Howdenshire Policing Update

Please find the following update of Policing issues affecting Howdenshire, and information regarding meetings and surgeries. More information on the local crime scene is also available of the Humberside Police Website.

1. Priority

Issue: - Anti-social behaviour on Scalby Lane, Gilberdyke

Action: - Following complaints of Anti-social behaviour the team are actively working to reduce incidents of this nature in order to improve the quality of life for the residents of Gilberdyke.
Anyone witnessing anti-social behaviour is asked to call in with details. Howdenshire Neighbourhood Policing team will aim to respond to all calls for service in relation to this priority. Any incidents that are not attended will be investigated and followed up by the team.

Positive action will be taken against anyone engaging in anti-social behaviour.
East Riding of Yorkshire council anti-social behaviour team also investigate reports of anti-social behaviour the 2 teams will be working together along with other agencies to target the issue. Howden and Howdenshire Neighbourhood action team have also recently completed an anti-social behaviour project.

In December 2009, 3 local youths were issued with final warnings 2 of these were for section 5 public order offences and the other for criminal damage. A further youth has been charged with criminal damage to a window he appeared at Goole youth court on 26th January where he pleaded not guilty a trial will be held in April 2010. Another male juvenile also appeared at Goole Youth Court on 26th January where he was convicted of a section 5 public order offence and received a 4 month referral order.

Regular patrols are being conducted in the area and talks will be given in local schools.
An anti-social behaviour surgery was held on Wednesday 17th February, between 5pm and 7.30pm.

2. Priority

Issue: - Non-dwelling burglaries, Canal Side, Newport

Action: - The last 3 months have seen an increase in burglaries specifically along Canal side, Newport. Offenders have broken into sheds, garages and outbuildings and stolen items of property from within.

The Neighbourhood Policing Team have attended and conducted scene visits and offered crime prevention advice to all victims of crime. They have conducted house to house enquiries and encouraged people to ring in reporting anything or anyone acting in a suspicious manner.

Scenes of crime officers have also attended the scenes to try and obtain forensic evidence.

A number of shed alarms have been given to residents and crime prevention leaflets posted to all residents of canal side, anyone who would like a visit to discuss home security can contact the team and an appointment will be made to visit you at your home address.
Extra patrols have been conducted by our colleagues on incident response teams who are actively patrolling the area on a night time; they will be specifically targeting areas vulnerable to crime and will be stopping and checking people in the area.

In January a resident of Canal Side telephoned police reporting 3 males pushing a motor cycle, he thought this was suspicious due to the time of night and the recent burglaries in the area. Officers attended and recovered the motor cycle which had been stolen and was reunited with its owner, the males had already left the scene; enquiries are ongoing to identify and deal with these males.

Members of the Neighbourhood Action team attended at Newport village hall on Saturday 13th February they offered crime prevention advice and materials and were visited by a number of Newport residents. A comprehensive action plan is in place to target the burglaries.

3. Priority

Issue: - Poaching in Broomfleet

Action: - The team will patrol rural areas and check any suspicious persons and vehicles. Officers will attend calls for service and deal appropriately with offenders, if we are unable to attend or the offenders have left prior to our arrival, evidence from informants will be gathered and action taken.

There is an active farm watch in the area that the team are in regular contact with.

Dedicated patrols to target poaching were carried out in December and will continue into 2010, our presence will not only deter activity but also allow us to rapidly respond to any reports that come in.

A number of warning letters have been sent out to persons who have been acting suspiciously in the area and officers have also seized dogs and vehicles of persons committing offences.

Officers attended all reports of poaching in this area in the month of February.

4. Offenders brought to justice

At 4.10 am on 23rd November 2009, police were called to North Cave by a local resident who had heard a vehicle driving up a private road which leads to the back of the church.
Police Officers attended in the area and conducted a search for the vehicle and located 3 males and a trailer containing lead.

All 3 males were arrested on suspicion of theft of lead from the church roof, all 3 males have been charged with theft of the lead and appeared at Beverley Magistrates court on 4th February 2010, the case has been adjourned and the males were bailed to return to Beverley Magistrates Court on 19th March 2010.

There has recently been a spate of criminal damage offences in Gilberdyke, one male has been interviewed in relation to this and has admitted his involvement in the offence. The youth offending team have worked with this male and he has recently received a final warning for the offence. 2 further juveniles from Gilberdyke, have also been referred to the youth offending team and have received final warnings for offensive behaviour towards a member of the public whilst on their way home from school. One of these youths has since been charged with criminal damage after a window was damaged by a snowball, he has appeared at Goole magistrates and pleaded not guilty a trial will be held in April 2010.

A further youth was arrested in Gilberdyke, on 22nd January 2010 for a section 5 public order offence, he has been charged and appeared at Goole Youth Court on 27th January 2010 where he was given a 4 month referral order and ordered to pay £85 costs.

3 other Gilberdyke youths have also been dealt with for a number of shop thefts from the Triangle garage, 2 of them have received reprimands and the third has been referred to the Youth Offending Team and will receive a final warning for his involvement.

A male juvenile from Howden has been charged with shop theft after stealing items from the Triangle Garage in Newport in October, he appeared at Goole youth court in January and was given an absolute discharge and ordered to pay £5.67 costs.

A local male and female have been charged with assault causing actual bodily harm following an incident in Sandholme in July, where the victim was assaulted by 2 people one of whom had a baseball bat, the male was also charged with possession of an offensive weapon. Both have appeared at Goole Magistrates court for the offences the case has been referred to the crown court and a date is to be fixed for this trial.

A male has been charged with assault after he punched a fellow player during a game of football in Holme Upon Spalding Moor in October 2009. The offender admitted to the punch stating ‘he lost it’, the victim had a fractured Jaw as a result of the assault. The offender will appear at Beverley Magistrates court on 5th March 2010.

2 cautions and a fixed penalty notice were issued in November and December for offences of criminal damage and public order in Bubwith.

A local male has been charged with assault and criminal damage following an incident at the Black Swan, Eastrington, the male appeared at Goole Magistrates Court on 2nd March 2010, and an update will be provided next month.

Operation Verain came to the Newport area in January, the operation involves a number of multi agency tasks in the Humberside area. Officers work in partnership with the DVLA, HM Revenue and Customs and East Riding of Yorkshire Council to crack down on illegal motorists. A total of 43 vehicles were stopped in a 4 hour period out of these 21 were found to have defects, 12 vehicle defect requests were issued this requires the driver to have the defect rectified and then present it at an MOT centre to have it checked. 2 endorsable fixed penalty notices were issued, and 4 non-endorsable fixed penalty notices. Other drivers were given verbal warnings.

A vehicle was stopped in North Cave at 0135 hours on 23rd January 2010; the driver was checked and found to be over the prescribed alcohol limit for driving, he was also driving without a substantive driving license or insurance. The male has been charged with all of the offences and appeared at Beverley Magistrates Court on 4th February 2010, he was given a £233 fine and a 12 month driving ban. The vehicle was also seized.

On 19th January 2010, another vehicle was seen acting suspiciously in the North Cave area, officers stopped the vehicle and the driver did not have a substantive driving license or insurance to drive the vehicle, the officers seized the car. Both the male driver and the passenger were arrested and have been charged with possession of Class B drugs. Both appeared at Beverley Magistrates court on 4th February 2010, the driver was fined a total of £250 and the passenger was fined £65 and ordered to pay £85 court costs.

On 27th January 2010, a male was stopped and searched by officers on patrol in the Everthorpe area; he was found to have a small quantity of cannabis in his possession and was issued with an £80 fixed penalty notice.

On 13th February 2010, 2 officers were travelling home from work along the A614 towards Howden, when they saw a caravan being pulled by a Mitsubishi Shogun, it was 1 o’clock in the morning and following a number of crimes in the area they thought this appeared suspicious. The officers followed the vehicle and alerted their on duty colleagues, the shogun and caravan stopped in the Pollington area and the male driver who was alone was arrested for theft of the shogun from the Lancashire area and theft of the caravan from Barmby Moor, he is currently on police bail to return to Goole Police Station on 18th march 2010.

