issue 44
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CradleyEnquirer.com editor@cradleyenquirer.com<br />
Online News & Topics for Cradley, Storridge & Mathon<br />
asking the questions you want asked and seeking the answers you deserve<br />
<strong>issue</strong> <strong>44</strong><br />
29th December 2018<br />
Page 2<br />
Page 3<br />
Page 4<br />
Page 5<br />
in this <strong>issue</strong><br />
Happy New Year<br />
Chairs Resignation<br />
Election of Chair<br />
Secrecy<br />
From The Editor<br />
Once again we have to<br />
work production around<br />
our volunteers family<br />
need especially over this<br />
extended holiday period<br />
Page 6<br />
Page 7<br />
Page 8<br />
Page 9<br />
Page 10<br />
Page 12<br />
Page11<br />
Page 13&14<br />
Page12<br />
Page 13<br />
Page 15<br />
Page 16<br />
Page 17<br />
Page 18<br />
Page 19-20<br />
Soup and Plough<br />
CMS Impartial?<br />
Festival of Trees<br />
Fish & Chips<br />
Mirrorbrook<br />
OneAchord<br />
Winter Wassail<br />
Grumpy George<br />
Our Ethos<br />
Local Businesses<br />
Life’s like that…….<br />
Cradley Village Hall<br />
Useful Information<br />
So a shortened<br />
but hopefully<br />
interesting<br />
edition to carry<br />
you over into<br />
2019<br />
Simon<br />
For your opinions, articles and<br />
observations Just email us<br />
editor@cradleyenquirer.com or click<br />
on the contact button in the web site<br />
menu. We don’t require your name,<br />
address, or passport to put your<br />
opinions forward and we will not<br />
require you have your name<br />
broadcast with your opinion or<br />
question<br />
This is OUR community.
Simon
What is the truth behind the last Chair of the PC’s<br />
Resignation?<br />
On 14th November 2018 Geoff Fielding, the then Chair of the Parish Council<br />
wrote to the Clerk to tender his resignation with effect from 30th November.<br />
His reasons given, therein give courtesy to the PC rather than paying homage<br />
to the reasoning that led to his resigning from his position as chair and as a<br />
long serving councillor. There he was happy to let the matter lie.<br />
The Cradley, Mathon and Storridge newsletter editorial staff decided to print<br />
in their January edition (compiled a short time after 12th December) the<br />
findings of the Monitoring Officer at Hereford. The Monitoring Officer is<br />
tasked with investigating complaints made against councillors (at all levels<br />
including Parish level) taking evidence and ruling on the matter and<br />
suggesting requirements to be followed as a result of any findings.<br />
The fact that this item found its way onto the CMS newsletter pages is a<br />
complete mystery as the CMS has steadfastly refused to print any items that<br />
it has seen as the least controversial or drawing responses ( which again they<br />
have refused to print), but more of the CMS policies later on.<br />
By printing the findings of the MO Mr Fielding feels aggrieved that his<br />
position has not been fully taken into account and the publication is a<br />
continuation of the orchestrated campaign that he has had to endure during<br />
his tenure as chair. Not included in his resignation but requiring to be now<br />
made public we, at the Enquirer are prepared to present in the support of<br />
balance, the facts of the matter for the community to decide where real<br />
blame lies.<br />
Mr Miles Meager( A former councillor enrolled in Jan 2018 resigned and the<br />
PC were informed at the 14th August PC meeting) made a formal complaint<br />
to the monitoring officer on 8th June which was not resolved until 14th<br />
November.<br />
If you click the link to the Enquirer site you can access the actual complaint<br />
placed against Mr Fielding( dated 22 march) and Mr Fielding’s response to<br />
the allegations made to the MO by Mr Meager. Read it through and see that<br />
