Ties that can bind

Sunday morning was spent in the company of the in law and out laws at the Church hall on Gamesley for the third local reading of the banns for my brother Rob and his other half Sarah’s forth coming wedding.

Now I don’t flag this up for the obvious family ‘tie’ I flag it up for the more general community tie in part for the fact that this year the Church of England Church on Gamesley run from the Geoffrey Allen Centre is celebrating it’s 40^th anniversary this year, and whilst the ‘ties’ that the church provide may not be as direct as for example family ties, but at least locally the work of the church has supported and helped develop a number of community ties such as the former Jericho café.

Throughout the year there will be a number of events to celebrate the first 40 years of things done by the Church of  England locally, and hopefully there will be many more over the next 40 years to come, with I hope some of the other churches locally joining some of the wider community work that has been done.

Melandra Recycling Centre

There a briefing for High Peak Borough Councillor's at the council offices in Chinley tonight, unfortunately I'm committed elsewhere, so won't be able to attend. I have however sent the following questions through to the officer I'm told is over seeing the meeting :

1. Is it possible to open / establish a temporary location within Glossopdale for the duration of the closure - and if yes when ? - if no why ?

 

2. If it is not possible to make an alternative available in Glossop, can an arrangement be made with Tameside Council for Glossopdale residents to use their site in Stalybridge ?

 

3. Can the county come to an arrangement with the borough over making bulky collections free until an alternative site is available ?

 

4. What measures will be put in place to keep the site / the area around it  free of fly tipping during the time it is closed - as on Saturday there was already rubbish been dumped in front of the gates ?

 

5. Are there any job losses whilst the site is closed ?

6. I've been advised that local residents have seen at least one water board tanker go up to the sewage works over the weekend - Is responsibility for the bridge confirmed ? and is there an agreement / timescale in place for United Utilities (or whoever has been found to be responsible for the bridge) to have it replaced and should there be notices on the bridge / the entrance to the road advising that the bridge is unsafe for heavy vehicles ? 

I hope to be able to get some answers to above in the next day or so, but if you think of anything I've missed let me know.

NaBloPoMo

Blogging every day for a month, whilst sounding easy only lasted 19 days last month, before the events of the month other took me.

Now whilst it didn't quite work last month I'll try again for February where the theme for the month is 'ties' which may well be an easier theme to base a daily post on than 'best'.

Do you use the 236 / 237 ?

If you use the 236 / 237, from Glossop to Ashton Under Lyne (and at certain times of the day to Manchester), then a survey being done by Stagecoach Manchester at the moment will be of interest to you.

The survey is in response mainly to concerns over timekeeping east of Ashton Under Lyne (i.e. through Droylsden and Ancoats) which has the potential to increase as the works for the Metrolink go on during forthcoming months.

The survey is asking for your views around the punctuality of the service as it is at the moment, along with asking for your views on the following suggestions :

a) observe a limited number of stops but not all - if so which ones should still be used?
b) run non-stop between Ashton and Manchester in both directions to allow greater flexibility to vary the route according to prevailing traffic conditions?
c) keep the present route and stopping arrangements?

The survey finishes on 11th February is available on the stagecoach website at the following link : http://www.stagecoachbus.com/236%20237%20consultation.aspx

Caitlin Bisknell – Parliamentary Candidate

SelectionJan10 006
Originally uploaded by AnthonyMck.
Caitlin with Glossop Councillor's Dave Wilcox, Graham Oakley, Roger Wilkinson and me !

Well after not far short of 2000 envelopes, a dozen reams of paper and many packets of labels, the selection process for a new parliamentary candidate to replace Tom Levitt MP has been completed.

Following a light grilling last week, and a thorough scorching this week by members from across the High Peak, along with speeches from the two short listed candidates, and an open vote of all local members, Caitlin Bisknell was selected as our new parliamentary candidate.

It will be a difficult task to follow on from Tom, but one I that am sure Caitlin will be more than up to.

Glossop Advertiser - is it just us ?

In the Glossop Advertiser the week before last, there was a copy of the notice pictured with this post, advising that the Glossop Advertiser was coming to an end.

However since them I've had rumors that the advertiser is still getting delivered elsewhere but just not to Gamesley - is that right are you a Glossopdale resident still getting the advertiser or has it gone ?

Melandra Recycling Centre (or Melandra tip as it's may be better known)

I've just been advised by the borough council that as per the following press release from the County Council the Recycling Centre / 'Tip' at Melandra is closed for the immediate future.

As per the details in the press release, the closure is due to the bridge across the river, and I will advise details on alternative any arrangements as soon as I know them.

WEAK BRIDGE CLOSES RECYCLING CENTRE

A household waste recycling centre in Glossop was closed by Derbyshire County Council today (Thursday) because the access bridge is too weak for refuse trucks to use.

The bridge, which is owned by United Utilities, is the only access to the Melandra Road site.
A structural survey found that the bridge was safe for cars and small vehicles to use – but it could be a problem for lorries taking rubbish away from the site in the future.
Councillor John Allsop, Cabinet Member for Technology and Recycling at Derbyshire County Council, which owns the site, said: “It’s regrettable that we’ve had to temporarily close the site and we’re sorry for any inconvenience, but we had no choice – safety has to come first.

