Free travel for the over 60s on local buses is supposed to be available from tomorrow (1st April - all fools day) according to a much trumpeted new scheme. But it appears that many people will not receive this right away because the agents to whom this has been contracted out have not sent them all out yet. Not suprisingly people in this position are not happy.

Update 1st April 2008. It is being claimed that nationally 93% of the new cards have been issued

Update 2nd April. Its now being claimed that 99% of the cards have been despatched locally in North East Derbyshire District Council area. How many ahve been received maybe different - depends presumably on the efficiency of the postal service.  Why  can we not seem to get things done in a timely fashion in the UK?

The planning applications below for Dronfield were received at NEDDC in the last 2 weeks. You can follow whats happening online -see the “side panel” and Planning Applications Online where an up to date list is always available from NEDDC including the current status of applications

Construction of a dry store building and skip pen at William Lee Ltd Callywhite Lane Dronfield for William Lee Ltd

Raising of roof height and construction of a rear facing dormer window to create rooms at 2nd floor level at 42 Smithy Croft Dronfield Woodhouse Dronfield for Mr And Mrs Pearson

Construction of a two-storey rear extension (Revised Scheme of 07/01022/FL) at 13 Hayfield Close Dronfield Woodhouse Dronfield for Mrs S Walton

I took part in an interview at Radio Sheffield yesterday as part of a discussion on late night problems in Dronfield along with a police inspector. The whole slot for this only lasted about 5 minutes and hence was not very useful as a debate on this. However it is clear that the police are not able (or willing) to put in sufficent resources late at night (between 12 and 2.30am) to help sort out the nuisance which arise at this time and cause local residents distress. They concentrated very much on the issue “recorded crime has fallen” and sidestep the issue of nuisance (the “prevention of nuisance” is a requirement put upon enforcement agencies as part of the 2003 Lcensing Act).  In  a recent statement commenting on the 2008/09 Police Budget, Derbyshire Chief Constable said “I will inevitably have to reduce the visible officer numbers in some of our neighbourhoods and on our reactive patrols” So not much hope there.

 The planning applications below for Dronfield were received at NEDDC in the last week. You can follow whats happening online -see the “side panel” and Planning Applications Online where an up to date list is always available from NEDDC including the current status of applications

Listed Building Consent for two new rooflights and 2 new windows (Listed Building) at 16 Eckington Road, Coal Aston Dronfield for Ian Parry

Construction of a detached double garage (Conservation Area) at 3 Chapel Yard Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr M Godwin

Retention of smoking shelter at The Yew Tree 234 Holmley Lane Coal Aston for Mr A Jarvis 

Creation of adjoining vehicular accesses at 48 Carr LaneDronfield Woodhouse Dronfield for Victor Garton 

Installation of two internally illuminated fascia signs at Somerfield Supermarket 22 Dronfield Civic Centre Dronfield for Mr Ken Trimmer

Construction of a conservatory to rear (revised scheme of 08/00033/FL) at26 Westfield Road Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr And Mrs Rhode

Construction of first floor extension at 95 Snape Hill Lane Dronfield Derbyshire for Dunning Dental Care

Construction of a conservatory to rear at 17A Moorgate Crescent Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr A Jewitt

The planning applications below for Dronfield were received at NEDDC in the last week. You can follow whats happening online -see the “side panel” and Planning Applications Online where an up to date list is always available from NEDDC including the current status of applications

Construction of extensions to front and rear and increase in ridge height to provide first floor accommodation including a rear-facing Juliet balcony at 7 Hallowes Rise Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr L And Mrs E Morris

Construction of a conservatory to rear at 7 Park Avenue Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr And Mrs Elston

Change of use of the land for the operation of a mobile catering trailer at Sheaf Motors Callywhite Lane Dronfield for Mrs J Fox And Mrs D Cutts And Mrs S Robinson

Construction of a pitched roof over existing rear extension at 74 Netherdene Road Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr And Mrs J Friend 

Construction of a conservatory to rear at 32 Carr Lane Dronfield Woodhouse Dronfield for Barry Donohoe

Construction of a two storey side extension and a front porch at 5 Romney Drive Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr N Ward 

Extension to existing industrial unit to form 2 new storage bays at Alps UK Limited Stubley Hollow Dronfield for Alps UK Limited 

Construction of a single storey extension to the rear at 103 Stubley Lane Dronfield Woodhouse Dronfield for Mr A Eales 

Retention of conservatory to rear at 8 Hilltop Way Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr And Mrs Nankivell

Construction of a single storey side and rear extension at 17 Netherfields Crescent Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr And Mrs E Newton

Its good to see that the old Gosforth School site playing fields are being preserved as playing fields and recreation as a result of the formation of the Gosforth Field Sports Association of which I am a Trustee. This is especially so when we see that 314 small playing fields were sold in 2005/6 despite the Government’s pledge to end the practice, official figures revealed today. A further 40 applications were accepted on sites which Sport England believed constituted a ‘threat’ to local sports facilities, with up to 90 additional applications still to be considered. The written statement also revealed that there were 50 fewer new sites created between 2003 and 2006 than the Government previously claimed.

