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Showing posts from October, 2023

Use it or Lose it

 This parish is fortunate to have a mobile library visit twice per month..  At the moment it comes on a Friday between 9.40 and 10.00 am.  This is nor particularly convenient for school use or many others it seems.  It is possible for the day and time to be moved to something more convenient - eg a Tuesday afternoon, if requested.  If you have any thoughts on this then please get in touch.   I will be raising this at the next Parish Council meeting, who might hopefully make that request to the SCC Library Service.   Use it or lose it.      

Whaaaat?

It seems that some Local Councils are considering adopting a four-day week but with 100 per cent pay- which is not quite the same as the right to flexible working hours or a work from home scheme.   

Bussed

 It seems that £150 million is being redirected from the failed HS2 project to improve local bus services across the north ans the Midlands.  The money could be used to reintroduce evening services, to increase the frequency of service, to introduce new routes to ensure that areas without can be connected. or to introduce demand/response transport, or indeed to improve the existing rural transport (runabout) scheme, which, in some places seems to need a shot in the arm/kick up the rear. As a declared area of interest, I will be seeking further information so see if bus services can be improved, which might be able to reduce car use.  The once-per-hour 85 bus service could certainly do with some improvement - including  a bus stop at the local hospitals.   Three cheers, it seems that the £2 get around fare scheme is to be extended to 31 December 2024.      

Free Trees

 The Woodland Trust Organisation is continuing its 'free tree' initiative whereby community groups, schools and parishes can apply for up to 420 free trees to plant.   Application forms can be obtained from the WoodlandTrust.org.uk.       

Hanging Up

 Some residents might have been informed already by their network provider that their telephone landline service is going to be disconnected.  This is because, it seems, that the analogue network which uses copper wire (since 1876) is to be switched off by BT Openreach, the alternative replacement service being via the internet/broadband connection.  For this you will need a router, and for good measure a mobile phone  Some people have been informed about this already.  Some have not. The switchover is to take place, eventually, and it is part of the 'UK's mass IP-network (forced?) migration.  This means that the old landline service may eventually cease to function.  Who knows?   It seems that if you change your contract (with BT, particularly) you could be changed over automatically.   It sounds like a cunning plan to get everyone connected to the internet (and in possession of a mobile phone).        The situa...

New Planning Law

 It is well known that there has always been a tension between national and local government with regard to power sharing and local autonomy versus national government hegemony.  Planning has often been at the forefront of this tug of war.   Earlier in the week it seems that national government took the matter of planning at step further into its own hands by ruling that in future national planning policy will trump local planning policy.  Parish councils and local councils will be placed in a much weaker position as a result, and more so if their neighbourhood and local plans are out of date - ie more than 5 years old, or contrary to National Planning Policy.  Also in future, planning policy will be decided by national government - the Minister's decision on planning matters will be binding.   In planning circles it is well known that Ministers frequently change their minds so policy could be decided on a whim in the future.  It also means t...

Edgy

 It is unfortunate that Staffordshire County Council is unable to clear the vegetation growing on to the  pavements along the A531.  In some places the pavements are less than half of their original width making walking along this road dangerous.   I understand that people can adopt a stretch of overgrowth and clear it themselves or with help.  If anyone is interested in doing this then please get in touch since as some tools are available, to make the work easier.     Wanted a tall person to clean the speed camera sign at the entrance to Wrinehill (on top of the drive carefully sign).

Speeding Along

In the past two weeks at least three accidents have occurred on the A531 between the Heighley lane and in just beyond Betley village.  The former involved a fatality.  Earlier in the year an accident occurred just outside Wrinehill on the Madeley side near the junction with Checkley Lane.   At the September Parish Council Meeting it was suggested that a record be kept of all accidents within the Parish especially along the A531 which could be plotted on a map and referred to the police as evidence that this road is dangerous, particularly given the state of the pavements along it. As I suggested this I am happy to keep the record.  Please contact me should you witness, or hear, of any kind of accident along the road.  It is important that as much detail as possible be included, especially the location of the accident, date and time, type of vehicle, weather conditions, if police or ambulances were in attendance etc..  Many thanks.    I  ...

Added history

 The naming of the new Wrinehill development, called Egerton View by the developer, raised an eyebrow or two, partly because local people, particularly those living in Wrinehill, were not given an adequate opportunity to air their views.  It was handed down from the BC that it would be called Sixpence Terrace.  Eventually after input from elsewhere the name Tollhouse Court - which some people were not happy with since they thought it should be Lord Nelson Row after the name of the pub which once graced the site. Since then, more history of this part of the parish has emerged, see below if anyone has more to add then please get in touch: *********  I'm not a history buff but Wrinehill's charm and history was essentially destroyed by planners/road widening mid 1900s and much history is now lost to most residents (and to NBC planners it would seem). However old pictures show the Lord Nelson pub firmly on the plot near its southern end. It was directly facing vehicles co...

Blue Heaven

 A week or so ago I received a personal invitation to be listened to by the local MP at the Village Hall.  On the basis of don't knock it until you've tried it I went along.  He said he was there to listen.  He didn't disappoint.   There were about 30 people present and lots of issues were raised:  gutters, blocked grids, unfit and dangerous pavements; potholes in roads.  He was told that Heighley Lane had 23 potholes (was this a record I wondered?).   There was a question about the future of Newcastle and what was being done re the brain drain, the shopping drain Newcastle going down the drain; HS2 and its future as a project was raised important given that more than 300 acres of prime farmland has been requisitioned in the vicinity of Wrinehhill and farmers are now being given the option to buy it back, I hear. The issue of the net zero extension (described as a 'realignment' and as a kind of luxury that his government could ill afford...

In the Fast Lane

 In the past six months there have been three accidents along the A531, including one fatality.  Many of the accidents are down to excessive speeds.  Whilst the flashing indicator signs can slow down traffic  they are not the whole solution.  Lowering the speed limit on some local roads might be helpful although as one  local resident told me, often speed limits  simply become targets.  The government itself now seems to have pulled  away from its 20 is plenty campaign, which apart from school  and really built up environs was too slow elsewhere.  Perhaps one way forward is to ask car manufacturers why they produce cars which exceed the speed limit, and in fact go beyond the UK maximum, speed in to almost double that.  The same goes for washing machines and dishwashers - if energy is to be saved why do some of the programmes last for more than three hours in some cases?   Answers on a post card, please.    ...

Out With the Old in With the New

 If you are fed up with being bossed around, bullied, ignored, harassed or treated disrespectfully and the target of any other upsetting behaviour, and so much more, then perhaps you need to sign up to the Community Safety Charter.  This can be done by individuals or by groups and organisations.  It would also include reporting accidents or any minor crimes which fall under the police reporting radar or are not reported by them.  If you are interested you can either look it up on the same named website or get in touch.   Think about it.