Yorkshire Water to 'drop-in' to Hedon

YORKSHIRE WATER are holding a series of presentations and question and answer sessions in Hedon today about the water company's efforts and investments to tackle the ongoing odour problem from its site at Saltend.

On its Hull and Saltend News website Yorkshire Water say:

"We're holding a public drop-in about our waste water treatment works at Saltend. Come along and talk to us about the works and our planned investment to reduce odours. The event will be split into five hour-long sessions, starting with an overview presentation on the hour, every hour, followed by a chance for you to speak to key staff."

Details: Yorkshire Water Public Drop-in - Wednesday 24 August, Hedon Town Hall, 3pm - 8pm.

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KC investment fund - Sirius to support new digital and technology businesses

KC INVEST is the name of a new investment fund of £300,000 established by KC to provide start-up and growth financing for businesses in the digital and technology sectors. This funding will be matched by European Regional Development Funds creating a potential investment pot of up to £600,000.

KC Invest aims to help stimulate the local economy and business growth in Hull and the East Riding. It will be administered by two enterprise agencies, one of which is the Hedon-based Sirius Business Advice Centre. Sirius will receive £150,000 from KC Invest to distribute as loan financing to business start-ups and businesses that are expanding in the East Riding.

People who apply for KC Invest funding through Sirius will also be able to access to mentoring and support to make sure their fledgling business has the best possible chance of long-term success. Feasibility grants will also be available to explore business ideas where more market research is needed before financing is agreed.

Alan Gordon-Freeman, Managing Director of Sirius, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for those involved in technology to develop and grow their own businesses. The funding can help to attract other forms of finance as well as bring other specialist support such as business management and marketing. KC should be applauded for this innovative community support; it will certainly go a long way in helping to create new businesses, new jobs, local wealth and more career choices in the future.”

KC is hosting a seminar on Friday 9th September at the Hallmark Hotel in North Ferriby where local businesses and business support agencies can find out more about how KC Invest is set up and how it operates. The seminar will be opened by Alan Johnson MP. To register to attend email invest@kcom.com or call 01482 602396.

People in the Holderness and East Riding who are interested in applying for KC Invest finance can contact Sirius at 01482 890146.

The contact enterprise agency for the Hull area is the Acorn Fund on 01482 324976.

Find out more about KC Invest at the KC in the Community website.

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Protect planning permission rights: Having a say when buildings change their use.

LIVING STREETS is organising a national campaign to protect the rights of communities to have a say on any planning applications that might turn our local shops and pubs into something new.

These rights were exercised in Hedon earlier this year when local people and the Town Council objected to proposals to turn an empty shop into a fast-food take away. See Hot food take away sparks controversy.

The Government's new Localism Bill strives to shift power from central government back into the hands of individuals, communities and town halls. Yet without immediate public support the services that you walk to in your neighbourhood may be at risk.

The Bill is reviewing the planning rules for when buildings change their use. Unbelievably - says Living Streets - a bank can be turned into a betting shop or pawnbroker without planning permission or community say so.

Living Streets, a campaigning charity, is asking people take a few moments to support their campaign and write to Eric Pickles, the Communities Secretary, to ensure that radical changes of use to local shops, pubs and services are not passed without planning permission or communities having a say.

Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive of Living Streets, said "The government says it wants the planning system to be firmly rooted in the local community. Empowering neighbourhood forums to have their say on permitted development would be a real step forward towards doing this"

Amendments to the Localism Bill are currently being considered that, if passed, would enable communities to decide locally whether or not to extend planning protection to valued local services, such as pubs, ensuring that planning permission is required for changing their use.

NOTE: Living Streets is a registered charity that is campaigns for the rights of pedestrians. They aim work to create safe, attractive and enjoyable streets, where people want to walk. They want to ensure that every community can enjoy vibrant streets and public spaces.

