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Pic: David Speakman with his new mobile presented
by Lesley Pendleton
Phone winner
A MOUNTSORREL youngster has been named
the winner of a brand new picture ‘phone following a community
event aimed at young people which was held in the summer.
The free event, organised by the Leicestershire Rural Partnership
(LRP) and the Rural Community Council, was aimed at promoting
the services and facilities for young people in Mountsorrel.
David Speakman, age 11, of Mountsorrel, is overjoyed at the prospect
of picking up the brand new Samsung E700 picture phone. David
said: “I can’t believe my luck in winning and I can’t
wait to show everyone, I’m sure I’ll be the envy of
all my friends. I can even use the new phone to take pictures
of the village to put on the Mountsorrel website!”
All the visitors to the Mountsorrel event were encouraged to
register with their community website at www.leicestershirevillages.com
where they were automatically entered into the prize draw. Leicestershire
Villages is an LRP project which provides every village in the
county with its own website. Leicestershire libraries are supporting
the project by providing people with training on how to make
best use of their village websites by adding content, such as
news items, items for sale or to raise awareness of important
local issues in their community.
Mrs Lesley Pendleton, Chairman of the LRP and Leicestershire
County Council Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, said: “I’m
extremely pleased that David has won the picture phone, I hope
it gives him hours of fun. I’m also delighted that Leicestershire
libraries are also offering support to Leicestershire Villages,
we will now be able to reach out to many more rural residents
and offer them advice on how they can make best use of their
village websites.”
Wheelies after Christmas
MOUNTSORREL HOMES will receive their wheelie
bin for domestic refuse and recycling box in January 2005.
Nearly 4000 residents already have one wheelie bin for the collection
of garden waste, an optional scheme that the Council launched
in August 2004. That part of the scheme has already seen green
waste recycling rates increase by almost 700%.
Two thirds of the Borough will receive their wheelies before
Christmas while the remaining third will get their boxes and
bins in the New Year.
In November Charnwood took delivery of one of six new leased
recycling freighters that will transport the recyclable material
to the County Council.
Peter Rook, the Council’s head of Technical Services said:
“The freighters and the people who work on them are the
business end of the service. The new lorries are called Duo’s
and they can take the material from the red and green sacks and
the glass and textiles from the boxes. We’ve had a few residents
ask why should they separate the material into the green and
red sacks when both are put into the one big compartment at the
back of the lorry. That’s because it is the most cost effective
way of transporting the material for sorting and the bags are
easily separated later in the process.”
David Cannon, the Council’s recycling manager said: “Now
that the wheelies are starting delivery it’s really important
that residents remember some simple does and don’ts.
First, if you think that you can’t cope with the new service
then call us and we’ll try and sort something out, second
on your collection day make sure that your bin, box and bags
are out by 7am at the edge of your property, third always bag
or wrap food waste, and fourth put your bin out with the lid
down and without any other rubbish by its side.
“Finally, I’d ask people to do the neighbourly thing
and if they know someone is away when the wheelies are delivered
to put their wheelie somewhere safe.”
Simon Collinson, who manages the Council’s Customer Contact
Centre, said: “We’ve been taking quite a few calls
from residents who want to know more about the service or who
want to sign up for the Garden Waste Collection Service. That
said, the calls are less than we anticipated as many people seem
to have used the leaflets to guide them through how the service
works. There will be another leaflet sent out with the wheelies
which will explain again how things work.”
Those with enquires can contact Charnwood on 01509 634563.
Townwomen’s Guild
“GO FOR 5 in 2005” is the slogan
for the Mountsorrel Townswomen’s Guild as we look for a
few more members to join us in the new Year.
Once again we have had a busy and varied summer and autumn, with
trips out to the Cotswolds and a guided tour of Swithland and
very interesting speakers. Topics covered have included the Baldwin
Trust narrow boars, southern Ireland and a journey back in time
with a Tudor lady gardener.
If you are new to the village or would like to make new friends
come and join us at one of our meetings. Meetings are held on
the first Thursday of very month at the Parish Rooms on Leicester
Road at 7.30pm, with another Social Studies meeting on the third
Thursday, which is sometimes an outing.
Guests and new members are warmly welcomed.
As we look ahead to next year, events in the pipe-line include
trips to Jesus Christ Superstar, South Pacific and 42nd Street.
The first meeting on January 6 is a ‘Wiggle with a Giggle’
followed by ‘Life on the Home Front’ on February 3.
Get out of your armchair and come and join us, be one of the
‘5 for 2005’. Look forward to meeting you!
