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Birstall Post September 2003 (242)

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Village Sign

Artist Norman Sims with the sign

A VILLAGE sign for Birstall will be erected soon on the Triangle roundabout.
Birstall Parish Council asked local artist Norman Sims to come up with a design and his first attempt incorporated the Cedar of Lebanon tree on Roman Road, the Beast of Birstall and the Birstall lighthouse. The Council decided that the sign should only include the tree and the word ‘Birstall’.
The sign, which cost £2000, is made of oak and was carved by Steve Eggleton of Norfolk. It will be mounted on a seven foot oak post.
Norman said: “Whoever has cared and painted it has done a good job and I think it will look super when its in position.”

Bus cuts anger

170 VILLAGERS attended a special meeting organised by the Parish Council after plans to cut bus services were announced.
Following the meeting a petition has been organised and signed by 4000 people.
Bus operator First say that from September 8, they will only provide a service along a single route in Birstall: via Birstall Road, Wanlip Lane, left into Windmill Avenue and returning via Sibson Road. There will be a bus every 20 minutes.
First have decided to cut the service through the Greengate estate (61A) and along Allington Drive. They say the decision has been made following “further monitoring into the viability of services we provide.” Steven Zanker, commercial director for First, said in a letter to the Parish Council: “The service will not operate via Allington Drive as this poses difficulties with larger vehicles and, at peak times, smaller mini bus type operation will not cope with passenger numbers”.
The decision by First to cut services has angered local residents, who raised their concerns at the public meeting:
Elderly and infirm people relied on the buses to get them to Sibson Road shops, doctors and dentists.
Commuters and school children needed the service to get to work and school.
Bus use should be encouraged and services extended, not cut.
The 4000 name petition has been sent to Leicestershire County Council, who are responsible for ensuring that an adequate level of bus services are provided in the county. The petition urges that they provide satisfactory alternative services to those being withdrawn.
The County Council were informed of the proposed cuts before the Parish Council and have begun a survey. Their policy is to ensure the provision of daytime services Monday to Saturday, where 95 per cent of residents are within an 800 metre walk from a bus stop.

Misconduct allegations at Parish Council

ALLEGATIONS OF misconduct by Birstall Parish Councillors have been made to the Standards Board for England, which investigates complaints of breaches of the local authority’s code of conduct.
In May, Cllr Stuart Jones wrote to the Board alleging that Cllr Chris Clarke had failed to comply with the Parish Council’s code of conduct.
He alleged that a letter written by Cllr Clarke and published in the May Birstall Post made “allegations about the council and councillors that were untrue and which sought to bring the council into disrepute”.
Cllr Jones also contends that Cllr Clarke “delivered an intimidating and misleading letter to all council members on the same subject.”
After considering the complaint, the Standards Board rejected it. Miriam Martin from the Referrals Unit at the Board wrote in her reply that: “the Board considered that the allegation did not disclose any failure to comply with the Code of Conduct. Whilst the complainant may not agree with the sentiments expressed by Cllr Clarke in the newspaper article, the member is entitled to express them.”
Parish Council Clerk Hugh Knight has made a complaint to the Board about Cllr Clarke. Mr Knight alleges that Cllr Clarke:
• has not declared his address in the register of members’ interests
• has failed to declare his interest at council meetings when Hallam Fields was discussed
• has behaved in a number of council meetings in a manner that has damaged the reputation of the Council and that he has failed to treat people with respect
• has implied that the Chairman is a liar
The Standards Board have considered the allegations and decided to refer them to an Ethical Standards Officer for investigation. The ESO may come to one of four separate findings:
• there is no evidence that the member has broken any part of their local code of conduct;
• no further action needs to be taken in relation to the matter investigated;
the matter should be referred to the monitoring officer (usually the Chief Legal Adviser) of the member’s authority; or
• the matter should be referred to the Adjudication Panel for England
Cllr Chris Clarke has made a complaint to the Board about Parish Council Chairman Cllr Peter West. He alleges that while acting for the Council Cllr West has failed to treat him with respect and has failed to ensure equality of treatment. He also alleges that Cllr West has failed to ensure he is provided with information which he is lawfully entitled to see.
The Standards Board has not yet met to consider these allegations.
Earlier this year Cllr Clarke made a complaint to the Board about the then Parish Council Chairman Nigel Coleman that was rejected.
Following recent changes to the law, councillors are required to report fellow councillors to the Standards Board if they breach the Code of Conduct.

