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PLEASE FIND BELOW THE PARISH COUNCILS' SUBMISSION TO HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL. To download a copy of this letter - click here Mr Brian Owen
Team Leader Development Management
New Barnfield Planning Team
Spatial & Land Use Planning
Hertfordshire County Council
County Hall
Peggs Lane
Hertford SG13 8DQ 27th January 2011 - Also e-mailed Available on CHPC web site Colney Heath Parish Council’s formal response to the consultation re Planning Application 6/2570-11, New Barnfield Incinerator at Hatfield Hertfordshire- Energy From Waste EfW) Dear Mr Owen, As team leader on this HCC project, we request the letter is attached to the planning documents to be noted. Colney Heath Parish Council resolved to object to the above application at their meeting on 12th January 2012. The council believes there are key reasons for rejecting the EfW incinerator taking note of the groundswell of public opinion firmly against;- A public meeting was held in Colney Heath on 10th January attended by speakers from HCC-VEOLIA & E/Agency presenting the issues to some 183 public attending. This has informed the basis of our council decision TO OPPOSE THIS DEVELOPMENT Key issues of objection;-. 1. Concerns about pollution, including “Nano” Particles, remain issues where the public are totally unconvinced by assurances over the incinerator. 2. Transport movements-congestion-busy routes-not confined to HCC waste 3. Closeness to residential and educational properties- with a school closure 4. Chimney and visual aspect from afar & comparative height of buildings. 5. Size of plant-eyesore and blot on the landscape-plant safety not proven. 6. Alternatives not considered before a premature signing of a contract (27/7/11) prior to adequate public consultation and involvement. As a county-wide waste facility it makes no sense to site it in or nearby residential properties. The proposed site is in the Green Belt and this is clearly inappropriate development and there will be a loss of amenity space for local residents. A further effect of this application is that we are losing a much valued library facility and possibly a school. There is also the potential loss of a National Cycle Route (12) impacting on green issues of transport, affordable transport to those using the facility. In our view any reasonable person looking at a map of Hertfordshire would conclude the decision to site this incinerator in New Barnfield is completely illogical. It has been argued by the applicants that the 458 lorry movements per day would not represent a significant increase in traffic but we strongly disagree. The increased traffic flow caused by the heavy refuse or bulk carrier lorries travelling to and from the incinerator compound will add to the already congested roads. It will also add noise pollution and the fuel combustion will cause higher levels of carbon emissions, a further source of harmful gases and particulates in surrounding areas. The trunk roads, for example the A414, A1M, M25 and the A10 are already virtually gridlocked in the rush hours and peak times.Negating the secondary transit sites proposed. The Parish Council along with local residents have significant concerns about the potential health impact of the EfW plant. An incinerator could produce the equivalent of 385 million miles of waste truck movements every year leading to increased diesel pollution. This is not exactly a “Green Plan” for reducing greenhouse gasses in the UK, including the Co2 national target by 2020. Has it been proven that the filters on the incinerator will remove fine (<PM2.5) or Nano particles from stack emissions? It is our concern the potential health effects of this fraction may currently be grossly underestimated and not sufficiently regulated at this time. We appreciate that strict UKAS standards have to be met with regard to performance of the testing equipment, but in Europe the monitoring is conducted totally independently from the principle interest organisation. If that system was applied here it would provide additional assurance that the monitoring would be rigorous without potential conflict of interest. The technology is suggested as being safe but what happens if there are risks not fully assessed, or we are unfortunate enough for a low risk event to occur. Many residents here experienced the noise and smoke arising from the fuel explosion at Buncefield-Hemel Hempstead and we were all told that the operation was safe. On a precautionary principle alone this facility should be located away from large populated areas because it could adversely affect all within 15km, especially given the stack emissions that include-SOx-HCl-HF-NOX- and particulates. If Hertfordshire could achieve an increase of its recycling rate to a figure of 80% plus, then the business case for