Joint Parish Council Loses Vote of Confidence

Peter Crathorne comments on the Henley Referendum held on 25th May 2010.

The poll question:

DO YOU AGREE THAT CONFIDENCE HAS BEEN LOST IN THE LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF THE JOINT PARISH COUNCIL AND THAT ALL EXISTING COUNCILLORS SHOULD RESIGN IMMEDIATELY AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN ELECTION FOR A NEW PARISH COUNCIL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE?

The result: Total Number of Votes Cast 221 Voting 'YES' 117 Voting 'NO' 102 Spoilt 2

Those in the town who are campaigning for change were heartened by the number of Henley Parish Residents were took time to vote. The turnout for these events is averagely 10%. It is encouraging at all levels to see the increasing interest in local affairs in our lovely town. The 12.7% of the eligible voters is a good response to this rather special occasion.

I suspect the Joint Parish Council, pictured above, is relieved that the “Yes” vote was not greater. I know the Reform Association is pleased to have won.

Surely now the Joint Parish Council will acknowledge the discontent, listen to the views of those who disagree with some of their decisions, take account of the opposition to some of their policies when taking future decisions. I do not expect that they will resign but the JPC, individually and collectively, need to be mindful of this result over the next few months.

If this does not happen then their evident and earnest desire to remain parish councillors will be seriously under threat when elections are held in two years time.

Finally I hope that the opportunity to “clear the confrontational atmosphere” which will be taken by those who seek change will be matched by those councillors who have been personally upset by this local political process and normal relationships in parish council matters can be resumed.

It is for the JPC, individually and collectively, to decide how to take matters forward.

The Manor of Henley-in-Arden Court Leet and Court Baron Court Circular Published by Authority of the High Bailiff   Civic Service Last Sunday the 23rd May 2010 the annual Civic Service was held at 10.00 am in St John’s Parish Church. The morning started in bright sunshine with the civic visitors gathering in the Guild Hall prior to processing into church. The visitors included the Chairman of Warwick District Council, Cllr Bertie MacKay and his consort Valerie; the Mayor of Warwick, Cllr Peggy Bennett; the Chairman of Stratford District Council, Cllr Sir William Lawrence and his consort Lady Lawrence; the Mayor of Alcester, Chris and consort Ann and the Deputy Mayor of Stratford, Sarah Sandles and consort Kevin. The dignitaries were companied by members of the Court Leet and the Town Councillors, together with the representatives of the town’s civic arm. The procession into church was led by John Ambler carrying the union flag. The day’s bible readings were read by High Bailiff, Roger Sutton and the Chairman of the JPC, Les Goodman. The Rev. John Ganjavi took the service. The church choir, under musical director and organist, Jayne Llwellyn treated the worshipers to a special anthem, despite a grumbling organ! Following the service a reception was held for the guests in the Guild Hall, courtesy of the Court Leet, with canapés provided by the Ladies of the Court. The High Bailiff concluded the proceedings by thanking all involved. Roger Sutton - High Bailiff Photos Alan Robson

Court Leet events

Court Leet website

Flying the Flag for Henley

This year Henmen will be joining the Heritage Centre and Henley NEWS Online in representing Henley in the annual Warwickshire Best Village Competition. With entries in three categories Henley will now qualify to be considered for the overall prize of Warwickshire's Best Village 2010.

Peter Crathorne has prepared the Henmen entry for the Community Projects category. Ray Holding has masterminded the Heritage Centre entry for the History & Heritage category. The Heritage Centre was third in the History & Heritage category last year.

Henley NEWS ONline and the Town Website www.henley-in-arden.org will be entering the communications category. HNOL received a Gold Award in last year's competition and was the outright winner for the whole competition in 2007.

The competition is organised by the Warwickshire Rural Community Council who will host an awards ceremony in September.

Henley and Beaudesert Society - Eventful Evesham

Over 30 people enjoyed the Henley and Beaudesert Society’s coach trip to Evesham on 26th May. As we left Henley the weather was slightly overcast, with the sun peeping through the clouds from time to time; ideal for sightseeing.

Just out of Henley a banging noise heralded the breakdown of the coach. Oh dear! However, we were on the road again in a replacement coach within 20 minutes, hardly noticing the setback, as everyone was enjoying a good chat!

Upon arrival we were served with coffee and biscuits at the Vauxhall Inn and then went our various ways to enjoy the river, the shops, historical buildings and cafes. One member made a point of visiting the “Award winning toilets” , shown on the fingerpost.

After lunch we met at the Almonry Museum & Heritage Centre for a guided tour where we learned about the dissolution of the abbey in 1540, how the abbot was allowed to move to the almonry to live and was even awarded a pension due to his cooperation with Henry VIII’s officials. The very large, carved wood abbot’s chair sits in the museum beside the fireplace. In another room we learned about the battle on 4th August 1265 between Prince Edward (later Edward I) and Simon de Montfort…..very bloody.

The king won! Interestingly, although Simon lost, he is still recognised as the founder of parliament. In another display, the guide proudly showed us that the museum even has its own small Saxon horde.

A quite different aspect of the museum is a big display about asparagus; its history in the region and all aspects of its cultivation and culture. We should all be well armed to grow our own asparagus next year. Just a problem that it seems to take 4 or 5 years from planting to cropping.

After our tour of the museum we were escorted through the Bell Tower and down to the river where we embarked for a half hour river trip, first upriver to see the locks and curving weir and then down, enjoying the ducks, swans, cygnets and other river life and scenery.

We were disembarked at a riverside tearoom, there to indulge in cream teas with scones, with cream, and over indulge in chocolate eclairs, with cream. The coach came to pick us up and we were returned to Henley for home and dinner.

A thoroughly good day (masterminded by Lesley Eastwood) was really appreciated by all.

Report by Penny Stott

New video: "How long do you work for the tax man?"