On 19th February 2010, a member of the public telephoned police to report a car being driven erratically on A164 at Holme Upon Spalding Moor towards Howden, officers located the vehicle and the driver was arrested and charged with driving whilst over the prescribed limit, driving with no insurance or driving license and taking a motor vehicle without the owners consent. The male appeared at Goole Magistrates court on 2nd March 2010 and an update will appear on this page next month.

On 23rd February 2010, a female from Eastrington, called police to report a road traffic collision on the road between Gilberdyke and Howden. Officers attended and located a vehicle in a ditch but the driver had left the scene, it was believed the driver may have been in drink officers eventually managed to locate the driver after members of his family had tried to hide him. The driver and a member of his family were both cautioned for obstructing a police officer and the driver is currently on police bail for the drink driving offence.

On 24th February 2010, PC Lee stopped a vehicle in Newport for a routine check the driver was found to have no insurance or current driving licence, the vehicle was seized and the driver will be summonsed to court for the offences.

On 1st March 2010, a local farmer from Holme Upon Spalding Moor detained 2 males for stealing diesel; the 2 males were arrested and are currently on police bail until 11th March 2010.
Following an altercation at an address in Eastrington on 28th February 2010, 2 adults have been issued with police cautions for common assault.

PC Lee of the neighbourhood team has been out and about at various locations within the Howdenshire ward with speed detection equipment he has issued a number of tickets for speeding offences and offered verbal warnings to other drivers.

5. Meetings

Residents are invited to attend any of the below meetings:

Police Surgery. Means: an opportunity for you to meet privately with a member of the neighbourhood team to discuss any policing issue of concern. This is a drop-in event so you may have to wait a few minutes.

Police and Communities Together Meeting . This is a public meeting where the police and other public authority representatives will be present. Its main purpose is to determine what the local priorities for action over the next three moths will be. It gives members of the public an opportunity to raise their concerns and influence those decisions. The next meeting is on 22nd July 2010 at Howden.

Street Briefing. This means that the whole neighbourhood team will be briefed on current problems in the area and tasked to deal with them. The public can meet with the officers and be informed about how they can help with these issues.

Type: Police Surgery

Venue: Howden Library, Shire Hall, Market Place

Date: Monday 8th March 2010

Time: 6pm to 8pm

Type: Police Surgery

Venue: Howden Library, Shire Hall, Market Place

Date: Monday 12th April 2010

Time: 6pm to 8pm


Type: Crime Prevention Morning

Venue: North Cave Playing Fields

Date: Saturday 20th March 2010

Time: 10am to 12 noon


Type: Police Surgery

Venue: North Cave Reading Rooms

Date: Monday 19th April 2010

Time: 5pm to 7pm


Type: Police Surgery

Venue: Howden Library, Shire Hall, Market Place

Date: Monday 17th May 2010

Time: 6pm to 8pm


Type: Police Surgery

Venue: Howden Library, Shire Hall, Market Place

Date: Monday 21st June 2010

Time: 6pm to 8pm

6. News and Appeals

The neighbourhood action team have recently completed an anti social behaviour project in the Howden and Howdenshire area, the project involved engaging with the younger and older generations and asking for their views on anti-social behaviour. A number of issues have been raised and hopefully they will assist us in tackling anti-social behaviour.

The current project the team are working on is a crime prevention initiative; members of the team will be visiting locations in the ward to give crime prevention advice and hand out leaflets and materials to members of the public.

Local PCSO’s will visit victims of crime, conduct scene enquires and offer crime prevention advice, anyone who like a PCSO to visit them and discuss crime prevention can contact the team and a visit will be arranged.

Following an increase in vehicle crime in the East Riding local officers are conducting daily checks in areas vulnerable to vehicle crime, letters are also been sent to vehicle keepers who leave their vehicles vulnerable to vehicle crime, please protect your vehicle by following these easy crime prevention tips;

Some of the advice may sound obvious, but it could make all the difference if you follow it consistently.
1. Don't leave items on display
Never leave anything on display when you leave your vehicle. Even an old coat or a plastic bag can tempt a thief.
2. Use immobilisers
Electronic engine immobilisers prevent your vehicle from starting and are the best way to stop thieves. They should be professionally fitted - either by your car dealer or by an installer approved by the Vehicle Systems Installation Board.
3. Park safely
When parking at home, always use your garage if you have one, and lock both your vehicle and your garage. If you don't have a garage, try to park in a well-lit, open place.
4. Buy a steering wheel lock
Use a steering wheel lock every time you leave your vehicle.
5. Get an alarm fitted
Alarms can deter thieves not only from stealing your vehicle, but also from taking items from it. You can get more information about alarms, immobilisers and other security devices by phoning the Vehicle Security National Helpline on 0870 5502006 or the Sold Secure Helpline on 01327 264687.
6. Secure your wheels
Locking wheel nuts are cheap, easy to fit and stop thieves from taking your wheels.
7. Etch your vehicle identification number onto surfaces
Have your vehicle registration number or the last seven digits of your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) etched onto all windows, both windscreens and your headlamps.
8. Mark your equipment
Mark all your equipment, like your car stereo, with your vehicle registration number.

If you have any suspicions, please notify the police immediately on 0845 6060222.

Action on North Cave to South Cave footpath and road repairs

Before and After

The issue of the footpath running between North Cave and South Cave has been a long standing issue, with the path deteriorating over the years, making it very difficult for pedestrians and mobility scooters to travel between the two communities. This was highlighted to me by North Cave Parish Council, and Parish Council Chairman Steve Skipsea brought it to the Goole and Howdenshire Action Team, which in turn supported the case and coordinated the solution with the East Riding of Yorkshire Council funding the repairs and improvements.

It took a lot of work by all those involved but this has certainly been justified when we see people from North Cave safely walking or riding their mobility scooters along this improved path, particularly when visiting the South Cave Health Centre.

Many will have noticed the repairs and replacement of damaged kerbs carried out in North Cave’s Westgate. This was again highlighted to me as a long standing, and somewhat dangerous situation by Parish Council Chairman Steve Skipsey, we again brought the issue to the Local Action Team. A solution and funding was found, although the original plan was to replace the damaged stone kerbs with concrete kerbing, this was not acceptable and with a ‘little persuasion’ the East Riding of Yorkshire Council replaced the damaged kerbstones with like-for-like stone.




Much of the credit for this work goes to North Cave Parish Council Chairman Steve Skipsey pictured here.

Gilberdyke, Newport and North Cave’s ‘Wallingfen Way’ Project Moving Forward

Newport and Gilberdyke village communities are effectively split in half by what was once the only East – West route from Hull to the rest of the UK. As a result, significant problems remain including a wide carriageway (dual through and between Gilberdyke and Newport) relatively high speed limits and remnants of trunk road infrastructure that are obsolete and counter intuitive to all users.

Previous attempts to solve the issue have resulted in so much paint on the road it would appear the Council had a gift from the Dulux factory! (Of course, during times of snow, all the lines disappear and people are unsure in which lane to drive).

It has taken 25 to 30 years to get to this point. This is a long term scheme that plans to rectify the wrongs and bring greater quality of life to residents. It is important to realise that over the next decades money will be spent on this road, however, it is all about making sure that the money is spent not just on maintenance but making a real difference to the road itself. Additional funding will also be sought from a wide variety of sources.

The local communities have so far set the following overall aims:

• Reclaim the B1230 for the benefit of our communities, making it safer and easier to travel by car, bicycle, horse or by foot.
  
  
• To create bespoke entrances to each village, creating identities for each village.
  
  
• Improve the overall appearance of the road to reflect the rurality of the area, including footpaths and boundaries both within and between the villages. This will include the de-cluttering of both signage and paint. Also, encouraging residents and landowners to participate in the visual enhancement of their properties and boundaries in an environmentally way e.g. tree planting, flowerbeds and verges.
  