the incinerator is completely flawed. Therefore if the rate of recycling goes up. as expected because of a national target by 2020, then the amount of waste going to land fill would plummet. This potential is being disregarded. We feel that the County Council has not adequately researched or proven any other methods of waste disposal, Bio Mass etc. Local residents are not convinced that alternative systems have been thoroughly researched and quantified and that there are strong reasons for them being discounted in favour of Incineration. (EfW) We urge that this application is withdrawn and more research is done on the many alternative waste methods and options open to local authorities. Recycling targets need to be raised and alternative sites identified away from residential properties. To suggest that New Barnfield was chosen because it was or is HCC owned land is not satisfactory. Also doubt over covenants for the use of this land being queried in the public comments made at our open meeting on 10th January 2012. Further we are unclear if the public had adequate access to the HCC consultation document commissioned to Barton Willmore LLp on the alternative sites. Appropriate full consultation should ocurr without delay and renewed effort expended to identify a more appropriate location/s if EfW really is the only viable option. We further suggest the partnership contract signing in July 2011 by HCC did not involve adequate public consultation and leaves HCC with a severe financial penalty if it is cancelled, thereby possibly influencing their overall judgement on this matter. We also suggest this agreement was not generally known or explained until recent public meetings addressing this application that has generated huge local concern. Yours sincerely John Dean
Clerk to the Council
Colney Heath Parish Council c/c Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP Communities Secretary Anne Main MP National Society for Clean Air & Env Protection NSCA Rt Hon Grant Shapps Andrew Milsted-Veolia Plc St Albans District Council Cllr Stuart Pile Hatfield & Welwyn Borough Council Highways Agency Hatfield Town Council Southfields School Governors London Colney PC Friends of the Earth North Mymms PC County/Dist Cllr C Brazier Ridge PC Dist Cllr J Day Shenley PC Prospective MP Sandy Walkington Sandridge PC HIA Hatfield Against Incenerator Wheathampsted PC-Dist Cllr T Swendell Barton Willmore LLp St Stephens PC Veolia Environmental Services Ltd Harpenden TC Paul Zukowskj
Content 3 pages Suggested reference;- Minutes of meeting Proposed Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility-New Barnffield-Community Engagement Group-26th October 2011-Veolia Environmental Services. NSCA-Nat Soc for Clean Air and Env Protection-*Comparison of Emissions from Waste Management Options Hertfordshire Waste Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Document www.hertsdirect.org/newbarfieldplanning Hatfield Against Inceneration-http://hatfieldanti-inceneration.co.uk website & blog CHPC Web Site has details of presentations from 10th January 2012 Public Meeting- www.colneyheath.org.uk There are other data references in this *paper regarding the EfW plants in the UK already operating or planned
FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC MEETING . . .
. . . held on Tuesday 10th January, regarding the Proposed Recycling and Energy from
Waste Facility - the New Barnfield Incinerator, the speakers on the night have made
their presentations available to the public to view - thanks to them all for their
help with this. There were a number of speakers on the night and there are three presentations
available to download. 1. ANDREW MILSTED - Veolia E.S.(UK) Ltd
- click here to download the presentation 2. RICHARD BROWN - Hertfordshire County Council
- click here to download the presentation 3. BEN FREEMAN - Environment Agency
- click here to download the presentation If you wish to comment on the proposal you can do so Online, By Letter,
or Via the Parish Office. The Herts County Council page which has ALL the details is
http://www.hertsdirect.org/services/envplan/plan/planningapps/nbplanapp/ There is more information available on the Hatfield Against Incineration site
- http://www.hatfield-anti-incineration.co.uk/ To download an objections response form click here PLEASE NOTE THAT RESPONSES MUST BE WITH COUNTY HALL BY TUESDAY 31st JANUARY If you have any queries, please contact the Parish Office - 01727 825 314
or by email -
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
THE NEXT PARISH MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ON :  Thursday 2nd February 2012
at the Charles Morris Hall, Tyttenhanger Green at 7.45pm
*Please consult the parish office (01727 825 314) for confirmation of these dates and venues as they may be subject to change if any urgent Parish business so demands.
