Reception For Sajjad Karim MEP

On Saturday, July 18th, I had the honour of being invited to attend a reception held in honour of Sajjad Karim MEP at Brierfield Community Centre.  The reception was organised by AFC (Pendle)  and was a tremendous success.

AFC (Pendle) had organised the reception to celebrate Sajjad’s recent re-election to the European Parliament.  Speakers at the event included AFC Pendle’s leaders Mr. Abdullah, Mahboob Ahmed, Prospective Conservative MP Andrew Stephenson,  the new Conservative leader of Lancashire County Council County Councillor Geoff Driver, Councillor Faraz Bhatti, Councillor Tony Beckett and Sajjad himself.

The event left a good number of Conservative representatives, myself included, feeling that good  and positive progress continues to be made in attracting new supporters to our party.

Planning Issues Continue to Create Controversy

Over the past month, I have attended three meetings of the Town Council Planning Committee.  Most applications which have been submitted have related to kitchen extensions and relatively small and unobtrusive schemes which we have had little or no reason to express an opinion upon.

Then there was the subject of the application to super-extend the house next door to where I myself live in Bath Street.  This application has caused a great deal of controversy in my neighbourhood, with every resident who lives in a neighbouring property raising serious concerns about the scale of the proposed modifications.  Of course, I’m prohibited from speaking on this issue in Town Council meetings, and I was also prohibited from voting on it when it arose at a planning committee meeting.  I declared a personal and prejudicial interest and left the meeting whilst this application was discussed.  The planning committee did object to the application on grounds of its sheer size and the impact it would have upon the local area. 

Councillor Sheena Dunn, the Borough Councillor who looks after Southfield has advised me that the proposals breach seven sections of the Pendle planning code, and has ensured that this application will be heard by the meeting of the Nelson Area Commitee on 3rd August.  Councillor Dunn, like myself is unable to speak or vote on the matter, as she herself is also directly affected by the application.   Councillor Dunn has advised that the committee meeting commences at 7pm at Nelson Town Hall, I would strongly suggest that residents affected by this application attend the meeting and if you wish to speak, please let the borough council know, and this will be arranged.

Conservatives Take Control of Lancashire County Council

Whilst I was away on holiday, my colleagues in the Conservative Party took control of Lancashire County Council for the first time in 28 years.  This is a major milestone for Conservative supporters in Lancashire, as we now have the strong powerbase to begin changing local services for the better, as well as achieving necessary cost savings wherever we can to benefit local taxpayers.

For Pendle, this means that we now have four Conservative County Councillors representing us at County Hall, my congratulations to County Councillors Mike Calvert and Shelagh Derwent on their re-election, two excellent and conciencious councillors rewarded for the hours of hard work they put in week in week out to help their local residents.  We celebrate the election of County Councillor George Askew in Pendle Central, George is a very hard working Borough Councillor in Colne’s Boulsworth ward, and will fight tooth and nail to look after the interests of residents in Marsden, Vivary Bridge and Waterside.  County Councillor Keith Bailey’s election in West Craven is a true reward for a gentleman who is also one of Barnoldswick’s hardest working Town Councillors, and like Mike, Shelagh and George, Keith will put the interests of local residents first and foremost.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported my colleague Shakil Rehman in his bid to become Nelson South’s County Councillor.

Planning Committee – 10th June 2009

Nelson Town Council’s Planning Committee met on 10th June to consider a number of schemes recently submitted for planning consent.

The two most controversial by far are the plans to build a new centre for vulnerable members of society on the old Nelson Youth Centre site on Leeds Road, we have not objected to this, as a number of “safe houses” are being closed down in the area, and this new facility will enable the necessary services to be retained in the locality.

Most controversial by far is the propsed construction of 108 new houses on the site of the former James Nelson’s Sports Club and playing field on Wickworth Street.  Residents of both Southfield and Clover Hill will know only too well that the former ”Jimmys” site is the last piece of open green land we have within our urban boundaries in Nelson.  The planning committee viewed the proposals with a great deal of concern, and we have objected on five counts as follows:

1)  The overbearing impact the development will have on neighbouring properties.

2)  The potential traffic nightmare the site will create, with the possibility of another 180 cars clogging up local roads.

3)  The impact on residents in the greater Wickworth Street area whilst the development is under construction with the constant access requirement from heavy goods vehicles.

4)  The unsuitability of local roads to cope with the site access requirements whilst the build is underway.

5)  Our considered view that plot 69 of the proposed new estate is far too close to neighbouring properties in Priory Chase.

Nelson Town Council – 10th June 2009

Nelson Town Council met in full session on 10th June in the Wilson Room at Nelson Town Hall.  Members were briefed by our Clerk, Mr. Martin Harrison that the future spending on postage is likely to be significantly reduced, as agendas and minutes of meetings will now be sent by email to those members who have email facilities available to them.

Mr. Harrison and Council Chairman Cllr George Adam reported that they had held discussions with Mr. Philip Mousdale of Pendle Borough Council with regard to procuring an office for Mr. Harrison’s use within Nelson Town Hall.   Councillors were advised that whilst an office was available, it was located on the first floor and did not possess full accessibility, as we require such a facility to offer.

In the meantime, Mr. Harrison will continue to work from his home until such time the issue of a suitable office can be satisfactorily resolved.