Monday 29 October 2012

Country Market Osborne Farms

This application, 24601/036, seeking permission for

PROVISION OF PREFABRICATED TOILET FACILITIES UNIT FOR CAR BOOT SALES EVENT

is marked as open for consultation until 27th November.

Tuesday 23 October 2012

Common volunteers wanted

Susanne Frost, Countryside Ranger,  will be running some volunteer work parties at Shortheath and Broxhead Commons over the winter months as part of our ongoing efforts to keep trees and scrub at bay and protect the rare habitats at these sites!

These work parties provide an excellent opportunity to enjoy some fresh air and exercise, whilst helping to maintain special heathland and mire habitats for wildlife and for the enjoyment of the local community present and future.

Although you may normally attend work parties at one or other of the sites, you are of course more than welcome to join us at both!

This year I have added in some weekday work parties (on Wednesdays) in a bid to try and help boost the numbers coming along to help out at the sites. We will also have a couple of work parties organised in conjunction with local geocachers, which promise to be good fun as there is always a good turn out to those!

Shortheath Common (meet at the pond car park)
  • Wednesday 24 October 2012, 10am to 1pm
  • Sunday 16 December 2012, 9.30am to 2pm – special work party in conjunction with geocaching group
  • Saturday 12 January 2013, 10am to 1pm
  • Wednesday 20 February 2013, 10am to 1pm
Broxhead Common (meet at the cricket club car park)
  • Wednesday 12 December 2012, 10am to 1pm
  • Sunday 13 January 2013, 9.30am to 2pm – special work party in conjunction with geocaching group
  • Wednesday 6 February 2013, 10am to 1pm
We will aim to finish around the times given above, although if you need to get away earlier you can just let me know on the day. As usual, tools and refreshments will be provided. The exact nature of the work on the day is a bit weather-dependent, and in some cases work parties may have to be cancelled if there isn't a task suitable for the weather conditions. For Shortheath, bring or wear wellies on wet days or if it is due to rain that day (as we will probably be working in the mire on those days). If you are unsure whether a task will be going ahead, or want more information on what we will be doing, please get in touch a day or two before the work party. You don't need to let me know if you plan to come to a particular work party, but it does help with planning refreshments and also means I can let you know if we have to cancel the task for any reason.

If you would like any more information or have any queries then get in touch by email at susanne.frost@hants.gov.uk or on 02392 476411. Also please feel free to circulate these dates to anyone else you think may be interested in coming along.



Electoral reform anyway

Well despite the fact that we almost all said 'no' to electoral reform last year, we'll be using it next month when we elect our first Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight - yes, that means you!


These elections will use the supplementary vote system; Under this system voters will be able to vote for a first and a second choice candidate.

If no candidate has 50 per cent of the first preference votes counted, the two candidates with the highest number of first preference votes go forward to a second round.

In the second round of counting, the second preference of the candidates not finishing first or second are counted and redistributed to the two candidates with the highest number of first preference votes.

Obviously most people will just vote Conservative because that's what we do round here despite the fact that Michael Mates is now 150 years old but if you want to struggle on with the new fangled voting system I repeat and update my advice from last year: number the candidates in order of preference until you don't care any more or until you have chosen two candidates, whichever occurs first .

So that's actually more complicated than the system everyone said was too complicated last year!
 

Kingsley Parish Council - Thursday 25th

Kingsley Parish Council will meet this Thursday, 25th October 2012 in the Kingsley Centre at 7.30pm.

AGENDA

1. Chairman’s Opening Remarks
2. Apologies for Absence
Cllr Linda McCorkindale & Cllr Brian Lazenby

3. Declarations of Personal/Prejudicial Interest
4. Public Question Time: Public Questions
Consideration of agenda items which will be open to public participation

5. Approval of Minutes of the Meeting held on 27th September 2012
6. Matters Arising
7. Planning
Applications ongoing:
34313/017 Oak Tree Farm, Gibbs Lane, Shortheath Common Bordon GU35 9JS

34068/002 Land to the south of Periwinkle Cottage, Main road, Kinglsey
Change of use of land for stationing of a mobile home for residential purposes for single gypsy pitch with associated hard standing and utility shed

38992/004 Dunroaming, Shortheath Common
Detached Single Storey Dwelling and Detached Plant room and Garden Store….

