• home
• back to Back Issues list

Birstall Post September 2006 (278)

---

Garden trail’s cash handout

OUR PICTURE shows Victoria Kilby presenting a cheque for £1000 from this year's Birstall Garden Trail to the Deputy Mayor of Charnwood Roger Wilson, Mrs Sheila Wilson and Sue McGraith from Loughborough's Glebe House project.
Roger Wilson thanked the organisers for this donation to his chosen charity and also thanked the many other groups in Birstall who had helped with fundraising.
Garden Trail Chairman John Kilby thanked all the garden owners for opening their gardens, the more than 50 stewards who welcomed visitors and Birstall Garden Centre for sponsoring the event, now in its 16th year and organised by the Methodist Church.

Congestion feared

PLANS TO locate 20 hectares of employment land north of Birstall have resulted in expressions of concern about the impact of traffic and the loss of separation between communities.
The plans are a feature of Charnwood Borough Council's Local Development Framework, 'Charnwood 2021', which sets out proposals for housing and employment land.
Charnwood's planners are proposing to develop a site the size of the Longslade Stonehill campus on land north of the Hallam Fields development on the northern side of the A46 bypass.
They have published on their website the results of the first stage of their public consultation in process.
183 respondents made representations about the principle of development north of Birstall.
o The County Council has strong concerns regarding the proposal to locate 20 hectares of employment land north of the A46 because it would extend the Leicester and Leicestershire Urban Area beyond the defensible boundary of the A46.
Other concerns are summarised below, and these were mainly from Parish Councils, the Council for the Protection of Rural England and local residents.
Transport and Traffic
o Impact of traffic/congestion on A46 and A6, residential roads within Birstall and smaller roads within Wanlip.
o Impact upon noise and pollution, increase in accidents and that the development will create additional road trips.
o The County Council says: the proposals will either require substantial investment in order to deliver transport solutions or compound the existing congestion; the proposals are located in areas where there is little scope to deliver the necessary transport infrastructure to support such large scale proposals.
Separation/Identity
o Loss of separation between settlements, mainly between Birstall and Rothley, Birstall, Wanlip, Thurmaston, Cropston and Cossington and concerns included the possibility of continuous urban development along the Soar Valley.
o The A46 is the natural boundary for development.
o Birstall should not be treated as a suburb.
o Nature of community has changed.
Landscape/Countryside
o The area for growth was prominent and sensitive, buildings would be incongruous in the landscape, would have significant visual impact, and would destroy views in rural landscape.
o Development will lead to a loss of prime agricultural land, and would erode or destroy the countryside. Some raised the concern of loss of wildlife/ecology. Comments also included the loss of countryside for leisure.
Environmental Issues
o Flooding/drainage.
o Would increase CO2 emissions.
Employment Related Concerns
o Warehousing will not provide large numbers of jobs.
o Already industry in surrounding settlements.
o People do not want to live next to industrial estates.
o Locating employment next to housing does not necessarily mean people will choose to be employed in the area where they live.
Scale of Growth
o Birstall is over developed/Birstall has taken its fare share.
o Impact of development on infrastructure such as utilities, landfill sites, sewerage.
o Industrial land figures seem to be overstated/unsure about the need for housing/industry.
o Plenty of land within Leicester to use for industrial purposes/need survey.
o Is contrary to urban concentration strategy.
o Further development should be restricted to brownfield sites and there should be a study to identify these.
Birstall Parish Council oppose the plans and are inviting residents to join them - see page 5.

Pub’s new start

A BIRSTALL pub that is 209 years old is to be given a new lease of life.
The Plough on Front Street has been managed by Dave Reid for the last five years and this month he will be joined by Birstall couple Nick and Helen Langton. As joint managers, the trio hope to keep the character of the old Plough, but introduce something new.

Pic: (l-r) Dave Reid, Helen & Nick Langton of the Plough

Nick said: "The pub's doing well, but we are looking to move forward, move up another gear, into the new era of no smoking which comes in next summer."
Nick, a former Longslade pupil, has lived with wife Helen in Birstall for the last 15 years and is the manager of the successful Birstall United 2004 Under 13s team.
A new Sunday lunch menu is planned, plus evening menus and curry nights. The Plough has thriving pool, darts and football teams, a 17 space car park and a large outdoor patio area.
To mark the start of a new era for the pub, an Open Day is planned for Sunday September 24, from 12noon until late, with family entertainment in the afternoon and a disco in the evening.
The Plough is now taking bookings for Christmas and would welcome enquiries from local groups or businesses that would like a themed event.
Contact the Plough on 2674836.