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Hedon and HU12 ONLINE e-newsletter published

THE LATEST EDITION OF OUR COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER is published today.
Hedon and HU12 ONLINE - Issue 3

See the newsletter archive:

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The Hedon Penny Throwing Ceremony 2011 - Slideshow

APPARENTLY there are over 6.5 billion pennies unaccounted for throughout the UK – that’s £65 million pounds worth! 40% of these are presumed to be lost on the street. However, you can guarantee that Hedon’s main street is clear of lost pennies due to the efforts of local children picking them up during the town’s traditional penny throwing yesterday (19th May 2011)!

The event is supposed to be steeped in history and is a parody of the days when Hedon was considered a ‘rotten borough’ with freemen being offered money to vote for a particular Mayoral candidate. Nowadays the event is designed to be just a fun occasion.

Pictured in the slideshow is new Hedon Town Mayor Councillor Ann Suggit and other dignitaries who share the civic traditional duty to throw the pennies to local children. And they really do throw them!

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Hedon Blog publishes its first Community Newsletter

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Local town councillors join Election 2011 fight

JOHN DENNIS, a Hedon Town Councillor and waste incinerator campaigner, has announced that he is to stand for election to the East Riding Council on May 5th as a Conservative candidate, along with fellow Town Councillor Mike Bryan.

John Dennis declared his intention to stand whilst responding to an article on HU12 about how councillors and local government might use 'hyperlocal' websites. The article had stated that "East Riding Councillors for the South West Holderness area currently have no relationship with their constituent hyperlocals".

In response to the article, in what might be seen as the opening shots of the local Election 2011 campaign, John Dennis said:

"Please note that after 10 years on Hedon Town Council, and 5 years as spokesperson for the successful HOTI (anti-incinerator) campaign I am now intending to stand for election to the County Council in May, as a Conservative candidate together with Mike Bryan.

I wish it to be known that I, personally, will use all methods available to me to maintain contact with the electorate, both before and (hopefully) after election. I think I can safely say that by using well established connections and exploiting all aspects of modern technology to get the message out to the press TV and radio, I was generally successful in publicising the activities of the HOTI and keeping the pressure on those in the corridors of power.

Maybe the lack of commitment in the past by incumbent members to the use of the the modern technology generally, is one of the reasons SW Holderness is regarded as an ideal place to site such monstrosities as Incinerators and Sewage Works."

The declaration by Mr Dennis of his and Mr Bryan's intent to stand on May 5th, follows the early declaration last week that 18 year Adam Lonsdale will be standing as an Independent.

The election campaign war has certainly started early this year, but this campaign will also be very different in the fact that it will be fought under the glare of the internet with massive opportunities for online discussion and interaction. Policies, promises and candidates will be scrutinised under the virtual microscopes of the electorate.

The official start of nominations for Election 2011 is Friday 25th March.

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"Join the Revolution!" calls the Co-op - but can we?

THE CO-OPERATIVE LAUNCHES what it claims is its "most radical corporate ethical plan" ever and is encouraging customers to join its Revolution. With three Co-op outlets in Hedon, two food stores and a travel agency, then this Revolution could be right on our doorstep - but will local people benefit or be able to take part?

The Co-op has announced its new radical Ethical Operating Plan (2011-2013) which aims to build a more stable economy while boosting its membership scheme from 6 million to 20 million by 2020. Amongst the pledges from the plan, are the overarching global aims:

• the deployment of £1billion of green energy finance by 2013
• the most radical Fairtrade conversion programme ever undertaken
• to reduce the Co-op's own operational carbon emissions by 35% by 2017
• to introduce the world’s first ethically screened general insurance products
• to support an Apprenticeship Academy, a Green Schools programme and the creation of 200 Co-operative Schools by 2013

In communities, Co-op stores and branches already support local initiatives including charity fundraising, nominating projects for funding from The Co-operative Membership Community Fund, employee volunteering, store donations, and supporting membership events. The Revolution further pledges to ensure that 10% of the profits available for distribution are made available for community investment by 2013, with £5m deployed per annum to tackle UK poverty around its stores and branches. 10,000 community initiatives will be supported every year.