  
• Make it easier for people to travel between villages on foot, bicycle and horse e.g. continuous footpaths, cycleways and bridleways.

The next step for this innovative and award winning project is for a public consultation for residents to have further input.

Come and have your say on the long term future of the road joining Gilberdyke, Newport and North cave on Saturday 20th March between the hours of 9:30am and 3:30pm at Newport Primary School.

Appeal victory over access road linking Newport’s Thimble Hall Lane and Canal Side West

Things are moving forward for Newport residents who have been denied motor vehicle access to the M62 accommodation road linking Thimble Hall Lane and Canal Side West by two large gates installed by the Hull and District Angler’s Association (HDAA), who claimed to own the road. A recent successful appeal to the government’s inspector instructed the East Riding of Yorkshire Council to make an order to re-open the road.

(Pictured with Richard Bates and my fellow Councillor Charlie Bayram)

At present the two large metal gates at each end prevents anyone from using the road that has been in Public daily use for over 20 years. Signs on the gates declare it is a Private Road and that there is “No Unauthorised Access”. Local horse riders and even motorised scooters, used by some of Newport’s disabled residents, cannot get through the narrow gap that has been left.

A local resident commented to me that anglers seeking peace and tranquillity have been coming to Newport over many years for the excellent fishing in and around the village. They have always been welcome but that has now changed. By erecting these locked gates the Angler’s Association have provoked a great deal of anger and hostility towards the Anglers and made them and the HDAA very unwelcome here.

If the Hull and District Angler’s Association (who I’m led to believe do own the adjacent pond) had wanted to ingratiate themselves to local residents then this heavy handed approach is surely the last thing to embark upon.

The road was originally constructed as an access road during the construction of the M62 and runs alongside. If we were to see a repeat of last year’s accident with an HGV crashing off the motorway along this section, I would not like to think that the emergency services were prevented from reaching a victim because of these gates. Therefore it is essential the gates be removed as soon as possible.

Clearly the gates were installed against the wishes of many Newport residents, local horse riders, and certainly against the wishes of Newport Parish Council who have been fighting to have the gates removed. I fully support the residents and the Parish Council, it is clearly not acceptable and the gates should be removed at once.

An appeal against this has been successful, and the East Riding of Yorkshire Council has to go through the legal process to reclaim the road, but as with most things legal this will take time. Much credit goes to Newport Parish Council and especially Parish Cllr Richard Bate in mounting the successful appeal

I gave one hour of my time for the Marie Curie great daffodil event

This morning I spent a very cold couple of hours in Howden collecting for the Marie Curie Cancer Care Daffodil Collection. Thanks to all who took pity on me standing in the shade dressed in a bright yellow tabard with a tote tray of lapel daffodils. One memorable question… ‘Isn’t it normally women who do this?” I declined to answer!!

The aim is for as many as possible to give up just 1 hour of their time during March

For more info on the great daffodil event click utube link below or visit: http://www.mariecurie.org.uk/

The East Riding of Yorkshire Council Will Repair The Damaged Roads

First the flooding then the severe winter, there is little wonder that some of our roads, that were never designed for today's HGVs, are breaking up.

This is not a matter of filling in potholes, some sections of road are so damaged they will have to be rebuilt.

The cost of highway maintenance is funded through road tax, however the amount the Labour Government pays back to local authorities is much less than they take in taxation and not sufficient to maintain the roads.

The cost to repair and rebuild our damaged roads will be huge, and it will take time, but East Riding of Yorkshire Conservative councillors have made a pledge that we will undertake this work.

We are not waiting for the damage to be reported, the council has a crack team out every day filling potholes as they go around - I think this is very much a common sense, practical short term solution as we can not repair properly until the weather allows, and the full extent to the damage is known.

Expect to see road works accross the East Riding soon as the weather improves.

A new, progressive choice for everyone

A new, progressive choice for everyone

The East Riding of Yorkshire Council needs fair and transparent funding from Central Government

East Riding of Yorkshire ratepayers will have a small rise of 1.5% in their council tax charges this coming year.

The Conservative Controlled East Riding of Yorkshire Council has set a budget for the next financial year of £269 million, which requires a council tax at Band D of £1,212.20. The council tax increase is the lowest ever set by East Riding of Yorkshire Council and will mean that the increase for an average household will be less than £16 per year.

While the costs of providing services in a large but quite sparsely populated rural area like the East Riding are high - as with all Local Authorities the East Riding of Yorkshire Council relies heavily on the Central Government grant for funding; unfortunately over recent years the area has received less and less. At present we receive around £100 per person less than the national average, and significantly less then our neighbouring authorities, e.g. the East Riding gets only £384 per person compared to £600 in Hull. (please see table below)

The formula Labour use is so complicated it is impossible for most people to understand but it adds up to Central Government giving the East Riding a staggering £100 million less that it would if we were funded to the same level as Hull.

The unfairness in Central Government funding also applies to schools, with the East Riding pupils again receiving less funding per head then the national average and also that of our neighbours, e.g. East Riding schools receiving £337 less per pupil than Hull schools. (please see table below)

An extremely positive outcome of the 2010/11 budget is that the East Riding of Yorkshire Council will be carrying out its biggest ever building or ‘capital’ programme, with £148 million to be spent on improving essential infrastructure like roads, housing and schools. The programme has been boosted and accelerated by the fiscal stimulus of £100 million approved last year which is resulting in the council bringing forward many schemes to assist the local economy and support local businesses.

In addition, the council is undertaking a £33 million programme over the next year, which will see the first new council, homes in the East Riding for many years. Some 275 properties are to be built and more will follow as a result of additional funding that has been secured. This building programme will also help support local businesses, especially the construction industry.

In conclusion, despite being constantly squeezed by lower and lower Central Government funding year on year. The East Riding Council continues to deliver top level, four-star services, investment in infrastructure, and sound financial management, whilst keeping the Council Tax relatively low..... and strange as it may seem we also have a net influx of pupils from Hull attending East Riding of Yorkshire Council's high performing schools.

Please find the following from Prospective MP for Brigg and Goole Andrew Percy:

Labour Seek to Double Council Tax Rise

Submitted by andrew on Thu, 11/02/2010 - 21:01.
Andrew Percy has reacted with anger at an attempt by Labour Councillors to double the Council tax rise for residents in the Goole and Snaith area.

The East Riding Council met today to set the Council Tax for the next year with Labour Councillors trying to force a higher than inflation rise of 3% on hard pressed taxpayers.

Andrew Percy says, "With unemployment in our area still rising, and with the Humber area suffering the hardest from Gordon Brown's recession, you would have thought that Labour Councillors would have wanted to give hard pressed taxpayers a break. Pensioners in particular feel Council Tax rises especially hard, and after 13 years of putting up the bills of pensioners, Labour have clearly learned nothing!

It is only thanks to the vigilance of Conservative Councillors that this year's rise will be kept to 1.5%, well below the current rate of inflation. I don't always agree with everything the East Riding Council does but they have certainly made the right decision on this year's Council Tax.

The East Riding receives some of the worst funding in England from the Labour Government, meaning that keeping Council Tax rises down is no mean feat."

Skate/BMX parks - and how young people can develop a sense of ownership

The Goole and Howdenshire Local Action Team (LAT) is working with other groups, organisations and partners to look at anti-social behaviour issues. The perceived lack of youth facilities and activities to enable young people to have things to do and places to go appears to be a contributory factor, particularly in both Goole and Old Goole.Along with fellow East Riding of Yorkshire Councillor (ERYC) Beryl Beck Taylor, Goole’s detached youth workers, and a number of young people I was invited on a fact- finding mission to look at youth facilities including skate parks, BMX tracks and play areas in Hull and the East Riding.