Girls now welcome

GUNN’S GYM on Birstall Road is now welcoming girls and women.
Carl Gunns said: “I’ve had a few comments from girls saying it was sexist, it was for boys only and I’ve listened to that and decided to put on a night for girls only”.
Carl has appointed Sally Montague Mason as the girls’ trainer, a former ballet dancer who for the last five years has been a qualified fitness coach and instructor.
“I’m not trying to make girls into boxers, but offering them the chance to do some physical training. If they really want to have a got at boxing they can try it and we will have all the necessary protective kit” said Carl.
Girls and women from the age of 12 upwards who would like to find out more can contact Carl on 2671494
Gunn’s Gym now has 66 members. Carl said: “I’ve been overwhelmed at how keen some of these lads are to train. I know that the confidence they’ve gained has helped stop a little bit of bullying, and I’m pleased the gym has given the youth a chance to channel their aggressiveness and boredom into something worthwhile.”
Carl is delighted at the generosity he has been shown by local people - the most recent item donated to the gym was a rebounder from a lady in Wanlip.

New home for juniors

A BIRSTALL football club have a clubhouse for the first time and a place to train after coming to an agreement with Birstall Parish Council.
Birstall United Juniors will now be based at the Bowmen of Birstall’s old clubhouse on Meadow Lane and will use the archery field to train.
Chairman of the club, Phil Baker, said: “This is the first time in 26 years of existence that we have had a home we can call ours and we have been hard at work striving to upgrade the clubhouse facilities and the field.”
The club have organised an official opening event for September 6.

Hall plans overdone

GOSCOTE HALL Road residents have described developer’s plans for Goscote Hall as “massive over development”.
Twenty three residents have signed a petition objecting to the plans submitted by Goscote Hall Estates Ltd for 16 dwellings in the grounds and the conversion of the hall into nine apartments.
Mr Peter Topham of Goscote Hall Road said: “We are not opposed to development of the site and we have no problem with the plans for the Hall. But 16 dwelling will make the whole site overcrowded. We fear that trees will have to come down and parking on a busy street will increase.”
The plans show some of the houses are three storeys high and residents are objecting to being overlooked.
Mr Topham said: “We want to see sympathetic development of the site but these plans are massive over development.”
Birstall Parish Council are backing the residents’ objections.

Parish Council Notes

A FULL meeting of Birstall Parish Council was held on August 11.
PC Garry Rayns reported that Inspector Chris Brown was replacing Inspector Duncan Cullen.
Cllr Dave Cherry reported that young people on motorbikes, sometimes three on a single bike, were driving at speed on Meadow Lane, Meadow Lane playing fields and School Lane playing fields. PC Rayns said police were investigating but so far had not caught anyone and needed the public to provide a name and address of the offender.
Several residents from Goscote Hall Road attended the meeting, to voice their concerns at plans for what they described as “massive over development” at Goscote Hall. The Council agreed to back their request for a more sympathetic development of the site. The current plans are for 16 dwelling units in the grounds and conversion of the Hall to form nine flats.
The Council’s annual inspection had revealed that the condition of 75 per cent of the plots on Greengate Lane allotments were a disgrace and the site was in a poor condition overall. There are 24 full plots of which eight full plots and 10 half plots are taken.
The Council has written to Charnwood Borough Council expressing their concern that there should be no increase of houses within the Hallam Fields development beyond the proposed figure of 900.
The Council agreed to spend £1172 on the refurbishment of the Archery Field Clubhouse on Meadow Lane. The Clubhouse will be rented to Birstall United Juniors.

