NO TROUBLE BREWING.

THE WHITE LION

I was interested to see a Planning Application has been submitted for a Micro Brewery at the old White Lion Public House, Sawley . It's in its early stages yet but it sounds like a good idea to me. Pubs have been having a hard time of late and this special brew could be just the lure needed to make it a successful enterprise. A new attraction in that area would be good for Sawley. (Web Ref 024819 on the EBC's Planning Portal.)

BAD MANNERS

BAD SIGN

I was taking a trip to the nearest waste disposal point when I came upon a sight to make you wince. The sign on the approach to the Manners Industrial Estate at Ilkeston, showing which Firms occupy the site is begrimed and covered with green growth and to add insult to injury, out of date. What image does that portray to visitors? On the basis that you don't get a second chance to make a first impression, the impression this sign gives is one of we don't give a damn. In the dog eat dog world of commerce and industry image and reputation matter. Whoever is responsible for this sign ought to be ashamed of themselves they are letting Ilkeston and Erewash down.  

DOG DAZE



FEARSOME BEAST



During the Borough elections Margaret and I were driving down a side street in our Ward when we were amazed to see a Rottweiler pottering along. Sniffing all the latest news from the street as you do, when you're a dog. It was being tailed by a Police Patrol car, at a respectful distance. I didn't know where the dog was from but the Police seemed to have taken the lead, so I left them to it. I've been bitten too many times, usually when electioneering. The last bite, which was last year, I can feel in frosty weather still.

TESCO'S SANDIACRE

NEW TESCO'S, STATION RD, SANDIACRE?

The TESCO planning application for a new store at Sandiacre is unlikely to be before Committee until the end of June at the earliest I am informed. I recently saw surveyors measuring up around the road junction. Presumably they will be sizing up the road proposals submitted as part of TESCO's application. There is a wealth of information that can be read online at the Erewash Borough web-site regarding the application, reference ERE/1210/0005. This proposal has already caused much debate in the area and no doubt loads of people will be coming to the Planning Committee to voice their views. I hope I can be there when it's discussed, it should be an interesting and no doubt passionate debate.

LOWER BATH STREET ILKESTON

As far as Erewash Borough Council Tories care Bath Street Ilkeston can decline into dereliction. Whilst they try to flog land to a Supermarket developer at the top of town, lower down property just falls apart. Some of the affected properties are lovely examples of Victorian and Edwardian architecture. Even the poor old Poplar Inn is empty and derelict. There needs to be a grant scheme to help repair, renovate and regenerate this area. The Council should get it's head out of the clouds and act sooner rather than later. 

Just to add insult to injury I have recently learned that the proposals at the Stanton site now include a Supermarket! What started off as a few thousand houses (which we don't need) and some small retail units, has now expanded into a retail monster to attract Ilkeston, Sandiacre and Stapleford people to Stanton. Get real Erewash, help our town centres, not City Slickers.

GETTING CONNECTED

Mobile phone masts are one of the thorniest issues being dealt with by Planning Committees up and down the Country. Recently Erewash Planning Committee agreed one mast application and refused another. The lack of any evidence of detriment to health means the reasons for refusal are fairly narrow. For instance a refusal can be based on the bad siting or visual intrusion.

Although there is extensive scientific work indicating that there are no health risks from properly sited masts, still there is a genuine fear of masts from some people. Whilst mobile phone operators try to improve coverage to give their customers a better service, they continually meet with opposition based on fear rather than facts. It's a real paradox for local representatives.

PHONE MAST AT SAWLEY

Mobile phone operators have tried information offensives but are hampered by misinformation and prejudiced reporting in Newspapers. A recent example of prejudiced reporting was in the Daily Express. The headline was "Girl,11,defeats phone giants in mast battle."  90% of the article was pure fudge and it isn't until you get to the last paragraph that it transpires that the Stockport Planning Committee refused the application, not on health grounds, but due to "The masts height, appearance and prominent siting, which would have a negative visual impact on the surrounding area."  Those reasons are a far cry from the general tone of the piece, which reinforces prejudice rather than informs and must be deeply annoying to the mobile phone industry.

I am aware that some media don't let facts get in the way of a good story, but if we are to get decent signal coverage masts are a necessary part of the landscape. Site them well, but don't let prejudice wreck the effectiveness of technology. After all, good communication is a friend rather than a foe.

EREWASH PARTNERSHIP

With the scrapping of Regional Development Agencies what will now happen to the Erewash Partnership? The shifting sands of economic development in England have shifted yet again. Whereas other Countries tend to unite to secure European Funding, Tory Governments don't like interfering in market forces. Even if it can attract financial assistance to our benefit.

Will the new "Local Economic Partnership" have sufficient funds to keep local partnerships like Erewash Partnership going?  Or is the organisation heading for the buffers? We may soon find out now the elections are over.

Even Erewash Partnership, if it survives, hasn't the clout to carry much weight in bringing land, such as the Stanton site back into use. Erewash Council itself has little or no expertise left within the organisation to drive Stanton or any other development project forward. The County Council seem like bystanders as far economic development is concerned. The days when the County managed to bring Toyota to Derbyshire are long gone, they too have lost the capability. The future looks none too bright for economic action in Erewash at the moment. 

Areas like the Stanton site need pump priming money to bring more of the land back into use and to deal with over a hundred and fifty years of pollution. Usually Government intervention is the key to reclamation. With a Government that isn't interested in intervention we could lose out on any help from Europe even if such help is still available. The site could continue to be a wasteland which would be a social and economic tragedy.

EREWASH ELECTIONS

The Borough Elections are over and Labour added six more seats to the Erewash Labour Group. Not enough to take control but still a respectable performance. It gives us twenty-five out of fifty-one seats.  

With the excitement of the Election receding we now need to get down to the job of doing the best for our constituents. It is tempting to see Council Chambers as a pale reflection of the Westminster Parliament. However, many of the issues that Council's deal with are not Party political and the general public will not look kindly on us if we just enter into a sterile dog fight between Labour and Tory.



STANTON H.Q.



The Erewash Labour Group's highest priority is economic regeneration and the Stanton site could be key to job creation. My belief is that the Council should rethink its attitude to Stanton regeneration and be more practical. There is little or no local support for the thousands of houses proposed for the site. The road infrastructure is already stretched and cannot support a massive increase in vehicle movements.  In my view the existing head in the clouds plan for the site needs to be replaced with positive practical measures to bring some of the land back into use for businesses as soon as practicable. We should be concentrating on meeting local jobs and local recreational needs, not catering for the housing needs of Nottingham and Derby. There are substantial areas of the site that are crying out for reclamation for leisure and ecological uses. Those sorts of uses could be of great benefit to local people and the environment without generating large amounts of extra traffic. The existing ponds could be improved and extended and the canal side enhanced with perhaps a marina and other waterside facilities. Action at the Stanton site is needed sooner rather than later. Realism needs to prevail.  What is needed now is not grandiose plans but practical progress.



BILL CAMM'S FUNERAL

The date of Bill's funeral is 20th May, 12.30 p.m. at All Saint's Church in Sawley. He is to be interred later with his beloved wife Maureen in Stapleford Cemetery at 2.00 p.m.  

All Saint's, Sawley.

All Saint's is a lovely setting by the Trent which also flows passed Bill's regular haunt The City Ground. Bill was a keen Forest supporter and a regular spectator in the Brian Clough Stand, where Margaret and I often saw him.
Bill will be missed by all that knew him. A little man with a big heart.