The Tax Payers' Alliance has a brand new video out today that shows how it takes an average worker until as late as 1.21pm each working day to pay their tax bill and start earning money for themselves.

The video has been released to coincide with the Adam Smith Institute's Tax Freedom Day - the day in the year when you stop working for the tax man - which this year falls (depressingly!) on Sunday 30th May.

Click here to watch our video

The film calculates just how much tax is paid by an average, single British worker - who earns the average wage, consumes an average amount of alcohol and tobacco and drives a Ford Mondeo but uses public transport to commute - and how long in his working day it takes him to pay that bill. In the case of our worker, Adam, his day is as follows:

9am - arrives at work
10.16am - pays off his income tax for the day (1hr, 16 minutes)
10.59am - pays off his national insurance bill (43 minutes)
11.39am - pays off his VAT bill (40 minutes)
11.52am - pays off his motoring taxes (13 minutes)
12.13pm - pays off his council tax (21 minutes)
12.20pm - pays off his taxes on alcohol, tobacco and betting (8 minutes)
1.10pm - pays off his employers' National Insurance bill (50 minutes)
1.21pm - pays off business taxes on his employer (11 minutes)

After 1.21pm he is free to earn for himself. Unbelievably, just 3 hours and 39 minutes of his working day are dedicated to generating his own income before he goes home at 5pm. Click here to watch our video

Diane Sylvia Bayley 1942 – 2010

OBITUARY

Diane Bayley died in Myton Hospice, Warwick on 8th May after suffering from cancer for a few months.

She was a favourite aunt to two nephews and two nieces and their families. She will also be sadly missed by her sister-in-law Jacky, her close friend Margrit Johnson and her many other friends. All will miss her greatly.

Diane was well known for organising events and activities which she much enjoyed and at which she excelled. She used her time and energy with the Guides, St John’s church, the Ullenhall Gardening Club, Great Alne Women’s Institute and many other organisations. Many will remember her quizzes! She was also the editor of the Parish Newsletter and provided Henley NEWS Online with its Diary.

Diane was very caring and helped many people. In particular she encouraged her Guides to have fun learning and to challenge themselves. Meetings were never dull when she was there. Diane had been the County Commissioner for Birmingham and a few days before her death she should have received her medal for 50 years as a member of the Guides; instead, Margrit Johnson (also a Guider) received this honour on Diane’s behalf after the funeral.

Diane’s funeral was so well attended that extra chairs had to be used in St John’s church. Besides family and local friends a large contingent of young and older guides attended to pay their respects.

Diane will be missed enormously by all who had the pleasure of being associated with her.

Henley-in-Arden Property Gazette.co.uk

Astounding new element discovered

Oxford University researchers have discovered the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, Governmentium (symbol=Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called pillocks. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact.

A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction, that would normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to complete. Govermentium has a normal half-life of 2 to 6 years. It does not decay but instead undergoes a reorganisation in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.

In fact Governmentium’s mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganisation will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass. When catalysed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium (symbol=Ad), an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium, since it has half as many pillocks but twice as many morons.

Marina Project in Lowsonford

Residents in Lowsonford are campaigning against plans to build an 18-acre marina in the tiny village.

GJP Marina Developments Limited and the Deaner family have submitted a planning application to Warwick District Council to build the 100-berth marina alongside the Stratford Canal - just 200 yards from the Village Hall.

A protest group - Lowsonford Anti Marina Action Group (LAMAG) - has been set up to 'vigorously' oppose the scheme which they believe will 'change the character of our rustic English village forever'. Lowsonford is a small village with just 75 houses. But campaigners are calling on as many people as possible to join the battle and stop the developers from ruining the village.

As well as room for 100 boats the marina would have parking for 31 cars, various offices and a facilities building. The site would be around 200 yards south of the canal bridge by the village hall on 18 acres of meadow to the west of the canal.

The action group is objecting to the proposal on several key issues:

• Inappropriate in scale for this rural location.
• Creating a precedent that could almost certainly lead to other facilities being developed on the site.
• Damaging the environment and the tranquility of the village.
• Causing major upheaval during construction.
• The nearest roads of any size being over two miles away.
• Creating new risks to walkers, horse riders and cyclists.
• Disturbing and possibly damaging badgers, bats and other wildlife habitats.
• Leading to a potential drop in house prices.
• Potential danger to children through an increase in traffic travelling through the village.

Tudor Evans, chairman of LAMAG, said it was vital that anyone objecting to the development made sure their feelings were known when a planning application is finally submitted. "This Marina will change the face of the village forever and cannot be allowed to happen," he added. "It will damage Lowsonford, its residents, its wildlife and its visitors and once it is done there will be no going back."

A packed-out public meeting last week saw emotions run high as the developers unveiled the plans for the first time.

"The village hall was full to bursting and this huge turnout without exception, constructively and on occasions passionately, demonstrated their opposition to this proposal of unwanted development," added Mr Evans.

In a statement on its website: www.lowsonfordwharf.co.uk - the Deaner family thanked villagers for attending the meeting and promised that once its planning application has been submitted it would provide a link so residents could see detailed plans.

The statement continued: "We understand that there is significant opposition to our project but we can only reiterate that our motivation is for the long term viability of Poundley End Farm.

"Of course this project will benefit our family in the main but there will be some benefits to the village.We totally respect your right to oppose through the planning process channels and we hope you can respect our right to apply for planning."

Air Ambulance 5km Run at Stoneleigh

In perfect weather last Sunday around 400 people took part in the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance Heroes 5km Run around the Stoneleigh Show Ground. About 25 of the entrants were from Henley.

The Helicopter made two visits to the event between missions.

Jo Payne, Fund Raising Manager for Warwickshire, said, "It has proven to be a tremendous success with some wonderful complimentary emails coming in and the sponsor pledges already proving to be very large indeed!"