other than the politically correct reaction to the word BULLYING there is no<br />
basis for the complaint. Mr Fielding acted at all times in the best interests of<br />
the council he served. Mr Fielding addressed every complaint raised by Mr<br />
Meager.<br />
Click to read and download the documents
What is displayed therein is not the driving force for Mr Fielding’s resignation<br />
as it transpired that there were also two other complaints made against him<br />
whilst this one was being considered. These will be illuminated in next<br />
week’s <strong>issue</strong> and it will be seen that there was collusion and conspiring<br />
taking place. Don’t miss <strong>issue</strong> 45<br />
Parish Council<br />
Is it healthy or indeed<br />
good practice<br />
for the PC to operate<br />
without an elected Chair?<br />
Since the resignation of the Chair the Vice Chair has fulfilled his duty of<br />
deputising for his absence. There are those who feel that he should<br />
continue up until the May election rather than elect a new chair.<br />
Is this healthy? Is the question that must be asked. The Chair must have<br />
involvement in a close relationship with the Clerk on day to day matters<br />
relating to the council and its business. This information and consultation<br />
must also be made privy to the vice chair so he can “step in” if required in<br />
full knowledge of what is going on. A very important part of such a<br />
relationship is that it also provides an insurance against either the clerk,<br />
chair or vice chair making unaccountable or unilateral decisions outside of<br />
their positions and without the knowledge of the council members. Whilst<br />
there is no elected chair then this insurance is no longer in place.<br />
This cannot be allowed. From past history of happenings in our Parish<br />
Council they must elect a chair at the next meeting even if it is for only 4<br />
months running up to the election. The new council in May will elect their<br />
own chair.<br />
THERE MUST BE IN PLACE CHECKS AND BALANCES ON THE ACTIONS OF<br />
CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND CLERK.
When will the cloak of secrecy be<br />
lifted from PC business?<br />
One of the most basic of requirements of the parish<br />
council is communication with the community.<br />
We are sad to say that our PC appears to be failing<br />
outstandingly in this respect as little is being done to<br />
meet this most basic of requirements.<br />
Parish Council<br />
• Minutes do not convey much detail of what actually w a s<br />
discussed or debated at council meetings and appears to only convey<br />
decisions.<br />
• Minutes of working groups are well behind what would be a reasonable<br />
time for publication or non existent.<br />
• The PC Reporter has not appeared for some considerable time and will<br />
apparently be decided at the January meeting.<br />
• No monthly list is made public of communications received by the PC<br />
so that members of the community can track those communications<br />
and the PC’s response or action.<br />
• The web site is woefully lacking in information with such important<br />
documents missing as the NDP documentation.<br />
• It appears that people who signed up to be kept informed of<br />
developments via the site are receiving no information whatsoever.<br />
• Councillors appear to be rather reluctant to let the community know<br />
what they look like.<br />
• No link has been made from the PC website to members declarations<br />
of interests on the Hereford Council website-why not?<br />
Those who promoted and argued for this HALC promoted website over the<br />
previous one seem to have been sadly short changed and overcharged<br />
along with increasing the Clerks workload and increasing the cost to the<br />
community.<br />
A website is only fit for purpose if it is up to date and maintained properly<br />
otherwise it fails the community.