As well as its influence as a business the Co-op points to its membership as a force for influencing change in the world in fighting for trade justice, labour standards, human rights, and animal welfare. The Revolution pledges to engage with half a million members every year to campaign for a more sustaianable world "From lobbies and marches on Parliament to petitions and films, our campaigning supports our members and partners to become citizens of a truly bigger and better society" states the Co-op.

"I'll join your Revolution - but just can't afford your eggs!"

So Hedon and its surrounding villages might be considered to be on the front line of the Co-operative Revolution - but what will that mean locally? To be ethically engaged requires people to understand about the big issues in society and develop a passion for social justice. All this is noble and achievable - hundreds understand and share these ideals in the HU12 area - it is a ripe recruiting ground for Co-op Membership. But in order to change our purchasing power to buy more ethical goods also requires people to have the money in their pockets to make the choice.

One issue sums up the dilemma facing people in this time of austerity - Eggs! Eggs from battery hens cost 0.39p for half a dozen from the local grocers. This is not just a few pence cheaper, but considerably cheaper. "I'll join your Revolution - but just can't afford your eggs!"

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Walking the Way to Health - Leader Course

PEOPLE IN THE EAST RIDING who are interested in walking are being invited to become volunteer walk leaders with the Walking the Way to Health scheme, run by East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

View on Hedon to Paull walk via Saltend

The scheme is a free programme of short walks led by trained walk leaders who ensure the walk route is risk assessed and safe for all participants.

There are currently 14 sites involved in the East Riding, including last year a walk from St Andrew Church in Paull.

Forty five walks take place each month, ranging from 30 minutes to two hours and are a fun and informal way of keeping fit and healthy.

The walk leader course takes place in Cottingham on Thursday, 24 March.

If you would like further information about the course or would like to book a place on the course and become a walk leader, then please call Stuart Claridge, community development coordinator, on (01482) 392534 or email stuart.claridge@eastriding.gov.uk

Also of interest to walkers: Walking the East Riding.

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Rightmove Places - Househunters can share and discover the HU12 area!

Rightmove.co.uk is one of the most well known property websites and is free to use. Although not an estate agent Rightmove has created one of the most comprehensive property information databases in the country.

Rightmove is currently testing a version of its new web service Rightmoveplaces at www.rightmoveplaces.co.uk which will allow house-hunters to find out more about the place in which their property - or proposed property - is located. The new website acts like a cross between a review website and a social network. Users can post information and photos about a place, and write about their opinions of services in an area i.e. character and personality, neighbourliness, restaurants and eating, etc.

There are Rightmove Places pages already set up for Hedon, Preston, Paull and Saltend. It is currently available only in Beta which means it is being tested and subject to change until a version based on user experience is determined. However, it already seems a very useful service.

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St Augustine's Snow Framed

St Augustine's - Snow Framed

THE KING OF HOLDERNESS framed by the Snow Queen (or the affects and effects of winter!) is an apt description of this image of St Augustine's Church snapped today from Draper's Lane green.

Also, the following slide show is a set of images taken by Jim Uney and Ray Duffill of "Hedon in the Big Freeze":

These are surely entries into the Capturing the East Riding photography competition!? 

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Level of Burglaries fall in latest police crime statistics

THE LATEST STATISTICS from Humberside Police reveal that the average number of burglaries in the South West Holderness Area has decreased by 44.4%.

The number of reported burglaries decreased from an average of 12 in August - October 2009, to 6.7 in the same three month period this year. The level of burglary in this area is classed as "Below Average" compared with the rest of the Humberside Police area of operations.

October saw the most dramatic decrease in burglary. There were 11 reported incidents in October 2009, but only 3 in the same month 2010.

Check out the latest statistics yourself at the Humberside Police website at South West Holderness Ward crime levels and statistics.

