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21 December 2012
Pictures by Marzia Nicodemi-Ehikioya
This Shirley poppy grew on Rev. Wilk’s grave in St. John’s graveyard , Shirley
Marzia Nicodemi-EhikioyaEditor, linguist, outspoken campaigner
on local and national issues. Loves opera,books and libraries.
Russell ElliottPassionate believer and advocate ofalternative - Just ‘cos something hasalways been done a particular way
doesn’t make it the best!
Andrew PellingFormer Shirley resident, Councillor,London Assembly Member & MP.Investment Banker & commentator
for insidecroydon.com
Robert DilGraphic Design Consultant and
Co-owner of TD Studio in Addiscombe.Loves playing music & diving.
Giovannan RicciardelliTravel Consultant specialised in Events.Loves entertaining, swimming, cookingItalian food. Seriously interested in
architecture and interior design.
Andrew DunsmoreTop London photographer, runsPicture Partnership in his ShirleyStudio or on location. He helps
you take better pictures.
Nathalie BaronAyurvedic therapist, loves natural remedies,
nature, books & writing
Stuart CollinsShirley resident, former Mayor of
Croydon and Councillor. Lovesmusic and cats.
Nadia NazirIT Consultant and Interior
Decorator, loves to sew, knitand bake.
Helen Campbell-MacDonaldPractitioner of alternative medicine
and regular contributor toAlternatives page.
Jill LatterMiniaturist, Shirley resident for
more than 50 years, makesbeautiful cakes.
Tom DunsmoreFamily man. Retired engineer. Hasworked abroad. Speaks Spanish.
Enjoys travel.
Interested inbeing part of our
online magazine?Please contact us
Charles Parkof Planning Partnership Ltd, Shirley.
The man to look for if you wantsomething special for your home.
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ContentsShirley Life 5Focus on another farce: MOPAC by Editor 10Ayurveda: Achieve total wellbeing by Nathalie Baron 16Giovanna’s Column 20Useful websites 23Snippets about rubbish in Croydon by Marzia 24Council Sketch by Andrew Pelling 26Ryad Linda in Marrakech 30Some tips from www.supervavvyme.co.uk 32Save the David Lean Cinema Campaign Update 35About gluten and diet by Marzia with Nathalie’s help 36Yummy Choo eats 42Tripadvisor.co.uk and Shirley 44Essential Services Guide from SNC 46Shirley Community Centre 56About Andrew Dunsmore of Picture Partnership, Shirley 61Shirley Library: January Activities 64Wickham Studio 68Your last chance and Nimby by Editor 70
Front Cover: Cribs with a View
Editorial TeamNathalie Baron, Tom Dunsmore, Jill Latter, Marzia Nicodemi-Ehikioya(Editor), Andrew Pelling, Russell Elliott (Advertising Consultant), Robert Dil(Graphic Design Consultant) and Nadia Nazir (Website Administrator).
ContactsT: 07940 415532 • E: [email protected] • W: www.shirleylife.com
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Cribs on the cover is a simplestatement about what theChristmas period represents for
me. If one does not like it, one can flickthrough Shirley Life and find somethingto one’s liking. If one does not findanything at all, perhaps one should readsomething else. We cannot pleaseeverybody. Our Editorial Team comes under
different faiths and none. We work together inharmony and mutual respect.
I received an email from a friend who lives in awarmer climate. He wrote: “Apparently the White House referred toChristmas Trees as Holiday Trees for the first time this year whichprompted CBS presenter, Ben Stein, to present this piece which I wouldlike to share with you. I think it applies just as much to many countriesas it does to America ...”.Well, it looked a spoof and I checked it: initially,I only found http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQt3Us0N9YU,recorded a year ago. Then a warning appeared, followed by an updatesending me to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX3AdAtMOcY. Itwas not Ben Stein’s voice but a computer reading a text:I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And itdoes not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful litup, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feeldiscriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, “Merry Christmas” to me. Idon't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto.In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisterscelebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that thereis a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach housein Malibu. I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don'tthink Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I thinkpeople who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around,period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is anexplicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't likeit being shoved down my throat.Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that
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we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God? Iguess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us whoare wondering where these celebrities came from and where theAmerica we knew went to........ Anne Graham was interviewed on theEarly Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let somethinglike this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina).... She said, “I believeGod is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've beentelling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government andto get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He hascalmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing andHis protection if we demand He leave us alone?”In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I thinkit started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare ... complained she didn't wantprayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you betternot read the Bible in school assemblies. The Bible says thou shalt not kill;thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we saidOK.Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children whenthey misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped andwe might damage their self-esteem .... We said an expert should knowwhat he's talking about. And we said okay.Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, whythey don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to killstrangers, their classmates, and themselves, do drugs, drop out ofschool, etc.Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out.I think it has a great deal to do with “We reap what we sow.”Strange how simple it is for people to trash God or religion and publicdiscussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace and theneveryone wonders why the world is going to hell.”
I removed a few bits, studiously added to make the piece more palatableto “right-wingers” and that did not encompass Ben Stein’s ethos. Heembraces diversity with common sense and tolerance. So do I and Irespectufully suggest that you listen to an interview he gave on FoxNews in November 2012: http://mediamatters.org/video/2012/11/30/ben-stein-opens-new-front-in-foxs-war-on-christ/191627. No sensationalism, just a manwho speaks his mind and treats his neighbour with respect.
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Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New YearYou have no doubt read about food banksspringing up in many places near us. It is aterrible reality that should make us reflect.Shirley Life is publishing the Christmas
CNC booklet which provides helpful information and emergency contactdetails to support you over the festive season. Please see page 46.
Once upon a consultation or wasted money #CroydonConsultations come and go in Croydon and do not make a blind bit ofdifference: the incumbent administration will carry on with their illconceived plans.Shirley Life is pleased tonote that Croydon Councilhas finally found out that “theCouncil is able to do thisusing the provisions of theEnvironmental Protection Act1990”. The consultationwas, therefore, a farce. Wepointed that out in the 27July 2012 SL issue (see Archives) and keep repeating that they do notknow what they are doing and waste our money. The Council will cut even more services in the new year. We already have
too many hungryand homelesspeople in the LBof Croydon. It isa very sad andshameful state ofaffairs.Have a HappyChristmas and,please, sharewhat you canwith others.
Editor34 35
For example, I object to Question 8: “We should all recycle to reducethe amount of waste that goes to landfill to help reduce costs, freeingup money for other services”. I recycle and reuse because I believeit is the right thing to do for the environment.A barrister would say that Question 11 puts words in the mouths ofsome: “I think Croydon Council should take necessary action againstthose who are unwilling to recycle’ Note: ‘Necessary action’ meansmonitoring whether recycling is set out to be collected andcommunicating with the resident to encourage them to start. If theycontinue to not recycle further engagement will be undertaken andif they still do not recycle a Fixed Penalty Notice will be issued”.
Other London Councils have introduced compulsory recycling aslong ago as 2005. It can be enforced by local authorities undersection 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, as amended bySection 48 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005and by Section 23 of the London Local Authorities Act 2007.
Councils should try to encourage people to recycle, not to catchresidents out. They should only be following up with residents whopersistently do not recycle and ask them why they do not want torecycle. The Croydon draft procedure is insensitively presented andunnecessarily complicated, lengthy and it simply will not work.Offering incentives might.I would urge residents to read the LB Islington website by clicking onhttp://www.islington.gov.uk/services/rubbish-recycling/recycling/home/compulsory-recycling-policy/Pages/default.aspx and compare the kind of languageused. A good parent or a good teacher does not attack children witha hammer, but teaches them: Cllr. Thomas needs to learn thatconfrontation will always fail in life.
I am tired of lifting the plastic boxes, especially in the rain. From 1September 2012, I will start to use the supermarket recycling bin. Ishop about 3 times a week, so it should be quite easy. After amonth’s trial, if successful, I will no longer use the green and blueboxes. Council inspectors will be welcome to inspect my wheelie:they will find nothing in it that may warrant a £80 fixed penalty notice.I started recycling and reusing a very long time ago.
Editor
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FOCUSon another farce:
MOPACFrom the official website:http://www.london.gov.uk/priorities/policing-and-crime/about-mopac
London is leading the way by making the Mayor responsible forsupervising the Met Police and replacing the Metropolitan PoliceAuthority (MPA) with the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC).The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime has been set up in responseto the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act (2011) which reformsthe accountability of police services and replaces police authoritiesacross England and Wales with elected individuals. The rest of thecountry has elected their Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) inNovember 2012.The MOPAC is headed by the Mayor or, by his nomination, the appointedstatutory Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime. This means that theMayor is directly accountable for policing performance in London. TheMOPAC makes this process and accountability clearer and givesLondoners a further voice in how their city is policed.Through the MOPAC the Mayor and Deputy Mayor will be directlyaccountable for police performance in the capital, setting the Met Police’sstrategic direction and allocating resources. Operational policing willhowever remain the responsibility of the Metropolitan PoliceCommissioner, Bernard Hogan-Howe.The London Assembly will scrutinise the work of the MOPAC through anew body, the Police and Crime Committee (PCC).
The Police and Crime Committee (PCC)The London Assembly Police and Crime Committee (PCC) examines thework of the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime and reviews the policeand crime plan for London. The Committee can also investigate anythingwhich it considers to be of importance to policing and crime reductionin Greater London and make recommendations for improvements.