HNOL will announce the amount raised in a future edition.

It is hoped to organise a similar event in Henley later this year or next year.

Henley Forest Reserves Win On Penalties

Our expedition to the Stratford upon Avon Football Alliance RM Smith Cup Final was reminiscent of an episode from “Last of the Summer Wine”. John, Vincent and Peter complete with flat caps set off together to the impressive new Stratford Town Football Club Stadium to support their valiant team in this much anticipated match. They were joined by Bob who fitted the profile of this group of supporters really well. Henley Forest had defeated Quinton, Studley United and RS Sports to win the right to face Alcester Town who came into this match as favourites having won all their recent matches including the Alun Rees Trophy and holding second place in Herald Division Two - well above Henley. Around 100 spectators enjoyed a hard fought first half during which Alcester made most of the running with a shot off the upright and one skimming the crossbar. Alcester’s many skilful players were steadfastly resisted by the Henley defence. Early substitute Matt Campion injected some pace into the right hand side of the defence keeping the tricky Alcester No 9 at bay with the centre backs Robert Simpson and Robert Westwood playing important parts in keeping the honours even in the first half.

The Henley supporters could rightly claim to be the loudest with cries of “Come on Forest!” echoing around the ground. Henley took the initiative in the second half spending significant time camped outside Alcester’s penalty area, striking the post and having shots scrape past the wrong side of the uprights. The tactical introduction of James Cund introduced a new element in the Forest attack but the Alcester goal line could not be breached. Alcester should have clinched the game with two relatively easy opportunities but their forwards were off target throughout the game. Full time came with no score. John was heard to complain “There can’t be extra time; Matron said we had to be back at the home by ten!” This broke the tension of the anticipated penalty shoot out. Even the placid Henley chairman Peter Johnson was seen chewing his nails.

The ground became eerily silent as the first Henley man stepped up to take the penalty. It was well saved. Alcester punished this with a well taken spot kick. It did not look good for Henley. They kept their concentration and Alcester faltered with two misses. Eventually the victory rested with the charismatic Captain and Goalkeeper Adam “Toffee” Thornton; if he could score the trophy would return to Henley. Heroically, he confidently dispatched a classic penalty running forward to grab the ball out of the net; after all he was a goal keeper. His victory run arced across the field pursued by his team mates to the traditional pile up on the half way line. The underdogs had won! This was a great night for Henley as they stood proudly to be presented with the trophy. Both teams, ably assisted by some excellent refereeing, were a credit to the game of football. With victory coursing through their narrowing veins John, Vincent, Peter and Bob extricated themselves from the seats in the stand, with some help, and happily ambled home.

Report by Peter Crathorne 06.05.10.
Chairman of the Managing Trustees of Henley War Memorial Trust, who run Henley Forest’s home ground.

Follow the team’s progress on www.stratfordalliance.org

Parish Church of Beaudesert with Henley in Arden

From the Rectory - June 2010

Dear Friends,

It started on 23rd April - St. George’s Day – and now World Cup fever is making it into an epidemic...the English Flag is flying! The history of flags dates back more than 4,000 years. Ancient flags, known as “vexilloids,” meaning “guide,” were metal or wooden poles that featured a unique carving at the top of the pole. The first known metal flag came from Iran and dates back to 3,000 BC. Evidence of flags has also been found on ancient Greek coins and Egyptian tomb carvings. About 2,000 years ago people began decorating these ancient vexilloids with fabric and other materials making them more similar to the modern flags we use today.

Flags are generally used to give people information. Knights, for example, carried flags in battle so they could distinguish friend from enemy. This was a good way to identify people covered in heavy armour. Flags are also greatly used as symbols and signals. A red flag represents a warning or danger. A white flag carries the universal meaning of surrender. So, let’s go back and look at the English flag again: A bold red cross on a white background. What can that symbolise? A peace-loving nation that is dominated by the redeeming love of Jesus Christ, as exemplified by the Cross? Well, that is what it is, but I doubt if that thought will be on the minds of any flag-waving football fan! Funny thought, though. Come on, England!

John Ganjavi - Rector

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THE CHURCHES IN ACTION IN JUNE

Mission in Focus
This month we are focusing on the work of the Church Mission Society. CMS supports Christian mission projects in a variety of communities in many parts of the world. In Sabadell, Spain the Reverend Sue Woodcock, linked to St John’s here in Henley for financial and prayer support, is a minister of a church which gives practical help to disadvantaged people in their town. Sue will be here with us on the last weekend in June. Look out for opportunities to meet her and come to the 10.00am service on June 27th to hear about her work.
For more information about the CMS see the notice board at the back of the church.

Christian Aid Collection
Thank you so much to all those who gave so generously to the Christian Aid collection. This year Henley in Arden raised over £2700 which will help some of the poorest communities in the world help themselves. Special thanks to all those involved in collecting door to door.

Concert in St John’s church 5th June at 7.30pm
Gold medal Barber Shop choir ‘Belles of Three Spires’. Tickets cost £10.00 to include a glass of wine. Proceeds to church funds and Emmanuel Cathedral, Uganda.

Petticoat Lane
Thank you to all who supported this event £678.00 was raised, which will be divided between church funds and church charities.

St John’s Summer Fete – Saturday 26th June
This year the fete will be held from 11.00am – 3.00pm and we are hoping it will be even better than last year! As well as the usual delicious refreshments served throughout the day we will be cooking BBQ sausages and burgers again. There will be a fantastic range of attractions plus plenty of items for sale in the extra time available – do please let us know if you have got any suitable raffle or tombola prizes. In addition the famous duck race tickets will be on sale outside St John’s on preceding Saturday mornings. – do please support us. More details from Daphne Jones 01926 843515 or Barbara Colclough 793710.