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Hedon Town Councillor: East Riding Standards Committee complaint

HEDON TOWN COUNCILLOR John Dennis has recently been investigated by the East Riding Council following a complaint made against him. The complaint was initiated by Councillor Dennis himself! 

The East Riding Council investigation examined the councillor's conduct, following his own concerns that he had "failed to declare a personal and prejudicial interest" before casting his vote at a Hedon Town Council Finance and General Purposes Committee held in April 2009.

Following the meeting, and having realised his mistake, Councillor Dennis notified his concerns to the East Riding Council's Standards Committee. This is the council body responsible for guiding councillors on achieving the very highest standards of conduct possible. Due process was followed, and the Standards Committee met to discuss the case last week. Yes! - that's 18 months later!

The hearing found that Councillor Dennis did not act in a way that would prejudice his judgement of the public interest, and that no sanction would be imposed. However, it was recommended that the Monitoring Officer writes to him to provide him with further information about personal and prejudicial interests.

Whilst this matter may seem quite trivial, even comical - complaining about yourself! - it does raise important issues for our local democracy. A look at any council minutes, whether locally or from the East Riding, will confirm that our public representatives are continuously reminded to declare any interests that might impact on their decision-making or council duties.

Councillors must act in the public interest - and not their own interests. And they must be seen to be doing so! Essential procedures and structures (i.e. the Standards Committee) exist to ensure that this is the case. However, the fact that this case took several months to be heard, and the complainant was also the one complained against, does suggest that the system does not seem to work as intended!

In this matter, Councillor Dennis appears to have acted honourably by referring himself to the Standards Committee because of his own concerns. It is a good sign that our town councillors not only hold others to account for their actions - but also hold themselves accountable! However, perhaps the standards system itself needs to be looked at again?

NOTE: The Government has announced that the existing standards system will be axed in the New Year and replaced by new measures to ensure that councillors do not misuse their positions of trust.

Additional information. See: Hedon Town Council - Minutes

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Pharmaceutical Needs Analysis

THE EAST RIDING LINk (Local Involvement Network) has circulated information from the NHS East Riding of Yorkshire that maps the current pharmaceutical services available in the area. This Pharmaceutical Needs Analysis (PNA) is done in order to identify any areas that do not have easy access to a pharmacy or perhaps have local needs or issues.

The key facts for this area - the South West Holderness Ward - show that three pharmacies serve the area (two in Hedon and one in Thorngumbald).

One pharmacy in Hedon (East Riding Pharmacy) gives essential extended hours access to pharmaceutical services in the early mornings, evenings and at weekends. These are listed in the PNA as 'Open from 6.30am to 10.30pm on Monday to Friday 6.30am to 10pm on Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday'.

The PNA states that the NHS East Riding of Yorkshire does not consider that there are any gaps in the provision of pharmaceutical services in the Ward that either need to be filled to meet an immediate gap or need to be commissioned in specified future circumstances.

There are two GP Surgeries, Hedon Group Practice (includes surgery in Keyingham) and Church View Surgery. Extended hours are offered by both GP practices.

The nearest Minor Injuries Units are found in Withernsea, Hull and Beverley.

A smoking cessation clinic is held on Wednesdays in Hedon (Church View Surgery) from 4pm to 6pm. However, there is considered to be a gap in smoking cessation service provision in the area and the commissioning of further services will be considered.

NHS East Riding of Yorkshire also considers that there is a gap in service offering supervised buprenorphine consumption to those in need of this (Buprenorphine is a medicine which is used in the treatment of patients dependent on opioids e.g. heroin) and will commission this low demand service on an individual patient basis.

Potential new services that have been identified are 'NHS Health Checks' which includes support for obesity, for example weight management services and diagnostic screening for vascular disease, and also a need for more residential medication support services.

The NHS East Riding of Yorkshire wants to hear your views on the PNA by Friday 1^st October 2010. You can find all the information you need at their website.

