The Value Of ‘Community Leaders’…

Community leaders have hit back at…

Local councils squandering money?

… a "silly" and "industrial" choice of name for a town centre road.

Oh.

The previously unnamed street, sloping upwards to Coulsdon Town station from Brighton Road has been named Leaden Hill, following a survey of residents by local councillors.

Who could object? Well, all those who didn’t see their choice picked, of course!

But Paul Sandford, chairman of local history group The Bourne Society, said: "We think it is a silly name for the station approach. Leaden has a sort of tenuous connection to the town."

So? It’s just the name of a road. What possible trouble could it be?

Oh. Hang on…

"I am sure it will be meaningless to members of the public. It will require some sort of interpretation board to explain it all."

*speechless*

Now, I've walked and driven down some very oddly-named roads, and never once did I think to myself ‘Oh no! I need to find an interpretation board, quickly!’…

Ward councillors said the choice followed a poll of about 400 residents, some 60 of whom responded. Councillor Ian Parker said 35 per cent chose Leaden, 28 per cent Gardner, 19 per cent Hope, and 18 per cent "other".

Well, there you go! A disappointing response? Maybe, but then, what else do you expect?

Diane Hearne, chair of the Hartley and District Residents' Association, said: "I for one am disappointed about the naming – I thought Smitham or Coulsdon could have been in the name somewhere.

"I have at no time felt that Leaden was the preferred name of anyone I have spoken to."

Well, that tells us a lot about your small, possibly unrepresentative circle of friends and acquaintances. But next to nothing about why you feel you should be able to overturn the decision…

Charles King, chair of the East Coulsdon Residents' Association, said: "I think the name would have been suitable for somewhere else in Coulsdon.

"But something which reflected the station was up there would have been much better. Station Hill or even Town Hill, but they would not have it."

‘They’ presumably being the council.

Lewis White, committee member of the Coulsdon West Residents' Association, said: "[There is a need] to give the new residents of the Pinewood redevelopment a street name suggesting something less industrial, and more green and pleasant." Councillor Parker said: "Coulsdon West's councillors went beyond just expressing our own views, giving over 400 residents the opportunity to give an opinion. "

About 60 did and the chosen name was the one that attracted the most support."

And there you have it! Now, don’t you have anything better to do?