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A summary of facts:1 Boris Johnson is Mayor for Policing and Crime;2 Stephen Greenhalgh is Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime:http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/video-boriss-new-policing-deputy-flunks-first-outing/201221659 to see him in action.
3 Former Treasury civil servant, Helen Bailey, was appointed ChiefOperating Officer for the Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime(MOPAC). Currently Chief Executive of Local Partnerships, Bailey waspreviously Director of Public Services at HM Treasury and ChiefExecutive of the London Borough of Islington. City Hall says she willbe responsible for “the operational management of MOPAC and fordelivering its priorities”.
4 Former chief executive Catherine Crawford and deputy Jane Harwoodleft the organisation in July without a handover period or successorsbeing appointed.
5 Following their departures, Mayor Boris Johnson asked LondonAssembly Members to agree to the appointment of Jeff Jacobs, CityHall’s Head of Paid S ervice, as interim Chief Executive. However AMsfrom opposition parties objected to the appointment, saying Jacobsdid not have the experience or time necessary to carry out the role.The Mayor was subsequently forced to second a Home Office civilservant to fill the leadership “vacuum” within the MOPAC.
6 City Hall has also announced the appointments of four Non-ExecutiveAdvisers to advise Mr Greenhalgh “on a range of important workareas”. The four are:• Adviser for Neighbourhoods: Steve O’Connell, Croydon councillor
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and London Assembly Member for Croydon & Sutton • Adviser for Property & Estates: Jonathan Glanz, Director andChairman of property company ‘45West’ and cabinet member forhousing and property, Westminster Council;• Adviser for Procurement: Jeremy Mayhew, strategy consultantand City of London councillor, formerly board member of the LondonDevelopment Agency and Strategic Rail Authority;• Adviser for Organisational Change: Faith Boardman, former ChiefExecutive of Lambeth Council, and Civil Service Director-General atDepartment for Work and Pension and before that Chief Executive ofthe Child Support Agency; and former Independent member of theMetropolitan Police Authority.
From http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/new-police-board-chief-paid-20000-more-than-mayor-8195797.html... The four advisers on £500 a day will report to deputy mayor for policingStephen Greenhalgh.They include Conservative London Assembly member Steve O’Connell,thought to be the highest paid councillor in the UK, who will advise onneighbourhoods. The others are Tory councillor Jonathan Glanz, who willdeal with police estate sell-offs, procurement adviser Jeremy Mayhew andformer Lambeth council chief executive Faith Boardman, who will advise onorganisational change.Lib-Dem leader in London Caroline Pidgeon said: “The key thing is whatvalue taxpayers get from these advisers. Given that most are being paid£500 a day, we need to understand what they are doing and how manymore Boris’s deputy plans to appoint.” Blair Gibbs, appointed policingadviser by Mr Greenhalgh, has provoked protests from officers bydescribing himself as one of the “four horsemen of the police reformapocalypse”.Labour’s City Hall spokesman for policing, Joanne McCartney, said: “Thepublic need confidence in Mopac’s management. I hope theseappointments help. To date there appears to be a real sense of drift, lack ofdirection and lack of relevant expertise at the top.”
Initial notesThese are initial notes to set the background of what seems to be anincredibly expensive body that will lead the government’s relentlessattack on police with a view to privatize it. MOPAC will be re-visited soon.
Editor
Nathalie’s ColumnBe beautiful naturally with Ayurveda - Part 2
Last month we looked into the importance of ahealthy diet to maintain a youthful appearance.This month, we will now cover the importance of de-
stressing, daily exercise and using natural beauty products toenhance beauty and longevity.Quit smoking: the damages it does to your body and skin is beyondbelief. The health warnings on the packets are there for a reason. I canalways tell a smoker by their dull and grey skin. Consider using relaxingtechniques such as meditation, breathing exercises and massages tohelp you quit the habit.
Exercise daily: A simple walk relaxes the mind and gives the cheeksa healthy glow. When I used to work in London, I found that walkingat a brisk pace to and from the station provided me with the exerciseI needed, prepared me for the day ahead in the mornings and relaxedme after a stressful day at work in the evenings. Look at ways whereyou could walk instead of using the car or the bus. Yoga is also a greatdiscipline to try. Yoga is not all about flexibility and impossible to getinto poses. Yoga is also about meditation, breathing exercises andgently working with your body to de-stress the mind and the body.Poses and breathing exercises can energise, relax or help clear toxinswhich in turns benefit your overall health and skin.
Stress and lack of sleep are so detrimental to your wellbeing. I see somany clients in my practice who come to me with stress relatedailments. Stress affects the digestive system, thecardio-vascular system and the immune system.There are strong correlations between stressand headaches, insomnia and broken sleep,high blood pressure, heart problems, skinconditions, asthma, depression and anxiety.Stress is not only the cause of many ailments;it is also the cause of much premature aging.Your face is a map of your life; stress is etched
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in there to stay for posterity. A calm mind and healthy body delays thesigns of aging and increase enjoyment of life. Contentment brings innerbeauty that shines through your whole being.
I would advise a combined approach to reduce stress. Massages,meditation and yoga are beneficial in reducing stress. Many people stillsee massage as a luxury. Ayurveda sees massage as a necessity of lifeto keep the body healthy and prolong longevity. It reduces stress andcan ease a lot of stress related conditions. It also keeps the skin of thebody supple and toned. In Ayurveda, a holistic approach is alwaysrecommended and for optimal effect, massages and treatments wouldbe taken alongside yoga and meditation and diet and lifestyle changes.
Finally, follow a beauty regime as close to nature as possible. Mostbeauty products sold nowadays contain an array of chemicals andpreservatives which get absorbed in the body and settle in the tissuesas toxins. Ayurveda believes that the accumulation of toxins may leadto ill health in the long term.
Products: There are a few productsthat I have tried and tested in mypractice which I like to share withyou. For the delicate skin of the facepure rosewater is an excellent skincleanser and toner suitable for all skintypes. It revives dull and tired skins,tightens pores, hydrates and helpssoften facial lines.
Organic oils make great face and body conditioners. Daily oiling of theskin brings suppleness and slows down the aging process. Just becareful as oil can stain clothing. Use cold-pressed sesame oil for dryskins, virgin coconut oil for sensitive skins prone to rashes and acnewhereas almond oil is best for oily complexions. Coconut oil is also agreat hair conditioner for all hair types; it makes the hair healthy,promotes its growth and gives it a great shine.
Whatever products you choose to use make sure they are 100% pureand organic as labels can be misleading.
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SHIRLEY LIFE WILL INTERVIEW MYRIAM NEXT MONTH. SHE IS LOVELY AND COMES HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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I would also personally recommend, when oiling the face, to apply afew massage strokes to ease tension from facial muscles, soften linesand tone the skin.
For best results, book yourself in fora course of Ayurvedic Face Lifts. Thisdeeply relaxing treatment leaves theskin visibly younger looking andradiant and is also particularlybeneficial for stress and stressrelated conditions. Tiredness andtension are dispelled leaving yourcomplexion blissfully light andrefreshed. The treatment starts withan infusion of rose water to cleanseand rehydrate the skin. The face isthen massaged with a uniquecombination of Ayurvedicingredients to restore suppleness,nourish the skin and release tensionand worry lines.
Marma points – our physical and energetic centres – are stimulated,intensifying the rejuvenating process and improving collagen andprotein production. To complete the treatment a soothing andreplenishing serum, specifically formulated for your skincare needs, is
applied.
Be beautiful naturally, the Ayurvedicway.
Garden of Pomegranates wishesyou a Merry Christmas and HappyNew Year 2013. Enjoy the holidayseason and take care of yourhealth.
www.gardenofpomegranates.comNathalie
Giovanna’s ColumnI never buy processed food and cook everyday. I enjoy reading food related articlesand getting new ideas.Following a pesky friend’s psychologicalpressure, I have recently switched toorganic milk and now find myself readinglabels and health warnings. So manypeople around me are intolerant of orallergic to gluten that I felt that I needed to
know more about these issues because I want them to be safe whenI invite them to dinner.I stumbled upon this website theother day about gluten free productsand I thought I’d share it with you all because it is full of zest:http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.co.uk/p/how-to-go-g-free.htmlThe following recipes are suitable for people diagnosed with coeliacdisease and those who are suffering from a gluten and wheat allergyor intolerance. You can adjust them all to your taste.
Butterfly chicken breasts with a herb stuffing. This recipe is delicious served with new potatoes and seasonalvegetables. The perfect gluten free recipe for a dinner party.
Serves: 2Preparation time: 20 minutesCooking time: 20-25 minutesOven temperature: 190°C/375°F/ gas Mark 5
Ingredients• 50g DS-gluten free white multigrain loaf (2oz) • 2 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless• 10ml olive oil, (2 tsp)• 2-3 shallots, finely chopped• 15g pine kernels (½ oz)• 25g chestnut mushrooms, (1 oz) chopped• 1 rosemary sprig , stalk and leaves removed, chopped• 15 ml sp parsley, (1 tbsp) fresh flat leaf
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• ¼ tsp Marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon, made up with 50ml (2 fl oz)boiling water
• black pepper, cracked, to taste• sea salt to tasteMethod1 Preheat the oven 190°C/375°F/ Gas Mark 52 Make the stuffing: place the DS-gluten free multi-grain bread (the crustcan also be used), in a food processor until it resembles breadcrumbs,place in a medium bowl.
3 Heat the oil in a small frying pan and fry the shallot, pine kernels andmushrooms until soft and very lightly browned. Add to the breadcrumbs.