Summer holiday fun

AFTER MONTHS of preparation by Rose Parrott and her team of willing helpers, this year’s very successful Summer Holiday Club for children aged 5-11 was held at Birstall Methodist Centre, opposite Riverside School.
The theme was ‘Seaside Rock’ and approximately 65 children each morning enjoyed a variety of activities ranging from painting, cutting out, sticking, drawing, dancing and singing, to making a model of a shark which was 6ft long!
Each morning started at 9.45am with all the children doing table activities and then at 10.10am Rev Malcolm Lambert was compere extraordinaire (and mark my words - he was extraordinary!) He taught the children the ‘memory verse’ for the day and they all tried the ‘picture memory test’. He organised such activities as frog wanging and lively worship singing which involved everyone and which was accompanied by Simon on his guitar. Malcolm introduced the children to his puppet, Charlie the Cheetah and Heather the Weather (Rev Sue Wicks) who gave the weather forecast each morning - and got drenched in the process. Rev Chris Gray did some ‘aerobics on the beach’ with the children - this was exhausting (and I was only an onlooker!) Then Simon Peter arrived to tell stories about Jesus and ‘the Lads’ (Jesus’ disciples); this was brilliant as he made the stories come alive and the children were spellbound listening to him.
The children then went into their various age groups and had drinks and biscuits. The 5-7 year olds busied themselves colouring cutting and pasting; they made paper and cardboard fish and dangled them in a fish tank. Each age group made a seaside collage which was displayed in the Church at the end of the week. The 7-9 year olds did more adventurous activities such as painting and gluing with glitter, they made colourful mobiles which hung from wire hangers and octopus models. They were encouraged to ‘listen to the tide’ by holding a shell to their ears. The 10 & 11 year olds did a word search and had discussions about the ‘memory verse’. They also enjoyed working on the model of a 6ft shark, gluing pieces of paper to make the tough skin and then painting it in bright colours. This was also displayed in church on the final day of the Summer Holiday Club.
At 11.30am the children went into church for some more lively singing and drama. It was more like a pantomime and I’m sure passers-by wondered what on earth was going on when they looked in and saw Revs Chris Gray and Sue Wicks (acting as builders) frantically trying to ‘build a golden palace’ in church. Perhaps they should have been commissioned to do the Vision 200 work!. ‘Postman Pete’ (with the stinky feet) arrived and entertained - I use this term very loosely - the children with silly songs and corny jokes.
The week culminated with each child icing and decorating a biscuit. There were all sorts of interesting designs - some of the biscuits broke in the process and had to be eaten - what a pity!
The children and helpers alike had a lot of fun and also heard stories from the Bible, told to them in a very different and special way - through drama and storytelling. We all look forward to the next Holiday Club, but in the meantime, if your children enjoyed their week at Birstall Methodist Centre and would like ‘more of the same’ then here are sum FUN activities that happen at our churches all the year round:
At Birstall Methodist Church
Sunday Club, 10.30am each Sunday; Pre-School, each weekday during term-time; Special Needs Playgroup, Mondays & Fridays; Kids’ Club at Highcliffe & Riverside Schools, Wednesday afternoons; Girls’ Brigade, Tuesday evenings; Boys’ Brigade, Thursday & Friday evenings; Teenage Coffee Shop, Fridays after school; Toddlers’ Group, Friday afternoons; Youth Forum & TGI, Sunday evenings; Orchestra & Worship Group (new members always welcome), occasional Sundays
Please contact Rev Chris Gray 2674117 for details
At St James The Great, Church of England
Pathfinders Youth Group, Sunday evenings in term time in the Village Hall; Starlight Parents & Toddlers, Monday afternoons in term time in the Village Hall
and, starting on Sunday October 5, Open House - a new weekly service for all ages at 11am on Sunday mornings
Ring Rev Malcolm Lambert (2674517) or Rev Sue Wicks (2677572)
From Eileen Molesdale (‘Sorter’ for Postman Pete)

