Great Notley Garden Village Residents Association
Newsletter Number 27
Date : January 2003.
Chairman : Ken Game. Telephone - 343030. Secretary : Bert Rix. Telephone - 341066.
E-mail : herbertrix@btinternet.com
PARISH COUNCIL MATTERS.
RUBBISH SKIPS FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF RESIDENTS.
At the Parish Council meeting on Tuesday, the 14th. January it was agreed to provide three skips twice a year for the open and unrestricted use of the residents of Great Notley parish.
The first set of three skips are due to be provided after Easter.
The concept of skips is an excellent one, but needs to be thought through in more detail. For a start the allocation of one skip for White Court (620 houses) and only two skips for G.N.G.V. (over 1,800 houses) is out of proportion and to the disadvantage of Great Notley Garden Village.
The Residents Association have checked out some possible problems. Conditions of use by the firm supplying the skips prohibit unacceptable rubbish (ie. asbestos, L.P.Gas bottles, car batteries, fridges, tyres, paint cans etc.). If this is seen by the supplier at the end of the hire period they will not remove the skip. If the illegal rubbish is not noticed at the time of removing the skip they will dispose of the articles found and levy a charge on the parish Council for proper and safe disposal, which comes down to the residents because the Parish Council has no source of money of it's own.
Another problem may well be overloading of the skips and rubbish dumped at the side. In this case a small amount of rubbish would be loaded onto the skip, but large amounts of rubbish would be left to be cleared by the Parish Council, again at local expense. To prevent such a charge on the residents of G.N. the Parish Council will need to take precautions and these need to be given proper consideration before the first skips arrive.
He who ignores the danger deserves the disaster.
-oOo-
PROPOSED SKATE BOARD PARK.
One of the items on the Parish Council Agenda at the recent meeting on the 14th. January, was "To obtain outline planning permission for a skate board park in the Discovery Centre".
Councellor Howley said that he asked for this to be discussed in case the proposed intention of having it installed in the RAFT area failed. The Council should be prepared for an alternative location and not wait and thereby cause further delays.
It was pointed out that the problems of the flooding in the underpass have been solved, (a major objection to building the skate board park at the Discovery Centre). The Parish Council should look to all possibilities new and not wait several months.
THE VILLAGE GREEN AND PARKING OF CARS.
In Newsletter No.26 we published a letter from a resident living on the edge of the village green who commented on the number of cars parked in the road whilst football is in progress.
The Residents Association committee can understand the feelings of that resident but there is nothing we can do about it. Several e-mails were a little hot under the collar because the Community Association car park was not being made available and this had to be explained.
The fact of this matter is that the Community Halls and car park are owned by Braintree D.C. and the running of the site is done by a committee of trustees and the maintenance of the site is the responsibility of the trustees. Money for this comes from hall hire fees.
Also, there are times during a week, when the cars of hall hirers fill the car park and they must surely be given priority.
1st. GREAT NOTLEY SCOUT GROUP.
We have been asked to print the following message of thanks, which we are delighted to do, to the generous members of the public who supported the Scouts when they were carol singing:-
"Through the efforts of the Scouts, Cubs and Beavers we were able to boost our funds for equip- ment which, as a newly formed Group, we need for our activities. We now have a membership of over 70 young people and the additional funds will help us to increase the range of events we can organise and offer for 6-14 year olds.
It was a great pleasure for each of us to be recognised, praised and encouraged by members of our local community".
BRAINTREE TOWN CENTRE STRATEGY GROUP.
The Braintree Town Centre Strategy Group wishes to thank all the residents who supported the Christmas Lights Appeal which raised £1,800 and was a great success.
The winners were:-
1st. Prize. Mrs. Lever of Great Notley. £100.
2nd. Prize. Mrs. Bellingham of Braintree. 2 nights at a North Devon hotel.
3rd. Prize. Mrs. Root of Braintree. Mountain Bike from U.K. cycles of Braintree.
4th. Prize. Mrs. Gandy of Braintree. 2 tickets for the London Eye.
5th. Prize. Mr. Berbrook of Braintree. 2 tickets for Essex C.C. cricket match.
6th. Prize. Mr. Ellis of Halstead. Dinner for 2 - Wagon & Horses. Gt. Yeldham.
7th. Prize. Mr. Fowler of Braintree. Dinner for 2 - The Cock at Beasley End.
We are grateful to all who donated the prizes, the majority of whom are local except for Brend Hotels. Bearing in mind your generousity they would greatly appreciate your support.
Details of the hotels are available by calling 01376-343030 or direct on 01271-344496.
Although the Christmas lights were a considerable improvement on previous years we did have a few problems which have been addressed. We should therefore be able to make an improved show for Christmas 2003.
ONE CAT LOST AND FOUND.
Mrs. Steel of Cuckoo Way was delighted with the help she received in the recovery of her cat and wishes to thank all who were willing and able to help.
FORTHCOMING LOCAL ELECTIONS.
On the 1st. May, the present Parish Council will be standing down and some councellors will not be standing for re-election. The electoral officer for Braintree District Council, Stephen Jolly, said recently in the local press that the number of people prepared to stand as candidates is falling. This, inevitably means that Parish Councils will increasingly be filled by co-option.
At the last local Parish Council Elections the turnout was a miserable 12.3%. Because of this, local matters of importance are sometimes not settled to the satisfaction of residents most affected by decisions with which they subsequently disagree. We could cite examples, but those who have lobbied the Parish Council, attended Parish Council meetings as members of the public or read these newsletters and even the local press will understand.
It is important that we all get to know local councellors because only then can we get to exercise control over the destiny of Great Notley Garden Village. Don't leave turning out to vote to somebody else, because they maybe leaving it to you.