4 Mix the herbs into the breadcrumb mixture and bind together with thestock, season.
5 Lay out the chicken breast on a chopping board and carefully cut intothe breast along one side as though filleting (do not cut right through),fold the top side back to open it up, so you have a butterfly affect.
6 Place the two cut chicken breasts on a greased baking sheet, top withthe stuffing mix down the centre and place in the preheated oven.
7 Cook uncovered for 20 – 25 minutes until cooked, serve with garlicand rosemary roasted potato cubes and fresh green vegetables.
Parsley and lemon plaiceServes: 2Preparation time: 15 minutesCooking time: 15 minutesOven temperature: 190°C/170°CFan/Gas Mark 5Ingredients• 3 slices of DS-gluten free white sliced loaf• 2 Plaice Fillets, fresh• ½ Lemon, zest and juice• 2 tbsp parsley, fresh, chopped• 2 tbsp olive oil • black pepper, cracked, to taste• sea salt to tasteMethod1 Preheat the oven.2 Place the bread in a blender or foodprocessor and whizz to make breadcrumbs.
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Add the lemon, parsley, olive oil and seasoning and whizz to combine.3 Wash and dry the plaice on kitchen paper and put on a greased bakingsheet. Top with the breadcrumb mixture and bake for 12-15 minutesuntil cooked.
4 Serve with new potatoes and salad or seasonal vegetable and a wedgeof lemon
Sweet potato and butternut squash soupA hearty warming soup, perfect served with the DS-gluten free BrownCiabatta Rolls!Serves: 4Preparation time: 15 minutesCooking time: 25 minutesIngredients• 1tbsp olive oil • 1 onion, medium, peeled and diced• garlic, 2 cloves, peeled and crushed• 15mlsp cumin, (1tsp) ground• 300g sweet potatoes, (11oz) peeled weight and diced• 250g butternut squash, (9oz) peeled weight and diced• 1ltr vegetable stock, (1¾pts)• 2 x 15mlsp coriander, (2 tbsp) fresh, chopped• DS-gluten free brown ciabatta rolls• seasoning to taste (sea salt!)Method1 Heat oil in large saucepan, add onion, and garlic, cook until soft, addground cumin and cook a further minute.
2 Add sweet potato and butternut squash, stir and cook for 2 minutes.3 Add seasoning and stock, bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer for20 minutes or until the sweet potato is cooked.
4 Blend or process vegetable mixture until smooth, stir in the freshcoriander, dilute with water if necessary.
5 Serve soup hot or cold.
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USEFUL WEBSITES• If you want to know what is going on in Croydon insidecroydon.com
• If you are looking for a reliable person to build your ownwebsite www.nadianazir.com
• Bradley’s for the best frozen fish around (quality, price and great choice) www.frozenfishdirect.co.uk
• For superb and traditional shoe repairswww.traditionalshoerepairs.co.uk
• For books and health products that might change a fewthings in your life for the betterwww.credence.org
• Before travelling and planning an outing, DO checkwww.tripadvisor.co.uk for real feedback
LIBRARIES• Save Croydon Libraries Campaignsoslibrary.blogspot.com
• Alan Wylie's Stop the Privatisation of Public Librarieshttp://dontprivatiselibraries.blogspot.co.uk/
• Ian Anstice's Public Libraries Newshttp: //www.publiclibrariesnews.com/
• Alan Gibbons's Diary http://alangibbons.net/
• The Library Campaign http://www.librarycampaign.com/
• Voices for the Libraryhttp://www.voicesforthelibrary.org.uk/wordpress/
Snippets about rubbish in CroydonWorth a tryOver a month ago, NOGsent me a link for anarticle in the BBC NewsWest Wales. SwanseaCouncil launched a novelidea for making moneythrough recycling. Such a shame thatCroydon Council doesnot listen and only wantsto implement coercion,thus alienating residents.NOG recycles everything
and so do I. We are always looking for or offer a home for pre-loveditems. Reuse is any activity that lengthens the life of an item. Reuse is accomplished through many different methods: • purchasing durable goods; • buying and selling in the used marketplace;• borrowing, renting, subscribing to business waste exchanges andmaking or receiving charitable transfers;
• maintaining and repairing, as well as by designing with a view toreuse.
Reuse accomplishes more than recycling because:• it keeps goods and materials out of the waste stream and incinerators;• it advances source reduction;• it preserves the “energy” that was originally used to manufacture anitem;
• it reduces the strain on valuable resources, such as fuel, forests andwater supplies, and helps safeguard wildlife habitats;
• it creates less air and water pollution than making a new item orrecycling;
• it results in less hazardous waste;• it saves money in purchases and disposal costs;• it generates new business and employment opportunities for both
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small entrepreneurs and large enterprises;• it creates an affordable supply of goods that are often of excellentquality;
• it also brings resources to individuals and organizations that mightotherwise be unable to acquire them.
My camera and II travel around the London Borough of Croydona lot and take a lot of pictures. Our loyal readersknow how much I hate food buckets andrecycling boxes. I saw the brown wheelie on theleft in Shrublands Avenue, Shirley. It was quitedifferent from the one I had found in CanningRoad, Croydon in September. Indeed it wasbetter because it could be “wheelied about”.It would be a cheaper choice for CroydonCouncil to have widespread communalwheelies and also a much healthier life forresidents: less time + less money in emptying
and a maggot and smell free life for residents. We need to look atalternatives. We need real consultations and a borough-wide study ofdifferent needs in different wards. The “one size fits all” does not work.Shirley Life is prepared to help.Inferior, expensive and leaky bagsPerseverance pays off: I finally managed to contact Imperial Polythene.They are trading and they are quite friendly. They have different typesof bags and will be sending me samples. Has Croydon Council chosen
the worst?I will report back nextmonth with an honestreview. The Alfapakbags now cost £2.30per 20, 80p more in 2months!Shirley Lifemight setup a co-operative andre-sell at NO profit.
25Marzia
http://www.imperialpolythene.com/index.html
Council Sketch by Andrew PellingIt’s the Council’s Christmas meeting again andthe wafting aromas of the especially stimulativemulled punch tell of the refreshment thatbeckons the Councillors from their meeting toquench their thirst in the Mayor’s parlour.
Worthy recompense you would think for ourcouncillors’ efforts. Except of course you mightbe forgetting the £ 6.6 million you spend oncouncillors’ salaries between each election. Thecouncil meeting is all about how or perhaps nothow the council is coping with the 33% cut inEnglish local government grants. Services areaxed or privatised with reduced service quality
provisions. But one item is sacrosanct as employees lose their jobs at thecouncil or else get laid off and are re-employed by the council on lower wages.That one untouchable item is the Councillors’ salaries and that budget has notbeen cut.
What’s worse Shirley Councillor and Council Leader refused point blank totell a resident what his working hours at the town hall in return for his £ 52,223annual salary. With astounding arrogance Cllr. Fisher asserted that despitehis salary, or allowance as councillors prefer to call it, which is well over twicethe average national salary, councillors “do not have fixed “hours of work.”The Taxpayers’ Alliance has subsequently condemned Fisher as being “partof the entitlement culture”.
With all that money being paid out you would at least expect your Councillorsto be courteous but Cllr Arram, this year’s disastrous Mayor, was as oafish asever shouting down a grandmother concerned about a school expansion.The Mayor is meant to be neutral but this Mayor has no standards in thisrespect and even though he was the returning officer in the electionconcerned he was boasting at the meeting from the Mayoral chair that thenominal size of the Labour majority was down – the percentage share was upsignificantly on a lower turnout. The Conservatives had “slashed the majority”Mayor Arram shouted at the Labour Councillors.
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Shirley Councillor Richard Chatterjee tried to improve the atmosphere byusing his speech about Shirley ward’s needs to list all the voluntary bodies hecould think of that aid David Cameron’s push for a “Big Society”. The chanceto raise local ward concerns comes very rarely so the use of his short threeminute opportunity was rather wasted by reading out a list. The power cutsthat had struck Shirley just before the council meeting went unmentioned.The reading of a list might have been thought of as a funny concept in itsgestation but the speech was really rather immature. What’s worse SpringPark Residents Association and Monks Orchard Residents Association wereleft off Cllr. Chatterjee’s long list.
For the first time a guide was provided to the public in the gallery on how theyshould behave. The councillors behave appallingly. Always. The public galleryis almost always mute. The only intervention this year was a chant by blackyoungsters about the closure of their Saturday school. The National Frontjoined the mayor in condemning this vocal outburst.
But now there was a missive stating that “This is a “meeting in public” not a“public meeting”. A public meeting is where the public are able to participate. Of course the public know their place at these meetings. They are not allowedto participate except they are expected to stand when the Mayor comes in.Members of the public gallery are becoming much less keen on thisgenuflection as the current Mayor takes his office further into disrepute – onecan only hope that the office will recover next year when antiques dealerYvette Hopley will bring a Lovejoy level of courtesy back to the job.
When it came to standing up Cllr. Ian Parker, who is also the localConservative Party’s Agent, said that he felt no concern about the cuts topublic spending on schools after what he judged to have been a wastefulLabour government programme with the overambitious target of rebuilding allschools but thought it “costs nothing” for children to stand up when teacherscome in.
The main event of the evening was a debate about the appropriateness ofgiving over the running of the borough’s libraries to a property developer. Youcouldn’t make it up, could you?
