October 16: Planning to build a 21st century slum
As part of the recent growth debate, there has been a degree of confusion about the statistics involved and, in particular, the motives of the villagers who have been fighting against plans that would swamp their communities with a new town south of the river.
First the figures. The Office of National Statistics looking at the whole of Northamptonshire has projected an increase of 190,900 by 2026 which will give a total population of 860,000.
It then estimates a further increase across the county of 39,900 by 2031 to give a final population total of 899,900. What these figures mask, is the nature of the increase in population. For every extra person who has appeared from within the county, nearly two extra people are inward migrants from elsewhere.
This means that nearly two thirds of the increase in Northamptonshire's population will have come about through building houses that nobody in Northamptonshire needs. So, the argument that we need extra dwellings to house an increasing local population is false.
The second important point relates to the villages that will be lost if the present growth agenda continues at its present rate. Steve Scoles (Chronicle & Echo, October 2) commenting on the recent protest march said: "I'm not at all surprised to find out that they don't want affordable housing where their view over open fields used to be." He misses the point completely.
Of the villages affected by the proposed Northampton South-East development area, at least five are working with their district council to find sites for affordable housing, most of which, if suitable land can be found, will be on what was previously open land.
The difference is, that these homes will be for Northamptonshire people so that sons and daughters do not have to leave the area and their families and the numbers will be in scale with the existing settlement.
What people are opposed to is the complete destruction of the countryside and local communities in order to build what will undoubtedly become a 21st century slum with high unemployment (because insufficient jobs are being planned for) and inadequate health and education facilities.
Councillor Steven Hollowell,
Independent, Brafield and Yardley Ward, South Northamptonshire Council.
Mail strike will kill off goodwill
Just recall the days of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes when it was possible to receive a letter and return a reply within the same working day. Sadly in 2009, the same cannot be said of our beleaguered Royal Mail.
The union the CWU has called for strikes, again. Apparently the majority of their workers wanted it. How so? Only 60 per cent of the 40 per cent that voted opted for strikes. Hardly the majority!
Have these people been so sheltered that they have failed to note the worst recession in this country for over 80 years. I say, let the CWU call a strike . . . in doing so, they will kill off any remaining goodwill left in the UK postal service.
In the last six months, I have lost six (or the Royal Mail has) items of post. They were either not delivered or simply delivered elsewhere.
Special delivery items have failed to get to its recipient the next day and I have forgotten how many times the price of a first class stamp has risen, that I don’t even know what it’s worth now.
Each time I complained, I faced indifference, arrogance and denials from the sorting office. I have nothing against my postman but the post is often useless to me and my business after noon!
The union is being short-sighted, killing the service from within. Talking to some of its own members, it seems the CWU is still very much entrenched in its 1970s’ confrontational attitude. It is fast losing the respect of the public and more worryingly its members who frankly deserve a better union.
Its actions are a throwback to the dinosaur era of trade unionism that drove this country to the brink in the 1970s.
Saying that, the management at Royal Mail is no better, led by a man who knows how to massage the figures to achieve high personal bonuses at the expense of a decent service to us, the public. There will be no winners in this situation. Goodbye, Royal Mail.
Yousuf Miah,
Norman Road, Northampton
70 meetings with post union
THE news is currently dominated by discussion of future strikes at Royal Mail following the outcome of the Communication Workers Union’s national ballot in favour of industrial action.
As Royal Mail’s regional operations director responsible for your local services, I write to reassure your readers that as a business we have been doing everything possible to avert such disruption.
We have held more than 70 meetings with the CWU over the last few months and we continue to call on them to stop strikes and get back round the table for talks.
Central to the current dispute is the need for modernisation in Royal Mail. Mail volumes are dropping by 10 per cent nationally and every one per cent represents 70 million lost revenue to us. In this region, volumes have fallen by 13 per cent. That equates to 10.2m for every one per cent fall locally.
At our sites across the Midlands, we have already successfully introduced improvements in ways of working in accordance with the changing volumes of mail being handled. These improvements were planned and agreed under the 2007 Pay and Modernisation Agreement. Union leaders signed up to the changes in this Agreement in the presence of the TUC.
There are no plans for further efficiency changes within the business this year.
It is for these reasons we believe it reprehensible of the union to continue to threaten strike action and disruption to customer service.
Our joint priority now should be to deliver the best possible service to customers in the run up to Christmas.
We urge the union not to call a national strike at this critical time and demonstrate the integrity of claims to back modernisation and serve customers’ best interests.
Paul Jobling,
Regional Operations Director, Royal Mail Midlands.
Sport that puts town on the map
IN the words of Max Boyce “I was there”. I refer, of course, to Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday night when Munster, the legends of European rugby and their legendary supporters, came to grace our famous rugby stadium.
Despite the bad press of recent weeks, the game of rugby was the winner on a day that will live long in memories of all those who were involved. Both sets of players gave their all in a game that had everything, ebbing and flowing first one way and then the other, right up until the final whistle when the result could have gone the other way.
It is truly a phenomenon in these dark and violent times that two sets of supporters from different countries can stand together supporting “their team” with no hint of trouble or animosity when so much depends on the result . . . and no sign of a police officer! The silent respect that both kickers received from the fans when taking their kicks at goal was spine tingling. You could hear a pin drop!
I just hope those who oppose the deal with a local supermarket wake up and smell the roses. The future of our town centre will not be influenced by the building of an out-of-town supermarket.
On Saturday night, Franklin’s Gardens was the focal point for millions of people from around the country, Europe and the World. It would be a travesty to stifle a development that will continue to bring worldwide attention to our little corner of England for years to come.
Keith Barwell has brought something special to this town and he should be encouraged to put the final pieces of his visionary quest into place.
Gordon Currey,
The Lawns, Northampton.
Not the first time
HAVING read your article about the Overstone Hall gates, I was surprised that no mention was made of the previous time they were nearly demolished. That happened many years ago, I think in the 1970s.
Opposite the gate is a very long straight road which heads straight for the gates just begging for drivers to put their foot down.
Hopefully this time they have put some kind of barrier to protect the gates from damage. Things usually come in threes!
Warren Higgs,
Brickhill Road, Wellingborough.
Splendid show
I WENT to the theatre this week and I would like to say well done to The Northampton Amateur Operatic Company for their splendid Anything Goes show at Derngate. Very lively, happy, funny at times entertainment to make you forget your troubles for a while.
The company itself has financial troubles. So I do hope the tickets sell well to keep the company going. They are worth it. Could the lottery good causes help?
Eve Gill,
Fulford Drive, Northampton.
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Weather for Northampton
Wednesday 08 February 2012
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