Final delivery

POSTMAN ROY Stokes got a big surprise as he emptied the Post Box in Wanlip village for the last time.
67 villagers were there to greet him and present - a collection they had raised totalling £250, a cake shaped like a letter box, made by Elspeth Bradley, a beautiful bouquet of flowers from New World Florists of Birstall and a bottle of champagne to celebrate his retirement after 21 years working as a postman, 20 of them delivering mail to Wanlip village.
On Saturday August 2, ‘Roy the Post’, as he is know by everyone, was met at the post box in Wanlip where he was bade a sad farewell. Chairman of the Parish Meeting Richard Kinton spoke on behalf of everyone who lives there, including many who were away on holiday, thanking Roy for being such an excellent postman. He was efficient, early and always had a cheery greeting, a real character who was known by everyone. Roy, of Melton Road Syston, has promised to keep in contact with many people.
Roy said he was overwhelmed by all the attention and he will miss everyone, adding that he has seen children of the village grow up, leave home and then visit with their own children. He admitted that he could write a book with all the stories he could tell.
He says he intends to spend more time with his wife and family of five daughters and five grandchildren. He intends to improve his computer techniques and maybe help his son in law to renovate a 1930s traditional Norfolk Broads wooden cruising boat.
From Joy Norton

Rainbow nursery fete

BIRSTALL RAINBOW nursery held a fete in August and raised more than £400.
Paula Wright from the nursery said: “We all had a great day and everyone enjoyed themselves. We are donating £200 to the NSPCC Full Stop campaign to help children in need and we will buy something special for the children with the remainder.”
She added: “Thank you to all the local businesses for their support, the police, fire brigade, parents, staff and all those that attended and made the day so special.”
The nursery has places available for the new term. Children born between 1.9.1998 and 31.8.2000 are entitled to a grant from the council. For details contact Paula Wright on 2671331.

Village Watch news & Crime Report

AT THE time of writing this news report we are still enjoying the very hot weather, please be sure that you keep your house secure when you leave it, if only for a few minutes.
If the thief can get his head through that open small window, then he can get in and you could suffer from the effects of a burglary.
Cars are also a target at the moment. Where do you leave your car keys when you come home from work? You have locked the car, put them down on the table in the hall when you get in your home. Again this is so simple for the thief; he has got into your house and he’s got the keys to your car to take his ill-gotten gains away in. Please put your keys for any vehicle that you have locked up in a secure place.
If you read the National Press you will see how easy it seems to be for some people to assume another person’s identity. This is so that they can get forged passports or papers to commit benefit fraud etc. Or they are able to get money from your bank account without your permission. Do make sure that you don’t leave slips from the bank or credit card transaction slips lying about, take them home and shred them if you have a shredder or destroy them so that cannot be used to obtain details of your bank etc.
Again we are warned by the police that rogue traders are trying to con people into believing that they need the roof repaired or the drive tarmac replaced. Please remember do not accept any workman that comes knocking at the door. Ask them to give you a written estimate for the work to be done and get more than one quote for this work if you want it done. Do not part with any money until you are sure that these persons are genuine and the work is completed to your satisfaction. Remember a good contractor will always give you a bill for the work and a guarantee for the work that he has completed. Why not use one of the many tradesmen that advertise in this paper?
Dates for your diary, Saturday September 20 advice shop morning in the Old Council offices, Sibson Rd, 10am until midday; Thursday September 25 at 7.45pm in the Methodist Church Concert Hall co-ordinators meeting. Sue Bales from Loughborough will be talking about her work with Women’s aid and domestic violence.
From Peter Allen, Chairman, Birstall & Wanlip NHW

Garden trail cash

OUR PICTURE shows Gillian Ward of the Abbeyfield Support Group receiving a cheque for £2414 from Richard Kilby of the Birstall Methodist Garden Trail committee.
This sum is half the proceeds from the Garden Trail weekend in June. Garden Trail committee member John Kilby said: “Once again thanks are expressed to everyone who helped in any way to make this year’s event so successful - very special thanks must go to the eleven garden owners who not only opened their gardens but gave so much pleasure to so many people on that beautiful weekend.”