The property developer concerned is owned by a City private equity player.That developer is already the partner in a joint venture where you, the Croydon
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council tax payer, have been left exposed to an extraordinary propertyspeculation. Labour, calling the joint venture partnership a Ponzi scheme sawthe choice of what they said was the most expensive bidder for the librarycontract, as a means of feeding further property into the financially engineeredscheme to hide losses being incurred.
Adam Kellett, our local Ashburton ward councillor, gave a spirited defence ofthe most expensive contract, saying that the privatisation would lead to noreduction in hours, a refurbishment of computer equipment and an extendedeBook service.
Labour’s Cllr Tim Godfrey said that Labour would rescind the contract ifelected. Conservative Cllr Pollard asserted that this was illegal and that noone would bid for Croydon’s business again if that action was taken in 2014.He also trailed the 27% council tax increase in one year under Labour’scurrent local leader Tony Newman, a reminder of past ill-deeds that will be oftrepeated in the 2014 local elections.
The only piece of dignity in the meeting came when a posthumous awardwas made to MalcolmWicks of the Freemanship ofthe Borough of Croydon.The Freemanship is rarelygranted and theConservative council shouldreally have granted it whenthe Labour politician wasspending a year combattingcancer with especial graceand dignity.
Margaret Wicks received the honour on behalf of the respected former MP forCroydon North. The honour, in theory, gives a freedom to drove animalsacross the Borough. Richard Wicks, a relative of Malcolm Wicks one hundredand fifty years ago in Croydon had in fact been a cowman at the cattle marketby Brighton Road so the freemanship had a particular family resonance.
For the family Margaret said the award was “a great honour” and “a wonderfulheirloom to keep.”
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RIAD LINDA IN MARRAKECHBritish owned and managed, Riad Linda is a lovingly restoredtraditional house peacefully situated in a very welcomingneighbourhood in the heart of the Marrakech medina. We are only fiveminutes walk from the souks and Jemaa el Fna Square. The Riad has been completely renovated to a high standard by localcraftsmen yet retains many distinct & characterful features as well asmodern comforts. - including a beautiful plant filled courtyard garden.Traditional finishes such as tadelakt and zillege have been usedthroughout.We rent out individual rooms as well as whole riad bookings.
Our comfortable and spacious accommodation features ourOrange Twin Room, Green Double RoomBlue Double / Twin RoomAll our room rates are fully inclusive of breakfast, housekeeper, conciergeservice, mint tea on arrival, complimentary water & free wi-fi.
All our bedrooms have air conditioning / heating units to ensure yourcomfort and are en suite.
Our location is ideal forlone travellers as well ascouples, friends andfamilies who want to gettogether.Riad Linda has a beautifulcourtyard dining area,bhou (salon) with fountain,6 bedrooms (all en-suite)and a hammam (steamroom). There is a large,sunny, roof terrace idealfor breakfast or relaxingon sun loungers or in ourtraditional Bedouin tent.
Red Double / Twin RoomPink Double RoomDouria Suite - Double or Twin
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From our terrace there are views towards the Koutoubia Mosquewhich looks even more spectacular when lit up in the evening. Thereare also views across the medina to one of the royal palaces, localmosques & the High Atlas Mountains.
Our friendly & experienced, English and French speaking staff at theRiad will provide a warm welcome with mint tea, and will help toorganise trips and excursions further a field, and can arrange forreputable guides help you to navigate your way through the medina.
We have our own Moroccan cook available to prepare fabuloustraditional 3-course evening meals in-house such as lemon chickenwith olives, lamb tajine, vegetarian couscous.Our beds all have pure cotton sheets. All towels are supplied & thereare hairdryers in all the rooms.
We can also organise:• private parties with dancers, singers & musicians. We even have ourown henna artist!
• cookery lessons with Fadila our cook. Fadila will show you how toprepare a variety of Moroccan delicacies such as different tajines,Moroccan cooked salads, and mint tea. You will then be served themeal that you prepared! We will also take you to the nearby spiceshops to buy all the spices needed to prepare the dishes at home.
• Massages and beauty treatments.• train and airport transfers. The riad is situated 5km from the trainstation and airport (about a 15min drive). Secure car parking isavailable nearby.
• a visit to a hammam (highly recommended!) and excursions to theAtlas Mountains to make your stay even more memorable.
• Camel rides, quad bikes, trips to the desert, white water rafting,canyoning & river tubes if you are feeling adventurous!
• overnight trips to the desert which include a camel ride and anovernight stay in a Bedouin tent
These activities can all be arranged by our manager Rachid when youare in Marrakech.
Please do contact me at [email protected] if you would like any further information.
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Some tips from www.supersavvyme.co.uk1 Duracell Ultra Power batteries with Powercheck for ChristmasFrom toys and gadgets to household essentials, these days we usemore batteries than ever all around our homes. That means we'rebuying more of these essentials too, but did you know you couldprobably cut your batteries bill in half?
Save moneyIncredibly, one third of all alkaline batteries in the UK are thrown awaywith more than half their power still intact - up to 67% in fact!*That's because they start to lose their impact in high-drain devices likecameras, high intensity flashlights and electric toothbrushes relativelyquickly. However, there are lots of items that don't demand such highlevels of power - things like toys, games controllers and alarm clocks –and if you transfer half-used batteries to these, you won't have to buy somany batteries.Save powerDuracell's Ultra Power batteries last longer so you can keep doing whatyou need to without wasting time replacing them or having to buy newones.It's quick and easy to check which batteries can be sorted into the re-usepile thanks to Duracell's unique Powercheck feature.The innovative Powercheck feature appears on the side of each DuracellUltra Power battery. Just press the white circles on each end to see howmuch power is left.Save the planetAs well as helping us get the best value from the batteries we buy,Powercheck enables us to make the most of every last drop of usefulnessfrom them before we recycle.Savvy tipDon't throw away the card packing - keep it in a box marked 'still in use' and thenput half-used batteries in here for times when you only need to power-up low-useitems. Putting them back in the packing ensures that contact points don’t touch.
Pass it on - make battery power last longerMake sure you don't leave items running on battery power or standbywhen you don't need to.If you’re not using an item for a while, remove the batteries.
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Keep batteries in a dry place at normal room temperature and avoidletting their contact points touch each other.*Based on BatteryBack sample data of 3149 batteries (AA/AAA/C/D) sent to berecycled in the UK in November 2011.
2 Swishing: It’s ultra fashionable to recycle so save money andexchange great clothes you don’t want.Holding a swap party is a great excuse to have a thorough clear out ofall the stuff you never wear, snap up some great new clothes and havea catch up with your mates into the bargain.
Getting started• A swap party works best if as many people know about it as possible.• Give everyone plenty of notice – a month is good – and ask people tospread the word.
• You want women representing as many different shapes, sizes andstyles as possible.
• Get people to RSVP so you have an idea of numbers.Preparing for the swap party• Keep costs down by asking people to bring a bottle and just providea handful of simple snacks. People are coming to swap not party!
• Be specific about what type of clothes you want. Ask for at least threeitems from each guest. They can be: new but never worn sartorialerrors, or old but not hopelessly tatty, or vintage clothes, shoes andaccessories.
• Everyone should be prepared to leave behind anything that they bring.You can give leftovers to charity afterwards.
On the day• Ask your guests to arrive half an hour before you begin swapping. Youcan hang all the clothes up and it will give everyone the chance to eyeup the things they fancy grabbing.
• Remember to set aside a bedroom with a full-length mirror if peoplewould like to try clothes on.
Savvy tipIt’s a good idea to state that there’s a ‘recrimination amnesty’ just in case anyoneturns up with unwanted gifts that other guests have given them over the years!Pass it on – get swishing inspirationFashion swapping is also known as Swishing. There are Swishing parties arrangedall over the UK all the time. Find one local to you and your mates at www.swishing.org
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The Goat1-3 BRO O M ROA D
SH I R L EY · CROY D O N
Recently refurbished family-run pub offeringa wide range of beers,
ciders, real ales& wines
C&CPLANNING PARTNERSH IP LTD
8 Ash Road, Shirley, Croydon,
Surrey, CR0 8HU
MOB: 07796 777700TEL: 020 8777 9999 (OFFICE)TEL: 020 8777 7000 (OFFICE)
EMAIL: [email protected]
PLANS FOR LOFTS, EXTENSIONS, HOUSES,& STRUCTURAL CALCULATIONS
FOR COUNCIL APPROVALS
35 YEARS EXPERIENCEFREE CONSULTATIONS
For additional updates, film presentation reminders, etc,please follow the Campaign on Twitter: @SaveDavidLean
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Late December Screenings at the Spread EagleDear FriendsMembers have voted for the following films:4pm, Thursday 27 December THE GUARD (15) 2011 Ireland 96 minsDirector: John Michael McDonagh Stars: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Mark StrongAn eccentric crime comedy in which an unorthodox Irish policeman(Brendan Gleeson) with a confrontational personality is teamed upwith an uptight FBI agent (Don Cheadle) to investigate an internationaldrug-smuggling ring.
4pm, Friday 28 December THE WELL DIGGER'S DAUGHTER (PG) 2011 France 107 minsDirector: Daniel AuteuilStars: Pascal Amoretti, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Nicolas Duvauchelle Well-digger’s daughter Patricia (Astrid Bergès-Frisbey) starts aromance with wealthy Jacques (Nicolas Duvauchelle), but Jacques isdrafted to the First World War front and Patricia discovers she ispregnant. English subtitles.
