Sunday, December 31, 2006

Local Policing

Paul Robinson and David Davis MP outside Howden Local Policing Team Station in Howden
Local Policing
I recognise that one of the issues we face is crime, and many of you are unhappy with the service provided by the police. It is quite clear the police need to be seen, and to regain people’s trust. People need to feel comfortable calling the police, knowing that the telephone call will be dealt with immediately rather than being put on hold, knowing that action will be taken rather than just giving out a crime number, and to know that if crime is reported it can be done with the confidence that the individual reporting the incident does not necessarily have to become involved. Due to Government cuts in funding, there are to be a reduced number of Police Community Support Officers (PCSO’s) employed by Humberside Police in The East Riding of Yorkshire. I will be fighting to make sure Howdenshire does not lose out from this, and to make sure we have this type of Police presence on the streets of Newport and Gilberdyke, Holme on Spalding Moor, and other Howdenshire villages particularly on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Gilberdyke opposes ERYC plans for further development

Some 460 Gilberdyke residents from over 350 households responded to the recent survey regarding the ERYC plans for significant housing and industrial developments in our community. 453 supported the Parish Council’s position, whilst only 7 residents did not.

The results and comments are to be passed on to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council as part of the consultation process.

“I would like to thank the number of people who took the time to respond and support the Parish Council, it's very reassuring, as this is probably the most important issue facing our community during the next 10 to 15 years. It sends out a clear message to the ERYC that enough is enough, and that there is very little consent for any further housing and industrial development in Gilberdyke until services and infrastructure are improved. It also shows that local people want to be part of local decision-making, and those in power who ignore this, do so at their peril”

“In the case of Gilberdyke, there have been many development planning decisions in the past that have left the community with many problems, some of which, especially heavy traffic movements, are shared with our neighbours in Newport. These will be compounded if the ERYC plans, as detailed in the LDF smaller settlements document go ahead. This issue will be high on the agenda for the recently formed joint working group, which consists of members of both Gilberdyke and Newport Parish Councils”.


Paul Robinson - Dec 2006

The full transcript of the Parish Council’s response can be seen at previous post "Does Gilberdyke need more housing"?

Sunday, December 17, 2006

"We do not want to see local post offices closed"



MASSIVE SUPPORT FOR POST OFFICE CAMPAIGN

David Davis MP reports, “I would like to thank all the residents of HOSM who have signed my recent petition calling for Government action to protect local post offices. I would also like to thank those residents who have organised their own petitions.

The response from people in Holme on Spalding Moor was huge and I will continue to push in Parliament to save our local post offices. The Conservatives have produced an action plan to help post offices.”

Paul Robinson and Charlie Bayram continue, “Post offices are a vital local service for many and we will do all we can to protect them. Unfortunately Mr Blair and his Government, made up of many urban MP’s, do not seem to share our passion for preserving the vital services in rural communities which are offered by our post offices.”


Paul Robinson & Charlie Bayram (above) say “We do not want to see local post offices closed”

Friday, December 01, 2006

A case for youth shelters in Holme on Spalding Moor?

Paul at the Gilberdyke Youth Shelters




Further to meeting a large number of you in Holme On Spalding Moor over the last couple of months, the issue of village youth having little to do and nowhere to go is one of your greatest concerns. This was also identified as a priority in the recently published Parish Plan.

Of the young people in HOSM, there is a significant proportion who do not necessarily want to become involved in organised activities, but just want to ‘hang around’ with their friends in a relatively secure, dry and sheltered area. This is more than likely to be a place in which they feel comfortable in doing the things they want to do, without interference from adults, but at the same time not totally isolated in case of threat or danger. This is where the concept of youth shelters or a dedicated youth building can be very successful. We must work with the young people of HOSM to help them obtain more facilities of their own”.

“Police Inspector Andy Woodhead, when talking about youth problems in Driffield said “One possibility might be to identify a location for a youth shelter where the kids can go.

There is already successful examples of how youth shelters can work, certainly one example of this is Gilberdyke, where the community identified youth issues as their main concern, much the same as in Holme On Spalding Moor. It was felt that youth congregated in areas where they were not wanted and caused a nuisance, they engaged in anti social behaviour and were perceived as a threat to many especially older people who felt intimidated. It was also the case that people felt there was nothing for the village youth to do, with few organised activities for them in the village.

There is no doubt that youth facilities are needed in Holme on Spalding Moor – but to ensure success it would be imperative that the young people in the community continue to be consulted directly. This would give the young people a sense of ownership from the very beginning, which ultimately can lead to them taking care of any facility once constructed”.