there should be a formal local management group for the wood, which would include Friends of Rede Wood, the MSDC, Henley Primary School, the Suffolk Wildlife Trust and others, alongside the County and the new owner (whoever that may be). Such a group could keep a close eye on the general management of the wood, in the interests of all its users and of its ecological requirements, and in particular on its longer-term future.You’re right to say that none of us can see into the future – but it does seem clear that private ownership carries potential perils related to possible further onward sales of the wood, whereas community ownership and control offer more security for a very precious and historic woodland.
