Priti Patel, Member of Parliament for Witham, recently met with members of Wickham Bishops Parish Council in her Witham constituency to discuss how the Labour government’s failing policies are letting down rural communities. The Parish was one of the first in the country to be hit hard by Labour's changes to planning policies and doubling of housing targets for the Maldon District, which led to an inappropriately large development being approved last year by the Planning Inspectorate after Maldon District Council had rejected it. The visit also had a focus on road safety and the operation of the Community Speedwatch scheme, which in the parish is approaching its 13th anniversary.
During the meeting at Wickham Bishops Village Hall, Priti heard first-hand from Parish Council Chairman Ian Wardrop and local representatives about persistent and dangerous speeding through the village, and the growing frustrations faced by Community Speedwatch volunteers.
Wickham Bishops Parish Council, like so many parish councils across the constituency, plays a vital role within their community.
Commenting after the meeting, Chairman of Wickham Bishops Parish Council, Cllr Ian Wardrop said:
"The Parish Council was very pleased to have Dame Priti's support in raising our concerns about the Community Speedwatch scheme. We are concerned about the policy of not sending warning letters to drivers of vehicles recorded by the speedwatch teams throughout the county solely because the vehicles are registered at addresses outside the county. In 2025, over 5,000 owners were not sent warning letters. Apart from the waste of the volunteers' time, ignoring all these speeding motorists does not sit well with Essex Police's regular statements that excess speed is a major contributory cause of fatalities arising from road collisions. We were also grateful for Dame Priti's backing in resisting the major planning development, ultimately approved only after the change in the Government's planning policies."
Speaking after the meeting, Priti said:
"I pay tribute to the hardworking Community Speedwatch volunteers who give up their time to support efforts to reduce speeding and keep our roads safe. Speeding is dangerous and I will be engaging further with Essex Police and Essex County Council to see what steps can be taken to work with the Parish Council to address this issue, prevent speeding and make our local roads safer."
Priti continues to champion local communities across the Witham constituency, working to ensure that parish councils and local volunteers receive the support they need to keep their villages safe, vibrant, and thriving.