Protest at plan to cut buses

THE DECISION to axe Birstall's 99 bus service has been referred back to the County Council's cabinet for more discussion.
Thousands of people have protested at the County's plans to withdraw the service in October and a meeting of the Council's Environment Scrutiny Committee on August 24 referred the matter back to the cabinet, the council's top decision making body. It meets on September 5.
Around 50 people attended the August meeting of Birstall Parish Council to voice their objections and to request the support of the Parish Council.
Ray Hunt of Orchard Road said: "This service is a godsend and a lifeline for many. It's a wonderful service with a wonderful driver. The County Council says they have no money to continue it and the reaction of most people I have met to this news is bitterness and disgust."
Jeff Wainwright from Mountsorrel spoke about how he values the service, which starts in Mountsorrel and travels via Thurcaston and Birstall to Leicester.
The protestors and the Parish Council agreed that the best way forward was to organise a large scale petition, and to write letters of objection to Cllr Nick Rushton at County Hall, Glenfield.
The petition can be signed at Somerfield, Greengate Medical Centre, Birstall Parish Council Office and on the 99 bus itself. Cllr Roger Wilson stressed the importance of signing the petition no more than once.
The cost of providing the service in 2005 was £61,456 and in the last 12 months there were 20,521 tickets issued with 61 per cent originating in Birstall.
In a reply to a letter by an objector in Birstall, the County Council said: "We very much regret the inconvenience that will be caused by the withdrawal of this bus but government funding restrictions left the County Council with no alternative but to make some reduction in service. We have had to choose for these cuts areas where there are frequent main services available within easy reach of most people but do recognise that this will cause problems for people who would have difficulty walking to these.
"To respond to this we are planning a tailor-made taxibus service for areas of Birstall and Mountsorrel. This will provide a much more personalised, albeit less frequent, service and it will not charge taxi fares. My colleagues will be in touch with service users soon to consult on our proposals."

City Council close Redhill flyover

REDHILL FLYOVER will close on September 10 for 25 weeks for repair works, and major traffic disruption is expected.
Watermead Way will be closed and Redhill Way will be closed from the eastern approach to the flyover, the Glenfield side. Red Hill Island will remain open.

Leicester City Council says the work is needed to ensure the flyover and the Watermead Way Bridge over the River Soar meet new safety standards and will last well into the future.
Diversions will be signposted and the surrounding roads, including the A6 through Birstall, are likely to become congested.
Cllr John Mugglestone, Cabinet Lead for Regeneration and Culture said: "I know that many people will have their journeys disrupted during this work. However, little or no work has been carried out on this bridge during its lifetime, this work is now essential to ensure the smooth and safe running of traffic in the future.
"We will have to close this section of road completely to ensure the safety of the people on site, and also to ensure the safety of members of the public. It will also allow us to complete the job more quickly, and get this busy section of road back open as quickly as possible."
Abdul Tarafder, Principal Engineer in the City Council's Bridge team added: "This work is part of our long term plan to bring the structure of bridges in the city up to modern standards to meet government targets. We have to do this work, some of which involves us actually working inside the bridge structure as well as underneath it.
"We know that 25 weeks sounds like a long time, but we have a lot of experience in planning bridge maintenance. We have planned this very complicated job so that we can get it done as quickly as possible to keep disruption to a minimum".
Further information on the scheme is available at www.leicester.gov.uk/bridges or tel: 0116 2526539