Thanks to all who voted. The results, with the number of votes, were as follows:Thursday 27 December1st: THE GUARD (11)2nd: DAMSELS IN DISTRESS (5)2nd: THE HUNGER GAMES (5)4th: ANOTHER EARTH (3)5th: SHARKTOPUS (1)
Friday 28 December1st: THE WELL DIGGER’S DAUGHTER (14)2nd: DELICACY (6)3rd: THE ANGELS’ SHARE (4)4th: MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (2) Adrian Winchester, Campaign Chairman
Save the David Lean Cinema Campaign Update
do not suffer
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ABOUT GLUTEN AND DIETWhat exactly is Gluten?1 The mixture of proteins, includinggliadins and glutelins, found in wheatgrains, which are not soluble in waterand which give wheat dough itselastic texture.2 Any of the prolamins found incereal grains, especially the prolaminsin wheat, rye, barley, and possiblyoats, that cause digestive disorderssuch as celiac disease.Gluten is not a grain, but is acomponent of grains and cereals.Gluten is actually a protein and ismost commonly found in wheat, ryeand barley. Since most breads,cereals, crackers, pasta and manypackaged snacks all contain eitherwheat, rye or barley, these foods are
all gluten-containing foods.There are many grains that do not contain gluten such as wild rice,corn, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, quinoa, and some oats.
What’s the big deal about gluten?Going “gluten free” has become all the rage in the weight loss andhealth industry. Just as going low fat or low carbo had its time in thelimelight, it seems like the new fad and trend is to go gluten free.Articles appear in newspapers and magazines.There is indeed a small percentage of people who DO need to avoidgluten at all costs because it triggers an immune reaction calledCoeliac Disease. This is a very serious disease that needs to bediagnosed and treated and should not be taken lightly.A greater percentage of people have a moderate to severe intoleranceto gluten because their digestive system simply cannot process this
do not suffer
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particular protein causing them symptoms like gas, bloating, anddigestive difficulty. Another problematic side effect of glutenintolerance is the inability to lose unwanted fat, making it extremelydifficult to even lose a few pounds.If you think that going completely gluten free is the only way to loseweight, please think again. Many people have experienced drasticchanges in their health and weight loss when going gluten free, butit is not a miracle cure for shedding pounds.
The benefits of going Gluten FreeThe biggest benefit for those who even suspect they may be evenslightly gluten intolerant is a relief of their digestive symptoms andweight loss. Yes, people who have struggled for some time trying tolose a few pounds have seen a dramatic change in their health andweight loss efforts when they remove gluten and gluten containingproducts from their diet.However, I am careful and weary of most “Gluten Free” products andthink most of these products can do more harm than good: just readthe ingredients listed on the back of “gluten free” crackers that arepromoted as healthy and ideal for a gluten free diet:potato starch, rice flour, buckwheat flour, eggs, palm oil, modified cornstarch, dextrose, salt, yeast, hydroxypropyl methycellulose, sunflowerlecithin, cream of tartar, ammonium bicarbonate, natural flavor.Or read the ingredients of a breakfast cereal advertised for children ashealthy and part of a nutritious gluten free diet:organic corn meal, organic whole grain corn meal, organic evaporatedcane juice, organic peanut butter, organic molasses, organic cocoa,sea salt, organic soy oil, natural flavor, tocopherols (natural vitamin E).
Moreover, “Gluten Free” products are far more expensive.
Start cooking and stop buying ready made mealsIf you suffer with gas, bloating, abdominal pain, and fatigue on aregular basis (3-4 times per week) and think gluten may be the culprit,you can:
1 Go gluten free for a minimum of 2 weeks: it will mean avoiding foodslike most breads, cereals, crackers, pasta and processed snacks.
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The Chestnut ClinicSpecialising in the Identification &
Treatment of Allergic DisordersHome Visit Service
Tel: 020 8462 5800 · Email: [email protected]: www.chestnuthomeopathy.co.uk
20 Chestnut Avenue · West Wickham · BR4 9ES
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2 Eat naturally gluten-free foods such as meat, fish, fruit andvegetables, rice, potatoes and lentils. Get creative and try newrecipes focusing on proteins, vegetables, fruits and grains like rice,quinoa and millet. Your meals do not have to include bread or pastato be satisfying. You may love a beef and vegetable stir fry over rice,grilled fish over quinoa salad and millet hot cereal with chopped nutsand fruit for breakfast. Your choices are endless and there are goodwebsites to help you with recipes.
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.co.uk/p/site-index.htmlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/food/diets/gluten_freehttp://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/special-diet/gluten-freehttp://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/ingredients/gluten-free-recipes.html
Shocking data of our average dietHumankind has historically consumed approximately 80,000 differentspecies of edible plants, animals, and fungi, and approximately 3,000of those have been widespread foods of the human diet.Currently, the average adult eating a typical modern westernconsumes approximately 67% of their total caloric intake from only 3foods: CORN, SOY and WHEAT (and their derivatives).What would be considered a reasonably healthy amount of corn, soy,and wheat in the human diet? Based on human history and thenatural diet of our ancestors this would probably be in the range ofabout 1% to 4% MAX of our total calories from corn, soy, and wheat.If we consider that modern humans are eating 67% of their totalcalories from corn, soy, wheat, we can see why we have massiveproblems in our health, and our weight! It is not a surprise that we have so many intolerances and allergies,specifically to soy and wheat (and gluten intolerance): the humandigestive system was simply never meant to consume thesesubstances in such MASSIVE quantities.These massively high levels of corn, soy, and wheat in our modernhuman diet is a relatively new phenomenon that originated from theeconomics of the multi-billion dollar corn, soy, and wheat industries.
It really HAS always been all about the money... NOT about our health!
About “derivatives” of corn, soy, and wheatDerivatives are food additives such as:• high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)• corn oil• soybean oil (hydrogenated or plain refined)• soy protein• refined wheat flour• hundreds of other food additives such as maltodextrin, corn orwheat starch, soy lecithin, mono and diglycerides, etc, etc
Consider how much soda or other sweetened drinks (with loads ofHFCS) that the average person drinks daily or marinades, saladdressings, ketchup. Think about how many processed foods we have that are either friedin soybean or corn oil: chips, cakes, salad dressings, tomato sauces,wraps, corn chips, breaded chicken, etc, etc. It does get worse!Not only are we eating 67% of our total calories from corn, soy, andwheat, but because of the economics involved (specifically with cheapcorn and soy), we are also feeding most of our farm animals corn andsoy too, thus increasing the amount of corn and soy that passesthrough the food chain and ends up in our bodies.Probably the two worst examples of this blatant mismanagementof our food supply is how our factory farmed chickens and cowsare fed.Cows are fed mostly corn in factory feedlot farms, even though theirdigestive systems are only meant to eat grass and other forage. Thismakes the cows sick, alters the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of the fatsto unhealthy levels, and also diminishes the healthy CLA fats thatwould occur naturally in grass-fed beef. All of these problems go awayif our cows are fed what they were made to eat naturally - grass andother green forage!Our chickens are also fed a diet of mostly corn and soy and crowdedin tight pens in horrendous conditions. Poultry was meant to roamaround the outdoors eating a mixture of greens, insects, worms,seeds, etc. When chickens are kept inside in tight quarters and fed
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only grains, it leads to an unhealthy meat for you to eat, and lesshealthy eggs compared to free-roaming chickens allowed to eat anoutdoors diet.Our food supply has got so twisted for profit that we are even feedingour salmon and other farmed fish corn and soy. Again this makes farmraised fish unhealthy in terms of nutrition compared to their wildcounterparts. If you want to see something even scarier about farm-raised fish, watch these quick videos about the toxic fish you may buy.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6N2SX51d7whttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZBbYzyuwF0So even when we are eating chicken, beef, and fish, we are gettingeven MORE corn and soy into your body, considering that the cows,chickens, and farmed fish ate mostly soy and corn.
So it's actually WORSE than just 67%.
ABOUT COELIACCoeliac disease is an auto-immunediseaseGluten, which is found in wheat, barleyand rye triggers an immune reaction inpeople with coeliac disease. This meansthat eating gluten damages the lining ofthe small intestine. Other parts of the bodymay be affected.
Gluten is a protein found in the cereals wheat, rye and barley. Somepeople react to a similar protein found in oats.
Look up more details on http://www.coeliac.org.uk/coeliac-disease
Summary• Don't purchase processed foods! Fill your trolley with as much fruits,veggies, beans, nuts, seeds, eggs and meats from grass-fed or freeroaming animals as you can afford.
• Read all food labels.• Cook at home: you will save a lot of money and be good to yourself.• Only “cheat” when you eat out.
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Editor
It is a real pleasure to read Selina’s website becauseshe tries out and adapts recipes that catch her eye andmakes them her own. Her Supper Club is anopportunity to taste of authentic home-cookedMauritian cuisine. Join her for a 3 course menu thatrepresents what Selina and her mother love most aboutMauritian Food! All their dishes are made using fresh,locally sourced ingredients. Each meal includes a
welcome soft drink, appetizer, main dish, sides and adessert. Go to yummychooeats.wordpress.com and subscribe to the blog to
receive notifications of new posts by email.
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Tripadvisor is the world's largest travel site. You can find and book aconvenient and comfortable hotel, B&B or holiday home for amemorable getaway after reading reviews from millions of travellers.TripAdvisor's Flight Search checks thousands of possible itinerariesand finds you the lowest fares the most often of any online flightfinder. You can download a free, full-colour destination guide fortravellers' advice on where to stay, eat, and play. TripAdvisor's travel community has written millions of reviewsdescribing their best and worst holidays, so you can decide where togo and what to avoid.Most importantly, you can visit their busy travel forums and get allyour questions answered before you go. For example, we got a goodcoach transfer from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to our hotel in Istanbul fora fiver instead of the £65-70 generally quoted.