PARISH MATTERS- DECEMBER 2011
Just What Is The Answer? . . . As I write this shortly after Bonfire Night, the clocks have gone back; it is dark as I leave the office after work and already the Christmas catalogues are dropping through the door. Fortunately, it has been unseasonably warm, so the central heating has only been needed intermittently – a real bonus in these times of rapidly rising energy prices. And energy generation from waste is one of the issues that have been concerning your Parish Council over recent months, as the national drive to find alternative sources of energy starts to have a local impact. It is clear that tighter environmental standards and a lack of suitable landfill sites mean that we can no longer continue to just bury our rubbish – local authorities are being charged a landfill tax for rubbish disposed of in this way and so are under pressure to find alternative methods of disposal to ensure they get the best value for their ratepayers. At the same time, the UK is committed to increasing the proportion of energy it generates from renewable and non-fossil fuel sources – it has a target of 20% “green” energy by 2020. So you can understand why projects that generate power from waste are attractive to local authorities, since they can both help reduce the volume of expensive waste going to landfill, while at the same time helping to increase the amount of power generated from renewable sources. The problem is that in future these types of facility are likely to be smaller and more local than the massive power stations and landfill sites that we have been used to in the past, and so are going to affect more people. Your Parish Council is aware of proposals for two such projects that could have an impact on local residents – an incinerator generating electricity from rubbish at New Barnfield, between Hatfield and Welham Green, and an anaerobic digestion plant at Coursers Road. While the incinerator is not in Colney Heath Parish, the scale of the facility is likely to have an impact on local traffic movements. No formal planning application has yet been made, but the project is supported by Hertfordshire County Council, which has contracted Veolia Environmental Services to build and operate the plant, and so the application is likely to be viewed favourably. The proposals currently being consulted on envisage a facility that can deal with up to 380,000 tonnes of “black bin” rubbish per year (over 1,000 tonnes a day) which Veolia says will require 180 lorry movements daily, or 15 per hour assuming 12 hour days. The raw waste from kerbside collections would be sorted at the incinerator site, with the recyclable and compostable elements removed (presumably meaning more vehicle movements). This would leave around 7% “residual waste” – material with no other value that would otherwise be sent to landfill – which would be incinerated at the site. After burning, there would be two grades of ash – an inert “bottom ash” that can be used in the construction industry, plus a highly toxic “fly ash” that is placed in sealed bags and buried in deep pits in Cheshire. Veolia claims that harmful exhaust gases will be “scrubbed” in a three stage process as they progress through the 75 metre high chimney to satisfy the Health Protection Agency’s standards. As the exhaust leaves the burners, they will drive an electricity generator, making enough power to service 5,000 houses, says Veolia, although it is not clear whether this will benefit local residents. The whole site is under cover, and its operation would be monitored by the Environment Agency. More local is the project to build an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant at Coursers Farm in Colney Heath. This process uses a sealed fermentation vessel where microbes ferment organic waste materials – in this case food waste – to produce methane, which can either be used directly as a gas energy source or to generate electricity, and a “digestate” by-product for use as an organic fertiliser for farmers to spread on their land. The presentation to the Parish Council envisaged an intake of up to 30,000 tonnes per year. Again, no formal planning application has yet been made in this case, but it is clear that servicing the intake and removing waste products would require a significant increase in vehicle movements to deliver material to the site and remove the residue. These are tricky issues. On the one hand, everyone wants their rubbish to simply disappear each week, while modern life without electricity at the flick of a switch is almost unthinkable. And yet we have to find alternatives to landfill, while concern over energy security means that local electricity generation must increasingly help to supply the power we all take for granted, whether it is solar panels on our houses or larger agricultural schemes on our farms. (In Germany there are already over 6,000 on-farm AD plants). But at the same time, people are understandably concerned about their quality of life, especially when it comes to a potential increase in lorry traffic and air pollution. The decisions on these projects, if and when the applications are submitted, will be taken at district or county level, although the Parish Council will be making its view known in the planning consultation, so please let your councillors know your opinions on these matters. Veolia’s proposals can be viewed via the www.veoliaenvironmentalservices.co.uk/Documents/Publications/Hertfordshire/Publications
