Happy Christmas

I’d like to wish everyone in Southfield, Pendle and beyond a very Happy Christmas.   May I wish everyone peace and goodwill, and I hope a good, enjoyable time is had by all.

Nelson Town Council Finance and General Purposes Committee – 17th December

On 17th December, Nelson Town Council’s Finance and General Purposes Committee met to discuss the outcome of the funding meeting we had with members of  Pendle Council’s Executive Committee.  Our clerk, Mr Martin Harrison was able to report that we have secured a grant from the Borough Council of £28,020 to cover our operating costs and to go toward helping pay for some of the projects the Town Council wishes to undertake in Nelson.

As chairman of the committee, I allowed councillors a free and fair discussion regarding the raising of additional sources of finance, and we agreed to take our conclusion to the next meeting of the full Town Council on 14th January.  Until then, it would be quite inappropriate for me to comment further until the committee’s recommendations have been thoroughly discussed and voted upon.

Nelson Town Council Planning Committee – 17th December

Nelson Town Council’s Planning Committee met on 17th December to consider our response to the proposed Waste Transfer Station site on Fleet Street.  I am extremely grateful to the amount of time and work Cllr Sajid Ali has put into researching this proposal, the evidence Cllr Ali presented to the committee was so damning, we had no difficulty in making our decision to make a number of observations recommending the scheme be rejected when it goes before the Borough Council’s Nelson Area Committee for the final planning decision to be made. 

Town Councillors objected to the scheme on the grounds that there will be an enormous increase in vehicles using Charles Street in order to gain access to the site, the visual impact of the new buildings on their surrounding area and most important of all the fact that the scheme will have a detrimental effect on environmental health in the surrounding residential area.  We are concerned that no apparent attempt would appear to have been made to renew the lease on the current site at the end of Regent Street.  The Regent Street site is viewed by the Town Council as being the best solution to the problem, and we certainly won’t be sitting back and allowing the powers-that-be getting away with moving this facility into the middle of a residential area in Nelson.

Nelson Town Council – 10th December

Nelson Town Council met on 10th December in a meeting which was overshadowed by one major issue, that of the planned Waste Transfer Station at Fleet Street.

The transfer station has become a very controversial issue for the town, as the site is in the middle of a residential area.  I can understand how residents from the area feel, as they will endure a vast increase in lorry traffic to and from the site, and the worst of all is the symptomatic problems encountered with the storage and transfer of domestic waste.  At this point, it should be mentioned that the plan did come before the Town Council’s Planning Committee in October, and councillors were under the impression that the scheme involved the transfer of purely recyclable waste.  This has proven to not have been the case, as the plan involves the transfer of every kind of waste currently processed by the Regent Street site in Colne.

Apparently, the site in Colne is leased from waste handling company Sita, and this lease expires in two years’ time.  This is why an alternative is being sought, but the issue I find difficult to comprehend is why you’d move from a purpose-built site into one which is located in a residential area?  The initial proposal which came before the Town Council’s Planning Committee was somewhat vague in its outline, in that what appeared to be proposed was effectively a handling point for “clean” waste.  We now know this isn’t the case and the real truth is out in the open for everyone to see.

The issue of a letter sent to members by the Town Clerk also arose, in that some Councillors felt the wording was unreasonable.  The Clerk had sought to reinforce and clarify the timeframe and means by which apologies for non-attendance at meetings were given, unfortunately, this didn’t go down very well with two members in particular, and heated exchanges followed.  I have to say that I’m in agreement with Cllr Judith Robinson when she told the meeting that it is only fair and courteous for members to tender their apologies to the Clerk if they are unable to attend.

Nelson Transport Interchange

As a daily public transport user, today was my first experience of  Nelson’s new Transport interchange, and I have to say how much better I found the new facility in comparison to the awful 1960’s mess that was the old bus station.

The light and airy interchange concourse is light years away from the outdated and outmoded fume-filled old bus station with its  narrow platforms and old-fashioned layout.  What we now have is a facility which allows proper interchange facilities between bus and rail travel and one which is properly suited for the operation of the modern low-floor fully accessible bus fleets of Transdev Burnley & Pendle and Tyrer Bus.

Rail users have access to the full range of national rail tickets from the travel shop, where it is also possible to purchase and renew the Transdev Gold Card season ticket range.  The interchange also offers both ramp and lift access to the station platform above concourse level, and is staffed from early morning to the departures of both the last train and bus of the day.

Overall, I feel the interchange is exactly what was needed to bring facilities for the travelling public into the 21st century, and I thank everyone who has made it possible.