SOUP & PLOUGHMAN’S<br />
SUPPER<br />
Saturday 26th January<br />
7:30pm<br />
Cradley Village Hall<br />
With guest speaker<br />
Jane Fanshawe on<br />
David Fanshawe, composer and<br />
ethnomusicologist<br />
tickets<br />
£10<br />
(in aid of Cradley Church)<br />
Telephone: Ian Bailey on 01886 884682
No apology yet received<br />
from our Discovery driver<br />
Impartial and unbiased?<br />
The question arises regarding the actions of the editorial staff at the<br />
Cradley, Mathon and Storridge newsletter.<br />
For some time now they have refused to print any submissions made<br />
by people in response to dubious articles they have printed. They have<br />
thereby censured free speech by not allowing a “right of reply” to<br />
anyone who has a grievance over what they have printed.<br />
The prime example is of course the printing of Bruce Herriot’s<br />
statement made at the Annual Parish Meeting( which was a repeat of<br />
his personal and acusational statement at an earlier PC meeting}<br />
CMS were informed by those defamed by this statement and the<br />
allegations made therein but refused to allow those indicted by these<br />
statements the right of similar exposure.<br />
They have now repeated the same thing by printing a full page<br />
reproduction of the findings of the Monitoring Officer regarding the<br />
then Chair Geoff Fielding. We sincerely hope that they allow Mr<br />
Fielding his “right of reply” but on past history we won’t hold our<br />
breath.<br />
Perhaps if the CMS had bothered to adhere to the ethos of journalism<br />
rather than that of fear of pc lawyers they might have discovered that<br />
the item they glibly copied onto their pages should never have been<br />
placed in the public domain by Hereford Council. Check the dates and<br />
conditions of the original complaint CMS and you will see where your<br />
error was.<br />
We look forward to CMS returning to being a true community<br />
magazine of value rather than a pc advertising vehicle.
FESTIVAL OF CHRISTMAS TREES<br />
IN<br />
CRADLEY CHURCH<br />
FROM SUNDAY DECEMBER 16th<br />
UNTIL<br />
JANUARY 6th<br />
NOW<br />
ON!<br />
Church open daily<br />
from 8:00am until 4:00pm<br />
Bringing<br />
Come along and<br />
Community see the display of<br />
Christmas Trees<br />
together<br />
decorated by local groups
Butlers Mobile Fish and Chips (and lots more!)<br />
In Cradley on Mondays 5pm-8pm outside the Cradley Butchers and Stores.<br />
Take a break from cooking and enjoy a traditional fish and chip supper for all the family<br />
WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING INTO EXTENDING OUR PRESENCE IN<br />
CRADLEY TO COVER THE OTHER SIDE OF THE VILLAGE AS WELL<br />
PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THIS IS DESIRABLE TO YOU<br />
EMAIL US:<br />
http://www.butlersfishandchips.co.uk
STONEY CROSS JUNCTION A4103<br />
No this isn’t another crash at this “improved<br />
and safer” junction.<br />
Over the last few weeks there have been<br />
several crashes at this junction despite<br />
many thousands of pounds being spent in<br />
making it safer.<br />
Fair play to those on the PC and at Hereford<br />
for their efforts in bringing it about….<br />
Now we are faced by complete madness<br />
brought about by the person determined to<br />
develop the land adjoining the junction.<br />
He has, against opposition, gained planning<br />
permission for five houses. He now has an<br />
application for a further 11 dwellings (as is<br />
his right to apply for). Unfortunately his<br />
architects have taken no account of the<br />
road junction and its history in their plans to allow an access directly from the<br />
site onto the A4103 onto this dangerous junction. Taking into account the fact<br />
that he blatantly intends to develop the remainder of this site and thereby<br />
intends to increase the traffic accessing the A4103.<br />
The Enquirer sincerely hopes that the PC at the January meeting will make<br />
robust objections to this development (which contravenes the NDP) and was<br />
specified in the 2010 Parish Plan as a “Village Gateway” of visual importance.<br />
The fact that his own development has altered the landscape assessment<br />
level for the site should be totally ignored.<br />