54448/001 Land at Dean Farm, Main Road, Kingsley, Bordon
Retention of shed, open fronted field shelter, polytunnel and toilet

26242/044 Dean Farm Golf Course, Main Road, Kingsley, Bordon, GU35 9NG   
Change of use of land to wood yard – retrospective application

21605/009 Bakers House, Oakhanger Road, Kingsley, Bordon, GU35 9NJ
Change of use of land from paddock to domestic purposes, demolition of existing sheds, and erection of new garage building

50311/003 Land North West of Rose Villa, Sandy Lane, Kingsley, Bordon, GU35 9NH
Detached garage/shed following demolition of existing outbuildings

27396/040 Old Park Farm, Main Road, Kingsley, Bordon, GU35 9LU
Variation of condition 3 of planning permission 27396/038 to allow the erection of flood lighting.

53664/001 Unit 7 Kingsley Business Park, Main Road, Kingsley, Bordon, GU35 9LY
Change of use from B8 to B2 car servicing.

Appeal:
22732/015 Sandyfield Farm, Main Road, Kingsley, Bordon, GU35 9NG
Retrospective change of use of part stable block to ancillary habitable accommodation
(A/12/2/82188)

New applications:
Appeals against enforcement notice:
22732/014 Sandyfield Farm, Main Road, Kingsley, Bordon, GU35 9NG
(A/12/2/82174)

54616 Land West of Farnham Road, Bordon
Lawful development certificate for an existing use – stables, barn, hardstanding and access onto the A325

8. St Nicholas Cemetery & Cemetery Chapel
To receive an update from Cllr Croucher

9. Transport, Highways and Road Safety
10. Commons, Village Greens and Rights of Way
To receive an update on Upper Green

11. Community Resilience
12. Environment and Biodiversity
13. Sports, Recreation and Leisure
14. Kingsley Village Forum   
15. Parish Plan    
To receive an update from Cllr Rigden

16.  Housing, Business & Commerce
17. Communications
To receive a written report from the Clerk detailing correspondence

Website:
To receive an update from Cllr Scrivener

18. District Councillor
19. Procedures, Finance and Payments
To discuss the budget 2013
Payments to be made & Accounts to accept

Date of Next Meeting - Thursday 22nd November 2012 - 7.30 pm at the Kingsley Centre 

Monday 22 October 2012

Selborne Brickworks Condition 4

This HCC application, SDNP/12/02224/CW, seeking

Amendment of Condition 4 of SDNPA Consent 20661/049 relating to vehicle size, type and no. of movements with no increase in tonnage of food waste and farmyard manure transported to the site from that permitted under Condition 25 of HCC Consent 20661/048

is open for consultation until 9th November.

Sunday 21 October 2012

40mph hazard

The first in an occasional series of rants on road safety issues asks the question "are you a 40mph driver?"

If you are, you might not recognise yourself but if you're not, you know exactly who I mean.  Next time you're out in your motor car, glance down at the speedo and see if it's reading 40mph; if it is, look around outside the car and see if you can figure out, perhaps using the speed limit signs, what the speed limit is; is it 40mph? If it's not 40mph then you are a 40mph driver.

There is no excuse for 40mph drivers and there may well be no cure either. The two obvious cures: relearning to drive properly and permanently banning the incompetents are unlikely to happen because of the cost of the first and the social upheaval associated with the second.

Particular care must be taken when going from a 40mph zone to a 30mph zone when there's a 40mph driver behind you because the chances are that he will fail to anticipate your slowing down to match the speed limit. Always check your mirror while slowing down as the 40mph driver might not be able to brake in time, if he notices the change at all.

The thing about the 40mph driver and speed limits is that they don't apply to him. He may well have seen the signs and he might even know what they mean but they're only for other people, not him. He is a "safe driver", he's not speeding (except when he is, in the 30s or even 20s) and he's never had an accident in 50 years of driving.

On the open road the 40mph driver may well be at the front of the queue of traffic backed up because of the 40mph driver's best mate, the "second slowcoach" (which will be featured in a separate rant)

There are times when 40mph drivers aren't causing a public nuisance but they are so few and far between that I think flogging should be reintroduced especially for them.

