Here's The Parish Matters highlights of the year plus my commentary.
You might have made different choices but you are welcome to scroll through the year's postings and comment on the big or lesser moments. I will be cranking up the blog again after the Christmas break and there will be regular Movers and Shakers bulletins for the less hard core internet users. LOL. You can contact me about content by emailing cranfield1985@gmail.com
Have a great 2013
January
It seems a long time ago when we were going over the gritty detail of how Persimmon were conducting themselves on the fast-progressing Home Farm site. Now, of course, it is closed up and silent and Persimmon have been talking to Central Beds about a new application 'Home Farm Lite' which parish council chair Delise Ball warned could create a 'housing island' cut off from the rest of the village.
Minutes of the last Home Farm stakeholder meeting
Lodge Road Works: Almost all road works to Lodge Road now complete, some tidying up works to still be finished off.
Discussion
with regard to the possibility of a “no left turn” on Lodge Road,
concluded that the scheme makes it difficult to turn left, but not
impossible especially for small vehicles. The road layout situation
was judged better than previous situation.
Cllr Bastable
raised the issue of mud on the road. Martin Wright of Persimmon
apologised on behalf of Persimmon, explained issues with regard to
subcontractors not having regard of the road situation. Various
discussions on the road situation followed, all agreed that the
situation was improved after Persimmon hired a heavy duty road
cleaning vehicle to clear back log of dirt.
Martin
Wright outlined the method which will be used on site, from he
believed today (28.11.11) which is a stoned area on the site for
suitable drainage and a jet washer. Some concern was raised that this
would not be a suitable solution, and that a purpose built wheel
washer was required. There will also be once a day cleaning of the
road, MW was not exactly sure of the timing of this, Cllr Matthews
requested that the timing of the road cleaning by sent to members of
the meeting once MW has confirmed. February
Central Beds let loose the dogs of verge trimming, exposing a mountain of roadside rubbish. It was truly disgusting and it took a while to get CBC out again to clear it all up. This is how it looked to the blog on 20 February
Rubbish rubbish everywhere
It may be the cut these verges had a month ago exposed stuff but there is paper, plastic and carrier bags everywhere in the grass, among the hedges, spreading into some of the fields. Two days later however, the iron maiden and I were speeding along the traditional route and none of the verges had been touched. I rang CBC and asked 'when the contractors were coming back'. Well, of course they weren't. Thankfully we have been promised they are now and the remaining litter strewn verges will get some attention - Tuesday I believe.
March
We have been trying to buy land from the Church of England to ensure that ultimately we have enough cemetery space and to consider allotment creation. In March I blogged:
Land purchase
The
St Albans Diocesan Glebe Committee met at the start of February. We
were informed that they were considering our request to buy land
adjacent to the cemetery with a view to creating allotments and
expanding the cemetery in the future. Since then we have been awaiting
their reply. Watch the blog.
If you did watch the blog there was no joy. Thanks but no thanks. The established church's land holdings date back to the Conquest when Duke William, the Normandy mafioso boss grabbed England. He took half himself, divided a quarter between his 200 knights and gave the church a quarter. We still feel the effects of that today.
April
It took a while but they got there in the end. The reopening of the village hall in its new shiny refurbishment was extremely welcome. It just missed its centenary but heck, who's counting?
Reopening of the village hall
Reopening
ceremony for Cranfield Village Hall. Chair and treasurer Marjorie
Cotton and Trevor Dimmock who did the bulk of the work are pictured.
Marjorie Cotton writes in the latest Cranfield Express: "We were
supported by the Parish Council and given grants by WREN and Central Beds for the essential repairs. The dry rot was eradicated and a damp proof course installed, thanks to a grant from 'Grassroots'.
"It was a slower process raising the money for the roof and other work. We were given another grant from WREN. This was backed up by grants from the Lottery, the Wixam tree Trust, Bernard Sunley, The Steel Trust and a generous donation in memory of Jeanette Nash. We pressed on with sales and coffee mornings but it has been the sale of the caretaker’s house which has given us the rest of the money for the whole project, with little in hand. We are grateful to all those who gave us donations and supported our fundraising events."
May
Statement of the blinking obvious that young people are the future. But who does something about that? Well, Thriftvale Scout Group for a start. I spent an excellent evening with them attending their AGM and making fire with flints. Ray Mears watch out.
