Marsh Lane Watch
Strong odour at Marsh Barns on September 16 at 14:45. Light odour in Merston on September 25 at 19:00.
Discovered and reported a water leak in ditch opposite Tapners Barn at 21:00, September 16. Portsmouth Water engineer inspected two days later (how's that for prompt response to water leak report!) and found it was a leak in an unmetered pipe going into field.
The directional markings on the Portfield roundabout have been repainted. Not sure whether I can take any credit for it but am pleased to see it has been done.
The Daily Telegraph continues its outstanding series of articles on the state of Europe. I am astonished but also gratified that this widely read paper, known for its strong euroscepticism, has devoted so much coverage in the last two weeks or so to the European Union. The articles have been on many different aspects, social, economic, political, asylum seekers, energy, climate change, Turkey, the UK's perspective etc and while there has been no glossing over of weaknesses and lack of effectiveness, in general the pieces have been very well informed and balanced.
I doubt whether the articles will have changed people's minds, but they have contributed enormously to public understanding. Depending on their readership in the Republic of Ireland they may have a positive impact on the forthcoming re-run of the referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
A congregation exceeding 80 of friends, former school colleagues and neighbours saw Brenda Hill, administrator and lay reader at the three churches in the living, including St Giles, Merston and St Stephen's North Mundham, laid to rest at St Leodegar's Hunston. Brenda had served the three churches for over 15 years and by her work, advice and commitment had been a great support to the two incumbents, Victor Malan, who made the journey from east Kent to attend the funeral, and James Russell. She was much loved and will be much missed.
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Financial Times columnist praises Vince Cable's proposed tax on properties valued at £1 million and over, being non regressive, easy to administer, a damper on property speculation, a means of recouping investment on infrastructure and effectively a catch up on property values that have not been revalued for Council tax since 1991. Interestingly the FT had been critical of the proposal when Cable announced it earlier in the week at the Lib Dem party conference at Bournemouth. Cable is according to polls the most trusted politician at Westminster. But for all its wisdom his new tax with its focus on fairness may not be an immediate vote winner.
The Health and Safety Executive reported that as a result of its investigations into an incident at Oving where an agent of Langmead Farms was spraying lettuces with a spray that some residents claimed, helped by the wind, reached their properties, it concluded that the company had been in full compliance with the legislation and had closed the case. This decision doesn't appear to settle the matter as to the fact of the spray drifting on to residential properties and it is reported that the complainant plans to appeal.
Full Council with just one agenda item beyond the usual questions. It made one wonder if the meeting was worth holding. The governance review will look at such matters. We could save members' expenses and officers' and members' time by reducing the frequency of Full Council meetings.
The item itself was somewhat arcane. We were debating the size of the South Downs National Park Authority as and when it comes into force next April as between 37 and 39 representatives. As the other local authorities favoured 39 (made up of local authorities, parish councils and appointed members) we decided to change our original preference from 37 and likewise opt for 39 but I couldn't get any clarification on what benefit the extra number would confer in terms of democratic representation, or indeed why we couldn't do with fewer. It will be for the Secretary of State to decide.
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Marsh Lane Watch
Light odour Marsh Lane September 9 and 10. Not strong enough to justify reporting to EA.
Members tour of Council properties included visit to Westgate Leisure Centre to learn about plans for upgrade of combined heat and power installation to reduce carbon emissions, reduce demand on energy from grid, improve heating/power ratio, replace hand by automatic/ remote control and ozone filtration by UV.
It's a major project that will cost upwards of a million or more and the installation is complicated by need to remove internal load bearing wall and keep the centre open while work is under way. A challenge to keep within budget and on time.
Policy Development Committee reviewed draft strategy on use of S106 monies for public art. It's high time this authority had such a strategy. Many others have had one for years. The famous/infamous Angel of the North (actually I saw it for myself in situ on September 4 and I thought it very impressive) was commissioned by Gateshead City Council in 1997. Nearer to home, Crawley has had a public art policy since 1995.
The draft shown to the committee looked pretty good. It will be now for the Council and developers to make it work so we can see some benefit to our environment. Will need to advise residents at time of financial stringency that the money is not coming out of taxpayer's pocket.
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At Oving Parish Council much discussion about the complaint that on a certain day in July Langmead Farms had sprayed a field of lettuce and the spray with its pesticides had drifted to neighbouring properties and that the company had been in breach of regulations. An affected resident had appealed to the HSE that is directly responsible for the regulation of pesticides on farms. Lengthy letter from Langmeads tabled that set out its practices and defended its position. We await the decision of the HSE.
A senior manager of major transport projects at County reviewed prospects for improvements to the A27 at the Peninsula Forum. The amount of money available is £136 million well short of the revised budget for the 2004 improvements that now stands at £200 million. For the smaller amount the Highways Agency is designing a more modest scheme of improvements the details of which will be put to consultation end of this year/ beginning of next.
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BBC Panorama on beach water quality in the south west reported part treated sewage resulting from use of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) at times of heavy rainfall and questioned the currency of EA testing equipment. Put this question to EA later in the week re our beaches. Got a reassuring answer but may need further probing. Water quality at Bognor this summer has given cause for concern but not our beaches.
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