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THE BIRSTALL POST APR 2012
YOUR SAY...
er-Tomkinson Reception (avoiding the walk up the drive) or post them into the college, whichever is most convenient for you. Sheila Beatty ICT Technician, Longslade College
Crochet
The Birstall Post welcomes your views and opinions on any subject. Letters, which must include your name and address, (though not necessarily for publication) can be posted to: The Birstall Post, Longslade College, Wanlip Lane, Birstall, Leicester LE4 4GH, or handed in at Birstall library or email: editor@birstallpost.co.uk
Tesco vouchers Once again this year, Longslade are collecting Tesco vouchers for schools and would appreciate your support with their collection, vouchers being ussed from 12/3/12 until 20/5/12. Tesco have advised that they are making some changes to their programme and this is the last year vouchers will be issued. The college would therefore like to mark this with a bumper voucher collection and your help as always is vital. To date, they have been able to order six computers, not to mention two printers, a digital camera, sensor equipment for scientific experiments, software, a portable interactive whiteboard, hard drive, A4 flatbed scanner and replacement whiteboard pens. The college have 648 vouchers banked from last year to start this year’s collection and need 14,082 for another computer, which is their aim again this year. You can either drop your vouchers in at the new Palm-
I have just completed two short crocheting courses held at Cookies Cafe near the Post Office in Birstall. I thoroughly enjoyed learning basic stitches, how to make granny squares, flowers and cup cakes and meeting like minded local people. The teacher is Lisa, a local lady and brilliant teacher. To find out about future courses try www.littlebirdsos.co.uk or ring 077 60 23 20 59 J Lambell
Inclusion As Birstall residents and local church leaders, we support the need for a full and fair assessment of the merits of the three gypsy / traveller sites relative to other potential sites in the City and County. We can also understand some of the frustrations felt by local people surrounding the way that decisions have been made and communicated. However, what we cannot support in any way is the idea that Birstall becomes a “better” place to live through keeping certain groups of people out of the village. Both our experience and our faith convinces us that strong communities are made by working hard together to include people, not to exclude them. We are particularly concerned that the sense of fear and anger surrounding this issue may be passed on to our children and young people, making them less confident about how to live alongside people who are different to them. Whatever the outcome, we will personally remain committed to working and praying for the good of the whole
The
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community. Stephen Crofts Curate, Birstall and Wanlip Anglican Churches Vince Jupp Rector, Birstall and Wanlip Anglican Churches Rachel Parkinson Minister, Birstall Methodist Church Fr Keith Tomlinson St Teresa’s Roman Catholic Church
Concerned I am very concerned about the proposals for a permanent Travellers’ site at the top of Greengate Lane. The objections are many and have been well argued and voiced, however, the following are my biggest worries: 1. It seems from an interview I saw on ITV Central News this evening, the intention of these permanent Sites is, contrary to publicised by Leicester City Council, to accommodate the grown up children of the families on the Meynall Gorse site at Leicester Forest East, and to find permanent pitchs for the families on the Waiting List for this site. This was admitted by the Official of the Council being interviewed. This will not solve the problem of the illegal sites set up by the ‘Travellers’ ie to give them an organised but temporary, seasonal pitch, also where will they put their animals as these are not to be accommodated. 2 Greengate Lane is just that, a Lane leading to a Village! It is already a rat run to the A6 and is not suitable for caravans, chalets and heavy vehicles. The City Council have a duty to their ratepayers to get as much money as possible for the land which is to make up the new Ashton Green development. Builders will not wish to buy land opposite the site as they will not get the price they want for their houses. 3 The Council says it has looked at many other sites before settling on these three and has used the criteria published, where is this documentation, why has it not been published? I have been told that the Council earmarked a larger Site at Hamilton, but pressure was put on them by the local MP, Keith Vaz, not to go ahead with this site for obvious reasons! It would be interesting to know the truth of this allegation. Lastly I, along with many other residents of the Gates, need something doing about Greengate Lane. It is inevitable that sooner or later there will be a serious injury, or worse, near the Zebra crossing. Cars and heavy vehicles come over the brow of the hill far to fast. Quite often too fast to stop at the crossing, so you find yourself waiting for two or three cars to pass, before someone is travelling slowly enough to
stop in time. Larger and heavier vehicles are using the Lane regularly now as a short cut and these vehicles need a longer stopping distance. I feel that the answer is to block Greengate Lane after the bridge, it will stop the rat run and make both the City and County Councils open up the llanned (but abandoned access) from the roundabout on Leicester Road to the A46. I have lived in Birstall for many years, but prior to that lived in the City on a new estate. The road through the estate became a rat run from Glenfield Road area to the A50. Once again the road ran steeply over the brow of a hill with a primary school just over the hill on the left. Not long after we left the area there was a very serious accident involving a child and the Council blocked access so that only the residents of the estate and surrounding area used the road. Hopefully, common sense will prevail and another site will be found. Gates resident
Appalled I am appalled at our Parish Council. They are having a meeting on March 12 on the same night that the city is having their meeting about proposed traveller’s sites. No-one in Birstall seems to know what they are entitled to do to have their say. So who is looking after our interests? No-one it seems...I have knocked people’s doors and told them how and what they can do. But how do we all go to both meetings? Simple answer we can't. People have told me that these travellers who aren't allowed to run businesses from the site at the top of Greengate Lane are knocking their doors...do you want tree work doing, can I buy your caravan. Why is no-one listening to us? We pay our council tax, we have put up with far too much over development over the years and now it is time to stand up for ourselves as no-one seems to be taking any notice of what we say. So come on Birstall stand up and be counted! Kirsty Haywood Birstall Parish Council Steve Blackburn responds: Both the Parish Council meeting and the County Council-run Area Forum had been planned well in advance of the announcement of the consultation about sites. The Parish Council did realise that there would be no representation from the City Council at its meeting but, given the presence of City Council staff at the other meeting, decided that there was sufficient opportunity for residents to hear from the City Council.