I always consult TripAdvisor when I am planning an outing or aholiday. I also write my own reviews because I want to share myexperiences: good, bad or indifferent. I have also uploaded a fewpictures to prove a point.
You do not have to go abroad to benefit from Tripadvisor. MaywoodRestaurant in Wickham Road has had a few reviews, mostlypositive. It is an elegantly furnished place and enlivens a parade thathas seen better days.
It offers Mediterranean food and affords vegetarians a decent choiceof food. The service is good: attentive and discreet (please forgivemy Latin spelling in the review). The choice of wines is also good: notin my review because nobody had wine but mint tea, mineral waterand Peroni. It is also excellent value for money and you can walkhome if you decide to drink! Safe and good for your digestion.
Maywood is probably the best restaurant in Shirley.
and Shirley
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56 4746
ShirleyCommunityCentre
Shrublands AvenueShirley, CroydonCR0 8JA
Phone: 020 8777 4298Email: [email protected]: www.shirleycca.com
Are you looking for:• A venue to hold off-site training?• Do you need a local hub to hold meetingsout of the view of prying eyes?
• Somewhere quiet to hold interviews?
Then Shirley Community Centre could be theplace you are looking for.
Available to hire by the day, half day or hour.
Shirley CommunityCentre
Situated in the heart of residential Shirley, theCentre is a great venue for off-site training,meetings or interviews.
Served by the 198 and 194 buses, it has someoff-road parking.
The Centre Features a main hall, a meetingroom, a cafe area and a fully fitted kitchen. Itis fully accessible to wheelchair users and has adisabled facility.There is a high-speed internet connectionaccessible viaWi-Fi and a pull down 274.3cmx 205.7cm screen for your presentations.
For more information or to view the site,please call our Site Manager NOG on020 8777 4298. He will be pleased to hearfrom you.
Shirley Community Centre
574746
ShirleyCommunityCentre
Shrublands AvenueShirley, CroydonCR0 8JA
Phone: 020 8777 4298Email: [email protected]: www.shirleycca.com
Are you looking for:• A venue to hold off-site training?• Do you need a local hub to hold meetingsout of the view of prying eyes?
• Somewhere quiet to hold interviews?
Then Shirley Community Centre could be theplace you are looking for.
Available to hire by the day, half day or hour.
Shirley CommunityCentre
Situated in the heart of residential Shirley, theCentre is a great venue for off-site training,meetings or interviews.
Served by the 198 and 194 buses, it has someoff-road parking.
The Centre Features a main hall, a meetingroom, a cafe area and a fully fitted kitchen. Itis fully accessible to wheelchair users and has adisabled facility.There is a high-speed internet connectionaccessible viaWi-Fi and a pull down 274.3cmx 205.7cm screen for your presentations.
For more information or to view the site,please call our Site Manager NOG on020 8777 4298. He will be pleased to hearfrom you.
Shirley Community Centre
ACTIVITIES at the CentreMonday Youth ActivitiesTuesday TenshinTsunami Ryu
Bible Study GroupWednesday Racquet Club
ShirleyTableTennis ClubThursday Racquet Club
Road Cycling ClubFriday Friday Club
GKR KarateSaturday Private PartiesSunday SCF
Care Direct UK run its services forOlderAdults in the south end part of theCentre.You can contact them 020 87762562 or 07590 202547 for furtherdetails.
What the Centre offers...The main hall is complemented by a well equippedkitchen; there is a pool room and there are two otherrooms suited to smaller committee meetings.
The Centre is open for viewing from Monday to Fridaybetween 9 and 11am and 2 to 5pm on Fridays only.
Availability...The Centre is available most mornings, the early part ofeach afternoon and some evenings.
It is also very popular for private parties at weekends.
To hire the Centre, please contact 020 8777 4298or email [email protected].
For any other purpose or to contact theTrustees of theCharity, please email [email protected].
There is also a website,www.shirleycca.com,to keep you abreast of events.
Charges...Midweek charges for the main hall are:£10 per hour until 5pm and £12.50 thereafter(£40 for a whole morning or afternoon, £50 for a whole evening)
For Private Parties and Committee Rooms,please contact the Centre
on020 8777 42 98
Shirley Community CentreAssociation
The Centre is available for hire020 8777 4298
Monday to Friday from 9 to 11am
ACTIVITIES at the CentreMonday Youth ActivitiesTuesday TenshinTsunami Ryu
Bible Study GroupWednesday Racquet Club
ShirleyTableTennis ClubThursday Racquet Club
Road Cycling ClubFriday Friday Club
GKR KarateSaturday Private PartiesSunday SCF
Care Direct UK run its services forOlderAdults in the south end part of theCentre.You can contact them 020 87762562 or 07590 202547 for furtherdetails.
What the Centre offers...The main hall is complemented by a well equippedkitchen; there is a pool room and there are two otherrooms suited to smaller committee meetings.
The Centre is open for viewing from Monday to Fridaybetween 9 and 11am and 2 to 5pm on Fridays only.
Availability...The Centre is available most mornings, the early part ofeach afternoon and some evenings.
It is also very popular for private parties at weekends.
To hire the Centre, please contact 020 8777 4298or email [email protected].
For any other purpose or to contact theTrustees of theCharity, please email [email protected].
There is also a website,www.shirleycca.com,to keep you abreast of events.
Charges...Midweek charges for the main hall are:£10 per hour until 5pm and £12.50 thereafter(£40 for a whole morning or afternoon, £50 for a whole evening)
For Private Parties and Committee Rooms,please contact the Centre
on020 8777 42 98
Shirley Community CentreAssociation
The Centre is available for hire020 8777 4298
Monday to Friday from 9 to 11am
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BE VIGILANTIt is going to be a long battle
NO INCINERATOR NEAR PEOPLE
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About Andrew Dunsmore of Picture Partnership, Shirley
Picture Partnership at ChristmasDecember, what a month for everyone...from family and friends and social groups tobusinesses large, and small.People generally send their Christmas
greetings on a Christmas Cardas a way of saying “Thank you”for all they received in the pastyear, or just to say “Hello”.However, with moderntechnology, people are, moreand more, sending e-cards, or e-links and e-videos.However I think cards should bepersonal and am always lookingfor topical Christmas cards.I was delighted when Lucy atPicture Partnership came upwith the idea of a Christmas TreeStaff picture. I was curious andasked her to explain, and thenexecute, which she did with funand enthusiasm.I hope you like our Staff Card,and enjoy seeing some of the funwe had in making it. This mayinspire you for next year! Have a great Christmas andNew Year and we wish youmany happy and memorablepictures over the festive season.
@PPPictures
www.picturepartnership.co.uk.
SAVE OURLIBRARIESand make yourvoice heard!!!
27 January 2011
If you stay silent
CLOSEDWe need to act n
ow,
if we really care.
Please get in touch with
Elizabeth on
original image by Tim Zim
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SHIRLEY LIBRARY January 2013
Teen Reading Group The group meets once a month to read and discuss books, recommend books to each other,choose new books for the library and do lots of other book related activities such as quizzesand games or any other activities that the members suggest on Thursday 24 January from4.30 to 5.30pm.
Saturday Crafts - will take place on the following Saturdays: 12 and 26 from 2.30 to 4pm.
RhymetimeSinging for babies and their parents and carers on Fridays: 4, 11, 18 and 25 at 10am
StorytimeStories and crafts for 3-7 year olds on Thursdays: 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 at 2.15pm.
Once upon a RhymeA mix of rhyme, stories and a colouring sheet on Saturdays: 5 and 19 at 10am
Chatterbooksis a fun and exciting, monthly reading group for 8 to 11 year olds. Make new friends and chatabout the books you have read as well as taking part in games and quizzes. Thursday 17 from4 to 5pm.
Board GamesDo you like playing Scrabble, Monopoly, cards, chess and Battleship? We have a selection ofgames which can be used in the library at any time. Just ask a member of staff.
Monthly Craft Workshops: Card Making
will take place on Tuesday 8 from 2.30 to 4.30pm
Stitch, Knit and NatterGet together with other knitters for a cup of tea and a chat. Beginners welcome. Fridays 11and 25 from 2.30 to 4.30pm
Computer sessions for beginners Learn to set up an email account, use Facebook, shop online, use Word, Excel and Powerpointor improve your typing skills. These sessions are offered on Monday, Tuesday and Thursdayin the morning and afternoon and on Saturday mornings. Please contact the library for furtherdetails.
Our display boards are available for use free of charge to advertise your club orsociety. Please contact Fiona or Irene at Shirley Library on 020 8726 6900 or [email protected]
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Free Monthly Author/Speaker Talk Bart Wolffe will give a talk on Tuesday 15 January from 2.15-3.30pm. Bart is anovelist, poet and playwright.Please reserve your place at the library.
Work Club - on Tuesday mornings from 10am-12 noon starting on Tuesday 9October. The Work Club will be here to offer support with job search, help withtyping CVs, help filling in application forms and there will be access to the internetor email. No appointment is needed, just drop in.
Rabbi Natan Asmoucha of Croydon and DistrictSynagogue will talk about the significance andrelevance of commemorating the Holocaust in thisgeneration so many years after the tragedy on Tuesday29 January.More details from Shirley Library nearer the date.