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New Hedon (including parts of Hull) and Withernsea Parliamentary constituency?

"HEDON AND WITHERNSEA" might be the name of a new parliamentary constituency that would embrace areas as diverse as Bransholme East in North Hull, Ings, Longhill, Marfleet, Southcoates in East Hull and Holderness. The new constituency would be formed if proposals from the Electoral Reform Society (ERS) are adopted by the Government.

Plans to reduce the number of parliamentary constituencies by 50 and to equalise the size of constituencies are already being discussed by the House of Commons. The ERS have attempted to demonstrate how this can be done fairly using a state-of-the-art mapping technology. The new political map they have drawn up will create 598 new constituencies. Each new parliamentary area will be based on the number of voting age people within it and gives an average size constituency of 85,300. The average Ward will contain 5,400 people.

The solution put forward by the ERS is based on the number of people over the age of 18 in 2015, rather than the number of people registered to vote.  They consider this to be a fairer approach due to fluctuations in the size of the registered electorate in different areas. The new Hedon and Withernsea constituency would have 89,240 people over the age of 18 in 2015.

The new Hedon and Withernsea constituency, under the ERS proposals, would be formed from the following wards:

• Bransholme East, Kingston upon Hull North
• Ings, Kingston upon Hull East
• Longhill, Kingston upon Hull East
• Marfleet, Kingston upon Hull East
• Mid Holderness, Beverley and Holderness
• South East Holderness, Beverley and Holderness
• South West Holderness, Beverley and Holderness
• Southcoates East, Kingston upon Hull East
• Southcoates West, Kingston upon Hull East

The details of the proposals will be debated in the coming weeks. However, local politicians will be weighing up the ramifications of potential voting patterns that might result from the very different mix of Hull and Holderness based wards.

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Freedom Festival bus service criticism

EYMS Ltd has come under criticism for its decision not to schedule extra bus services on the 75/76/77 routes on the day of the Freedom Festival and the Hull KR/Hull FC rugby derby on Saturday 11th September 2010.

Buses into Hull City Centre from Hedon and Withernsea on the afternoon of the festival were already experiencing massive demand. Buses caught in Hedon were already full of festival revellers and other travellers. Buses were full and, at least on one occasion, suspected of being overloaded with people sitting right up the stairway while those standing were squashed up right to the back of the lower saloon.

This early evidence should surely have alerted EYMS that the crowds heading into Hull from Holderness were unusual and that additional services were needed to successfully manage the extra demand?

Journeys home also experienced difficult conditions. This will have been exacerbated by the fact that EYMS does not run a 10:15pm service 75, leaving travellers with the choice of catching the earlier 9:15pm bus or waiting for the last one at 11pm. Mrs Karen Russell commented on the Hedon Blog:

"I think the decision not to put on any extra buses for Hedon – Withernsea was abysmal and resulted in us having to leave early to be sure of getting a bus home which when it arrived was clearly fuller than it should have been with people sat all the way up the stairs. I am sure a lot of people would have been stranded thinking they could get the last bus home, particularly teenagers. Needs to be better thought out next year."

The situation in the Hull bus station at 10:45pm at the 75 bus bay was already quite tense, and made worse, as more people arrived after seeing the Freedom Festival fireworks finale. There was obviously more people than a single bus could transport.

Staff from EYMS were present but there was no announcement that any extra buses were to be provided. People in the disorderly 'queue' were getting agitated. Some left to get taxis, other younger people began to push their way towards the centre and front of the queue. The police were in attendance and pulled at least one young person from the crowd.

One 75 bus arrived and pulled into the adjacent bay - not the scheduled bay - and there was a surge of people towards the new bay. At this point the bus pulled back away without taking on any passengers. This just added to the general confusion of the situation.

Another bus arrived just after 11pm and an announcement was made that an extra bus would be arriving and everybody would get home. The first bus pulled away and a second arrived just after 11:10pm.