INFORMATION FROM SPRING LODGE VETERINARY HOSPITAL.
"The Great Notley Branch of Spring Lodge Veterinary hospital has become increasingly popular. There has been a great demand for appointments recently, and as some of you may have noticed, the waiting room has been increasingly busy! We pride ourselves on our standard of service and wish to maintain this. Therefore, Caroline, a qualified Veterinary Nurse has been placed at the surgery to provide assistance to the Veterinary Surgeons to improve the quality of care your pet receives.
Caroline is due to begin Nursing Clinics in early February. Some of these will run in conjunction with the Veterinary Surgeon's consultations. Others, for your convenience, will run during the middle of the day. These nursing clinics will provide an opportunity for you to obtain FREE advice from flea control to dental care. Caroline is also available to perform minor consultations, from procedures such as tablet administration to post operative checks. All animals are able to attend from puppies and kittens to geriatrics, from fancy rats to Great Danes!
We have realised that there is an increased demand for pet accessories. For your convenience, we are to improve our range of accessories to include water bottles, bowls, and leads, for example. We are also able to order a range of foods within 24 hours. These include Eukanuba, Hills, Pedigree and much more.
Why not make an appointment for a free check up with Caroline, or come in and have a look at our new range of accessories".
To mark the start of Nursing Clinics, during the month of February, we are to offer 10% discount on Pet Identity chips, placed by Caroline, to all readers of the G.N.R.A. newsletter. Please bring in the voucher attached to the back of the newsletter.
DO YOU EITHER WISH TO LEARN, OR IMPROVE YOUR FRENCH?
There seems to be a fair level of interest around Great Notley in foreign language learning. The
Residents Association have discovered a new source of tuition in French. Instruction is normally on a one-to-one basis and not only caters for absolute beginners, but also for people who have some knowledge of French and wish to improve their conversational skills.
Apart from single tuition, small groups of perhaps two or three people can be accommodated. The location is easy to reach on the Main Road in Great Leighs and the telephone numbers for enquiries are -- 01245-362278 or mobile on 07734-862771.
GREAT NOTLEY W.I. TABLE TOP SALE.
DATE. Saturday, March 29th. 2003.
VENUE. Great Notley Community Hall.
COST. Tables available at £5.
TIME. From 10am. to 3pm.
Tea/Coffee & Cakes served all day. Please contact Eileen Hainsworth on 01376-342604.
or Pauline Michaels on 01376-342192.
SMILE PLEASE. (FOR THOSE SURVIVORS BORN BEFORE 1940).
WE WERE BORN before television, before penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox, contact lenses, videos and the pill. We were before radar, credit cards, split atoms, laser beams and ballpoint pens, before dishwashers, tumble dryers, electric blankets, air conditioners, drip-dry clothes ... and before man walked on the moon.
We got married first and then lived together (how quaint can you be?).
We thought "fast food" was what you ate in Lent, "Big Mac" was an oversized raincoat and "crumpet" we had for tea. We existed before house husbands, computer dating and "sheltered accommodation" was where you waited for a bus.
We were before day care centres, group homes and disposable nappies.
We never heard of FM radio, tape decks, artificial hearts, word processors, or young men wearing earrings.
For us "time sharing" meant togetherness, a "chip" was a piece of wood or fried potato, "hardware" meant nuts and bolts and "software" was not a word.
Before 1940 "Made in Japan" meant junk, the term "making out" referred to how you did in your exams, "stud" was something that fastened a collar or shirt and "going all the way" meant staying on a double-decker bus to the terminus.
In our day, cigarette smoking was "fashionable", "grass" was mown, "coke" was kept in the coalhouse, a "joint" was a piece of meat you ate on Sundays and "pot" was something you cooked in. "Rock Music" was a fond mother's lullaby, "Eldorado" was an ice cream, a "gay" person was the life and soul of the party, while "aids" just meant beauty treatment or help for someone in trouble.
We who were born before 1940 must be a hardy bunch when you think of the way in which the world has changed and the adjustments we have had to make. No wonder there is a generation gap today, BUT By the grace of God ..... we have survived!
THE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION AT PANNERS BRIDGE.
The Great Notley Garden Village Residents Association, started in late 1997 around the Oakley Manor district by the present Chairman, Ken Game with multiple objectives of supporting residents where possible and giving a platform for their views.
Like "Topsy" the area of Great Notley Garden Village served by the original set-up has "growed" and the problem of the distribution of the newsletter now that we are rising 1,800 houses with a final total of 2,000 plus is very time consuming.
From comments made when talking to people during distributions it seems that these newsletters are very well received by the majority. We are therefore appealing for one or more residents in the Panners Bridge area to contact Ken Game with a view, possibly, to joining the committee and giving the benefit of their advice and support.
SHROVE TUESDAY 4th. MARCH W.I. PANCAKE RACE.
The W.I. are holding their annual pancake race between local W.I. Branches at 11o'clock. Please turn up to give us your support at Penshurst Place. Hot soup will be available after the race.
LOCAL ELECTRICITY SUPPLY FAILURES.
The Chairman, Ken Game, recently attended a meeting with representatives of 24/Seven. This meeting was convened by Cllr. Roger Walters, the purpose of which was to discuss the problems of power cuts in the area.
Whilst it appeared that following action taken by the Company, fewer major breakdowns had occurred, the same could not be said of the lesser, but still annoying cuts of shorter duration.
In order to monitor the situation we would request you to report to us by telephone or e-mail any failure that may arise in the next six months. Date, time, duration and location would assist in an attempt to ensure that such incidents do not recur.
Extreme weather conditions are taken into consideration, but are not always relevant.
January, 2003.