/Veolia_CommunityUpdate2_ElectronicBookletVersion.pdf webpage, while the Hatfield against Incineration website – http://www.hatfield-anti-incineration.co.uk/ – offers an alternative view. The Chronicle’s editor, Dave Rodway successfully completed his ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro in late October – all 5,895m of it – and is back to tell the story. It is not too late to support his magnificent effort on behalf of the Parkinson’s UK charity – the www.justgiving.com/drodway webpage is still open for donations. And finally, on behalf of the Parish Council, and the Parish Office, can I wish everybody a very happy and peaceful Christmas and all the best for 2012. Jamie Day
Colney Heath Parish Council THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN THE CHRONICLE 146 – WINTER EDITION – PUBLISHED IN DECEMBER 2011
News from CHPC - Freedom of Information Below you will find a link to a PDF file which details where information can be found / obtained relating to all aspects of the Parish Council's operations. Click on this link to download the detailed list
PREVIOUS PARISH MATTERS PARISH MATTERS - September 2011 View from the Chair . . .
I must admit calling an open air event ‘A Day at the Seaside’ in a British summer is just tempting fate. Yet despite a period of variable weather, Sunday 26 June was a scorcher and the theme was entirely appropriate for Larks in the Parks at Roestock. Many local people gave up their time and a lot of sweat to ensure a successful event; an example of community action at its best. All made possible by a combination of central funding (of entertainers by the District and Parish Councils) and local people prepared to shift tables and chairs, cook, wash up, man stalls (tombola, games, sales, face painting etc.), litter pick, make sunglasses with children, provide music, manage car parking, do emergency plumbing in the scout centre and pray for us. And most important of all are the people who came content to picnic, listen to music, play games, sunbathe and just enjoy themselves. I must admit with all the talk of austerity I thought such simple pleasures could be priority for cuts; it will be interesting to see if the District Council supports such events next year.
Another good example of community activity is the Gloucester Park allotments; volunteers have given up much time to make it possible and now the reward in terms of fresh food produce is coming to fruition. The council is seeking to purchase further land for community use in Smallford so we may well be requesting your support again soon.
The Larks and the allotments are examples of the rewarding aspects of serving on the Parish Council. Notable since the new council was established in May is the high public attendance at our monthly meetings held on Thursdays at 7.45 to 10 pm. I guess it could be the eloquence of the councillors whose informed debate is more attractive to parishioners than the local pub or Torchwood on TV. I would like to think that, but more likely it reflects the frustration of local people over a number of issues impacting the quality of their lives.
One example is the car sales and cleaning operation in the High Street, causing much disturbance to neighbours along with concerns for water pollution, it continues its activities despite no planning permission and the threat of enforcement by the District Council and the Environment Agency. Elsewhere in Smallford we have a new housing development where some aspects of plans seem irrelevant to what gets built and planning conditions are ignored. In Colney Heath Lane residents are concerned by urbanisation and likely disturbance by new sports facilities with floodlighting and car parking. This has been controversial because we all want our children to have opportunity for sports, but do we need these pitches along with new pitches at Oaklands when we have extensive pitches at Harvesters as well as those extending from Smallford to Hatfield? Is there any co-ordination or are these arising from separate and uncoordinated initiatives so resulting in one area of St Albans becoming overwhelmed by one landscape. Perhaps when the streetlights go off as a result of planned budget cuts we will at least see where we are going because of the light pollution from the many sports pitches (we are at least assured they wont be as bad as the original University pitches at Hatfield).