Profit from development should never be at a cost of<br />
potential injury and death of road users<br />
Members of the community are reminded that they can<br />
make representation on all planning applications for our<br />
Parish as individuals giving planning reasons as a basis<br />
https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/info/200142/planning_s<br />
ervices/planning_application_search
An entertaining evening of seasonal songs,<br />
poems & stories with the emphasis on apples,<br />
cider and traditional wassailing! ..............start the<br />
New Year with a journey of 'Discovery," a 'Gala'<br />
evening of season and tradition!<br />
(Be sure to bring your 'Granny Smith!')<br />
Compiled and presented by Fold Theatre.<br />
Available from:01886 880952 or<br />
online at www.cradleyvillagehall.org.uk
Meet George the Enquirer’s very own Grumpy<br />
Old Man<br />
George has gone<br />
down the pub<br />
Happy New Year
Cradley Village Hall is always looking for volunteers to help with<br />
planning and making fund raising events successful.<br />
So if you think that you can give some time to keep our beautiful<br />
16th Century building surviving into the 21st Century give us a call.<br />
We want help at all levels even if it is just making tea and coffee.<br />
Call Jeff on 01886 880000<br />
or email: chair@cradleyvillagehall.org.uk<br />
It’s YOUR Community--GET INVOLVED
THE CRADLEY ENQUIRER<br />
OUR ETHOS<br />
Giving an open forum for members<br />
of the communities to seek and<br />
find the facts behind the gossip,<br />
rumours and news that circulate<br />
within small communities so that<br />
they are better informed to make<br />
measured choices.<br />
1<br />
OUR OPEN POLICY<br />
We have an open policy in posting<br />
comments submitted by anyone providing<br />
they meet our conditions<br />
2<br />
RIGHT OF REPLY<br />
We will grant the right of reply to anyone<br />
who feels that anything we publish is<br />
inaccurate or controversial<br />
3<br />
BASIS<br />
Open and honest debate is the very basis<br />
of free speech and should exist in<br />
communities as a matter of priority
FREE ADVERTISING SPACE FOR LOCAL BUSINESS
LIFE’S LIKE THAT…..<br />
SACCC<br />
Society Against Cruelty to Coffee Cups
open to all<br />
Mon 10:30-12:30<br />
Thurs 2:00-4:00<br />
Cradley Heritage group are based<br />
in the Village Hall and hold dropin<br />
sessions for you to come along<br />
and get expert advice on local<br />
history, records and photos<br />
The resource centre is based in<br />
the Village Hall and is available<br />
to drop in for computer advice<br />
and help, photo copying and<br />
free internet use<br />
Cradley, Mathon and Storridge<br />
Art group have a permanent<br />
exhibition their members<br />
work in the main hall for<br />
visitors to view free of charge<br />
Cradley Village Hall is looking for<br />
volunteers to help with planning and<br />
making fund raising events successful.<br />
So if you think that you can give some<br />
time to keep our beautiful 16th<br />
Century building surviving into the<br />
21st Century give us a call. We want<br />
help at all levels even if it is just<br />
making tea and coffee.<br />
Call Jeff on 01886 880000<br />
or email:<br />
chair@cradleyvillagehall.org.uk<br />
Book the Hall online<br />
www.cradleyvillagehall.org.uk<br />
Cradley Village Hall is a registered charity
SOME USEFUL CONTACTS, NUMBERS, EMAILS & WEB SITES<br />
editor@cradleyenquirer.com<br />
cradleyparishcouncil.gov.uk<br />
clerk@cradleyparishcouncil.gov.uk<br />
cradleydiary.com<br />
storridgevillagehall.org.uk<br />
cradleyvillagehall.org.uk<br />
Map of Herefordshire<br />
Roadworks and<br />
Traffic Flow<br />
Parish Councils and Wards<br />
Highways and Public<br />
Rights of Way Map<br />
Report a Problem
CradleyDiary.com<br />
Now lists all planning applications for Cradley<br />
Storridge and Mathon and includes updates and<br />
decisions which are not shown on the Cradley Parish<br />
Council web site (which just shows applications)<br />
PLEASE NOTE: CLOSING DAY FOR ITEMS<br />
(adverts, Comments, opinions,articles etc.)<br />
FOR THE<br />
WEEKLY MAGAZINE IS NOON ON THE DAY<br />
BEFORE SATURDAY PUBLISHING DAY(Friday)<br />
editor@cradleyenquirer.com