Gedling Council Budget

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Early morning weather today in BJ

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Weekly summer bin collections could be axed and car parking charges introduced as Gedling Borough Council attempts to plug a potential £800,000 hole in next year's budget.
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Council Leader Roland Spencer has said the Council faced difficult decisions on next year's spending in light of increased fuel charges and lower income from leisure centres.
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He said the economic conditions had forced the council to consider taking "painful" decisions in order to balance the books – but he insisted he is determined not to pass increases on to residents through council tax.
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The Council has run a weekly collection for household waste during the last two summers, instead of the usual fortnightly collections.
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Rising fuel costs, - a loss in revenue from Council land searches, and a huge drop in cash from leisure centre usage have contributed to the shortfall. . .. Tut ! Tut !
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Next year the Council could see a huge rise in the cost of its gas and electricity when its current deal, signed two years ago when prices were cheaper, comes to an end in February.
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According to Council Leader Spencer this all means the Council may need to find an extra £800,000 in the next budget or introduce cuts to services
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Meanwhile the Conservative Council already faces significant pressure on its budget during the current financial year. Council members have already voted to take £500,000 from its reserves to meet the shortfall in this year's budget. . .. ..
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So whats wrong with this ? Surely this is what reserves are for - “for the rainy day”
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Not to be stored away, at risk - in the HOPE of higher interest rates - seen a folly (Icelandic Banks ?) but to the detrementof their own Council Tax payers ( or every Tax payer if the Government refunds their losses - several £ Billions - as most of the LA's concern appear to be bleating and asking for .. ?? ..!!

Although it has been suggested that the Treasury overlooked the possiblity of Icelandic Bank failure when questioned on the subject, in the House of Lords, in July this year
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Click to e.mail comments

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Internet - the mature

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Autuminal morning in B J
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Come on all you retired and mature individuals in BJ, get with it.. .. Let the internet do the talking .. .. and join the many “silver surfers” with your voice in our community .
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Your views and opinions can become a “vehicle for pressure and change”. We know that in today’s financial climate, the mature and elderly are adversely affected disproportionately to the general population.
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We know that a pensioner, for instance, have to rely on pensions that are NOT index linked and that their household rent ( or mortgage), council tax, heating, lighting, and food bills definitely absorb a larger percentage of their weekly income than the younger families.. . Oh Yes! others may say .. .. How about income support etc. ?
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Well come on help get the Silver Surfers (some say the SAGA “louts”) really get organised, for don’t forget, the mature are a massive (usually silent majority) section of the voting public. Governments and Political Parties should take note of you. You Silver Surfers should begin to make your voices heard,

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constantly .. ..Constantly .. .. CONSTANTLY .. .. CONSTANTLY .. .. CONSTANTLY ..

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The www with the INTERNET is more than probably the best medium.

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So come on all you mature residents, get vocal and become an active “Silver Surfer“, and if you make some space in your day, you will even be able to talk with, and see your distanced family without even leaving your own living room.

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STOP PRESS : The BBC announced yesterday that once again the Government has had to admit that comprehensive computer details of 100,000 individuals receiving Pension ( information include National Insurance Numbers, together with Pensionable Salaries - had been stolen from one of their “Contracted Out” Agency -

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This farcical situation show once again our Government’s does NOT have control of their data security -
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I suggest that the DATA PROTECTION ACT is used against the establishment, with PROSECUTION and INSTANT DISMISSAL for all those with RESPONSIBILITY, including those with ACCOUNTABILITY also
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NATIONAL IDENTY CARDS - "Oh ! No Gordon .. No Gordon .. No Gordon .. No !"
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BJ Post Office

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The latest information on the grapevine is that the purchase of BJ Post Office is once again in the final stages of completion and ought to be resolved shortly . !! .. !!
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I have heard this comment at least a couple of times in the past, so we all must wait and see.. .. once again!
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In-Car Smoking

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Now that the use of mobile phones in our cars is banned, and eating apples or snacks whilst driving is also punishable with fines and penalty points, I consider it is about time that SMOKING IN CARS is also banned and punished with penalty points plus the ultimate possibility of disqualification.
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Oops ! .. I guess I will really have upset the “apple cart” by expressing that opinion.
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But lets just look at the situation and the possible consequences .. .