Your council do their best to raise concerns at a higher level where these decisions are taken and the powers to enforce planning rules reside. However given the frequency that local decisions are over ridden by the Secretary of State’s inspectors one sometimes wonders where locally any real power resides. Hence soon we will have housing on the Beaumont school playing fields and Strife will again be fighting the massive proposed rail terminal. Despite an inspector agreeing with all planning objections to the development of a traveler’s site at Coursers Road temporary permission has been given for continued operation because regional targets for numbers of pitches have not been met. Also on the local agenda is a massive housing scheme for Oaklands, an incinerator in south Hatfield and a large composting facility on Coursers Road. With regard to development it is a good job we are not in a boom time for the economy around here given the activity in what we are told is the worst recession in living memory. Still at least there is plenty to form an opinion about.
Talking of opinions, the strong views on the flower ’tubs’ installed along the High Street in Colney Heath at least demonstrate village life is alive and well. The Parish Council accepted the opportunity for the flower tubs at no cost and our gardener has done a great job planting them with flowers grown from seed. However many people have signed a petition expressing the view that they are inappropriate for the location, even once painted green. The Council has set in process the democratic consultation with all residents in the area (Localism in action!) to guide us on retaining or relocating the tubs. Your views are welcome!
The Parish Council meet each month on the first Thursday. You are welcome to join us and when not overwhelmed by numbers we offer a coffee along with the chance to ask questions at 9pm. Enjoy what remains of the summer in our parish of Colney Heath.
Derrick Crump
Chairman - Colney Heath Parish Council
PARISH MATTERS - May 2011Chairman’s Address - Annual Parish Meeting
Thursday 7th April 2011
First let me say how pleased I am to be given the opportunity to address the parish and report on the progress made by your parish council over this past year. I will try to give a snapshot of some of the things we have discussed and decided upon and although this meeting is not a debating meeting, there will be an opportunity to raise any matters when we get to Item 7 or over a glass of wine with your councillor after the meeting. Unfortunately some things have not been finally resolved although progress has been made. We had public meetings to try to resolve the problems with the car parking and other issues on the common.As this is something which has been on-going for some years, and keeps recurring, it would be good to reach a satisfactory conclusion as we are keen to protect the heath and its environment for future generations. I am sure that with this common aim (pardon the pun!) we can move forward on this.
The legal issues with Nuckies Farm continue to be a frustration as we await the final decision from the Central Planning Inspectorate at Bristol following their visit to the site and the properties affected by flooding.
To help maintain some of our green spaces we have developed part of Gloucester Park as allotments. Cllr. Gowan will give an update on this. Regarding the Open Land at Oakland Lane, the council has worked closely with The Smallford Residents Association to secure its future. We opposed the Application for Adverse Possession to the Land Registry which was subsequently withdrawn. Now we are trying to secure the land by means of a lease or purchase from the current owners. We are also looking to see what can be done to protect Smallford Station platform and ticket office.
We continue to work closely with our local residents associations and remind them that they are welcome, as are all members of the public, to attend our Parish Council meetings.
The work on the High Street and Traffic calming is now underway including raised crossings at the school and by the Cock pub and dropped kerbs to assist with wheelchair access throughout the village. To tie in with the work, the Parish Council has bought three new bus shelters. One has been installed opposite the Grange, one is to go opposite the Cock and the third is replacing the Richardson Place shelter, being moved back to give a clear pathway and to comply with the DDA regulations.
Wistlea Crescent bus stop and shelter is also being moved away from the bend.
Last autumn the council made its feelings known regarding the work done on the High Street and up Colney Heath Lane. It was clear that the grading had not been checked nor the potholes filled in before the chip dressing was applied. This really was a case of just papering over the cracks. However we are told that the chip dressing will have to see out its life of 1-2yrs. before further remedial works take place. We have unfortunately had that fatal accident on the longabout which we all warned of. Prior to the accident we had met with Highways to assess their proposals to improve safety on the longabout. We are only sorry that a life was lost before something was done about an issue that was identified as our no.1 priority when we did the Parish Plan in 2004.
Moving on to planning issues, although the Parish Council is not responsible for the final decisions, this being the remit of the District Council, we continue to carefully consider and comment upon all applications in our area. Nicholas Breakspeare School have just re-submitted their application for building work and a Multi-use Games Area. Although we have not met since this re-submission, all I can say that the council’s stance in opposing the application has not changed.