HENLEY METHODIST CHURCH
Sunday Services in June all at 10.30 am. 6th Mrs Lesley Sergeant, 13th Revd Robert J Powell (Sacrament), 20th Mr Michael Sergeant, 27th Mr Telfryn Pritchard.

John Pudney - Religious Affairs Correspondent

Henley Scouts strike gold

It’s the highest award you can achieve in scouts and last Wednesday the Chief Scout’s Gold Award was presented to two exceptional scouts.

Henley scouts, Ed Andrews & Scott Znajda, received the Award from District Commissioner, Steve Bennett and the Assistant District Commissioner, Tim Cronin. Both scouts worked hard and have shown great dedication to achieve this prestigious award by completing a number of challenges covering areas such as Fitness, Community, Adventure, Outdoors and Expedition.

The evening was one of celebration all around as badges were also given to troop members for years of service in scouting, nights away at camp and fire safety badges.

Scout Leader Peter Neville said “We’re really proud of Ed and Scott earning this award, and we believe this is the first time any Henley & Wootton scout has achieved it.”

Through our leaders’ direction and enthusiasm 1st Henley and Wootton Scouts offer a diverse weekly programme of events that enable young people to engage in a variety of out of school activities with an emphasis on team work and personal development.

For details of how to get involved please contact Simon Cossey Group Scout Leader: 07979 240174

Sian Corrie reporting

Re-Opening of the Refurbished Black Swan

Linda & Ian Jackson, the previous licensees of The White Swan, moved into The Black Swan last December and set about refurbishing the famous pub at the north end of the High Street.

Last Saturday the High Bailiff Roger Sutton accompanied by the Town Crier Gordon Trinder carried out the official ceremony with the help of Ron Newbold, one of the Black Swan's oldest customers, who used to live next door to the pub and appears in a photograph sitting on the steps when he was a young boy nearly ninety year's ago. Ron came along to perform the cutting of the ribbon.

Linda & Ian provided a free barbecue covered by a large gazebo on the patio area to the rear of the pub as a thank you to the existing customers of The Black Swan for their support and also for the locals who are now using the pub since they moved in.  

Linda Jackson told Henley NEWS Online that business is going very well and a new food and wine menu will be available from 8th June. Linda added, "The side bar is available for sports viewing and can also be booked out for business meetings and small functions.  Plans to open a small convenience store  for this end of the high street are now being finalised and this should be available within the next few weeks. Full coverage of The World Cup is planned in the side bar together with a large screen tv outside on the patio area."

Workshop on Energy Saving in Historic Buildings

Henley was well represented at a recent workshop organised by Stratford-upon-Avon Town Council, the Stratford Society and Transition Stratford. The meeting heard presentations from specialists about the most recent research on ways to improve the energy efficiency of older homes and historic buildings. All emphasised that, with energy prices set to keep on rising, it was important to find ways to reduce the energy consumption of older buildings.

Attending from Henley were Roger Sutton, George Atkinson, John Ganjavi and John Stott. Various Stratford & district firms manned their displays including the Green Electrician (solar electricity), Act on Energy (energy saving advice), Hawkes, Edwards & Cave (architects), Marson, Rathbone Taylor (architects) and RHA Ltd (agents for Solarventi solar powered ventilation).

The first speaker was John O'Brien from the Building Research Establishment. He presented work on ways to refurbish older buildings to make them more energy efficient. His studies included diagrams about the cost effectiveness of various energy saving measures. He also showed a number of case studies that were in progress.

Another set of case studies was presented by Nicole Solomons from the Marches Energy Agency. She discussed how plans have been produced for a number of historic buildings in Shrewsbury showing how they can reduce their energy consumption by up to 40 per cent. Nicole is also looking at the available research on the materials and techniques that can be used in older buildings.

The use of traditional building techniques was one aspect of the presentation by Nick Molyneux from English Heritage. He pointed out that new technologies are not always necessary to improve the energy efficiency of older homes. Many older techniques can be very effective – and are often better for older buildings. A recent report from English Heritage, for example, looks at ways to improve the energy efficiency of sash windows. It suggests the best – and cheapest – first step is better draught proofing, using heavy curtains and shutters.

Finally, Tony Perks, Interim Head of Planning at Stratford-on-Avon District Council, spoke about the need to balance the preservation of historic buildings with the need to make buildings more sustainable. When dealing with proposed changes for historic buildings the council would look for intelligent changes so that buildings can be passed on to future generations. But this also means recognising that some changes may have to be made to preserve that inheritance.

The presentations were followed by a lively question and answer session chaired by Councillor Jenny Fradgley, Mayor of Stratford. She summarised the discussion by saying we need to improve access to information and advice about the options open to the owners of historic buildings. There was also consensus on the need to improve skills in the building industry and in project planning.

The workshop concluded with suggestions from the audience about steps that might be taken in Stratford. In addition to asking for better information to be made available locally it was suggested that case studies of buildings in Stratford itself might raise awareness and encourage change. Roger Matthews from Transition Stratford said that a meeting would be organised to discuss how these ideas might be taken forward.

A report of the workshop is being prepared. For a copy of the report, or to find out more about further developments, contact Transition Stratford on 01789 298503 or e-mail admin@transitionstratford.com.

Roger Matthews reporting

Yew Tree Primary School visit Henley

On Wednesday 28th of April, Yew Tree Primary School from Aston in Birmingham visited Henley-in-Arden Church of England Primary School as part of a community cohesion project.

When the pupils and teachers arrived from their school we had a drink and a flapjack (which was kindly baked for us by the kitchen staff). After that we all took them on a tour of our exciting school. They loved going on our play-trail most of all!

Next we went on a tour of Henley. The tour guides were our very own year 5 pupils and they were very good at their job!!! The first half of the tour was about the castle that used to be on the top of Henley Mount. Then we went up the High Street, around the High School, back to school and had a picnic lunch together on the field.