Friday 19 October 2012

The Rydosh Sisters

When Woodfield was first built numbers one, two, nine and ten were old people's bungalows and were all occupied by elderly people, mostly women. In number two were the Miss Rydoshes. Two sisters of considerable years. They were as different as chalk and cheese, both physically and in their general attitudes. I know not their Christians names so I shall have to refer to them as Miss Rydosh one and Miss Rydosh two. Incidentally I am guessing at the spelling of their name it could quite easily have been spelt using an I instead of the Y. I think they were both spinsters as I have no recollection of husbands ever being mentioned and there were certainly none at their Kingsley residence. They kept an impressive garden which was usually full of flowers and one or other of the sisters could regularly be seen in the front garden tending to their plants. This provided the perfect opportunity for them to engage passers-by in conversation which they always appeared eager to do.

Miss Rydosh one was a shortish, stocky and a rotund lady with a jolly disposition. She wore her grey hair in a bun and usually wore an apron. She appeared to find much to laugh at and this enhanced her reputation as being jolly.

Miss Rydosh two was altogether different, she was taller and very thin. Her hair was longer and hung loose. Her features were sharp with a pointed nose and a rather piercing gaze from eyes which regarded the world from behind small steel rimmed spectacles. Her arms and fingers were thin and boney. She seem to have a permanent sniff and was a much more serious person, seldom did I see her laugh. I remember too,that she sported a large wart on the side of her chin but I forget on which side of her face it was positioned. She was regarded by us as being witch like and her sharp eyes, long nose and strange high pitched and squeaky voice gave her a rodent like feel. Generally this lady was not particularly liked by the youngsters of the estate and we would pass quickly by when she was in the garden without making conversation. By contrast Miss Rydosh one would engage or be engaged by us when she was gardening.

I remember that on occasions we would mimic Miss Rydosh two's strange voice and this always resulted in her reporting us to our parents and a telling off and this further alienated her as far as we were concerned.

Matters came to a head and deteriorated completely one season, in the autumn, when the field behind the houses produced a huge crop of mushrooms. This is the field which was accessed by a gate to the left of the first bungalow in Woodfield and extended down behind the school as far as the footpath which ran from opposite the Cricketers in an almost straight line to the railway. The field extended down behind houses one to eight of Woodfield, past the sewage plant and on down over the brow sloping several hundred yards until reaching a large hedge and ditch. It was, therefore, quite a large field.

The thing which made the mushroom crop all the more extraordinary was the fact that the field, at that time, had been growing a crop of corn. The corn had been harvested leaving dry earth and stubble. This was so unusual that many of the Woodfield residents, my parents included, refused to believe that the mushrooms were of the usual edible field mushroom type. This, of course, because typically the field mushroom grows in grassy fields and not in stubble. However, since my chicken run bordered the said field I had spotted the mushrooms through the fence and had very soon picked a large bag full and it became quite clear that they were indeed the edible field mushroom. Word soon spread and pickers began gathering this free harvest. This, for the most part, meant the children of my age, I don’t recall adults out there collecting the mushrooms.

The chain link fencing which then separated the gardens from the field was quite high, possible six feet or so, which meant that it was easier to get into the field by using the gate beside bungalow number one, which was then occupied by Mrs. Woodward, rather than climb over the fence.