Council takes advice on good practice
AN AUDIT of procedures at Mountsorrel Parish
Council has revealed that some of its practices are unlawful,
some are not good practice and some are breaches of the Local
Government Act 200’s Code of Conduct.
The audit was carried out by Ron Simpson, Secretary of the Leicestershire
and Rutland Association of Local and Parish Councils (LRALPC),
who said: “I have great cause for concern after getting
this snapshot of the Council’s activities.”
Mrs Simpson was called in by the Parish Council’s new clerk,
Mrs Jane I’Anson, who needed advice on proper procedures.
Mr Simpson attended two meetings, looked at documents, interviewed
the former clerk and other employees before producing his report
which will be presented to Councillors at their October meeting.
Mr Simpson’s report included the following:
• The Council should make public the items on the agenda
with sufficient notice so that any member of the public can attend,
ask questions or raise their concerns.
• There should be an item on every agenda allowing public
participation
• There should be an item on every agenda that allows councillors
to declare an interest
• The prayer session at the beginning of meetings is not
good practice - the Church should not be combined with the activities
of a public authority
• The Council’s practice of having ‘Decisions
on Urgent Matters’ on the agenda was unlawful as all items
require three days clear notice.
• When a meeting is not quorate, the best practice is to
adjourn the meeting and not to continue, as he had witnessed
at Mountsorrel.
• A Scheme of Delegation would enable the clerk, named councillors,
or committees, to make decisions. This reduces the repetition
of discussions, and saves time.
• The Clerk has legal control of the agenda. Any councillor
can request that an item be included and if it is lawful and
appropriate it will be included.
• The Chairman has the same power as any other councillor
and should not be involved in the day to day running of the Council,
nor have any special access to documents. More Council business
should be going through the clerk at Mountsorrel than it is at
present.
• The Council is failing to comply with some employment
legislation, and is failing to observe the Code of Conduct in
respect of some staffing matters.
• The Council is discussing too much in ‘Confidential
Business’ at the moment. Meetings should be open to the
press and public whenever possible. Mr Simpson said that a large
expenditure was on the current agenda under confidential business,
when this is just the sort of item that should be discussed in
front of the public, Parish Councils are required to consult
with parishioners about major expenditure, he said.
• Health and Safety risk assessments for employees should
be carried out.
The majority of Mountsorrel’s Parish Councillors have welcomed
Mr Simpson’s report and agree that changes are necessary.
At their November meeting Tom Duffin said “It will do the
Council good to have a shake up of our procedures. This has been
a wake up call, we need to get moving and improving things.”
The Council has agreed to hold an informal meeting in December
with Mr Simpson, to discuss examples of good practice, see how
other Parish Councils do things, and to agree a programme of
changes.
Some Councillors have not welcomed Mr Simpson’s report.
Cllr Fred Newitt said: Mr Simpson was dictatorial, insulting
and treated us as if we were idiots.” Cllr Newitt suggested
that the Council should consider whether or not it wished to
remain a member of LRALPC.
Litter pickers
ARMED WITH their litter picking sticks,
Mountsorrel’s Joy Wood and her team of volunteer litter
pickers are regularly out and about in the village picking up
rubbish.
Joy, of Windsor Close, appealed for volunteers in the March issue
of the Mountsorrel Post after becoming alarmed at the amount
of litter in the village.
She said: “There are now seven of us who go out and up to
10 if I organise a special day. One couple I know do it virtually
every day while out walking, others do it maybe once a week or
just whenever it needs doing.
“We are making a difference to the bits we do, even if we
have to keep redoing them!”
Joy says the areas covered by the volunteers are: Mountsorrel
Common, parts of Walton Way, Centennial Field, Linkfield Avenue,
Kingfisher Road, parts of Rothley Road and Mountsorrel Lane,
and Bond Lane.
Anyone interested in joining can phone Joy on 2374545. The litter
picking sticks together with bags and gloves are provided by
Charnwood Borough Council.
Remembering their sacrifice
ARMISTICE DAY was remebered in Mountsorrel when at 11am on
November 11, parishioners gathered at the Peace Garden to observe
a minutes silence. Our picture shows Methodist Minister and Royal
British Legion Chaplain David Leese saying a few words shortly
before the minute's silence was observed.
Service of Remembrance
THE SOAR Valley Leisure Centre in Mountsorrel
was officially opened on Saturday November 13 with a Dedication
Service on the following day, Remembrance Sunday, that formed
part of the Royal British Legion’s annual Service of Remembrance.
The completion of the Leisure Centre marks the end of a process
stretching back to the 1970s and is an example of public, private
and voluntary organisations working in partnership to solve a
long standing deficiency in the sport and leisure provision available
to people living in the Soar Valley area and the wider community.