Unfortunately the weather was a little cold so there were not many young people using the facilities, but I was very much impressed by the Ings Road site provided by Hull City Council and free to use. The £330k concrete skate/bike park was funded through grants and administered by the council, and is of a concrete construction with a shelter and seating. The site is unfenced but is protected by CCTV and timed lighting. The most striking thing (apart from the non-offensive graffiti) was the lack of vandalism.

(Ings Road skate/BMX park)

I was amazed by the young people we spoke to, who said they police the site themselves, bring their own brushes to clean it, and won’t allow offensive graffiti. They actually came across as having a strong sense of ownership, having been part of the decision making process from the very beginning - which was great to hear.

The visit also included a visit to the Haltemprice Sport Centre’s flood-lit metal skate park, which was developed as a result of community leaders supporting young people with their applications for funding and helping them to commission contractors to work on their ideas.

Interestingly this was on the back of a visit to the Bridlington Town Council’s skate/BMX park a few weeks ago. This project was put together by Bridlington Town Council, and differs significantly in the fact that the whole area is fenced and locked, there is a charge to use the facility and most importantly the young people we spoke to felt no ownership of the skate park whatsoever. Unfortunately the site has suffered from vandalism.

The visit to Hull was about giving young people the opportunity to consider and discuss their dreams and ideas for Goole. The BMX trail in West Park, Goole is due to be extended and developed, so it was a useful opportunity to find out what works elsewhere.

The young people played an active role in developing some of the sites that we visited, and we wanted to encourage and motivate our young people to play their part in shaping Goole for the future.

The visit formed part of a project the ERYC Youth Service in delivering in Goole using some £19,000 of the Government’s ‘Connecting Communities’ funding which is to be used to fund a number of community based activities in the town over the next few months. The aim is to encourage young people to engage in decision-making processes and inspire them to influence those decisions affecting their communities.

Unfortunately the weather was a little cold so there were not many young people using the facilities, but I was very much impressed by the Ings Road site provided by Hull City Council and free to use. The £330k concrete skate/bike park was funded through grants and administered by the council, and is of a concrete construction with a shelter and seating. The site is protected by CCTV and timed lighting.

I was amazed by the kids we spoke to, who said they police the site themselves, bring their own brushes to clean it, and won’t allow offensive graffiti. They actually came across as having a strong sense of ownership, having been part of the decision making process from the very beginning - which was great to hear.

I feel that young people are not always listened to – especially on issues that affect them directly.

Last week I was invited to take part in the mock general election at Wolfreton School and Sixth Form College as part of their democracy day. Along with representatives from the Labour Party, Green Party and the Lib Dems we were asked to talk for a few minutes on Young People and Democracy. The following is the short presentation I gave:


Young People and Democracy

I feel that young people are not always listened to – especially on issues that affect them directly.

Today’s young people are the decision makers of tomorrow. We must stimulate your interest in democracy, enable your voices to be heard and for you to have a stake in the political process.
It is a myth that young people are not interested in politics.

I know from talking to many young people that you are passionately interested in issues as diverse as crime, anti-social behaviour and bullying, alcohol and drugs, sexual health and teenage pregnancy, youth activities and sport, and reducing the voting age to 16.

But it up to us adults to listen to you, we have to have to make formal politics more relevant and somewhat less boring – and we need to capitalise on the interest shown today. All organisations need to listen more to young people and should be encouraged to ‘youth proof’ their activities wherever possible.

We need to look at how the political parties, Government and Local Councils communicate with young people – How many of you use Facebook?

We need to maximise the use of Facebook but also Twitter, Bebo, My Space and blogs.

We need to improve the opportunities for young people to get involved in politics at a local level, through your school council, through the East Riding Youth Assembly and through emerging community youth councils.

Young people have to feel that someone is listening to them and to their point of view; this will go a long way to enhance their belief in politics. Specifically if young people were able to vote at 16, be able to fully participate in the East Riding Youth Assembly, and have the opportunity to connect with their elected Councillors, MPs and MEPs - then we might just see more engagement of young people in the political process.

(School photo by Paul Harrop)

Link to the East Riding Youth Assembly: ihttp://www.eriding.net/young_people/youth_assembly.shtml

Link to Wolfreton School:
http://www.wolfreton.co.uk/

Lowest ever council tax rise set by East Riding of Yorkshire Council

East Riding of Yorkshire ratepayers will have a small rise of 1.5% in their council tax charges this coming year.

The Conservative Controlled East Riding of Yorkshire Council has set a budget for the next financial year of £269 million, which requires a council tax at Band D of £1,212.20. The council tax increase is the lowest ever set by East Riding of Yorkshire Council and will mean that the increase for an average household will be less than £16 per year.

As Councillors we had as a basis for discussion a budget prepared by the council’s corporate management team which indicated a 3% rise in council tax. However, this increase has been halved by taking money from various reserves and budgeting for a half per cent pay rise, which is in line with national expectations, and not from front line services.

I hope that this lower-than-expected increase will come as some relief to the many East Riding families who continue to endure the adverse effects of the recession, especially those on fixed incomes. This is more good news for Gilberdyke residents who will also benefit from the 30% cut in the Parish Council part of their council tax.

I think we certainly took our political opponents by surprise in announcing the 1.5% increase. It was sad that the Liberal Democrat group could not support our proposals, and even worse that the Labour Councillors not only failed to support the budget, but instead proposed a full 3% increase. I am not sure what message the local Labour Group is sending out but it has all the hallmarks of what we have seen with Labour nationally since 1997 – HIGHER TAXES!

I agree with Beverley and Holderness Tory MP Graham Stuart when reacting to our budget proposals he said,

“Labour has learnt nothing, the choice at the General Election is now clear – responsible government under the Conservatives or sky rocketing taxes under Labour."

http://www.grahamstuart.com/

Campaign For Faster Broadband Speeds in Howdenshire Villages

Continuing on the campaign for faster broadband speeds in Howdenshire Villages, particularly Holme on Spalding Moor, Newport and Bubwith, the Conservatives have unveiled plans to help make the UK the first major European country that has superfast broadband in the majority of homes by 2017.

Jeremy Hunt, the Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport said "we are currently one of the slowest countries in the developed world for broadband", but with the Conservatives "we'll become one of the fastest".

Most importantly, Mr. Hunt said that under these plans "high speeds will be available not just in our cities but across the rural areas that have been left behind for too long".

Commenting on the plans Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs Jim Paice MP said:
“Our proposals to deliver superfast broadband will benefit town and country, leaving no rural community behind. We will use any underspend from the digital switchover fund to establish a universal broadband network of 2 Mbps by 2012.

This approach could be continued post 2012 if our plans to force BT to open their infrastructure to other operators have not started delivering high speed broadband to even the most windswept reaches of the country.

Farmers are increasingly expected to deal with the Government online so it is incumbent on Ministers to enable them to do this with high speed broadband connections.”

Disused Bubwith Arts Centre Gets Planning Consent For Development

The East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Planning Committee has, subject to access issues being resolved, approved the development of the disused Arts International Centre just north of Bubwith. The centre has not been used for many years and despite numerous attempts by the owners, could not be sold.

The application was for a conversion to accommodate 14 dwellings and 2 offices plus a part conversion of the existing theatre to provide a Rural Enterprise Centre. This in my view was the best compromise and will ensure that the building does not fall into disrepair, adds to the sustainability of Bubwith village and the shops and services it provides.

My fellow Howdenshire Councillor Mrs Engall spoke in support of the application. I then proposed that we as a planning committee supported the application, but asked for a footpath to directly link the development to the village be included, and that the vehicular access should be onto a side road rather than the Howden - York Road, fortunately the majority of the committee members agreed and we have a way forward. (Photo by Gordon Kneale Brooke)

Wind farm subsidies top £1 billion a year

Britain's energy policy faces new controversy as it can be revealed that electricity customers are paying more than £1 billion a year to subsidise windfarms and other forms of renewable energy.

