SPRING 2014 Theft of a Million from the Village! Malcolm Macmillan, Parish Council Chairman
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SPRING 2014 Theft of a Million from the Village! Malcolm Macmillan, Parish Council Chairman London Colney Looting is complete. flooding advice and residents who Surely a discussion with all politicians were flooded out. would have been a starting point. Can you imagine the uproar if it was During the second Harpenden or Wheathampstead weekend,properties were money being allocated to London also threatened at Willowside, Colney. The contempt is complete, Cotlandswick, St Anne’s Road and especially for the lack of consultation Shenley Lane as the river burst its with the recently elected County Cllr bank, drains overflowed and excessive ‘Dreda Gordon, who has campaigned amount of water poured into the with the Parish Council. village from the surrounding roadways and blocked ditches. Households We are elected to stand up for the in Five Acres and High Street woke village and will continue to do so, but up to find their living rooms and some politicians are trying to justify downstairs level under water. This We deal with many injustices this municipal mugging. Clearly they unusual situation was put down to for our community at Parish level have no serious interest in the future drains and roads being unable to cope but there is no greater example education of our local children If you and flooding low level properties. of daylight robbery than Herts want to support the campaign, write to County Council taking away £1.2 the Chairman of Herts County Council It is clear that an investigation into million earmarked for London at Hertford and to the local press. each threatened area is needed,, Colney education, and giving it to with implementation of a revised development at Sandringham School Waterlogged Village emergency plan. As a junior parter for Wheathampstead children. Saturation, sandbags and suspense in the development of an updated were the watchwords over the first strategy, the Parish Council wants The money has been held by Herts two weekends in February, as flooding to ensure maximum environmental County Council for years and not caused chaos for many households in security for all threatened areas in spent on our village children. When the village future. Even as this newsletter goes there is a big development, such to press, we cannot begin to forecast as the Napsbury hospital site, a Between the 1st and 8th of the when the next flooding alert will planning condition called a Section month, Waterside and Lowbell Lane come. 106 agreement is made so that the residents watched as the River But what is certain is that new steps developer puts money into the Colne ran alongside their doorsteps, must be taken urgently A big thank Council bank specifically to address threateningly their homes, with a you to everyone who helped in any our needs as a result of the large rapid rise in water that beggared way. scale housing development. This is a belief. custom and practice that has applied Parish Rate for 2014/2015 throughout the country: it’s a very Residents supported neighbours to The Parish Rate which raised simple concept – local development secure each other’s properties, and £218,000 for the running of the impacts on the local community so a the fire service and local parish staff Parish Council in the current year fund is established to alleviate impact and councillors provided additional is being increased by an average of whether it is for roads, enhancing the help. Many offers of help with 2.5% from April 2014. Compared green environment, or for education. accommodation, food and supplies to the rates level from Herts County No discussion. No consultation, Just were made by many Villagers. Parish Council, St Albans District Council and a quick decision by a January County staff kept an emergency team at the the Police Authority, the increase will Council Cabinet meeting and the Caledon Centre as a reception for amount to a small amount per week ©LCPC London Colney News SPRING 2014 per household. But that is not the key point, as the issue is more about Councillors’ Locality Budget March - May 2014 - EVENTS AT THE the local community getting good ‘Dreda Gordon, County Councillor for The Colneys value for each penny raised in rates. COMMUNITY CENTRE, CALEDON ROAD With Cllr Jacob Quagliozzi as chair of the Parish finance committee, he has beginners’ for the Harperbury Bowls ensured that there was no way that club, help toward roof repairs at the Wed 26 March & 30 April there would be a repetition of the 8% Verulanium Rugby Club, new coffee increase of last April cups for the Parish Council run Open mic night... The Finance and HR Committee has Monday coffee mornings, funding worked in a dedicated