On a more pleasant note, let me thank all those who help make our events like Larks in the Park and the over60s Christmas Lunch such a success. I know how much effort goes into them and it is much appreciated, and to those who keep our grasses cut, flower beds flowering and volunteer litterpickers a very well done. Also a word of thanks to our faithful team of drivers and couriers who man the Community Bus every Friday. You are helping to provide a much needed service to some who would find it difficult to shop without it. And if anyone would like to join our merry band of helpers, please see me afterwards.
So finally, get your cossies and Hawaian shirts ready for this year’s Larks in the Park as the theme is A Day at the Seaside. I will now hand over to the Clerk, John Dean, who will give us an overview of the parish finances and other related matters.
Thank you.
Dennis Horner
Colney Heath Parish Council
PARISH MATTERS - March 2011 First signs of spring . . . As I write in mid February, I can see snowdrops and crocuses under our apple trees – the first signs of spring after what has been a long, cold winter. The mornings are noticeably lighter, and the first green leaves appearing on honeysuckle and hedgerows – time to look ahead with renewed optimism. While the fields and common in the parish initially looked lovely under their blanket of snow, the disruption to travel and every day activities soon palled.
It has been a difficult winter, as evidenced by the gas bills that have just landed on our doormats – or electronic inboxes. There is no doubt that economics will continue to dominate the year at both the national and local levels. The Parish council has set its 2011/12 budget, allowing for a slight increase that enables us to continue our present activities, but finances will be tight. At District Council level, significant savings will have to be made, as funding from Central Government is reduced, and the Council has pledged to freeze the rate of Council tax that residents pay. The Council will have to find savings of 27% over the next two years - the 2011/12 District budget is due to be agreed by the end of February.
Flooding
One result of the exceptional weather this winter was to highlight the risk of flooding to Colney Heath village.
Two rivers - the Ellenbrook and the Colne - converge near Tyttenhanger Quarry to the west of Colney Heath village, before the Colne flows through Colney Heath. There are also “kettle holes” that overflow suddenly when filled with surface water, sending a sudden surge down the river, quickly raising the level of the water. We had such an incident on January 18th this year. The picture on the front cover shows the flood in full spate. We received a warning from the Environment Agency, and the Parish Clerk John Dean and Common Ranger Charlie Nash took steps to warn those High Street residents adjacent to the common of the flooding risk. They also closed off an entrance to the common for two weeks on public safety grounds.
The Parish Council is alerted by the Environment Agency and the District Council when their monitoring shows that River Colne water levels are high, making a flood more likely. We are anxious to urge regular common users, such as dog walkers, horse riders and the general public, to please take these flood warnings seriously. There are a number of properties immediately at risk in Colney Heath should the river level rise by more than half a metre. Anyone who would like to be on the email circulation list for such warnings should ask at the parish office.
Protection of the flood plain is one reason why your Council has been pursuing the illegal development on Coursers Road. Raising the level of the flood plain – the natural area onto which excess water can flood without causing any harm – means the water will find its own level elsewhere. This in turn increases the flooding risk to other properties that might not have been at risk of flooding before.
Verges and pavements
The winter weather means our grass verges and green areas are particularly vulnerable to damage from vehicles. Inconsiderate parking and driving means that roadside verges are easily churned up – a moment’s inattention can lead to a muddy eyesore that lasts all winter.
The Parish Council aims to keep the parish looking its best, and urges all motorists to think carefully before driving and /or parking on our verges. Similarly, parking on pavements can be a problem in some areas. It is understandable that drivers want to move their cars off the road, and as we all know there are more cars than parking spaces. However, it is unfair on pedestrians – especially those with buggies or wheelchairs – to find the pavements impassable due to selfish parking. This is dangerous too, when buggy and wheelchair users are forced to go onto the road to get round parked cars. It is also neighbourly to ensure that garden plants and shrubs overhanging onto the pavements are pruned back so that all can pass by easily and safely.