Roads are busier than ever, with high traffic levels ( particularly on the Motorways) and when an accident does happen the results can be fatal and catastrophic. Add a lighted cigarette to the equation and the result can be compounded out of all proportion.
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Generally it is the older and more mature driver (both sexes) who have this particular personal habit/addiction, for you have only to look around you, particularly in car parks alongside Super Market Food Stores, and you will see shoppers of both sexes ( yes in B J) breaking their necks to get out side of the automatic doors and “light-up”.. followed by the huge gasps of delight and deep inhaling. Invariably they also drive away, with the lighted cigarette still in one hand, thro restricted multi parking areas.
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Every car with a built-in cigarette lighter will only serve to exacerbate the situation. I say to the manufacturers, “leave them out and reduce the car cost“. - Ha! Haa! .. No chance of that happening .. ..
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Surely in today’s fast moving, intense, road traffic conditions, with speed cameras and the like, this personal habit should be constrained. I don’t have any factual statistics on car accidents created by drivers or their passengers having lighted cigarettes to back up my view and certainly smokers will invariably quote an infringement of their individual human rights etc , however,, when driving and switching lanes in fast moving traffic, moving into/away from roundabouts , chicanes, parking and reversing, driving with young children on board etc., there is always a possibility /need for instant emergency/evasive action and a lighted cigarette will only compound the situation -

I am not just advocating the CAR DRIVER ABSTAIN from smoking -on the move - but also EACH of the individual car passengers

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Not conducive to having such an unconstrained ignition source “in hand” !! . Surely NO ONE can justifiably deny this ?
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School Runs

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B J weather today is a repeat of yesterday

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First of all let me make it clear I do not live an either of the two roads ( Padleys Lane and Willow Wong), providing access to Burton Joyce Primary School, nor do I live in Main Street in the village centre. I do frequently walk and drive our car up/down “Padleys” at times which occasionally coincide with parents taking/collecting their children from the school - toddlers as well as the above 5’s.
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The problem is not simply the parking in front and on the frontage of the local residents, it is the car movements up and down the roads creating confusion and bottle necks ( particularly at the bend in “Padleys” which coincides with one of the school entrances.
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I must add here that the School in their website, ask for some co-operation , having negotiated with the car parks at the Co-op and Cross Keys which does not appear to have helped all that much
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The problems on Padleys - aggravated further with the fashionable introduction of the “Chelsea Tractors ( large 4 wheel drives ) are
1) Parking on both sides of and the corner junction of Main Street/ Padleys
2) Parking on the lower section of Padleys Lane in front of resident properties (and occasionally drive-ways
3) Parking creating safety and bottle-necks problems at the difficult, semi- obscured road bend in Padleys, adjacent - to the school entrance
4) Parking on the grass verges in “Padleys” close the to obscured bend- creating hazards for children and parents crossing behind/in front of cars (parked and moving)
5) Congestion in both direction of “Padleys” as cars arrive and depart simultaneously at the school - at least 4X a day/ 5 days week ( up to 150M of lower “Padleys”)
6) Parents gossiping and congesting the pavements for normal/elderly pedestrians before/after collecting their own children
7) “Unobserved” young children and toddlers not responsibly tended chasing around excitedly whilst parent chat of prepare opening car doors and boots
8) Cars parked with wheels on the pavements
9) Car doors opening onto the pavement areas and more importantly into the carriageway - creating yet further difficulties and congestion for other road and pavement users
10) Cars parked opposite and on each side of the road within Padleys

11) Of course all these probems are further aggrevated by the weather - rain, frost and snow create their own contribution to the difficulties
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Etc.. etc..
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It should be added that the School Run “parking problem” experienced by local residents is not quite as bad in "Willow Wong"
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However, the problem does exist in "Willow Wong" and elsewhere, should be noted for the roadside congestions in the village centre and in Meadow Lane ( which create difficulties outside of the Library and at the Church Road ( Bye-Pass) junction, really do need attention and remedial action
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"The Grove"

B. J. Weather today - Sunny/warm/bright white clouds

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It was pleasing to learn the news that the Paris Council has taken the decision to apply for funding from "Building better Communities" , if this is successful, they then can begin implementing some of the suggestions for "The Grove" received from B. J. residents

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It is understood that Cllr O'Neill will take on the responsibilty for the application -

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Let us all keep everything well and truly crossed, give her all the help she may seek and need, and wish her all the best in obtaining the best result for the village community.. .. ..

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B.J. Players

B.J. Players Web Site

GOOD NEWS - Another new BJ historical website in the making - BJ & B LHS .. .. please note !

( Copy of the BJ Players advert in the October issue - Parish Magazine )

"The Players have been around for over 80 years and in that time many people have come and gone. We are in the process of building a website and we want this to be an archive of the Players' history.

This appeal is to anyone who has any memorabilia of past productions ie. photographs, programmes, newspaper reviews, even tickets .

We will take great care of these items which will be scanned and then returned"

If you have any items relating to the BJ Players please contact

Patrick McDonough
Tel 0115 93q1 3149
e:mail p.mcdonough@talktalk.net





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