Village Watch news

EVERYONE NEEDS a holiday some time. And however much we like our homes there is nothing like a change of scenery. But we all want to come home and find everything as we left it. Almost half of all burglaries happen when a flat or house is empty.
Before you go:
o it's a good idea to get help from your neighbours
o most burglars get in through a back door or window. Make it difficult for them by locking all side or back gates and adding trellis to the top of walls and fences. Fit lights that come on at night to cover the sides and back of your house.
o make your home look like someone is living in it. Don't close your curtains - in daytime this shows the house is empty. Use automatic timer-switches to turn your lights on when it goes dark.
o uncollected mail is a sign that you are away. The Royal Mail's 'Keepsafe' service will keep your mail for up to two months while you are away.
o cancel any milk or newspaper deliveries
o avoid discussing holiday plans where strangers may hear details of your absence from home
o do not put your home address on your luggage when you are travelling to your holiday destination.
o finally make sure that you've locked all outside doors and windows and, if you have a burglar alarm, make sure it is set.
Burglaries have sadly increased in the village this summer and we all need to take extra care to contribute to reducing crime.
From Ed Marshall, Birstall & Wanlip Village Watch

Parish Council notes

A FULL meeting of Birstall Parish Council was held on August 14.
Melanie Coley was co-opted to fill a vacancy on the council.
Two officers from Charnwood Borough Council gave a presentation about the planning process in respect of telecommunication masts erected by mobile phone operators. It is government policy to facilitate the growth of mobile telecommunications while keeping environmental impact to a minimum. Erection of masts is permitted subject to consultation with the planning authority about siting and design, for masts under 15 metres. The success rate of planning authorities in refusing applications is very low.
Comment was made about the proposed mast in the Princess of Wales Memorial Garden, next to Greengate Medical Centre. Cllr Roger Wilson said that one mast might lead to a forest of masts on a site that has a meaning to the village.
Jo Merchant from Greengate Medical Centre voiced her concerns about the effect on the centre's diagnostic equipment saying that they had not been given satisfactory assurances that there would be no effect. She also said there were concerns about the radiation from the masts on human health. If they are not permitted near schools, she said, it is not logical to site them next to a medical centre.
A petition objecting to the siting of a mast on this site is available to sign at Greengate Medical Centre. Birstall Parish Council will support the objections.
Around 50 residents were present to voice their concerns about the County Council's plans to axe the 99 bus service. Several spoke about how important and valuable the service was in reaching local services and just getting out of the house.
The Council agreed to help the residents organise a petition, which can be signed at the Council Office in the Village Hall, and to make representations to the County Council. It was suggested that letters of objection be sent to Cllr Nick Rushton at County Hall.
PC Jamie Hughes reported that burglaries had risen over the summer months. 10 people had been arrested for burglary and in the last 30 days there had been no burglary dwellings he said. Information from the community had been very helpful in making the arrests, he added.
PC Hughes reported on a meeting with shopkeepers on Wanlip Lane near the junction with Lambourne Road, about antisocial behaviour by a group of young people. CCTV might be one approach, he said, and invited the council to consider part funding such a scheme.
PC Hughes said the Police would not ticket every illegally parked car on Front Street near to Birstall Cabs as that would necessitate taking the same approach across the whole village. A 'proportionate' response was called for, he said.
PC Hughes thanked the Council for their support. He will be leaving Birstall at the end of August and will be replaced by PC0815 Chris Falle.
The Council agreed to request that a flashing warning sign notifying drivers of their speed be erected on Birstall Road.
The Council agreed to publish a statement in the Birstall Post regarding the Charnwood 2021 proposals.
It was reported that proposals by a resident to provide landscaping on the 'green', Queensgate Drive, had been withdrawn.

Birstall Beat Officer’s column

I would like to take this opportunity to say hello and introduce myself to the people of Birstall. I am PC815 Christopher Falle and I took over responsibility for Birstall as the Beat Officer on August 27, 2006. I have inherited this responsibility from my colleague PC Jamie Hughes who I know has spent the last 16 months working hard to tackle the issues that most affect you.