By Ben Leach and Richard Gray Published in the Sunday Telegraph: 8:45PM GMT 23 Jan 2010 Photo by PA

The Ofgem report will show that over the past three years the subsidies have added a total of £32.50 to the average household's electricity bills.

The hidden levy is part of a Government scheme to force energy companies to fund green energy. The companies bear the cost but pass it on to consumers in the form of higher bills.
The amount raised has climbed steeply since the introduction of the levy in 2002.

Next month's annual report from Ofgem, the energy regulator, will show that it has risen above £1 billion for the first time, according to analysts at the Renewable Energy Foundation (REF), a green energy think-tank.

It means that renewable energy added an an estimated £13.50 to the average household electricity bill last year. An additional burden fell on industrial users of electricity, who in turn passed on costs to their customers.

Critics claimed that the subsidy scheme unfairly penalised consumers and was being used to fund "unrealistic" plans to increase the use of wind power. Countryside campaigners have expressed concerns at the number of wind farms being built around the country, as the Government tries to meet its target that 30 per cent of the UK's energy should be generated from renewable sources by 2020.

The Ofgem report will show that over the past three years the subsidies have added a total of £32.50 to the average household's electricity bills. The annual cost has steadily risen from £7 in 2007 to £13.50 in 2009.

The proceeds of the levy, known as the Renewables Obligation (RO), are divided between the main renewable energy sources, with wind receiving 40 per cent, landfill gas 25 per cent, biomass 20 per cent, hydroelectric 12 per cent and sewage gas 3 per cent.

Dr John Constable, director of policy and research at the REF, said: "The fundamental problem with the RO is that the cost to the consumer is extremely high. "Since the cost of the scheme is passed onto businesses as well as households, there will also be a significant impact on the economy. "The Government's plans for wind are wildly unrealistic. Wind power is going to be very expensive, very difficult and ultimately very costly."

The cost to consumers of the RO scheme has risen from £278 million in 2002/3 to £1.04 billion last year, the Ofgem report is expected to say - a total of £4.4 billion over seven years.

The scheme works by requiring energy suppliers to obtain a set percentage of the electricity they provide to consumers from renewable sources. In 2008/9 this figure was 9.1 per cent, compared to 7.9 per cent in 2007/8.

For each megawatt hour of renewable energy bought by a supplier from a generator, suppliers must also buy a certificate as proof. If suppliers fail to meet their obligation by presenting enough certificates, they must pay a fine known as a "buy-out". The cost to energy suppliers is passed on to consumers through their bills.

Ofgem predicts that the total cost of the RO to consumers between 2002 and 2027, when the scheme is set to end, will amount to £32 billion. By 2020 it is estimated that the annual cost will be running at over £5 billion. Prof Ian Fells, emeritus professor of energy conversion at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, said money that was being invested into wind farms through the RO scheme needed to be diverted elsewhere.

He said: "Consumers simply don't realise the cost to them of supporting the renewable energy industry. Not only is there a cost to consumers but there is a cost to businesses as well.
"So people will not only see the huge cost of the RO scheme in their household bills but also on the High Street, as they see shops put up prices to meet the rising cost of electricity. Subsidising wind farms is far too expensive, and the money could be better spent by investing in other forms of power."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change said: "To ensure we meet our climate change goals we need a massive increase in low carbon energy and that includes renewables. "The RO is helping that expansion happen with the amount of electricity generated from renewables trebling since 2002. "We also need to make sure we have continued secure energy supplies in the future and renewables are part of that too. There's no high-carbon low-price alternative – we must move to low-carbon sources."

There are currently 270 wind farms with 2,775 turbines in operation, with plans for a further 10,000 on and around Britain's shores.

It has raised concerns in communities that hundreds of acres of rural landscapes will have wind farms built on them.

Last week The Sunday Telegraph revealed how 14 of the UK's officially-designated beauty spots could soon be blighted by turbines, which can reach more than 400ft in height.

Working to understand Anti-Social Behaviour

The Goole and Howdenshire LAT identified addressing anti-social behaviour as one of the highest priorities for residents, this has also been highlighted at Police and Partners forums, and household surveys.

The Howdenshire Neighbourhood Action Team, as a key delivery partner in crime and disorder issues, is looking into the perceptions of anti-social behaviour. The team is talking to both young people and older people to try and more fully understand the issues. This included a visit by a group of older residents to Howden School last week to engage in ‘one on one conversations’ with young people specifically about perceptions of anti-social behaviour. As one of the facilitators it was fascinating to listen as the two generations expressed their thoughts to each other, and at the end for all to say they now have more of an understanding of anti-social behaviour, proved the exercise very much worth while, and something to build on.


The East Riding of Yorkshire Council is also conducting a review of anti-social behaviour through a panel of Councillors, of which I am part. As part of this review Cllr Pat Smith and I visited Bridlington to spend some time with the Council’s detached youth workers, talk to some of Bridlington’s young people, and look at facilities for young people in the area. One of the highlight of the visit was visiting the Bridlington Gasworx Skate Park, a fantastic facility greatly valued by the kids we spoke to. (pictured with Cllr Pat Smith and the the ERYC Detached Youth Workers)


I have spent quite a lot of time with the Council’s detached youth workers in the past, and continue to be impressed with what they do, but more importantly how they interact with young people.

Holme on Spalding Moor To Get Allocation Of Affordable Housing

The East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) is one of 47 Councils across the country that will receive a share of £127 million of funding to build council homes. The ERYC received the largest allocation of funding in the country and proposes to build 275 new affordable homes. These dwellings will be in many communities with identified need, four of which to be built in Holme on Spalding Moor (HOSM) were on the agenda for the ERYC's Western Area planning committee this week.

I spoke in favour of the proposal and supported HOSM Parish Council in their recommendation for approval, and I’m pleased to say the planning committee agreed and granted planning permission.

One issue constantly being raised by Howdenshire residents is that of affordable housing. It is increasingly difficult for young people to find accommodation in rural villages such as HOSM because of both availability and cost.

At the present moment, East Riding of Yorkshire Council has 58 applications on the waiting list for houses in Holme on Spalding Moor and a further 239 applicants requesting consideration for re-housing into the village as one of their areas of choice. But the council has just 45 properties in the village – almost all occupied.

In areas such as HOSM, where homes are required, much new affordable housing is linked to new housing developments where a proportion of those new houses are affordable. But this can mean that unless there is allocated building land in the village, there is little scope for building the required affordable properties. This can be overcome by working in partnership with specialist affordable housing providers who can build on Green Field sites but this can also be difficult.

Gaining this dispensation is dependant on the communities bidding for affordable housing to match the identified need – those villages that want to grow by allowing children to leave home to live alone or with spouses/partners, without leaving their communities to do so. In this application there was no bidding process – the money had already been obtained by the ERYC.

Affordable housing required could be a mixture of not just rented accommodation, but also Homebuy shared ownership – which means young people, who would not have the opportunity to conventionally get onto the first rung of the property ladder, then have the opportunity through this shared ownership – paying part rent and part mortgage.

Allowing young people to remain in the villages in which they grew up is a very important element of community cohesion in most rural settlements. This is why it is important that local people, such as the HOSM Parish Council, who, through the Parish Plan, have identified the housing requirements of residents, are key in the decision making on affordable housing.

The provision of affordable housing can only improve the village by allowing people to live and stay in their own community, and I fully support Parish Council in what they are doing in this area.

So, in a nutshell, the East Riding of Council has received funding to build a number of dwellings in communities with identified need and the Western Area Planning Committee supported the officer’s recommendation and approved the application for ‘affordable housing for local people in Holme on Spalding Moor’

Rehabilitation of offenders and reducing re-offending

The estimated number of crimes in the East Riding attributed to re-offenders is 6,500 with an estimated cost implication of £22.8 million.


This is a serious issue; costing the East Riding a phenomenal amount of money and for this reason must be given the highest priority, and should be given the strongest leadership.