Birstall's railway station

FIRSTLY, THANK you to the Birstall Gala Committee for a really great day, it was the first time that the Great Central Railway has been represented at this event.
All of us who were on the stand that day had a very interesting day, and were made most welcome by all around us. We gave out 300+ timetables plus other information and since then have had at Leicester North Station many new visitors if only to look at the trains and have a cuppa in the station buffet.
Leicester North Station is near to Birstall being situated on the Sidings. This is off the bypass near Red Hill Circle, head out towards Tesco and double back at the island near Last Straw Pub. The Sidings are on the left hand side going back to Red Hill Circle. Or you can reach us by the footpath from Station Road off the A6.
You will find the station open every weekend from 9.30am until 6pm in the summertime, from the end of March to the end of October, and 9.30am until 4.30pm in the winter, from November to March. At the station you will find both ladies and gents toilets, disabled and baby changing facilities, a waiting room with a real coal fire in the winter, next door is the buffet where you can get a cup of tea etc.
We also have special gala weekends when we have a train every 40 mins, so you can see it can get very busy on these days.
We have some special events for the rest of 2003: Sep 19-21, Diesel Gala; Oct 11/12 Autumn Steam Gala; Oct 25/26 ‘Thomas Tank’; Nov 5 Bonfire Night; Nov 29-Dec 24 Santa Specials.
The regular weekend service sees trains departing from Leicester North at 9.55am, 10.40am, 12.10pm, 1.35pm, 2.10pm, 2.55pm, 4.25pm & 5.55pm, summer time only.
It goes without saying that if anyone who is interested and has some time to spare to help out phone B Smith 0116 2865250 or 0116 2673011.
Lastly: Kids, please take great care near the railway lines. Trains can’t stop as quickly as a car can, this is most important.
For further information phone Leicester North Station 2610946 or Loughborough Station 01509 230726
from Tony Harrison, Assistant Station Master

Bowls club

BIRSTALL BOWLING Club had several representatives in the latter stages of the Leicester City & District Parks Finals at the end of July.
Diane Hurst and Andy Wye won the Mixed Pairs for the second time, beating Jean Whait and John Jones from Shakespeare Park 17-13 in the Final after winning 33-7 against Wendy & Barry Page of Rushey Mead in the Semi Final. In the Pairs, Terry Stretton & Wayne Parkin, having beaten clubmates John Lee and Grahame White in the Semi Final, just lost out in the Final 22-24 to Glenfield’s Dave Nichols and Malcolm Jarvis. In the Singles Semi Final, Andy Wye was beaten 18-21 by eventual winner Steve Elliott of Aylestone Hall.
Birstall had two teams in the Fours Semi Finals but both missed out. John Hurst jnr., Joe Everitt, John Walker & Jan Hunt lost to host club Abbey park, who went on to win the Final, While Dave Clarke, Wayne Parkin, Andy Wye & Dennis Measom lost to Runners Up Old Humberstone.
Finally this month, Birstall, who are sponsored by Bentleys Roses, reached the Quarter Final of the County Unbadged competition for the third time in five years but were beaten away at Loughborough Brush.

Traffic calming

A TRAFFIC calming scheme for the Stonehill Avenue area has been planned by the County Council.
An exhibition of the plans will be held at Longslade College on Thursday September 18 from 2-7pm.
The plans feature “speed cushions” on Stonehill Avenue, Holly Tree Ave and Rose Tree Ave and a 20mph speed limit in the area bounded by Loughborough Road, Wanlip Lane and Sibson Road.
The County Council say the aim of the plan is to provide safer conditions within a large residential area, especially for school children walking to and from school.
The scheme will not go ahead if residents in the affected area do not support it.

Your Say...