Unfortunately, this experience in Hull bus station will have spoilt what was overwise a very enjoyable Freedom Festival. It could also have been easily avoided by a much earlier announcement that EYMS would provide additional services during the day and particularly during the evening.

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Holderness floodworks update

CONSTRUCTION OF FLOOD DEFENCES, which started in July 2009, to reduce risk to 450 properties in Burstwick and Hedon has been completed by the Environment Agency. The new banks and strengthened existing defences are now watertight as work continues to complete the cosmetic aspects of the £3 million scheme.

“Work in Hedon has been particularly complex because of the number of properties along the banks of Burstwick Drain,” said Environment Agency project manager Jamie Wolstencroft.

“Now the scheme is watertight the new and improved defences greatly reduce the risk of flooding to hundreds of properties in Burstwick and Hedon.”

According to the Environment Agency the flood defences will reduce the chance of flooding from Burstwick Drain to 0.5 per cent in any one year - the risk was previously about 10 per cent.

In Hedon, low spots in existing banks alongside Burstwick Drain have been raised, or sections of flood walls built, to provide a consistent level of protection to more than 350 properties.

In Burstwick, two new 1.5-metre high embankments have been built, reducing the risk of flooding to more than 100 in Burstwick, mainly in Skeckling Close.

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Medley of Mayors on YouTube

YORKSHIRE DAY in Hedon. The Medley of Mayors, Maces and Mayoral Consorts Parade:

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Major Emergency Advice from Saltend Chemicals Park

RESIDENTS IN Hedon, Paull and Preston will have recently received a 16-page booklet from the chemical companies based at Saltend.

In a stark reminder of some of the unique risks of living so close to Saltend, the MAJOR EMERGENCY ADVICE booklet explains the actions that local people should take in the event of a major incident taking place involving dangerous substances.

In short the advice from all the companies is that in the event of hearing the emergency sirens from any one of the five companies listed, at any time other than the nominated weekly test times, then residents should consider it:

...to be prudent to go indoors and listen to local radio stations for information updates"

Residents should:

GO IN doors. Do not collect your children from school, they will be properly cared for;

STAY IN and switch off ventilation fans, air conditioning units and all sources of ignition including gas and electrical heating appliances. Block incoming draughts and close windows. Do not light matches or naked flames. Do not smoke. Stay calm and rest;

TUNE IN to a local radio station; BBC Radio Humberside on 95.9 FM or 1485 AM, KCFM on 99.8 FM, Viking FM on 96.9 FM, MAGIC 1161 AM or GALAXY on 105.8 AM and follow the instructions given. Do not use the phone to contact the companies, keep their lines free for emergency use;

ALL CLEAR. Wait inside until the all clear is given or you are given other advice. Messages giving the all clear will be issued by the Emergency Services, Company Representatives or local radio.

So - Do you feel re-assured by this booklet? Can you hear the test alarms? Would you know what to do if an alarm sounded now?

The companies featured in the booklet are:

• Air Products
• BP
• INEOS
• NIPPON GOHSEI
• Vivergo Fuels

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Alison Hall opens on Monday 24th May 2010

THE EAGERLY AWAITED opening of the new fine-dining venue Alison Hall takes place on Monday 24th May 2010.

A Daytime Menu is available which includes light-bites from £3.95 to main meals from £6.95. 

The Evening Menu includes dishes such as pork tender loin or locally sourced steaks for meat-lovers and wild mushroom stroganoff or grilled halloumi for vegetarians. Special seafood dishes are also available. Prices range from £3.95 for home-made soup to £27.95 for a 16oz steak.

A website for the restaurant will soon be available. 

Those wanting to book should call 01482 - 896669 between 12 noon and 6:00pm.

Open: Mon - Sat 12noon - 11:30pm
Food served: Mon - Thurs 12noon - 9:00pm
Fri - Sun 12noon - 4:00pm and 5:00 - 10:00pm

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