Clearly prison works for some people and not for others, community payback and fines work for some and not others.

Sentencing is a serious issue - we will all have different thoughts on sentencing guidelines, but ultimately it is about primary legalisation, which is the will of the Government, who do seem to want to control every aspect of our lives.

Prison sentences given to offenders fall into two distinct categories - those sentenced to less than 12 months and those over 12 months.

The evidence indicates that those sentenced to less then 12 months committhe majority of re-offending. Why is this?

A prisoner serving over 12 months will benefit from programmes that are available in prison, once released will be on licence and under statutory supervision by the probation service, and most importantly will have a single case manager throughout the prison sentence and upon release.

But for those serving less than 12 months, the prison service has neither the time nor the opportunity to effectively work with the prisoner, they are released without being under licence and the Probation Service has no statutory right or obligation to work with them.

On completion of the sentence an offender can leave the prison gates with £40 in their pocket and nothing else… not even someone to meet them and take them to the benefits office – is it any wonder they go on to re-offend?

All prisons offer a detoxification service for prisoners withdrawing from drugs or alcohol – but it’s up to the prisoner to take this up – although all prisons carry out random drug testing on 10% of the prison population every month. This is achieving only modest success and must be improved.

The Regional Reducing Re-offending Action Plan sets out nine key areas of work with offenders with community or custodial sentences, these are termed ‘pathways’ and include:

• Accommodation



• Education, Training and Employment



• Mental and Physical Health



• Drugs and Alcohol



• Finance, Benefit and Debt



• Children and Families of Offenders



• Attitudes, thinking and Behaviour



• Prolific and Priority Offenders



• Voluntary Sector and Community Sector Engagement

As with most things, tackling re-offending is very much target driven, unfortunately we have the large organisations with National Targets and large budgets that don’t necessarily dovetail well with local targets – and can’t commit fully to partnership working.

Specifically, prisons operate regionally taking in prisoners from the region rather than the locality… Here it would seem logical to see regional funding and regional targets. But for this to happen major legislative changes are required.

Locally we have many different agencies, organisations and partners working on the different pathways, either together or separately.

To compound this there are 5 of the Government's National Performance Indicators:

• NI 18 - Adult re-offending rates for those under Probation supervision:



• NI 30 - Re-offending rate of prolific and priority offenders



• NI 143 – Offenders under Probation supervision living in settled and suitable accommodation at the end of their order or licence



• NI 144 - Offenders under Probation supervision in employment at the end of their order or licence



• NI – 40 Problem drug users in effective treatment

But perhaps it's just as significant that there is no indicator relating to ex-offenders who are not under Probation supervision or managed under the PPO scheme.

From April 2010 agencies will have a shared statutory responsibility to formulate and implement a strategy for the reduction of re-offending in the area (as well as the existing duty to formulate and implement a strategy for the reduction of crime and disorder)

The Reducing Re-offending Group (an action group of the East Riding LSP’s Safer and Stronger Communities Action Group (SSCAG)) is chaired by the Probation Service, which would seem to be the most suitable organisation, and one that takes a regional view.

Other Group members include the Police, NHS East Riding, Job Centre Plus, victim support, Learning and Skills Council, HM Courts Service, HM Prison Service, and ERYC (Safe Communities Housing and Organisational Development), the latter giving a local perspective.

This group focuses on Accommodation, and Education, Training and Employment, while maintaining an overview of the other pathways…. and SSCAG has acknowledged that more leadership needs to be exercised, and I support the Probation Service in doing this, but they must be held to account if they don’t.

Probation has tended to be reluctant to involve itself in work that does not directly involve the offenders for whom it has statutory responsibility. I would urge them to work closer with all partners.

In conclusion - Many organisations have responsibility for reducing re-offending, the East Riding of Yorkshire Council's Safer and Stronger Comunities Overview and Scrutiny Committee (on which I sit) identified a need for greater coordination and a current lack of leadership.

Is it really acceptable not to provide the strongest possible leadership of a service provision that has a cost implication for the East Riding of £22.8 million ..."?

The Environment Agency plans to regulate all Agricultural Composters

I am very pleased to say the Environment Agency has brought forward plans to regulate the agricultural composting industry by bringing all operators under regulation, rather than some being exempt as we see, and smell, at present.

Over the last 3 years many residents have raised the issue of composting and the foul smells drifting across the Howdenshire villages of Spaldington, Brind, Wressle, Holme on Spalding Moor, Eastrington and North Howden.

The East Riding of Yorkshire is home to a significant number of composting operations, most of which cause very few problems and don’t come to the notice of residents, the Council, or the Environment Agency. Unfortunately a small minority of composters operating under a licence exemption have not followed the rules, and have caused serious odour problems for local residents and whole villages. It was clear that the past regime of self-policing was not working for this small minority of composters

The composting of animal by-products has been a concern to me, especially if the raw materials are transported from far away, not composted correctly or for sufficient time, resulting in the foulest smells imaginable.

Many of you will recall that I originally raised the issue of composting in a motion to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, after which the Council’s Environment and Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee looked further into the issue, the Council then expressed its concerns to the Government’s Environment Agency.

The Environment Agency also wants to see operators attend formal training, which along with the proposed permitting and regulation will have a cost implication for the composters, although in fairness many other industries require operators to undergo training before being able to carry out work. (e.g. CORGI registration for gas heating engineers)

Bringing all composting operations into the general permitting framework and undergoing formal training is a positive step and will be good for the industry as a whole, and certainly good for the public. It is always a question of balance between regulation and cost, and I would hope that the charges to be levied are based solely on the costs for regulation rather than yet another stealth tax.

I have a great deal of sympathy for those farmers, who have diversified into composting as a replacement for conventional fertilisers and operated in a responsible manner, and are now going to have to pay increased fees for regulation, unfortunately this means the whole industry is being made to pay for the actions of the few.

David Davis MP and I have worked closely on this for a considerable time, and he was able to add his weight to the case by raising the issue with the Shadow Minister and the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency.

David adds; “I welcome the plans for more rigorous inspection and regulation of the agricultural composting industry. A great many of my constituents have had to put up with vile smells associated with composting animal by-products for far too long as some operators have been working outside regulation through an exemption. For to long the inspection regime on this unpleasant Industry has been to lax it is time to put this right”

“It is essential that the charges should cover the full cost of the proposed inspection and regulation. Firm regulation is needed whatever the cost, which should be borne by the composters and not the taxpayer.”

Massive Windfarm planned in the North Sea - 80km off the Hornsea Coast

The Government has today announced plans for £100 billion project for off-shore windfarms comprising of up to 5,000 turbines; this includes a proposal for a 4,000 mega watt (MW) turbine site covering a large area of the North Sea approximately 80km off of the Hornsea coast. This could include up to 570 x massive 7 MW rated wind turbines. (By comparison Drax power Station’s 6 x 660MW steam turbines give a total of 3,960MW)

I broadly support the concept of off-shore wind generation and welcome this as a positive step, but I would like to see the potential for wave and tidal power moved higher up the Government’s agenda and for funding to be made available to fully exploit these more efficient and predictable alternatives.

Off-shore windfarms have many advantages over, and in my opinion ultimately more preferable than, on-shore windfarms as there is very little negative visual impact or noise issues for neighbouring communities, nor transportation of wind turbine components along narrow rural roads.

An off-shore wind farm can be of a sufficient size and scale to be economical, as the winds off-shore tend to be more constant and predictable, therefore the turbines will be somewhat more efficient than the pathetically low rates achieved by on-shore turbines.

Care must be taken in finding ways to connect the power to the national grid without the need for miles and miles of new pylons, it is essential that underground cabling is used or that existing pylons are utilised or upgraded wherever possible and any new pylons be placed in areas where they are least intrusive.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council's Salt Bins and Gritting Footways

Salt bins

Due to the severe weather conditions demand for salt from East Riding of Yorkshire (ERYC) bins is far exceeding normal usage. Salt bins located are a secondary measure in the Councils winter maintenance effort and resources have to be targeted at the Councils primary responsibility, which is keeping our principle road network open.