Boundary changes
The Council has been trying for some years to redress the parish boundary anomaly that means that part of Franklin Close and Bullens Lane in Colney Heath village are within Welwyn Hatfield Council’s boundary rather than that of St Albans District Council. This can be a particular problem with school allocations. While there has been no movement from either Welwyn Hatfield or North Mymms Parish Council on this issue – neither are willing to surrender any ground – we have a fresh impetus under the new Coalition government. Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps – who is now the Housing Minister – agrees that it would make more sense for the whole of Franklin Close to be under St Albans’ jurisdiction, and is supporting our approaches to the other parties, and it seems that we now have a better chance of solving this longstanding problem.
Allotments
Cllr Chris Gowens has worked to make the Gloucester Park allotment project in Highfield happen. The site has been marked out, and, as soon as the weather and ground conditions allow, our contractor will be preparing the site in time for planting this Spring. Thanks to Chris for her dedication in achieving this result. The Highfield Trust is also working to make more allotments available on former Oaklands college land adjacent to Highfield Park – more details from Anna Cohen at the Trust Office.
Diary Dates
The 2011 Colney Heath Annual Parish Meeting is scheduled for the evening of April 7th at the Charles Morris Hall. It has been brought forward to avoid clashing with the Easter and Royal Wedding holidays later that month.
Parish and district council elections, together with the referendum on the alternative voting system, are to be held on Thursday May 5th. It is always good to have new blood on the Council, so if you are interested in becoming a Parish Councillor, please contact the Parish Office for details in the first instance.
Lastly, and although it seems a long way off, it will soon be here, the annual Larks in the Parks family days in Highfield and Colney Heath are set for Sunday June 26th.
Website
Don’t forget that there is no need to wait for the quarterly Chronicle for your update on Parish Matters – there is a mine of information on the Parish and its activities on our website - http://colneyheath.org.uk. Add it to your favourites today!
Jamie Day
Colney Heath Parish Council
PARISH MATTERS - December 2010The frustrations of getting things done . . .
I am writing this whilst on holiday in Suffolk, having taken a break from decorating the interior of the house. (I have just finished the kitchen!) Prior to the re‑decoration a general tidy‑up and clear out was called for. It was then that I came across old copies of The Chronicle. One from 2003 caught my eye and I was interested to read the then Chairman’s Report. The two main issues he remarked upon were a) the unauthorised caravan site and development in Coursers Road and b) traffic calming through the village. How frustrating it is that coming up to 2011 these two issues are STILL ongoing! The quest for justice and the upholding of the law regarding Coursers Road has been long and expensive but the hope remains that justice will prevail.
Traffic calming measures are to be started early next year and the concerns of the residents in Tollgate Road regarding not having speed cushions have been taken into consideration and we should have improvement and safer crossing points, especially at the school.
Whilst considering the High Street, be assured that your Council has made it quite plain to the Highways department, the strong feelings about the cosmetic surface applications to the High Street and Colney Heath Lane. We consider it to be a waste of money and a deferment of more expensive remedial work later on. When this will take place in today’s financial climate, nobody knows.
The issue of parking on the track behind the houses next to the Village Hall has stirred up much debate. Surely Solomon would be stretched to come up with a solution which satisfies residents, custodians of the Common and legal restrictions. Hopefully, with the best interests of the environment in mind and goodwill on all sides,we can draw this long running saga to a satisfactory conclusion.
On a positive note, the allotments at Gloucester Park are being prepared ready for letting. The bus shelter in Hall Gardens has been installed - see the picture on the front cover of the magazine showing me with some of the first residents to use the new shelter in Hall Gardens - and advice is being sought on the cleaning up of Smallford Pond.
Finally may I make a public declaration recognising the work and dedication of my fellow councillors and thank them and the Clerk plus Assistant Clerk for their support and encouragement during my time as Chairperson.
With all best wishes for a Happy Christmas and the year to come
Dennis Horner
Chair - Colney Heath Parish Council |
