Bromley Council will decide whether the Odeon, Beckenham's only cinema, can become a place of worship. Councillors hear from lots of people, and the letters that make a difference are short, personal and in your own words. Here's how to write one in ten minutes.
1. Find your councillors
Most Bromley wards have three councillors. Put your postcode into WriteToThem.com, which will show your Bromley councillors and let you email them, or look them up on the council's website. Write to the councillors for the ward where you live, even if it isn't Beckenham.
2. Say who you are and what the cinema means to you
Your street or area is enough. Then one or two real details: who you go with, how you get there, what you do before or after, what you'd lose. Parents, grandparents, teenagers, people who walk there, people who use the relaxed or Silver screenings, local businesses: every angle helps. A specific detail is worth more than a strong adjective.
3. Make one clear, simple ask
Something like: "Please make sure Citygate Church's planning application is decided against the council's own planning policies, including Policy 20 of the Bromley Local Plan, which protects community facilities." That's all. You don't need to know planning law.
4. Please don't
- Copy and paste someone else's letter. Identical letters count for much less than your own words.
- Ask the council to buy or fund the cinema. That isn't what the campaign is asking for.
- Say anything about the church's beliefs or motives, or repeat rumours. Keep it about the cinema and the town.
- Ask a councillor to promise how they'll vote. Councillors who sit on planning committees must keep an open mind until the decision, and pressing them can rule them out of it.
5. Keep it short and polite
Four or five sentences is perfect. Thank them for their time.
6. Tell us if you get a reply
Please forward any reply to [email protected]. It helps us understand how councillors are thinking.
When the planning application is published, we'll send a separate short guide on commenting on it formally. That's the step that counts most in the decision.