As a result of this the ERYC have moved from a system of responding to requests for refills and now the bins are being systematically refilled. The Council is constantly filling bins with white salt. High demand means salt is being used faster than some bins can be refilled.

Gritting footways

The Council do have a network of footways which are treated during winter weather set out according to how busy they are and which services the footways lead to. There are 16 areas across the East Riding where this work is carried out, and where resources allow the treatment will be broadened out.

For more information about salt bins or the network of roads and footways which are gritted please call the ERYC on (01482) 393939.

A map of gritting routes can also be found at:

http://www.eastriding.gov.uk/gofer/viewer.htm?view=generic&Service=gofer_highways&Layers=110111111&ActiveLayer=0&serviceName=Salting%20Routes&&

What the East Riding of Yorkshire Council is doing to keep the areas roads clear of snow and ice

Background

The Council’s winter service policy is reviewed and approved on a three year cycle. The current policy was approved in July 2007 and is due for review again later this year.

The Council’s policy / duty is to ‘as far as reasonable practicable’ to treat a defined network known as the precautionary network. This network consists of the ‘A’ and ‘B’ roads and the more heavily used linking roads. A criteria exists to determine which roads fall into this precautionary network. The precautionary network consists of some 1,400km of roads around 40% of the network.

In addition to the main priority, a responsive network is treated when conditions indicate that freezing weather will continue beyond lunch time and resources allow. This criteria also applies to the salting of selected footpaths in the town centres.

The responsive network adds a further 700km to the treated network.

The precautionary and responsive networks are published in the East Riding News each November and are available on the Council’s web pages.

Recent weather

Compared to last year the start of this winter season (the winter season runs from October through to April) was very mild.

The first signs of winter weather came on Friday the 18th December and has stayed with us. An extremely unusual occurrence where past experience has shown short periods of snow tailing away within a week.

The weekend of 19th and 20th was particularly bad and a forbearer of things to come. Road surface temperatures have remained at / below freezing throughout the period meaning any contact with snow / sleet / rain has caused ice unless salt has been present. Even where salt has been present on less trafficked roads the masking effect of snow followed by sub-zero temperatures has resulted in freezing snow over the salt. In some places temperatures have been as low as -100c. Over this weekend much of the East Riding was covered with snow in a fairly short period of time covering all road surfaces (including treated ones).

Across the weekend of 19th and 20th repeated treatments were undertaken using some 2,000 tonnes of salt in two days.

The weather is forecast to remain in such wintery conditions through towards the end of January. However it needs to be noted that the longer term forecasts carry less confidence then shorter range forecasts.

Salt stocks

The Council has four salt barns that can collectively hold around 8,000tonnes of salt. These are filled up during the summer months in readiness for the winter season. A framework contract is in place with Cleveland Potash to supply salt to us.

The plan of action is to ensure that for the Christmas close down period that the barns are as near full as possible to see the service through to the resumption of normal services.

At the commencement of 14th December the barns were 90% full with further salt orders in place up to Christmas Eve to replenish any envisaged usage. This plan was severely challenged with the onslaught of the extended period of bad weather commencing on Friday the 18th December and the usage on that date and over the weekend to combat the conditions. The depletion of stocks combined with a forecast showing a continuation of similar conditions required a re-evaluation of the plan and a daily monitoring of usage coupled with attempts to increase the existing orders of salt to ensure the continuity of the service and to meet the Council’s stated Duty.

Salt suppliers are under pressure to meet customer demands which is causing a significant spike in orders and quantities of salt requested by all customers at the same time. This spike is having to be managed by the suppliers by limiting supplies to each customer to ensure that all get something.

Salt stocks continue to be monitored on a daily basis.


Action taken

Winter operations have continued around the clock from 18th December to date. The primary focus has been on the precautionary network and over the period the crews have been out some 35 times. In addition to this responsive salting has been undertaken during the day time, salt bins have been re-filled and town centre footpaths salted by teams from Environmental Services. In excess of 7,000tonnes of salt has been used between Christmas and return to work.

This compares to a more usual operation over the period of less than half this level of activity and a salt usage of typically 2,000tonnes.

Operations are controlled from the main winter operations room at Beverley Depot and this has been manned throughout the period.

As necessary particularly on the higher ground some ploughing has been undertaken to move snow and slush off the carriageway.

With limited exceptions the precautionary network has been kept open to traffic.

Current Situation

Operations continue and look set to continue for at least the next two weeks. A 30 day weather forecast from the Met Office indicates that over the next 2 weeks it will remain very cold with periods of precipitation (taking the form of rain / sleet / snow). For the remainder of the month still cold but slightly improved conditions.

Salt usage is being monitored and supplies secured to ensure the service can continue.

Many complaints are being received. The perception seems to be that the Council hasn’t done anything. Much of this relates to footpaths remaining icy over the duration and the lack of treatment to minor roads which do not form part of the network. Similarly people have complained about empty salt bins. It is pleasing that people have used these facilities and bins have been refilled as notified to us that they were in need of replenishing. However the rate of usage has resulted in some being empty for a period of time.

Financial Position

The high intensity operation has inevitably cost more money than would have been expected under normal circumstances at this point of the season. Payments for continuous operations out of hours, procurement of extra salt supplies, transport costs all come at a price.

The budget will be monitored throughout the season and depending on weather conditions up to April the current spike in expenditure may be evened out.

Holme upon Spalding Moor bus connection issues resolved

After some painstaking work by a number of people, I am assured that we will not see a repeat of the number 34 bus to Holme upon Spalding Moor (HOSM) leaving Market Weighton without connecting with the X46 bus from Beverley/Hull.

East Yorkshire Motor Services (EYMS) have stated “it is unacceptable for the driver of the 34 bus to drive away when people are trying to make the connection”. They have also clarified their contract requires the 34 bus to wait for any late running X46 bus from Beverley/Hull. The driver’s running board now has a note attached requiring drivers to wait for the connecting bus.

There is radio communication on all EYMS buses therefore we should not see a repetition of HOSM residents being left in Market Weighton because the connecting bus has left.

As from Monday 11th January 2010 there will also be some minor changes to the timetable, with the buses leaving Market Weighton five minutes later, giving a little more time for the connection. This will also address the problem of congestion near HOSM Village Hall when the East Yorkshire Bus and the York Pullman have been arriving at the bus stop at the same time, blocking drives or the entrance to the Village Hall car park.

In addition the first bus from HOSM to Market Weighton will operate the opposite way around the village, using the bus stop across the road from the Village Hall.

I hope this will resolve the issue but please let me know if you experience, or hear of any further problems with the connection in the future..

My 10 Predictions for 2010

Happy New Year to you all.... Over the Christmas period I got to thinking what 2010 may hold for me, Howdenshire residents and those many people who read my blog… and came up with 10 predictions on topical stuff that interests me and hopefully you readers. Nothing too personal just a mixture of politics and sport….. some wishful thinking, and after reading the tea leaves in the bottom of Cllr Steve Parnaby’s cup, looking into one of Cllr Carl Minns’ crystal balls, watching the body language of John Prescott, a kind of telepathic communication with Radio Humberside's Steve Burns, listening to every word of BBC's Peter Levy… and all mixed together with a degree of realism…(some are based on hope, others reality!)