The August issue of the Post carried an article headed: Broadband, which stated that Birstall needed a further 28 contributors in order for BT to install an upgrade at the exchange. Why wait? Anyone with access to NTL can be connected now and at a saving of £10 per month to BT. There is no need to switch your telephone line which can stay with BT. I have used this service for a year now and have been completely satisfied. I would suggest that anyone accessing this service has an Ethernet card inserted in his or her computer. This is a low cost card and easily carried out.
Anyone with a query can willingly give me a call.
Henry Summerfield
Tel: 2673076

Residents of Harrowgate Drive, whose homes back onto the new Hallam Fields development, should be aware that many of them have a strip of land about seven metres wide including a water course, (strip A) behind their rear gardens. This was an old unattended public access farm track, which, for tidiness and security reasons, many Harrowgate Drive residents incorporated into their back gardens.
It seems this strip may be offered to the Harrowgate Drive residents, but that a further strip of land about five metres wide (strip B), earmarked as landscaped public access open space, was proposed between the Harrowgate Drive houses and the new Hallam Fields houses which will back onto them.
Having got back to square 1, (public access land adjacent to relatively poorly protected back gardens of private houses), it now seems, because of security considerations, that strip B will become part of the back gardens of the new houses backing onto Harrowgate Drive, but that the character of the strip as a landscaped separate entity may be required to remain as planned for 10 years.
Consultation about what, in detail, will finally be proposed for these strips is apparently ongoing between the Charnwood Planning Department, and the Hallam Fields owners and the developer. It seems intended that others will be excluded from making any contributions on the matter.
However, unlike Poundbury, whose style we are told Hallam Fields copies, Birstall has comparatively major security problems. This was made clear to the Birstall Parish Council at its August 2003 meeting, when, in respect of an original house with landscaped gardens fronting onto major roads, not half a mile away, the Police confirmed their inability to take any action in respect of trespass, misuse and vandalism, although the culprits had been identified on CCTV, stating that it was up to property owners to protect their own properties.
I raised this possibility at an early stage of the Hallam Fields development to be told that it was inappropriate to raise the matter until the matter was considered in detail. This now seems to be the exact situation, but, in spite of the latest Government guidance that :The aim should be to encourage local people to participate actively in the preparation of plans from the earliest stages so that they can be fully involved in decisions about the pattern of development in their area”, those concerned locals who will be affected actively by discussions now apparently taking place, are apparently to be excluded deliberately from making any meaningful contribution.
The residents of the new Hallam Fields houses are unable, by definition, to have a say in their security interests in this matter, but those in the local community who have a contribution to make in this matter, including the residents of Harrowgate Drive, and the Birstall Parish Council if they are interested, should be given the opportunity to put their views forward in a forum which gives some confidence that their views will be properly assessed and taken into account.
C D Clarke

On behalf of the Abbeyfield Society, I would like to express our heartfelt thanks for the help & support given by Mr John Kilby and the Garden Trail Committee during the recent very successful weekend.
The wonderful weather we have been enjoying this summer showed off the gardens brilliantly, and I think it must have been one of the most successful of the Garden Trail weekends throughout the years the scheme has been running.
However, all the hard work by the hosts and hostesses of the gardens, the Garden Trail Committee & Abbeyfield staff, who have rather ‘gone off’ cream teas for the time being, would have been to no avail if residents of Birstall, their families and friends, had not supported the weekend so magnificently. So thank you all for your enthusiastic support.
The residents of Abbeyfield were delighted to receive so many visitors into the gardens of their homes and, even if not many of them were able to mix with you and talk to you, were nevertheless very happy to see everyone enjoying their gardens from the vantage points of their rooms.
The money given to the Society by the Garden Trail Committee was very, very much appreciated by residents, staff and committee as it will enable the residents to enjoy more outings and in-house entertainment that it is normally possible to provide.
My only regret during the weekend was that, because the serving of teas, in what seemed to be a production line of slicing, ‘jamming’, ‘creaming’ and passing scones and teas to, seemingly, never-ending queues of hungry and thirsty guests, left me only a brief time to quickly dash round the gardens of a couple of our nearest neighbours. I had imagined that I would have plenty of time to look round all the gardens, in a leisurely fashion, at the beginning of an afternoon before visitors wanted a ‘cuppa’, but I had not properly allowed for the attraction of tea and scones and a sit down to fortify some on hot afternoons before they proceeded further. However, I would not have wished it otherwise and feel, as I am sure everyone who was involved does, that it was all very well worthwhile.
Doreen Wilson, Chairman, Executive Committee. Abbeyfield Birstall & Wanlip Society