“We’re working with the owners of the bridge to resolve the matter as soon as we possibly can and we’re working with High Peak Borough Council to try and provide alternative recycling facilities in Glossop until the bridge can be made safe.

“In the meantime, people can use our other recycling centres at Waterswallows Lane, Buxton and elsewhere in the county.”

It’s not yet known when the recycling centre will re-open.

The county council had already submitted plans to refurbish the Glossop site to improve the facilities and provide a new modern, user-friendly recycling centre. Plans will be considered by Derbyshire County Council’s regulatory planning control committee later this year.

Seven other household waste recycling centres are provided by the county council.
They are at:

• Waterswallows Lane, Buxton, S
• Sheffield Road, Stonegravels, Chesterfield, S41 7LF
• Taylor Lane, Loscoe, DE75 7TA
• Manners Industrial Estate, Ilkeston, DE7 8EF
• Main Street, Newhall, DE11 0TP
• Mayfield Road, Ashbourne, DE6 2BN
• Buttermilk Lane, Bolsover, S44 6AE

Each site is open seven days a week from 8.30am-6pm – except on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

For more information and advice about reducing, reusing and recycling rubbish, Call Derbyshire on 08456 058 058 or visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/recycling

Best tips for an interview

Just a short post tonight, as I have another interview in the morning, along with efforts to get ready and get out the various bits of paperwork for the current parliamentary selection process that is running in the High Peak.

In a sense I'm as hopeful tommorow as I have been for the other interviews I had recently and when I'm eventually successful, I should have a good number of tips for interviews that hopeful I won't need for as long as I was at my previous employer.

But to fit within the theme of best what's your best tips for interviews ?

Best bit of stuff to loose

The section of the BBC News website for Derbyshire, is highlighting a story that advises that the Derby City PCT has lost some 60,000 pieces of equipment worth £1.5 million pounds including wheelchairs, crutches, hoists and beds, that have been loaned to patients and not been returned.

What the best thing you've lost ?

Best film of the year so far

I’ve had a day away from things today with a trip off to the cinema to see a few recent releases.

First up was St Trinians 2, the legend of Fittons gold, which whilst it won’t win any Oscar’s was quite funny and fairly watchable, although in my view not as good as the first of the new films, which made a better use of the huge cast of characters and to be honest had a better story than this one.

Next up was Avatar, which on the other hand I am sure will win a number of Oscar’s with very good special effects, a compelling if not original story and plenty of scope for a follow up in the future. I would heartily recommend this film, in addition I was also recommend that if you do go and see it, take the time to go and see it in 3D if you can, as the effects are amazing.

Finally last up was Daybreakers, the latest in a long line of films containing Vampires, this time with a story set around almost all of the human population becoming infected with a virus that makes them vampires, with the bulk of the remaining human population ending up in farms for there blood. A fairly straight forward story, plenty of blood and guts gore effects, all in all good clean exploding vampire fun.

In my view of the three, Avatar was by far and away the best so far this year, but from the trailers been played before all three, there is much to look forward to in the cinema this year, not least amongst them a new take on Alice in Wonderland which looked very weird but very impressive in the trailer.

Best place for a blue plaque

The Hyde Colliery Explosion
Originally uploaded by Smabs Sputzer.
Do you know of a local person, or building that should be recognised with a blue plaque ?

The reason for asking is that Derbyshire County Council is introducing (like the example above from nearby Tameside) a blue plaque scheme to recognise people, buildings or sites within Derbyshire, and to identify the sites to be considered they are asking for suggestions from local people.

A maximum of 12 plaques will be awarded and nominations are asked for from the following themes : war heroes and memorials, local heroes and famous people, cultural and heritage connections, philanthropists and entrepreneurs and buildings of historic or architectural importance.

Nominations are open from now until the 31st January, and local’s will then get the chance to vote in March on the short-list, with the winners being published in the County Council newspaper in June.

Anyone suggested for a Blue Plaque must have been deceased for at least 20 years and owners of nominated properties must agree to the nomination.

For further information and / or to make a nomination goto : http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/leisure/blue_plaques/

Many thanks to Smsbs Sputzer on flickr for the photo of the Blue Plaque commemorating the Hyde Colliery Explosion.

Bins Update

I've now being advised by the council that the bins will now be completed / emptied on Saturday.

The delay I'm advised is due to the collections being prioritised in an area they haven't done since before Christmas.

Best Questions to the candidates

Following on from the annoucement that Tom Levitt MP was standing down the local Labour Party has being going through the process to look for our replacement candidate.

We're part way through that process, and coming up in the next few week's there will be a number of opportunities to speak too and question the candidates looking to replace Tom, and from that find out there views on a whole range of issues prior to local members making there decision to vote for there candidate of there choice.

Now whilst I have a few issues I may wish to raise with them, what would you want to know from our potential candidates and what would be your best question be ?

Latest information on bin collections

The latest information on bin collections is that they are currently running about half a day behind and that the advice to local residents on Gamesley is to leave your bin out and if it has not been emptied so far today (Thursday) it will be emptied by the end of tommorow (Friday).



Any further details will be advised as soon as I know them.