1. The ERYC Car Parking review will be completed and the decision will be popular with the majority of residents.Topical for many residents - I don’t have inside information - although I do feel the Council has listened to people over the past months, and I am confident the ultimate decision will reflect what people have told us – it will be about compromise and one will be reached.
2. The vast majority of flood prevention work in Gilberdyke will be completed, including the watercourse between the houses on Scalby Lane and Chestnut Drive.I have a great deal of optimism here as the residents, the Parish Council, the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, and the Drainage Board are all working together on this – something that doesn’t always happen.
3. A management plan and strategic lead for Goole will evolve but not all parties and organisations will buy into it.Knowing Goole as I do, I’m confidant things will improve and move forward, but we have to find a way of all working together… Goole is a fantastic place, with some great people and it can become the economic powerhouse of the East Riding.
4. The East Riding of Yorkshire will continue to be bombarded with windfarm applications including at least one in the Yorkshire Wolds rather than at the edge, and the ERYC will not win a planning appeal against a windfarm application under this present Government.
   Here my feelings on this are quite well documented, as a member of the ERYC planning committee I have voted both for and against windfarm applications, for me it’s all about size, scale and location…. But Ed Milliband and his cronies have overruled us every time we have rejected an application - so its at the whim of speculative developers – until we have a change of government– there will be no change to Central Government trampling over local elected councillors and local democracy.
5. The Conservatives will win a May 2010 general election with a majority of 35 seats. May would seem the ideal date, it’s the date of the local elections, it’s probably the best chance Gordon Brown will have of saving some of his Labour Councillors by ensuring a higher turnout…. And then it’s a case of looking at how the cards may fall and what likely percentage votes the parties will get… nothing sophisticated – just an educated guess.
6. Nigel Farage will unseat John Bercow MP. I felt this would happen as soon as Farage declared he would run… the conventional wisdom is that Bercow is not popular with Tories, he’s not a Labour politician and Farage has the gravitas and personality to attract many protest voters…
7. Diana Johnson MP and Ian Cawsey MP will lose their seats. Obviously both seats are vulnerable with low majorities and being targeted by the other parties – I don’t think either incumbent has done enough to hold on, including saying one thing and voting another – post office closures. The Lib Dems are throwing everything including the kitchen sink at Diana Johnson, and Ian Cawsey has a formidable campaigner in Hull City Councillor Andrew Percy against him – remember Percy has the highest majority of any Hull City Councillor – Not bad for a Tory in Hull - so pretty confident on this prediction.
8. David Davis MP will return to the cabinet and Graham Stuart MP will become a junior minister. When the going gets tough there is one man who the Conservatives need back at the centre of their team, the man who could strangle you with a cordless phone, a man who doesn’t read books – merely staring at them until he gets the information he needs, a man who can slam a revolving door, a man who doesn’t wear a watch because he decides what time it is, and the person the bogey man checks under his bed for… yes David Davis will be back!
   Graham Stuart – I’ve watched him closely since his election and I think he will go far, given a good and challenging job to do…. A tip for high office.
9. Hull City will stay in the Premier League. As a life long fan of the Mighty Ull and vice president of the club I have optimism like you wouldn’t believe on this issue…. I’m thinking we can average a point a game for the remainder of the season, plus an extra win to get us up to 41 points and 16th place.
10. Manchester United will not win the Premier League and England will lose in the semi-finals of the World Cup. Here it’s all about hope…. hoping I might be wrong… Not with the Man Utd thing… but certainly with England. If England wins the world cup I will be over the moon and very, very happy to be proven wrong.

Please have a listen to me being interviewed on Radio Humberside about the predictions at the following link: (starts at approx. 2hours 16mins in)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p005sbld/Andy_Comforts_Breakfast_Show_05_01_2010/

Environment Agency to bring agricultural composters under new regulations

The Environment Agency has at last brought forward plans to regulate the agricultural composting industry by bringing all operators under regulation. In my opinion this is very welcome, although the £1,590 charge for a licence and then £760 per year is causing some concerns within the industry, and particularly with the NFU.

The Environment Agency also wants to see composters attend a formal training course, which will also have a cost implication, although in fairness many other industries require operators to undergo training before being able to carry out work. This training may well cost in excess of £1,500.

The East Riding of Yorkshire is home to a significant number of composting operations, most of which cause very few problems and don’t come to the notice of residents, the Council, or the Environment Agency. I have a great deal of sympathy for those farmers, who have diversified into composting as a replacement for conventional fertilisers and operated in a responsible manner, and are now going to have to pay increased fees for regulation.

Unfortunately a small minority of composters operating under a licence exemption have not followed the rules and have caused serious odour problems for local residents and whole villages. The composting of animal by-products is a concern to me, especially if the raw materials are transported from far away, and not composted correctly or for sufficient time, resulting in the foulest smells imaginable.

It is clear that the past regime of self-policing has not worked for this small minority of composters, and it would appear that the new charges represent the industry being made to pay for the actions of the few.

Bringing all composting operations into the general permitting framework is a positive step and will be good for the industry as a whole, and certainly good for the public. It is always a question of balance between regulation and cost, and I would hope that the charges to be levied are based solely on the costs for regulation rather then yet another stealth tax.

Gilberdyke Parish Council Reduces Budget Precept Saving 30% For Local Residents

As a member of Gilberdyke Parish Council I am very much aware that Gilberdyke residents continue to feel the effects of the recession including higher levels of unemployment and having less money to spend.

Gilberdyke Parish Council has devised and agreed a budget precept for the year 2010/11 of £49,160 which equates to a real terms reduction of some 30% on the present year, without affecting the services it provides. The council has kept a very tight reign on this present years spending that has generated a slight under spend in a number of areas, which can be rolled over to next year.

The Councillors looked very carefully at each area of spending for next year, identified their priorities and looked for best value, which has resulted in the reduction in the budget. As the area pulls out of recession the precept may rise the following year to accommodate more capital spending.

The Parish Council have agreed to refurbish the bus shelter in the village as soon as possible, paid for with funds already allocated. (Picture of Gilberdyke pond taken by Paul Glizzard)

Sixpennywood Windfarm Appeal Decision - Another Kick In The Teeth For Local Democracy

The decision by the Government appointed planning inspector to overrule the East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Planning Committee by granting permission for the Sixpennywood Windfarm application near Howden is yet another kick in the teeth for local democracy. Clearly the inspector has played lip service to the Governments agenda and completely failed to take into account the Council’s good record of having already exceeded its 2021 renewable energy target by some 26%, he has not taken into account the local feeling, and he has completely failed to recognise the devastating effect a windfarm of such size and scale will have on the landscape.

In the past, as a member of the ERYC Planning Committee I have voted for and against windfarm applications depending on their size, scale and location. But for me this particular application was never about wind energy, it was never about a windfarm on this site – it was all about sheer size and scale of the proposal and the greed of Your Energy the company behind the application, maximising it’s profits by having the greatest number of the largest turbines on the site, with the nearest being 630m from a dwelling.

The company has acted in a very questionable manner from the very beginning, playing scant regard to community engagement, riding roughshod over local concerns, measuring the background noise in very dubious circumstances, and changing the size of the turbines between the Planning Committee making its decision and the case going to appeal. Your Energy comes out of this whole sordid affair with a planning consent worth millions but with it’s credibility seriously questioned.

Needless to say the residents of Kilpin, Laxton, Balkholme and Eastrington will be overlooked by 10 of the largest wind turbines constructed in the Britain, and with each turn of the gigantic blades raking taxpayers money into the coffers of an offshore company. I am aghast at the inspector when he says in his decision notice “Subject to suitable conditions I do not find that there would be unacceptable harm to the living conditions of nearby residents” I would find it very difficult to explain this to those residents whose lives are going to be changed.

This is an appeal that we could not afford to lose, I now fear for other areas and communities of the East Riding of Yorkshire that are likely to suffer the same fate, as the speculative windfarm developers move in with applications of a similar massive size and scale, at a distance of less than 650m from people’s houses. Local democracy is worth fighting for, local voices are important and should be heard, alas this is clearly not the Governments understanding, when they trample all over local democratically elected Councillors, the sooner this centralist government with its complete lack of understanding of rural issues is thrown out the better.

To listen to an interview I gave to BBC Radio Humberside's Peter Levy on this item please click: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p005drw5/The_Peter_Levy_Show_09_12_2009/ the interview starts at 11.40 in.