POLICE SURGERY with Shirley Safer Neighbourhood Teamon Saturday 5 January from 4 to 5pm
at Shirley Library.
READINGGROUP
FOR ADULTSThis month the group will discuss Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
on Thursday 17 January at 6pm.“Julian Barnes's Booker-longlisted novella is a meditation on ageing, memoryand regret.” - The Guardian
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WE NEED TO ACT NOW, IF WE REALLY CARE...It seems clear that the intention is that Laing (JLLS) were to be awarded the contractfor Croydon Libraries. This is likely to take some time as scrutiny applied extraconditions to the contract which will need to be negotiated with Laing and there maybe other delays to come, should any of the bidders wish to challenge the process.Residents have been advised that the decision needs to go back to the full council inany case, which won't be until January now.The fight is not over and we may now need to go to judicial review. We cannot do thisuntil the final announcement is made but this does not stop us considering all optionsbefore this time. We would not proceed unless we had a very good case but from all thecampaign knows we have a case on several key points. We need a group of residentsto take this forward to explore further.Support for a judicial review has already been indicated by Croydon Labour and nowUKIP. The fact that so many Conservative Councillors called in the decision indicatesunrest within the party pushing the outsourcing through.Please get in touch if you can help. We need people to stand up to be counted or wewill lose the library service we so value. It is clearly not to late to rebuild what we havelost but we must not let it deteriorate any further. Check out what Laing have done toHounslow Libraries if you are in any doubt. What we know, if this contract goes ahead, is that the terms and conditions of ourremaining staff will be maintained, as they have no alternative under TUPE, but thereis no commitment to keep the many staff we understand are on short term contract, sonew staff can be taken on with lesser qualifications, pay and conditions.The terms of the contract are to maintain the existing service - a service that has beenrun into the ground since before the consultation began, with huge loss of staff, greatlydepleted book stock, and lack of service in our libraries as staff are often ill-equippedand untrained. The strain this has placed on our original staff, and on those new tryingto fulfil the role, must be immense.Many residents are still unaware of the plans. Thanks to all who have sent a constantstream of information to the Campaign in the form of observations, comments and photos.
We need to mobilise. Please get in touch! Regards
Elizabeth for Save Croydon Libraries CampaignFollow the campaign on soslibrary.blogspot.com or email
Follow us on twitter @SaveCroydonLibs Join us on facebook Save Croydon Libraries group
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WICKHAM STUDIO
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Sasha of Wickham Studio, 804 Wickham Road, Shirley, is alwayson the look out for new products and techniques that might helpher customers. She loves her job and does it with flair andcompetence.At the moment, she is trying on “somebody” at home the DSLaboratories Hair Loss Treatment that claims to deliverbreakthrough technologies and create hair loss solutions thatcombine the latest clinical research with neutracuticals formaximum effectiveness, safety, and customer satisfaction.The leading innovator of liposome technology (DS nanosomes), DSLaboratories hair loss treatment products are for those who trulywant to experience immediate and profound hair re-growthresults for specific hair loss conditions.The DS Laboratories hair re-growth line offers the mosttechnologically advanced and scientifically proven methods topromote hair growth, keep your hair, stop and prevent hair loss.The multi-faceted approach uses multiple vectors to offer atreatment solution that is simple to use, but is unequivocallyeffective. Hair loss will become a history with DS LaboratoriesHair Loss Treatment.Tension, over-work, illness, poor diet, over-exposure to the sun,bad perming, amateur bleaching and inexpert use of tints, rinsesor other colourants may all contribute to loss or thinning of hairin males and females. A high protein diet with plenty of fruits,green vegetables and 10-12 glass of water everyday is a goodstarting point that must be followed by the use of good products.Let’s wait and see what Sasha has got to say next month. Weall want to look good, don’t we?
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YOUR LAST CHANCE!1 Find the Response Form onhttps://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/extending-permitted-development-rights-for-homeowners-and-businesses-technical-consultation
2 Answer the consultation online by 5pm on 24 December 2012.3 Ignore delusional Action Plans heralded by Local PlanningForums: this government will do the same.
4 Overleaf are the answers I have sent.
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Question 1: Do you agree that in non-protected areas the maximum depthfor single-storey rear extensions should be increased to 8m for detachedhouses, and 6m for any other type of house?1 It is stated, in the introductory statement of The Technical Consultation the
large majority of homeowner applications are uncontroversial: around200,000 are submitted each year, and almost 90 per cent are approved.Evidence shows that most are approved within 8 weeks. There are alwaysgood planning reasons for the 10% of the applications refused.
2 Furthermore, the building industry has plenty of land with planningpermission. The reason why builders are not building is that the banks are notlending money. The government ought to address this problem first.
3 The present permitted development allowance of 4m for a detached houseand 3m for any other type of house has already caused significant distressto adjoining neighbours in Shirley Ward, without any possibility ofrepresentation to the Local Planning Authority to adjudicate on the effects toadjacent local neighbours. Adjacent property owners feel frustrated andaggrieved that they have no method of representation in such circumstances.To increase the size of allowable permitted developments will exacerbate analready difficult situation.
4 There are examples of approved Permitted Development in the Croydon LPAarea which illustrates the issues involved for both existing PermittedDevelopment Rules and what would happen if the existing rules were relaxedto allow up to 50% of the curtilage of a garden to be developed. Permitteddevelopments allowed had no relationship to the character of the area or forthat matter, any character. Many were just a slab of concrete with a box ontop, with rooms and a few windows in the roof. In many cases permitteddevelopment rules seem to have allowed extremely unsafe buildings to beerected where occupants could be trapped in the event of a fire, without anysafety exits or regard to building regulations and/or safety requirementsimposed as part of the awarding of a Lawful Development Certificate.
5 Extending the permitted development to 8m for detached houses, and 6mfor any other type of house could significantly affect the outlook from adjacentproperties, especially if the proposed building caused lengthy shadowsacross adjacent gardens, e.g. during late autumn, winter and early spring.
6 The erection of large extensions without adequate representation byneighbours would cause animosity and hostility between adjacent neighboursand is not conducive to harmonious neighbourhoods. For the one familyoccupier who takes advantage of the increased permitted development
allowance there are likely to be at least two, possibly more – adjacent orbacking onto the property – who will be disadvantaged by the developmentwhich would be erected without any of these neighbours having any say orrepresentation or even warning of the application.
7 Buying a house is the biggest investment many people make in their lives.They, and their families, devote their lives to improve their homes. However,their neighbour might now be allowed to erect an objectionable extensionwhich spoils their amenity and outlook and which has a detrimental effect ontheir living environment and they cannot make any representation.
8 “… We estimate that up to 40,000 families a year wishing to buildstraightforward extensions will benefit from our proposals …”This will mean that there could be at least 80,000 adjacent families who couldvery likely be aggrieved and who would normally object to such proposals orpossibly more if the 50% of curtilage building development is at the bottomof the gardens. Does this 40,000 include all recent refused applications whichcould all re-apply if these proposals are enacted into planning law?
9 The LPA have no reason to inform neighbours as those neighbours cannotcomment or object to the proposals. Thus, it is possible that the first thing aneighbour knows about a development is when builders descend and startdigging the foundations.
10 A significant number of single storey extensions which, under the proposals,would not require planning permission would more than likely be designed byunqualified planners, built by unqualified builders and mostly funded in theblack economy. The exchequer will not benefit and the spirit of local characteror design will be destroyed.
11 During August 2012 the then Housing Minister, Grant Shapps and theImmigration Minister, Damian Green, launched a major clampdown on roguelandlords to bring an end to suburban shanty towns considered as “Beds inSheds.” As all the utility services could be provided for permitteddevelopment outbuildings, they could easily be subsequently modified andconverted into living accommodation and therefore these “Beds in PermittedDevelopment sheds” would ultimately be allowed.
12 The suggestion that “Thousands of people will be helped to move up theproperty ladder and will be able to expand their homes to accommodate agrowing family or take care of an elderly relative without having to relocate.”is ludicrous. The occupier will stay in the existing extended property. The wayto help the property market is for movement of occupation which creates achain of properties and allows a first time buyer access to the lower ‘vacated’
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property. The cost of any extended property will, in perpetuity, be taken outof the first time buyer’s price range.
13 Occupiers intent on extending but whose plans had been rejected on thegrounds of failing to meet the current planning policies will re-apply under thenew permitted development rules. This will mean that applications previouslyrefused under good grounds or reasons will subsequently be allowed underthe proposed new relaxed permitted development rules.
14 The proposed relaxation of Permitted Development Planning Rules will allowextensions to be built which do not meet any agreed planning requirementsof the Local Unitary Development Plans, The London Plan or The Local andNational Planning Policy Framework. This is clearly unacceptable.
15 The claim that “These proposals will also help to provide essential businessinfrastructure for a modern economy, and will contribute towards delivery ofthe Government’s ambition for the UK to have the best superfast broadbandnetwork in Europe by 2015.” is inexplicable because the planning law forBroadband does not significantly affect residential homeowners except forthe location of cabinets.
16 “To ensure that the amenity of neighbouring properties is protected, otherlimitations and conditions would remain the same. For example, developmentwill not be able to cover more than 50% of the curtilage of the house, single-storey extensions must not exceed 4m in height, and any extensions whichhave an eaves height of greater than 3m must not be within 2m of theboundary …” Allowing additional Permitted Development to cover 50% of agarden reduces the amenity space available for families, especially for familieswith young children, for the current occupants and for all future generationsof occupants.