In the afternoon we played team building games which were great and made us think really hard! Our favourite part of the day was when we were all given a traditional Henley ice cream. The ice cream flavours were mint choc chip, raspberry ripple and vanilla.

At the end of the afternoon, we all said goodbye to Yew Tree School and waved them off. They got on their bus and sped off back to Birmingham. It was a fantastic day!

We would like to say a special thank you to ‘Henley Ice Cream Shop’ for providing the ice creams to all the children.

Report by Hannah Adams, Olivia Cox-Jones and Henry Silk
(Pupils in Year Four)

Curtain Up On New Theatre Academy

Budding young performers will have the opportunity to hone their theatre skills as The Academy Of Performing Arts opens its first Warwickshire based school in September.

Following the huge success of its Bedfordshire schools, The Academy is to bring its unique style of training to the area with a school based in the performing arts centre at Henley-In-Arden. The school uses industry professionals to train youngsters between the ages of 5 and 17 in acting, singing and dance. Following five years of success in its Bedfordshire based schools, Principal Glyn Trefor-Jones is delighted to see the school expanding into Warwickshire.

“Coming to an area with such strong links to the performing arts is extremely exciting for us. The school will offer a fantastic opportunity for young people in the area to hone their skills and put their talent on display in full scale musical theatre performances.”

He was keen to praise the standard of the local facilities, “Having the right facilities is an essential ingredient to a successful performing arts school. Henley-In-Arden High has recently undergone a huge transformation with the construction of a state of the art performing arts centre. It is a fantastic opportunity for us to make full use of these facilities to train Warwickshire’s aspiring young performers!”

Glyn summed up the positive affect the performing arts can have when he said: "By growing in ability, our students will grow in confidence. By working in a creative environment they will learn to express themselves and by being part of a strong and supportive company, they will make great friends."

No acting experience is needed to join the Academy, just a passion for the performing arts and a willingness to work hard!

The classes will run on Saturday mornings from 9:30am – 12:30pm at the performing arts centre at Henley-In-Arden High School. All those interested in joining should contact 01234 742440 for a prospectus or visit the Academy’s web-site at www.theacademyofperformingarts.com.

Bumper Turnout Expected For Dorridge Fun Run

Pre race entries are well ahead of last year and organisers are confident the 2010 Dorridge Fun Run on Sunday June 13th will be the most popular yet in the event’s 6 year history. Race coordinator Peter Heywood commented “Because people don’t necessarily have to run it means the event has a wide appeal and we are confidently expecting to top last year’s figures of 1,200 entrants and £20,000 raised for charity. Both serious runners and families alike can enjoy a jaunt through glorious country lanes in complete safety on roads closed to traffic.”

The race will be again be started by popular local entertainer Malcolm Stent who is guaranteed to set the fun tone to proceedings. It is a fun run after all! You can walk, cycle and even roller blade or take your pet. In fact, any form of non motorised transport is allowed and even encouraged.

There is a choice of 3 or 8 mile courses through picturesque Warwickshire countryside and the whole event has a happy carnival atmosphere. But the fun doesn’t end with the run. There’s an opportunity - especially appreciated by families - to relax immediately afterwards at the Summer Fair. Along with refreshments plus a host of games and stalls the festive atmosphere will be set by a live jazz band.

There are staggered starts with the first being for the cyclists at 10.15 am, and runners start at 10.30am. Trophies and prizes will be awarded for best fancy dress, the youngest and oldest finishers and the fastest male and female runners over the 8 mile course.

All funds raised will be donated to Troop Aid and Marie Curie.
.
Malcolm will get the event under way on Sunday June 13th from St Philips Church in Manor Road Dorridge. Entrants must register to take part and on line entry and all details are available on the website www.dorridgefunrun.org. Entry on the day is possible up to 10.00 am.

Further details from Peter Marshall
01564 776647   07973 820214    petermarshall2002@hotmail.com     www.dorridgefunrun.org

Celebrity Film Star passes through Warwick

Star performer in several of the Harry Potter films over the last few years has been the steam loco “Hogwarts Castle”. The locomotive and carriages are normally securely stored at the old steam shed at Carnforth in Lancashire but with filming taking place at London’s Kings Cross Station in the early hours last weekend the train had to move south.

The empty train – running as “Hogwarts Express” - was photographed as it passed through Warwick Parkway Station in sunshine last Friday evening en route to the West Coast Railway Company depot at Southall.

Clive Hanley reporting

Alcester North Safer Neighbourhood Team
Community Newsletter

 

Incident Overview
Below are the incidents recorded for the Alcester North Safer Neighbourhood Team for May 2010:

Crime in Your Area
Although the figures suggest anti social behaviour and criminal damage has fallen when compared to the same time last year the area has experienced a few problems with rowdy behaviour in the evenings, particularly on Fridays and Saturdays; this may be connected to the good weather we have experienced recently with youths travelling from Shirley and Acocks Green to visit Earlswood and Henley. Henley has also experienced an increase in criminal damage with litterbins removed from their foundations and damage to Henley in Bloom flowerpots. To combat the recent problems in Earlswood and Henley, both areas have been placed on the Enhanced Policing Initiative for the next few weeks; this will mean an increased police presence when resources allow on Friday/Saturday evenings, including Special Constables patrolling the area. Studley has continued to experience anti social behaviour problems, however this has been minimised by increased police patrols in the evenings particularly on Friday/Saturday evenings.