way to ensure to St. Peters Church towards the 8.30 till 10.30 costs have been controlled to the costs of their tree work, a grant to Admission free. benefit of the community. A special the mother and toddler group for Budget issue of this newsletter will be extra toys. I have also been able to Sunday 27 April issued in April give some money to the Base Youth Project towards activities for young Welcome 2pm onwards people and supported the Parish A warm welcome to the new Parish Council with funding to reinstate Clerk, Irene Casper , who joined St.George’s Day Celebration us in mid January. Irene really has the valuable services of the Citizens Live Music, Entertainments, Refreshments hit the ground running and brings Advice Bureau back in London enormous knowledge and skill Are you a member of a local Colney. Sun 4 May following a period as Deputy Parish community group looking for funds If you would like to apply for a Clerk at Wheathampstead . Within towards one of your projects? grant simply visit www.hertsdirect. Car Boot Sale a few weeks, Irene was involved in If so help could be close at hand org/locality/budget and complete the £5 a pitch, sorry no traders in the shape of the Locality Budget community activities and meeting the application form online or collect a Refreshments t: 01727 821314 for details people of the village. Scheme from Herts County Council. form from our Library based at the Caledon Community Centre Car Park,Caledon Road, L/C Every year, as your County Caledon Centre. Jean Addington is our new book- Councillor, I am allocated a £10,000 Please contact me if you have any NEXT ISSUE April 2014 keeper and brings a wealth of Locality budget to spend on projects queries or want to discuss your bid CONTENTS experience to the job. Jean will work I wish to support in my County before putting in an application. 1 Theft of a Million! closely with the Clerk and finance 2 Councillors’ Locality Budget Distribution date - W/B 28th April 2014 Division of London Colney and Email:[email protected] Copy deadline - 28th March 2014 councillors to ensure proper financial Colney Heath. Tel: 07968224901 3 Events controls are observed. Since being elected last May I have *You can get a full listing of grants 5 Perceptions This will be a special Budget Edition containing information about Parish been able to support a wide range I have made in this financial year by 7 World Wildlife Council finances and services. If you wish to advertise in this issue, please of projects in London Colney. This visiting the Hertfordshire County 8 Ghost of Widdecot Manor contact the editors c/o: Maria Aguado, 369 High Street, London Colney, AL2 includes funding a set of ‘bowls for Council website. 9 Womens’ Institute 1EA Tel: 823528 (phone manned evenings and weekends only) or e-mail: 10 Rainbows Swimming Gala [email protected]. 10 Events - Vacancies There will be no articles from the public in this issue. 11 Pull Out Directory NEXT FULL ISSUE Summer 2014 16 Shenley Horticultural Society 16 Scouts and Cubs - Volunteers Distribution date - W/B 1st June2014 18 What a Difference a Tree Makes Copy deadline - 1st May 2014 19 LC Primary Out & About Pigeon toed, covered 19 Make a Will in March Articles should be sent to the editors c/o: Maria Aguado, 369 High Street, in red warts but 20 St Bernadette School is Jubilant! London Colney, AL2 1EA Tel: 823528 (phone manned evenings and weekends soooo clean! The only) or e-mail: [email protected] 21 Youth Shelter Muscovy ducks were The editors of this magazine rely on contributors for the accuracy of their glad to see the water 22 Highfield Park articles. We regret that we cannot check all the facts, but we are happy to rising at 11am on the 22 Baptist Church News consider printing corrections if errors are brought to our attention. 4th of February 2014. 23 St Peter’s Church News Whilst the editors endeavour to include all items submitted by the deadline How do you keep 24 Irene Casper - Parish Clerk given, pressure on space may sometimes mean that items will be held over your whites so white 24 Kick Start the Week for consideration in future issues and may not therefore appear in the current with only flood water 24 Foot Care issue. Articles may be edited for length or clarity. to wash in? 2 3 ©LCPC ©LCPC London Colney News SPRING 2014 Pitches sorry The Base Perceptions no traders ‘Dreda Gordon, Chair of TheBase Brett Ellis £5 Management Committee car boot sale As residents will probably be aware our premises which facilitated the Youth Project were entered into by bailiffs on January 24th. They changed sunday 4 may 2014 the locks so we could not gain access. This was all over a rent dispute with call: 01727 821314 the Landlords AA Patel who own the block of properties on the High St to book your Pitch where the Base is situated.