Henley Seeks Help
Henley-in-Arden seeks help
Without consultation, a monstrous pole to support a CCTV camera has been erected at a sensitive part of the historic High Street.
The towns people are in uproar and seek advice from ASHTAV members who may have suffered a similar fate, fought and had the offending structure removed. ASHTAV help desk is taking up the case but other's experience will be invaluable.
What else can be done other than:
Petition, protest to district and parish councils and write to the local paper?
Please contact Pam Kearsley Chairman of Henley and Beaudesert Civic Society pk.kearsley@tiscali.co.uk and copy Director@ashtav.org.uk
Floods Update
Residents of a West Yorkshire housing estate which suffered flooding damage earlier this year are considering legal action against the developers, the local planning authority and the Environment Agency.
The houses, built by Miller Homes, are on a site near the River Spen and were approved by Kirklees Council.Law firm Irwin Mitchell is acting for the residents and is due to decide the scope of the legal action shortly. A spokesman for the lawyers said: "The residents are now planning to go to court in a landmark legal action to find out why their houses were built on a flood plain and why flood defences on this entirely new development were not adequate, despite claims by the residents that specific assurances were given.
"We have not ruled anything out yet with regards as to who the action will be taken against." Twenty-one homes at Weavers gate in Liversedge, Kirklees, were flooded and contaminated with sewage in June.
In a related development the Environment Agency has told Parliament that planning guidance and the Building Regulations should be strengthened to ensure that new development is more flood-proof. The agency also voiced concern about the concreting over of gardens which is adding to water run-off problems in urban areas.
Dr David King, director of water management with the agency, told MPs last week that planning law should be strengthened with a mandate for sustainable urban drainage in all new development.He told the Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee: "We would like to see the mandating of sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) in new development. PPS 25 does indicate that SUDS should be considered but that needs to be strengthened."
According to a recent Commons written answer some nine per cent of all new dwellings were built in flood risk areas. That was the figure for 2005 which indicated that in the case of London, some 18 per cent of new homes were built on land at risk of flooding.
THE LAST OLD BUCK’NAM CHRISTMAS ?
Last year the Buckingham Society’s Newsletter rejoiced:
“And so to 2006. There’s less local poverty and few work the soil. For many, the 12 days of Christmas will contain seven “holidays”. Conservative Buckingham retains its “Christmas Lights” whereas some 21st century towns now have “Winter” ones”.
In those far off days of innocence in 2006, few thought that whatever the petty criticisms voiced over the quality and coverage of Buckingham town centre’s “White Christmas” lights that an era was ending.
The Society hears that there will be no Buckingham Christmas Lights in 2007.
“Scrooges!” shout their members.
But they can't blame “the Traders” nor “the Council” and the town's overseers in “the Vale” and at “the County” are innocent too, O.K.? And, it’s not the locals' fault for wanting to pay less Council Tax.
No, the Society hears that Christmas Lights are far too fraught and far too expensive because of new, draconian “Health and Safety” codes of practice.
“Hear, ye, Hear Ye,” is being yelled across the Borough by its town Crier.
Unlike the Angel who told the Shepherds, “Be not Afraid,” the Crier asserts:
“Be Afraid to hang a string of lights across a public right of way in the absence of a cherry picker, a strain-gauge testing device and a certificate to prove that your actions accord with the new practice.”
Fear stalks Britain: which place will be the first to be “run out of town” and into the courthouse, having sent a man up a stepladder to brighten its Christmas?
THE NEW CHRISTMAS LAW
Cis the Code of Practice, full of “Do’s” and many “Don’ts”
H is Health and Safety: twin gods and saviours?
R is Risk Assessment, our guide and redeemer
I is for Insurance which is rising sky high
S is for lowly Shepherds who followed the star to where their lawyers lay
T is the Three Wise council men: they CAME, they SAW & said “NO”
M is for Mental, a quality that typifies ladder users
A is Angels who fear to tread on stepladders
S is Stars that shone and won’t shine this year!
Rejoice !
It’s rumoured that Buckingham Council have found something splendid to replace the town’s missing illuminations: RED TAPE !
ASHTAV welcomes Ginny James to the committee
Her own potted biography
Ginny James – personal 'potted' biography A US citizen, born in Seattle, (no known English ancestry, but some Irish and/or Scots/Irish) I recently adopted British nationality as well. After studying at Washington State University I went on to get the US equivalent of a PGCE. A teaching career started in bi-lingual early childhood education in Los Angeles, followed by a year in Finland and five in England. Rather than retrain to further my teaching career here, I worked as a legal secretary before joining the NSPCC as a PA to the Appeals and Publicity Director. After a couple more years in London I escaped to Gloucestershire as a community fundraiser, later taking a regional management role. My last full-time post was as head of fundraising at Meningitis Research Foundation. I oozed my way towards retirement with part-time work as a primary level TA with special needs children while studying for a couple of ornithology qualifications at the University of Birmingham.
I've been an active volunteer since my school days. After university I spent a year as a Peace Corps volunteer working with rural schoolteachers in the Dominican Republic. I helped set up an RSPB local group in Berkshire and am a soon-to-retire (after 20 years!) founding trustee of a swan rescue charity based at Eton, which still thrives. When in 1990 I moved to Newent I was soon recruited onto the committee of Newent Civic Society. And so my introduction to ASHTAV, an organisation our Society has always valued for the approachability of its officers and members, and the encouragement and sound advice we have received over many years. I look forward to gaining an understanding of ASHTAV from the national perspective, and hope to make a useful contribution to its continuing development.
ASHTAV and change of Internet Service Provider (ISP)
There are some great bargains to be had compared to when the Internet and e-mail first started. The ISPs compete with each other to bid for our business by bundling telephone, mobile and broadband into increasingly attractive packages. No wonder we assess the market at the end of each contract to get the best deal and change ISP.
With a new ISP comes a new e-mail address, unless you have your own domain name. It’s not a lot of difficulty to update friends and business contacts by sending a round robin mail out alerting them to the new e-mail address.
Chances are that ASHTAV is not in your address book, so we get missed out. There are occasions when we need to get in touch with members with notice of an event or conference and maybe an occasional consultation. We never disclose members’ email addresses to third parties. We promise to never be a nuisance.
On our last e-mail to members advising of the AGM almost half of the e-mails were bounced back from unknown addresses. We need to have members contact details up to date.
It would help enormously in administration to have up to date email addresses for members. We would be most appreciative if you took time to drop a “Hello, here I am” message to mail@ashtav.org.uk
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