Although the Burglary Other figure is much lower than last year the Earlswood area is experiencing the most problems, particularly Earlswood Common where several sheds and outhouses have been broken into. Most of the items taken from these breaks are garden equipment related, including tools, wheelbarrows and lawn mowers. Please ensure that you secure any sheds/outhouses and ensure that all equipment being used is not left unsupervised and is secured after use. Equipment can be protectively marked using Smart Water; any person who already has this product or would like to purchase this product will be supplied with a Smart Water sign for sheds/outhouses in order to advertise that your equipment is protectively marked. If you would like further information about Smart Water please contact the Community Safety Team, PC Tony Lambert on 01789 414111 ext: 4540,
E-Mail: tony.lambert@warwickshire.pnn.police.uk or contact: alcesternorth.snt@warwickshire.pnn.police.uk

The Earlswood/Tanworth, Claverdon/Bearley areas have recently been targeted for Theft from Motor Vehicles, a reminder to all to ensure that you remove all items from display including sat navs (including cradle and suction marks), laptops, mobile phones, money and coats etc. Even if it is not a valuable item thieves will still break in if they think you may have money in a coat or that paper work left maybe of use to them; where it is practical to do so please remove everything from display otherwise you may return to find your vehicle damaged and items belonging to you missing.

Information & Advice

Peace of mind while you’re away…..
Everyone needs a holiday some time. However much we like our homes, there is nothing like a change of scenery. But we all want to come home and find everything as we left it. Almost half of all burglaries happen when a dwelling is empty. Below are some tips to help you make your property more secure while you are away:

Before you go…

• Make your home look like someone is living in it. Don’t close your curtains/blinds – in the daytime this shows the house is empty. Use automatic timer-switches to turn your lights on when it goes dark.
• Cancel any milk or newspaper deliveries.
• Avoid discussing holiday plans where strangers may hear details of your absence from home.
• Cut the lawn before you go and trim back any plants that burglars could hide behind.
• Uncollected mail is a sign that you are away. The Royal Mail’s ‘Keepsafe’ service will keep your mail for up to two months while you are away.
• Consider leaving important documents and valuable items with other family members or a bank. Or lock them in a safe.
• Do not put your home address on your luggage when you are travelling to your holiday destination.
• If you normally leave valuable pedal cycles of similar items in your shed, consider putting them in the house.
• Finally, make sure that you’ve locked all outside doors and windows and, if you have a burglar alarm, make sure you use it.

General tips on home security….

• Fit mortise locks or bolts to all outside doors and locks to all downstairs or easily accessible windows
• Have an approved alarm system installed – ask your local Safer Neighbourhood Team and insurance company for advice.
• Consider purchasing Smart Water to mark and protect your valuables – ask your local Safer Neighbourhood Team for further information.
• Try not to leave valuable items like your TV, hi-fi, video or dvd, where thieves can see them.
• Make sure you have up-to-date contents and buildings insurance.
• Most burglars get in through a back door or window. Make it difficult for them by locking all side or back gates and adding trellis to the top of walls and fences. Fit lights that come on at night to cover the sides and back of your house.
• Put all tools away so they cannot be used to break into your house and lock your garage and shed with proper security locks. If you have a ladder out, put it on its side and lock it to a secure fixture with a ‘close shackle’ padlock of heavy-duty chain.

Help from your neighbours…..
It’s a good idea to get help from your neighbours while you're away as they can help your house look lived in and you can repay them the favour. You could ask them to:

• Collect the post on a regular basis
• Sweep up any fallen leaves and mow the lawn
• Open and close curtains/blinds
• Occasionally park their car on your drive
• Act as a point of contact and act on your behalf in an emergency
• Generally ‘keep an eye’ on your property and raise the alarm if needed

Please note it is an offence to let off fireworks after 11pm except on Bonfire Night when the deadline is midnight and New Year’s Eve at 1am.

Alcester North Safer Neighbourhood Priorities
Current priorities as chosen by members of the public at the last Community Forum held on the 11th February 2010:

• Anti Social Behaviour, Millennium Park and Surrounding area, Studley – Safer Neighbourhood Officers have pledged to conduct high visibility patrols in the area including 8 x extra duties until 2am.
• Parking issues outside Tesco Express, Studley – Safer Neighbourhood Officers will liaised with Stratford District Council regarding enforcement and have pledged to conduct 20 x high visibility patrols in the area to deliver advice or enforcement where appropriate.
• Inappropriate use of Juggins Lane by HGVs and Speeding Vehicles, Forshaw Heath, Earlswood – Safer Neighbourhood Officers will liaise with the Council and Highways regarding a review of signage and the speed limit. Officers have pledged to carry out 20 x high visibility patrols in the area to monitor HGVs confusing Forshaw Heath Lane with the M42 slip road and to carry out speed checks.
  

Feedback on the above priorities will be given at the next Community Forum (see below for details), feedback will also be given in the next newsletter together with details of the new priorities. For further information please visit www.safer-neighbourhoods.co.uk/an or www.stratford.gov.uk

Good News/Events
A male from Shirley has been sent to prison for 12 months after admitting tipping off burglars that a family he knew near Wootton Wawen were going away on holiday, this resulted in the theft of the family car and other property valued at approximately £7,500.

Although a rare occurrence in Henley, three assaults have taken place and local officers have arrested two people. The first, a Henley male, was arrested on suspicion of two assaults and following enquiries the male admitted the offences and is set to appear at Stratford Magistrates Court. Local officers have arrested a second offender and the case is currently ongoing.

Youths who have committed offences in Warwickshire have twice attended the grounds of St Nicholas Church, Henley in Arden this month to carry out work as part of the Community Payback Initiative.

Officers in Studley have arrested and cautioned two males for separate offences of theft from a local supermarket.

A two week TISPOL Speed awareness campaign has been conducted in the area using a laser speed detection device with offenders dealt with by way of Fixed Penalty or Caution. Results were as follows: from the Stratford Area (Bidford on Avon, Henley in Arden, Stratford on Avon, Ladbroke, Alcester and Tiddington), 33 Speeding Offences detected, all were breath tested showing negative results. We had numerous local residents come out to us exclaiming what a great job we were doing. We also listened to local residents and amended times of conducting certain checks to meet their requests and expectations regarding the times that speeding was of particular issue.