PC Chris Falle

I have been asked to take time to tell you all a little about myself. I am 27 years old and am married with one child. My first employment was in the motor factor trade as a push bike mechanic and then selling motor spares. I did this for around five years during which time I managed two stores, one in Loughborough and one in Wigston, before joining the ranks of a local firm called Parkers Motor Services.
In 2000 I left the motor trade altogether and was employed by Leicestershire Constabulary as a traffic warden, when after two years I decided to pursue a career as a police officer. I therefore joined the police force as PC815 on August 22, 2002, serving firstly as a General Duty Officer at Charles Street Police Station and then spending two years as a Beat Officer on the St Matthews estate in Leicester. In January 2006, I moved to the North Area and have been a General Duty Officer working from Syston Police Station since then.
I would say that I have a good knowledge of Birstall, as the shift I have worked with has taken direction from PC Hughes and is also responsible for policing Birstall. I am aware of the concerns local people have in relation to antisocial behaviour, incidents of criminal damage and also the good old parking issues! All I will say at present is bear with me, PC Hughes has done a lot of work to tackle these issues which will no doubt be ongoing, but after review and assessment may well change.
As a police officer I am more than aware of the need for good communication between local residents and officers. You after all give us the information we need to get results and work effectively. There can be no better example than the three burglars arrested in Birstall last month who were subsequently charged with offences, caught because one local resident had the presence of mind to come forward and report suspicious behaviour to the police. The same resident also reported a second incident to us which resulted in two youths being arrested and cautioned for criminal damage in Birstall, so it does work! However, we could no doubt have much more success if more people came forward and reported things to us.
In the same vain I was a little disappointed at the response to the slip in the last edition of the Birstall Post asking for your views on the problems we need to be looking at for you. We had nine responses from the whole of Birstall, which either says to me everything is great, or people have just not taken the time to put their views across. Therefore I will ask again that anyone who does have an issue they want to raise is more than welcome to report it by telling either PCSO Mark Butler or myself in person when you see us, or via voicemail on 222 2222, ID number 0815
I would like to finish by saying I am looking forward working with you all and hope that you will feel free to talk to me and share your views whenever you feel it necessary, no matter how small a thing you think it is, we may just be able to help. I would also like to wish PC Hughes all the best as he finds his feet back on Shift at Syston.
PC815 Chris Falle

Street wardens

ELEVEN 'STREET Wardens' will start patrolling the Borough in November.
Appointed by Charnwood Borough Council, the new wardens will have the power to issue fixed penalty notices.
A Charnwood spokesman said: "They will be eyes and ears on the streets and aim to reduce environmental crime and antisocial behaviour by issuing fixed penalty tickets for minor offences such as litter, graffiti and fly tipping."
They will also be responsible for the removal of abandoned cars and issuing penalty tickets to illegally parked vehicles in the Borough's car parks.
The wardens will be issued with protective vests and will patrol the Borough on bike and foot, remaining in constant radio contact with Council Offices at Southfields.

Gunns’ boxing bonanza

A BOXING exhibition organised by Carl Gunns has raised hundreds of pounds for head injury charity, Headway.

Pic: Jessica Flower, first recipient of the Laurence Kellett trophy, with Carl Gunns, Keith Kellett and Louise Kellett

Held at Birstall Social Club, the event was staged in honour of young boxer Laurence Kellett who trained at Gunn's gym and was killed in a road accident earlier this year.
Special guests included Gary Lockett, the WBU World Middleweight Champion who signed autographs and posed for photographs.

Pic: World Champion Gary Lockett with Louise & Grace Kellett

Paul Butlin, a heavyweight contender for the British title gave an exhibition of pad work and professional fighters Martin and Kevin Conception fought three one minute rounds.
Young people from Gunns Gym and the Belgrave Jungle Club also had bouts in the ring in front of a large and appreciative audience.

An auction of boxing memorabilia, a raffle and karaoke rounded off the afternoon. Carl Gunns said: "We had marvellous support for this event, Gary Lockett was brilliant, I hope everyone enjoyed the day and thanks to all my helpers".
Laurence Kellett's father Keith and his sisters Louise and Grace were special guests. Keith said: "The whole family are over the moon at what has happened here today, I know Laurence would have been very proud and the fact that World Champion Gary Lockett came is a real honour. I'd like to thank Carl for all his work organising this event."
Keith Kellet has sponsored the Laurence Kellett Trophy, a new prize awarded annually at Gunns' Gym to the most improved and best attending member. The first recipient was 14 year old Jessica Flower from Birstall. Carl said: "Jessica has proved beyond doubt that any girl who set her mind to it can achieve anything in boxing and I am delighted she is the first winner."

Sponsors of the event were Influence, Classic Carpet Company, Pete's Fruit & Veg, the Posy Bowl, Birstall Social Club, the Earl of Stamford, Rothley Fisheries, J C Sports, Shapes, TSL Holistic Centre and Birstall Health & Wholefoods.