Pics: above - Leicestershire Co-Operative
Snibston Charnwood Brass lead the parade along Kingfisher Road
to the Soar Valley Centre, where the dedication service was held.
Taking part in the parade were members of Royal British Legion
branches from across the county as well as local youth organisations.
Below- Lady Martin, pictured right, and the Mayor &
Mayoress of Charnwood, Mike & Marg Jones, with guests at
the dedication service
The project is also unusual in another very significant way.
The site of the Leisure Centre has been provided by the amalgamation
of two pieces of land now the responsibility of the War Memorials
Trust, brought together by two separate charities - the Memorial
Playing Fields Charity administered by Mountsorrel Parish Council
and the Memorial Hall Charity. These charities were formed following
the First and Second World Wars respectively in memory of the
gallant men of Mountsorrel who lost their lives and were created
to provide for the recreational and community needs of future
generations. The new facilities are considered to be a fitting,
updated tribute.
Pic: Royal British Legin Standard Bearers
from across Leicestershire were joined by representatives from
local youth organisations
The opening ceremony on Saturday November 13 culminated in the
unveiling of a plaque by the Mayor of Charnwood, Councillor Mike
Jones. There were also short speeches by representatives from
Sport England, Mountsorrel Parish Council, Mountsorrel War Memorial
Trust and the Mountsorrel, Rothley and District Swimming Pool
Association, without whose help the new Leisure Centre would
never have been built.
Councillor Bob Feeney, Lead Member for Leisure said: ‘The
new Soar Valley Leisure Centre at Mountsorrel is indeed a fitting
tribute particularly at this time to those from the locality
who gave their lives in two world wars.
The Centre has proved to be an instant success with both local
people and sports clubs. Projects like this can’t be completed
without hard work and involvement of a wide range of people and
organisations and it is entirely appropriate that their contribution
was recognised at the official opening ceremony
Thousands object to closure of garage
Pic: Proprietor of Rothley Service Station,
Jim Halse
OBJECTING TO the loss of a village facility
and a piece of motoring history, around 3000 people have signed
a petition objecting to the threatened closure of Rothley Service
Station on the Loughborough Road.
Proprietor Jim Halse leases the site from Chevron Texaco - he
says that Chevron acquired Texaco two years ago and that the
new owners aren’t interested in retailing fuel to the public
and are closing petrol stations across the country. They want
to sell the Rothley site to a developer for residential units.
Petrol has been sold there since 1905 - Rothley Service Station
was one of only two petrol outlets in the county at that time,
the other being Sturgess in Leicester.
In 1928 J W Porter & Son, a haulage and coal merchant, brought
the site, and built the filling station as we see it today, including
the impressive art deco facade.
Jim says: “A lot of people think it used to be a cinema,
or was going to be a cinema, but J W Porter built it as a filling
station. He wanted to make the frontage impressive as it was
on the main London to Manchester route.”
Jim (56) started work there aged 15 as a petrol pump attendant.
He left for other employment but in 1978 formed a company and
took over the site. He routinely exceeds Texaco’s sales
targets and says business grew dramatically when he became listed
in directories for disabled people - the attended service means
that drivers do not have to leave their cars to refuel.
He said: “Disabled customers really appreciate our attended
service. So many customers are trying to support me and are trying
to save the site, and passing on their best wishes. I think that
is absolutely fantastic and a kind of recognition of my life’s
worth.”
He added: “I have four full time and five part time staff
- all will lose their jobs. My staff have been brilliant over
the last few years - the young people I have with me are fantastic
and so lovely with the disabled people, it has changed my view
about youngsters.”
Customer Geoff Allen has worked hard on trying to save the site,
organising petitions, contacting English Heritage and Texaco.
He said: “This is a bit of England’s motoring history,
it it’s knocked down it will be gone forever. Texaco don’t
care about the site, to them it’s just a place to dispose
of to keep their shareholders happy.”
When they were notified about the threatened demolition of the
building, English Heritage placed a temporary restraining order
on any planning application for the site. They are the body that
designates the listed status of buildings of architectural or
historical merit, and they are in the process of assessing Rothley
Service Station.
Jim says: “If the building does get listed status, we plan
to go to Texaco and make them an offer for the site. If that’s
successful I plan to continue here, and put in new pumps and
a new forecourt.”
At the time of going to press, English Heritage had not produced
a report and Jim has a notice to quit the site by November 30.
• If Rothley Service Station does close, R E Mills on Town
Green Street, Rothley is an independent garage with attended
service. Its prices on 29.10.04 were 88.9p ltr for diesel and
84.9p for unleaded petrol. They also sell original 4 star leaded
petrol.
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