Warwickshire Police (Alcester Area) Schools Football Tournament this year took place on Saturday 22 May 2010 at Studley High School. It was a glorious day with all teams putting in strong performances despite the heat. In the Junior Section 16 schools competed with 21 teams taking part. The Junior Final was between St Nicholas C and Snitterfield, which was a very tight game and ended 1-1 so extra time was played which resulted in a 1-2 result with Snitterfield the winners. The Senior Section (under 14s), final was between Alcester High A and St Benedict’s B, the final result being a 0-3 win for St Benedict’s B. Finally in the Senior Section (16’s and under), St Benedict’s A won all 5 of their matches. The organisers wish to thank everyone who took part and all who helped on the day.

On Saturday 15th May at Warwickshire College Warwickshire Police XI took part in a football match against a selection of youths from the Henley and surrounding area (picture above). A fine football match followed played in excellent spirit by all players, which result in Henley Youth winning 3-2. The match was well attended by members of the local community and the weather completed an enjoyable day. Special thanks go to Warwickshire College for use of the pitch and changing facilities.

Other news….
This month we say goodbye and thank you to Sergeant Stuart Wild. Although more recently Stuart has been the Alcester South Safer Neighbourhood Team Sergeant, many residents covered by the Alcester North Team will remember him for his time when he was responsible for the whole of the Alcester Sector Community Policing. Stuart has asked for the following to be included…

I am leaving Warwickshire Police Force on completion of 30 years service as of Friday 14th May 2010.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the community groups and associations I have worked with over that time. In addition I would like to thank all the Town, Parish, District, and County Councillors who have supported me over recent years in my role as the Safer Neighbourhood Team Sergeant for Alcester South. I’m sure I have forgotten many others but all their help has been invaluable and I know you will all continue to provide that support and willingness to work together. At this moment in time Sergeant Robert Shaw will be covering my role (Alcester North Safer Neighbourhood Team Sergeant). My line managers have asked the Force for a replacement, but in this current economic climate Warwickshire Police are reviewing its various roles in order to maximize best value for money as it continues to fulfil its commitment to protect our communities from harm. But be assured that the Safer Neighbourhood Teams work will continue and they can be contacted in the same way. Thanks to you all again. Stuart Wild 753.

Meetings/Events
The next Community Forum will be held 1st July, 7pm, Henley High School - If you have a specific concern then come along to the local surgery where you will be able to speak to your local Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team, Warwickshire County Council or Stratford District Council Officer.

The next Henley Community Surgery will be held, 28th July, 11:30am, Henley Baptist Church Hall - The surgery gives you the opportunity to speak to members of the Parish Council & Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team about the issues that concern you, while giving you feedback regarding what is happening in the community.

The next Henley Police Surgery will be 9th June & 30th June, between 11am – 1pm, Henley Police Station - A drop in facility to discuss issues/problems within the community with your local policing team.

The next Henley Neighbourhood Watch Meeting will be held 22nd July, 7pm, Henley Police Station

BE AWARE
If you have any information or have witnessed the above incidents,
please can you contact Alcester Police on 01789 762207. 
E-Mail: alcesternorth.snt@warwickshire.pnn.police.uk

John Garner's Business Column

Job Sharing

This usually means splitting a job between two people, a bit like working shifts. One employee works some of the hours in a week and another works the remaining hours. It works for some types of job, less so for others.

Job sharing is often mentioned by governments as being a “Good Thing”. Being a cynic I suspect this is because it looks as if there are more people in work and hence makes the unemployment figures look better.

But there are advantages both for the employer and employees. In our business we had two ladies sharing a clerical job: one did mornings and the other afternoons. If one wanted time off the other would cover, they worked it between themselves. They changed over at lunchtime: the afternoon lady would arrive just before the other left so they could discuss the morning’s happenings and we had cover throughout the lunch period. It worked well all round.

There is potentially another advantage for the employer though. It’s about making savings on employers’ National Insurance (NI), currently levied at 12.8%. Let’s say you have two employees as in our example above and let’s say you pay them £7,000 per annum each for 20 hours per week. Because of the way the earnings threshold for NI works (£5,720) employers’ NI is only due upon the amount each earns in excess of this threshold, that is £1,280 of each employee’s wage; this works out to a total NI of £328 for the two together (7,000 - 5,720 = 1,280 x 12.8% x 2).

Now, if you just had the one employee doing the same work and earning £14,000 per annum the NI would be due on £8,280 (£14,000 - £5,720) which amounts to £1,060, some £732 more. So the employer saves £732 per annum.

The employees can agree their hours to suit them and the employer saves money. Sounds good to me.

John Garner

Make Henley Greener
Save Money - Help Save the Planet

Do you think Low Energy Lamps are dim?

Most of them are when you first switch them on and this certainly gives the feeling that they are not as bright as ordinary lamps. Most take about half to one minute to reach full brightness. (We have an old one which takes rather longer…..We call it ‘dimbo’ light!). However, after warm up, our low energy lamps including dimbo light give pretty much the same brightness as the old filament bulbs. We have seen a press report suggesting that sometimes you get a slightly lower level of light from low energy lamps. If you feel this is the case, the solution is to fit a higher wattage low energy lamp. So, try 75 watts equivalent where you previously had 60 watts.

Someone told us that they were worried that this might exceed the rating of the light fitting, but this will hardly ever be the case because the true wattage of the low energy lamps is so low. For example, a fitting that is limited to 40 watts can have a low energy lamp that is equivalent to 75 watts or possibly even 150 watts because the 75 watt low energy lamp only uses 16 watts of actual power and the 150 watts equivalent uses only 30 watts of actual power. It is the actual electrical power of the lamp that matters because this determines the amount of heat produced and the light fitting is rated for 40 or 60 or 100 etc watts of heat.