It, therefore, followed that we, the mushroom pickers, passed by the Rydosh residence. It was not long before the two ladies became aware of the mushroom crop and the fact that large numbers of the fungi were being transported passed their gate on a daily basis. Soon thereafter a small group of us were stopped by the gate of bungalow two by Miss Rydosh two … the ratty one. We were told, much like Mrs. Waters had previously, that the sisters Rydosh were very partial to a mushroom or two. The request was made for a bag to be provided for which, we were assured, payment would be made. As far as we were concerned this was great stuff, visions of a three penny bit or, maybe, even a sixpence filled our thoughts. Back we went into the field, collected a handsome bag of mushrooms and delivered them to Miss Rydosh two without delay. She received us at the door of her bungalow where she took possession of the fruits of our labour. Having subjected our delivery to her steely eyed scrutiny and the odd sniff or two she commanded us to wait. Shutting the door she disappeared into the house with the bag leaving us waiting in excited anticipation of the fortune we were about to receive. Oh the sweets it would buy ! Within a few moments Miss Rydosh two returned, in her hand she had a grease proof paper package which she proceeded to open. To our utter horror the package contained a lump of cheese. The sort of cheese which, in those days, was referred to as mouse trap cheese. I know not which variety this was but it was hard and, to a young palate, very strong. Not an item any of us would have chosen even in those austere days. Worse still the whole piece was covered in mould. This the good lady began scraping off with a kitchen knife whilst trying to reassure us that it was perfectly alright to eat and was, in fact, delicious. Having scraped the miserable offering clear of its mould, she cut it into several pieces and gave us one each. No doubt my vivid recollection of the event has been etched upon my mind by the absolute horror and disgust which I and my pals all felt at this revolting reward. Like all young boys of that sort of age, readers will appreciate, we would eat most things and were always hungry. Thus you will understand just how bad this offering appeared to us and how quickly we dumped it. If that were not bad enough in itself, Miss Rydosh two had the brass neck to tell us, as we departed, that she would be happy to receive another delivery later in the week. We all agreed that she probably had more chance of walking to the moon ……. or something like that !

Clearly not a person to be embarrassed by her miserly reward, and or, any offence it may have caused us, a couple of days later she again accosted us as we passed her gate on our way to collect another bag or two of the still plentiful mushroom crop. Presenting us with her own bag she made it clear she expected another delivery and it was obvious she would not take no for an answer. We entered the field and the discussion was all about how the old bat had done us up etc. Although only children, I well remember how we had a total sense of betrayal and the overwhelming feeling that she had cheated us.

As stated earlier, the mushroom crop had appeared in a stubble field on dry earth and in amongst the stubble and mushrooms were lots of large stones. We collected our own mushrooms and then began the task of filling the Rydosh bag. In the bottom of the bag we place as many old an maggoty mushrooms as we could find and on top of them were carefully placed a layer of stones and pebbles. These were topped off with another squashed layer and finally a few whole, but very inferior, fungi were placed on the top. We placed the bag in the Rydosh doorway and left without knocking. We were never asked to collect any more mushrooms in spite of the fact the crop lasted for quite a while until the field was cultivated again.

Wednesday 17 October 2012

RBLR1000 update

After reporting the Royal British Legion Riders Branch RBLR1000 event in the summer I thought we could all use an update on the results:

152 bikes returned to Squires. 138 completed at least one IBA ride:
  • 14 did the RBLR 1000 only, completing the ride in over 24 hours
  • 2 completed Bun Burner Gold (1500+ miles in 24 hours)
  • 1 completed the RBLR 1000 (a SaddleSore 1000), but then went on to ride another 500 to complete a Bun Burner (1500+ miles in 36 hours)
  • 1 set out from Lowestoft at 0400 Friday and covered 2468 miles for a combined SS2000/4 Corners/RBLR 1000
  • The rest ONLY did 1000+ miles in the worst riding conditions imaginable

A total of £148,000 has now been raised by the riders branch.

The 2013 event will be held over the weekend of 21st-23rd June 2013 and you can enter now by completing this form.

If you'd like to know more about long distance motorcycling, you can find out everything you want to know and more via the Iron Butt UK website.

Friday 12 October 2012

Harvest Supper 2012

Don't forget this Saturday, 13th, is Harvest Supper in the Kingsley Centre at 7:30pm

ALL WELCOME


Tickets £10 from Wendy Renton or on the door

Land West of, Farnham Road, Bordon

This application, 54616, seeking permission for

LAWFUL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATE FOR AN EXISTING USE - STABLES, BARN, HARDSTANDING AND ACCESS ONTO THE A325

is marked as open for consultation until 7th November.

Wednesday 3 October 2012

FP20 famous victory

Hampshire County Council's countryside access team are to be congratulated on having finally achieved the removal of the wire fencing alongside footpath 20!

Walking along Sickles Lane today I noticed that the wire has been removed at least as far as can be seen from the road and a pair of deer ran unencumbered through the hedge and across the field as I watched.

I don't know whether Hampshire's team achieved this by negotiation or by force as they have made no public announcements that I'm aware of but it must have been down to them as I have been too busy this summer and I can't believe that Rory saw sense all by himself.

Well done countryside access team, give yourselves a pat on the back!