Whilst waiting for my new house in Sileby to be built, I and my family lived for a short time with the in laws in Birstall, between November 2001 and April 2002.
Over this period I admit to becoming an avid reader of the letters page of your publication with every increasing excitement to see just who would be nasty to who in the Parish Council triangle of hate.
Since moving away I have not had the pleasure of continuing this monthly ritual but in a quiet afternoon at work I have just visited your website and I am pleased to see they are still at it.
I have just shown some colleagues the reports of their meetings and letters and they all think, along with me, that they should get on with their elected duties and grow up at the same time.
However, I think they are all beyond hope, so may I just say thankyou for the afternoon’s entertainment.
PS Are there tickets available for the next Parish Council meeting?
Neil Lacey

Whilst accepting the report from Birstall & Wanlip Local Beat Officer regarding ‘Birstall’s pavement parking problem’ (Birstall Post Aug ‘03) I foresee potential and related difficulties. If all street parking is on both sides of our often narrow roads (and not on the pavement at all) how practicable will it prove for emergency vehicles, dustbin lorries, delivery vans and buses to negotiate the remaining space?
Perhaps no parking lines on one side of narrow roads might be a solution?
Prior to additional traffic on the side roads, from Hallam Fields residents, more traffic calming measures are also necessary on the same narrow routes ‘into’ our village.
Concerned
Name & address supplied

Pub raided

ARMED ROBBERS made off with cash when they struck at the Hope and Anchor Pub on Wanlip Road.
Four men wearing black balaclavas confronted staff at the pub at closing time on Sunday August 17. Two people received minor injuries during the raid.
Three of the men wore dark clothing and one wore a white hooded top.
Anyone with information should contact Detective Sergeant Alistair Cooper on 222 2222

Planning applications

Keystone Developers - demolition of factory and erection of 42 flats. Revised scheme. 27 Wanlip Lane
Mrs M Linnett - site for the erection of a chalet bungalow. Land adjacent.15 Netherhall Lane
Abbeyfield Birstall & Wanlip - erection of single storey extension to rear of dwelling. 33 Church Hill
Mr M J Sander - erection of 2 storey extension to side of dwelling and garage to front. 34 Fielding Rd.
Mr & Mrs Sanghera - erection of 2 storey & single storey extension to rear of detached dwelling and provision of dormer windows to form bedrooms in the roof space. 73 Roman Rd
Mr S Sourimourt - 2 storey extension to side of semi detached house. 5 Sandgate Ave
Goscote Hall Estates Ltd - conversion and alterations to Goscote Hall to form 9 dwellings. Goscote Hall Rd.