In the extreme example of a 150 watt equivalent low energy bulb in a 40 watt fitting, some care may be needed because the 150 watt equivalent low energy lamp may be rather bigger than the 40 watt ordinary bulb and as a result parts of the bulb might be touching or nearly touching the lampshade. This would not be a good idea because low energy lamps still produce some heat. However, it’s unlikely that there would ever be a need to put a 150 watt low energy lamp in a 40 watt fitting!!

If you prefer a low energy lamp that looks like an ordinary bulb look for the Philips Softone opposite. The 75 watt equivalent is only slightly bigger than a 60 watt ordinary bulb.

75 watt equivalent(16 watts actual) compared to 60 watt ordinary bulb

John Stott - Make Henley Greener

Stratford District Council

	Planning Applications - Search on-line Stratford-on-Avon District Council Website	Jem Jones	Stephen Thirlwell
New parking Initiatives in Stratford upon Avon From 1 April 2010 Stratford-on-Avon District Council have introduced a range of new parking initiatives in Stratford-upon-Avon. The new initiatives are: Park in Bridgefoot car park free for 1 hour. Get 25% extra parking free when you purchase the new Stratford Card. New parking permits for Affiliated Club members using Stratford Leisure Centre Facilities. Over 65's Parking Pass holders can use Windsor Street car park for a restricted maximum of up to 4 hours between 1 October 2010 and 31 March 2011 (as an alternative to the Recreation Ground). 12 hours parking for £10. The new Stratford Card replaces the popular Card Park system in the District Council's Pay & Display car parks throughout Stratford Town and new machines have been installed to accommodate this new scheme. Stratford Card can be purchased by any person for a one-off fee of £2 and then this allows you to pre-load credit enabling you to use any of the District Council's pay & display car parks; so you no longer have to worry about having the correct change available. From 1 April, the card will be available for purchase from the District Council's HQ, Elizabeth House in Church Street (payment only by cheque or credit card). Every time you place credit on your card you will be given a 25% bonus; so for every £1 added to the card you will receive £1.25 credit to the card. For further details please contact the Parking Services Team on 01789 260691 or by email at parking@stratford-dc.gov.uk or by fax on 01789 260676.

JPC Watch - Another Bad Week for the Councillors

On Tuesday 25th May the Parish Councillors lost a Vote of Confidence. Despite a low turnout the JPC were unable to find sufficient supporters to stop the new Reform Association demonstrating that the Town wanted the Parish Council to resign immediately. The lower the turnout the greater the humiliation. There have been numerous reports from shop owners of visits by JPC councillors and their supporters demanding that posters for the 'Yes' campaign be removed, or not displayed. Despite all this intimidation, they still lost!

It will be interesting to hear how the Chairman explains away this latest disaster at the next meeting of the the Parish Council on Monday 7th June. A report by the Stratford Observer is reprinted below.

On Thursday 27th May the candidate nominated by JPC Councillor George Matheou for the casual vacancy on the JPC for the Henley Parish gained only 15 votes. No comment has been forthcoming from any member of the JPC's Ruling Group.

The main contest was between two highly respected members of the Court Leet: Town Crier Gordon Trinder and former High Bailiff John Latham. Gordon Trinder described himself to Henley NEWS Online as a 'cross bencher', supporting neither the Ruling Group nor the Reform Association. John Latham stood for the new Reform Association. With a higher than expected turnout, Gordon won by 244 votes to John's 215.

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John Latham asked HNOL to publish the following message:

To Henley Residents and HNOL Readers
 
Having congratulated Gordon Trinder on his success in the Henley JPC by-election when we met at Stratford Town Hall on Thursday night for the count and declaration, I would now like to thank you.
 
I was humbled by all those who turned out to vote because they, like me, feel the need for democracy, respect and transparency to be returned to Henley's political governance.  I was also amazed by all those volunteers who gave up their valuable time to prepare literature and canvas on my behalf as well as support me on the day with constant encouragement for the 15 hour stint at the polling station.
 
I wish Gordon well in his new role as councillor for Henley but would respectfully remind him that he has a great responsibility to all residents to ensure that not only a normality returns to the proceedings of the JPC but also democracy, transparency and good governance are also resumed.
 
Good luck Gordon.
 
John Latham

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Gordon Trinder has asked HNOL to publish the following message:

To All Residents,
 
I would like to thank all those who turned out to the election last Thursday. Those who voted for me and those who felt they would vote for John. As I have said in a letter to the Stratford Herald I have known John for a number of years and we are both past High Bailiffs for the Town, in many ways we were campaigning for similar ideas but not on everything.
 
I will do my best to work hard representing  ALL  Residents and I will do my best to listen to what is being said.
 
I will not assume that I will have all the answers but through discussion we may find one.
 
My main aim is to be an ambassador for the Town of Henley and Beaudesert.
 
May I thank John for his congratulations.
 
Gordon Trinder

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Peter Crathorne wrote to John Latham, expressing the thanks of many residents:

Dear John,

It is us, the residents of Henley, who should be thanking you. No one can doubt your dedication to the best interests of the town.

Together, through the Reform Association, we have tried to spread the word, promulgate the arguments for change and put another point of view and new direction for the JPC, challenging those who feel their birthright is to lead and manage Henley in the way they think is right, without listening to their constituents, along routes that cause us concern.

Your generous remarks about Gordon lead me to believe that I will support Gordon too as he carries this challenge into his new role. I know there are many (at least 215) who hope that when the opportunity arises you will put your name forward again.

Best wishes

Peter Crathorne

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An estimation of the cost for Beaudesert parish by-election of 8th April together with this week's parish referendum and Henley parish by-election is £2,500 according to Stratford District Council.

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