17 The increased footprint of additional permitted development will significantlyreduce the area of permeability of gardens, thus significantly increasing thevolume of surface water during high precipitation. This will increase significantlythe likelihood of localised and flash flooding, which could also affect adjacentand surrounding properties. The incidents of high precipitation are increasinglymore frequent due to the effects of climate change. In the Shirley area someproperties are now in a defined Environmental Agency designated flood plain– which were not considered or so designated a few years ago.
18 “We are not proposing any changes for flats, which do not have permitteddevelopment rights for rear extensions, and are not proposing any changesfor extensions of more than one storey, which under permitted developmentcan have a maximum depth of 3m beyond the rear wall.” Many houses are
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converted to ‘multiple occupancy’ and have been converted into separatedwellings. These dwellings are “flats” but from the outside are no differentfrom adjacent single occupancy dwellings. A landlord of such propertiescould use the relaxation of Permitted Development to extend andaccommodate additional rental occupancy, increasing the residential densityof the area. This could cause significant additional disturbance in areas ofhigh multiple occupancy accommodation, for example in University Towns.(We are not only concerned about Shirley!)
19 The Department for Communities and Local Governments Mission Statementstates: “We are helping to create a free, fair and responsible Big Society byputting power in the hands of citizens, neighbourhoods and councils.” Theproposals are doing the exact opposite in removing any involvement by thecitizens, neighbourhoods, Residents’ Associations, the local community orthe LPA. Also the Communities and Local Government website states:“Planning, building and the environment: We are working to ensure thatcommunities are at the heart of the planning system and that buildings aresafe, accessible and sustainable for current and future generations...” Again,the proposals are doing the exact opposite, removing communities from theheart of the planning system. The Coalition talks about the Big Society andgetting central government out of local decision making, but these changesto planning law is exactly the opposite.
Question 2: Are there any changes which should be made to householderpermitted development rights to make it easier to convert garages for theuse of family members?1 The Local Planning Authority must assess whether conversion of a garage to
living accommodation would create unacceptable increase in on-streetparking in the vicinity. If the off-street parking is not possible within thecurtilage of the dwelling for the number of persons who own, or are likely toown a car are not available then conversion of a garage to livingaccommodation should not be allowed.
2 To provide accommodation for the elderly in a converted garage does notseem appropriate or fitting to end one’s days on this earth unless significantredesign of other parts of the house is included: all ground floor facilities androoms to be wheelchair accessible, special washing facilities in downstairscloakrooms or within the converted garage and extended central heatingplumbing or provision of adequate heating, and adequate windows todaylight should be provided. Also new suspended flooring should be installedand suitable insulation should be provided, especially if the external walls arenot cavity insulated. To gain planning permission all these facilities should be
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included in the application and therefore planning applications should berequired for such conversions.
Question 3: Do you agree that in non-protected areas, shops andprofessional/financial services establishments should be able to extendtheir premises by up to 100m2, provided that this does not increase thegross floor space of the original building by more than 50%? ANDQuestion 4: Do you agree that in non-protected areas, shops andprofessional/financial services establishments should be able to build up tothe boundary of the premises, except where the boundary is with aresidential property, where a 2m gap should be left? ANDQuestion 5: Do you agree that in non-protected areas, offices should beable to extend their premises by up to 100m2, provided that this does notincrease the gross floor space of the original building by more than 50%?ANDQuestion 6: Do you agree that in non-protected areas, new industrialbuildings of up to 200m2 should be permitted within the curtilage ofexisting industrial buildings and warehouses, provided that this does notincrease the gross floor space of the original building by more than 50%?Questions 3, 4, 5 and 6 do not make any reference to the height of a proposeddevelopment. Therefore, I gave the same answer to the 3 questions: No,because that there is no restrictions on the height of any proposeddevelopment.
Question 7: Do you agree these permitted development rights should be inplace for a period of three years?I totally disagree with the statement because “three years” is an arbitrarynumber that does not make any sense. Furthermore, Nick Boles MP stated,during answer to Question 87 at the C&LG Select Committee that: “If at the endof three years, it has, as I fully expect, become completely accepted - just like thelast lot of permitted development on extensions is now completely accepted -and everybody is completely happy with it, we look at keeping it in place…”This statement makes a mockery of the consultation paid for by tax payers.I would like the government to consider the following points:1 It is highly unlikely that a resident whose neighbour has taken full advantage
of the existing permitted development rights and built to the limits availableto them on their own land, may be happy with the result.
2 There is, and never has been, an opportunity for residents adjacent to, oraffected by, a previously proposed permitted development under the existing
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rules, to object or make representations to the LPA. Therefore there areabsolutely no data available to support the assumption that the currentpermitted development rules are acceptable or have been “completelyaccepted”.
3 Although the proposals are for three years, it beggars belief to think thatdevelopments, once erected, could ever be subsequently demolished.Thefinancial and legal implications of such a concept are beyond reason.
4 If the proposal were to be shelved after the three year period (as a result oftoo many disputes or complaints), many erected development may then befound not to meet planning regulations. Neighbours or the Council coulddemand for the developer to re-apply for full retrospective planningpermission and, if the application were to be refused, the extension may haveto be demolished. In the PM’s words, not mine, this scenario is “bonkers”!
5 Sufficient proof of unhappiness are petitions springing up all over the country,mainly led by residents’ associations. Even Croydon Conservatives seem tounderstand that uncontrolled extensions are “a step too far” and launched apetition against the proposals. It’s not a joke!
Question 8: Do you agree that there should be a requirement to completethe development by the end of the three-year period, and notify the localplanning authority on completion?I neither agree or disagree with this question which I find absurd. What would bethe point of notifying the local planning authority? Is the government suggestingthat it would be in order to re-apply for full retrospective planning permission?
Question 9: Do you agree that article 1(5) land and Sites of Special ScientificInterest should be excluded from the changes to permitted developmentrights for homeowners, offices, shops, professional/financial servicesestablishments and industrial premises?Yes, sites of special scientific interest should always be required to meet allplanning regulations as defined law and by the local planning authority. at all.
Question 10: Do you agree that the prior approval requirement for theinstallation, alteration or replacement of any fixed electroniccommunications equipment should be removed in relation to article 1(5)land for a period of five years?
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No, prior approval should be required for fixed communications equipmentincluding Satellite Dishes, Radio Transmitting/Receiving Aerials and antenna andexternally mounted terrestrial TV reception antennae if such clutter is incongruentto the locality. TV antennae should be mounted in roof spaces. Dispensationcould be allowed in specific areas of low transmitted signal strength.
Do you have any comments on the assumptions and analysis set out in theconsultation stage Impact Assessment? (See Annex 1)I do not believe that “… the requirement to obtain planning permission places anundue burden on business and others that are out of proportion with the potentialimpacts of the development.” The safeguards are more important to adjacent and affected neighbours andthus planning approval should be sought. As stated earlier, the main obstacle forthe development process stems from the lack of availability of funds from thebanks.
Annex 1 Comment 2“What policy options have been considered, including any alternatives toregulation? Please justify preferred option (further details in Evidence Base)
• Option 1 – do nothing: make no changes to permitted development rights. • Option 2 – deregulate by increasing the permitted development thresholds for
householder extensions and certain non-domestic extensions and newbuildings. For broadband deployment, remove the requirement for priorapproval for electronic communications apparatus in protected areas.”
I dislike both options. However, under duress, I would choose Option 1. IndeedI would prefer that Permitted Development Rights were abolished altogether,including all extensions and outbuildings. Full planning applications should ensurethe proposed extensions and outbuildings conform to planning law andrequirements for the area.
Finally, it is noted that the consultation period is for a shorter, 6 week period – noteight weeks as promised - and the six week period ends on 24 December,Christmas Eve, when the public is busy preparing for Christmas.
Why am I thinking that such a date was chosen by design to reduce theresponses received from the public?
Some Shirley residents will understand the content of thispicture. Some, sadly, will not because philistine modernistshave removed any trace of local history in Shirley.
Shirley High School, on 18 December 2012,invited local residents to view the proposedplans for their 6th Form Block. The Principal, the Chair of Governors and someGovernors were there to greet us. Tony Luff,their Planning Consultant, of Synergy Construction & Property ConsultantsLLP was also attending the meeting to answer technical questions. He said:“We have worked with the school to address the concerns raised by localresidents. Amendments to the original scheme include the moving of thebuilding away from the boundaries, relocation of an escape staircase to theschool side of the building, provision of substantial evergreen planting asscreening, introduction of an internal corridor on the boundary facing side ofthe building so that no classrooms face the neighbours and the provision oftimber cladding to soften the elevations.”
I was talking to three very bright and polite sixth formers, when a resident onhis way out stopped to chat, probably because he was looking for asignature to oppose the new scheme. He showed me pictures taken fromhis bedroom and explained that the proposed development would interrupthis view of trees. When he realized that I believed that the new proposals hadaddressed the concerns previously expressed by residents, he angrilyretorted that it was because I did not live near the school. Being accused of “nimbyism” was really too much. In various capacities, Ilodged a great number of planning objections and sat through many anappeal (last of which for the “Green Triangle”, now safe). I do so when aplanning application is detrimental to the area and/or the applicant’sneighbours. Not once did I ever think: “I will not bother because it is not nearme”. Indeed, I always attend meetings to gain first hand information.Shirley should be proud to have a Sixth Form and support Shirley High,one of our best local schools, in its endeavour.
NIMBY
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