Age Concern Info

MPs Briefed on Women’s Pensions Gap
Woman pensioners are experiencing intolerable levels of poverty and unless radical steps are taken to change the situation, younger women will suffer also in years to come, according to the Fawcett Society and Age Concern England, which are jointly campaigning for radical reform of the pensions system. MPs from all three main parties, including frontbenchers from the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats and a number of backbench Labour MPs attended a briefing on this issue. The meeting held on June 25 was chaired by Labour MP Vera Baird.
AGE CONCERN ENGLAND AND THE FAWCETT SOCIETY’S KEY PROPOSAL
INTRODUCE CARER’S CREDITS to replace Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) - caring would be covered by a flexible weekly credit and replace the inflexible HRP which works only on a whole-year basis.
REDUCE THE NUMBER OF YEARS (CURRENTLY 40) of making national Insurance (NI) contributions needed to qualify for full entitlement to the basic state pension.
LOWERING THE LOWER EARNINGS LIMIT (LEL) to 16 hours work at the minimum wage would bring half a million women “into the NI net”. It would help those women who may have two or three jobs but who are still below LEL
ENSURE THE SYSTEM includes people providing substantial care for a disabled adult for less than 35 hours a week.
MAKE ALL CONTRIBUTIONS COUNT : Under the current system a person qualifies for nothing if her/her contributions amount to less than 25% of the maximum possible.
MAKE THE SECOND STATE PENSION (55p) more flexible and inclusive.

MP CALLS FOR OLDER PEOPLE’S RIGHTS COMMISSIONER.
Northwest Leicestershire MP David Taylor used a 10 Minute Rule Bill to call for the appointment of a commissioner to fight for the rights of older people. The MP, who has already collected more than 120 signatures to an Early Day Motion on the issue, told the House of Commons on June 17 that “the area of health and social care illustrates most starkly the need for a commissioner.
Mr Taylor said: “There are 11 million people over pension age in the United Kingdom, including some 2.5 million over the age of 80. While many older people live happy and fulfilling lives, some, sadly, face the most appalling abuses of their basic rights as human beings. The commissioner would have a broad remit to tackle the abuse of older people’s rights wherever it occurred and would ensure that older people were afforded the same rights as younger people in every aspect of life, from education and employment to transport and trade. In short the commissioner would be a powerful advocate for the rights of older people, bringing to an end the tacit acceptance of abuse and neglect of those rights, which has become our national shame”.
He outlined some serious cases where older people had suffered abuse amounting to torture or been moved from care homes against their will and pointed out that older people themselves are often too frightened to speak out about their suffering. Mr Taylor acknowledged that the creation of the forthcoming Single Equality Body (SEB), encompassing age discrimination as well as discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation and religious belief would improve the situation. However, he argued that an older people’s rights commissioner could play an important role within such a body.
“We must not mark time until the 2006 starting date for the proposed equality body. We must ensure that older people’s rights, as enshrined in law, guidance and rhetoric, become a reality without further delay. There is no-one to speak for many older and vulnerable people. They need a voice now; they need protection now; they need recognition now; they need an older people’s rights commissioner now.”
Age Concern England would welcome an SEB but believes that older people’s rights need to be protected in all areas of life, not just employment. The charity wants to see any new body given the powers to protect older people’s human rights, with a public duty to promote age equality.

UNEQUAL TREATMENT : HOW OLDER PEOPLE ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST
Social and Health Care
Older people do not qualify for the same levels of assistance to live independently in their own homes as younger people.
Older people cannot apply for Disability Living Allowance or Independent Living Fund grants after the age of 65.
More than three-quarters (77%) of GPs interviewed in 1999 confirmed that age-based rationing occurs.
EMPLOYMENT
Once an employee reaches 65 he or she has no right to claim unfair dismissal.
Downsizing business leaves workers at greater risk of losing their jobs.
Unemployed older workers find it harder to get new jobs than younger workers.
HOUSING
A survey in 1996 found that almost a fifth of single people aged 60 and over live in poor housing.
Over 70% of disabled adults in 1997 were aged 60 and over : the average wait for a disabled facilities grant to make home improvements allowing independent living is one year.
FINANCE
One in five pensioners - two million people - live in poverty.
Almost half of all single women pensioners live in poverty.
VOLUNTEER ESCORTS URGENTLY NEEDED
Volunteer escorts are urgently needed to assist the driver of the minibus taking frail, elderly people to and from St James Day Centre on Mondays and Wednesdays.
If you feel you might like to help on either of those days please contact Mandy Loach for further details, at the day centre on Mon or Wed between 9.30am & 4.30pm tel: 2677023
From Jex Woods