This Government claimed it would put an end to the ‘great playing field sell-off’ we saw under the Tories, but these figures paint a very different picture. At a time when we should be encouraging the next generation of athletes, this Government seems happy to squander any possible sporting legacy the London Olympics could offer.

Derbyshire County Council gives all County Councillors (including me) £4000 each year to award as grants to help local organisations as part of its “community leadership” scheme. These grants are generally intended as one offs to help organisations which I wish to support. For example in the recent past I have been approached by the local Girl Quides and by the Dronfield Dolphins swimming club and am arranging for them to receive a grant

Dont hesitate to contact me if you are a member of an organisation in Dronfield and have a project which you would like me to consider supporting.

Chancellor Alistair Darling should cut national income tax, paid for by rises in green taxes, when he delivers his Budget on 12^th March, say North East Derbyshire Liberal Democrats. Izzy Pryce said, “The people of Dronfield and North East Derbyshire have been squeezed by higher prices for energy and rising council tax over the past year. 

“And since the last Budget, the country has suffered again from extreme weather conditions, where climate change is likely to have been a causal factor.

 “The Budget is an ideal opportunity for the Government, at last, to tackle the environmental damage that is contributing to the freak weather conditions we are seeing happen only too often. It is also an opportunity for Alistair Darling to cut the burden of tax on low and middle income households. “The Liberal Democrats therefore want to see a cut in national income tax to 16p in the pound. This should be paid for by increasing the taxes on activities that pollute most, such as running the most polluting vehicles or flying. “Council tax is an unfair tax. It is far more of a burden for low and middle income households. Liberal Democrats want the Chancellor to use the Budget to scrap council tax and replace it with a fair, local income tax, based on ability to pay. “I strongly believe that the Liberal Democrats’ plan of shifting more of the tax burden from people’s income and onto pollution.  “In Britain, the poorest fifth of households pay a bigger share of their income in tax than the richest fifth. The wealth divide between rich and poor has actually risen since Labour came to power.  “The Budget is an ideal opportunity for Labour to put right the problems they have allowed to grow since they first came to office in 1997.” 

My next councillors surgery along with LIBDEM colleaques is at Gorsey Brigg Primary School from 7.pm to 8pm on Thursday 13th March. No appointment necessary

Last year the County Council consulted on proposals to reorganise the Infant and Junior Schools in the northen half of Dronfield. Their preferred option seemed to be to close all the current 4 schools and build a single large school on the Gladys Buxton site. Having consulted on this they seem to have changed their mind and now have a much less  radical plan. 

The authority is now proposing to moveStonelow Junior School to a new building on the on the Gladys Buxton Centre site and close Northfield Junior School. Lenthall Infant School would continue to offer provision for pupils aged three to seven years and Holmsdale Infant School would continue to educate children aged five to seven years. However they also say that the new Stonelow school would be built in such a way that it could be extended into a Primary School at a later date

This is Fairtrade Fortnight and I am very pleased to be able to support  as Dronfield mayor and as a  councillor the efforts of the local steering group in their campaign to make Dronfield a Fairtrade Town. There is an event to promote this on Saturday 8th March, 10am to 12.30am at Dronfield Civic Hall -open to everyone with displays, information, refreshments, prize quizz. 

The planning applications below for Dronfield were received at NEDDC in the last week. You can follow whats happening online -see the “side panel” and Planning Applications Online where an up to date list is always available from NEDDC including the current status of applications

Demolition of existing two storey building and construction of 2 no. one bedroom dwelllings (Conservation Area) at Building Adjacent Poppins Callywhite Lane Dronfield for Mr K Perkins

Conservation Area Consent for the demolition of existing two storey building (Conservation Area) at Building Adjacent Poppins Callywhite Lane Dronfield for Mr K Perkins

Construction of storage unit and office extension at Dronfield Storage Centre Rosemarie House Wreakes Lane for Mr Roger Dillon

Demolition of existing dwelling and construction of 4 detached houses and associated access and parking area (outline application - access not reserved for subsequent approval) at 66 Hilltop Road Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr And Mrs I Mawbey

Construction of a two storey side extension and a front porch at 14 Romney Drive Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr And Mrs R Scotford

Raising of roof height to create rooms in roof space with three rear facing dormer windows and construction of a conservatory to rear with raised decking at 6 Aston Close Dronfield Derbyshire for Mr And Mrs Oades

Construction of two storey front and rear extensions at 149 Holmley Lane Coal Aston Dronfield for Mr G Bluff

On the 29/02/08 I reported on problems for pedestrians crossing at the bottom of Church Street. Another area looked at on site, at my meeting with Derbyshire County Council Road Safety officers, was around Sainsbury’s Store/Civic Centre Dronfield/Library. The traffic has increased massively since Sainsburys opened and many people need to cross the roads in this area - we watched as many people did so - there was no obvious best place chosen by people to cross. The County Council is now going to monitor where the best place maybe and consider putting in a pedestrian crossing. They will then consult on this but any comments you may have as local residents would be welcome -click on “comments” at the beginning of this piece.