Parish councillor makes fire
However there is nothing stone age about the levels of organisation and commitment shown by the adult volunteers and leaders in the group and their open evening, awards ceremony and AGM was a fun-filled showpiece. If you want to get involved in helping to build the local branch of an organisation doing great work with young people email scout leader Phillip Stothart at pstothart@jarviscontracting.co.uk
June
The big one. The Diamond Jube and Cranfield's Party in the Park (followed in July by Cranfest) plus street parties in Harter Avenue, Townsend Close and Bourne End. The village shook its fist at the weather fates and went ahead and partied.
Picture of the Party
I think Claire Jenkins's photograph of the PITP fireworks at their height ought to be in for an award. Unlike a lot of the firework pics it captures the audience and the gazebo "village" giving a sense of scale and drama. Well done Claire, top snapper
July
Well Covanta has been given the go ahead and the cynics said it would always happen. But a lot of people including Cllr Sue Clark put a lot of effort into explore the potential obstacles that could be placed in it way. In July I recorded:
Covanta consutation
Here are the dates for the Covanta consultation.
Yes, that's 6 August for four weeks. The traditional British holiday period. Strange that.
CB Cllr Sue Clark is working to get the date delayed or the period extended.
Alasdair FitzSimons-McKellar, PPC/COMAH regulatory officer
at the environment agency writes to parish councils:
"With regard to the message below, we will be going to the first stage of public consultation on the 6th
of August for a four week period. Copies of the applications will be
held at the following places, Central Bedfordshire Council, Technology
House, 239 Ampthill Road, Bedford, MK42 9BD and Environment
Agency, The Public Register, Kingfisher House, Goldhay Way, Orton
Goldhay, Peterborough PE2 5ZR.
"We are aware that these locations won’t
be convenient for many people so I can make copies of the application
available on CD for people who request them of me, also we intend to
make a copy available at Stewartby Library (if they are happy to have a
copy held there).
"We will be holding a drop in session on the 15th
August at Stewartby village hall for people to come and talk to us
about the permitting process and our regulation, details to follow."
August
After many fits and starts it started. Traffic calming has been in the pipeline for years but due to hold ups at CBC and Amey worthy of Dickens's Circumlocution Office (Little Dorrit), the money wasn't there, somebody couldn't remember where the piggy bank was or we'd miss our 'slot'. It took Amey an age and in the early days the buses were all over the place but it got done in the end.
Traffic calming - just the start
You can pass laws about some things but unless we get a better standard of behaviour and human decency nothing will change. So no, I'm not talking about kids outside late shops and drinking in the park. I'm talking a few middle England dog walkers spoiling the pleasure of both dog ownership and the open air for the vast majority.
More dog problems
"Our dog warden team only deal with issues of dog barking, fouling and stray dogs, and are not equipped to deal with issues of dangerous dogs, and the dog warden would be unable to make a visit to the resident for this reason. It would be best for the resident to contact the police, especially if they may feel intimidated or harassed."
October
Henry Chilver who died during the summer was the first vice chancellor of Cranfield University. He was successful according to his own terms and some others, well regarded by government and personally unfathomable. Here is my account of the memorial event held to reflect on his life. Please note that since the post below was written the current vice chancellor has announced he is leaving Cranfield.
Henry Chilver
But apart from that nothing. The result was, I believe, a long period of estrangement between the village and the Campus made worse by the very (at the time) busy airfield.
But we are indebted to the present Vice Chancellor Sir John O'Reilly who has been very pro-active in relations with the PC. He has presented to the PC, and personally given us a guided tour of the campus.
I bet not many people in Cranfield know that in the early 1950s the then principal of the College of Aeronautics was actually on the Parish Council.
November
Home Farm - we'll almost finish as we started, with Persimmon. This was from the planning committee minutes in November. Please note that despite the record below there was no sign, as far as I was aware of any public consultation 'before Christmas'.
Before the meeting started, representatives from Persimmon Homes,
Pegasus Group and Woods Hardwick presented a proposed new planning application
which would enable the Home Farm Development to move forward. It was explained that the land upon
which the footpath linking the village to the new development is not owned, nor
is there an option to buy, on the land belonging to Denison Instruments.
The alternative scheme, which puts the community facility facing onto Court
Road, and the footpath taking a long diversion around the Denison land, was put
to members for consideration. It
was noted that the development is reduced by 20%, as the houses intended for
the Denison land are not included in the new application; it follows that if
the application was approved, the planning gain would also be reduced by
20%. Further the allocation per
house has since been reduced, thus this would bring down the planning gain
further.
December
We are not Dortmund or Birmingham but Cranfield did get its own Christmas Market held to raise funds for the Church of England Lower School Academy. Giant Snowman proved a No-Showman when he took his pump and went home but this very popular event plus mini-ice rink was lively and well attended.
Christmas Market
