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Showing posts from 2012

Green Belt Where Is The Common Sense? I am Confused!

I am starting to get really confused about Green Belt and tying myself up in knots with wording. For people lucky enough to live in such an area is a privilege and we are responsible for looking after it not just for ourselves but for future generations and our  visitors to enjoy. As I looked at the telegraph Interactive map of Green Belt, I wondered what the little splodges of white unidentified land were. Then the penny dropped  they are Within The Green Belt but not classed as Green Belt I may be wrong I may be right , Then again they may be future proposals for development that are indeed classed as Green Belt I haven’t quite worked it out unfortunately the map doesn't give that type of detail. I was surprised that Stratford Upon Avon wasn't in the Green Belt nor many of the pretty villages around it. Including Shottery I can only assume they are in open Countryside. Is it me or is it all confusing. The way I see it is quite simple   The Gree

My Google Chromebook

Well I have to say it is different. I love the concept of it and how very simple it was to get on line up and running. Absolutely no hassle please be warned you will need your router Password close to hand when you first turn on your Chromebook its is one of the first questions asked of you. I'm not sure it is the right tool for my own requirements, however having said that if it was launched about 6 months ago it is exactly what was required for Dad. We may be doing a swap in the near future. This does not mean I don’t like the Google Chromebook. I love it and I suspect some of my slight resistance is down to being so use to Windows and having to find a new way of working. New applications that work and meet my requirements its only day two and I am getting there. It is a nifty little tool which I suspect will catch on very quickly and become the norm and probably will be the new Windows of the future. The Chromebook I purchased was the Acer C7 I Chose it over

Green Belt Or Open Countryside?

OK OK So I have neglected my blog for a while. I have had different things going on but one of those things has led me to a thought. Some of you may be able to help me. I listened to the following Interview. My mind sort of went off in a tangent. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20510692 Mr Boles quite clearly states the Green Belt  is protected he wants to keep it  ! Good News to Me- However he followed it up with, people will have to accept that we build on some open land. So my question is to Land and planning Techies Does Open Land which I presume means Open Countryside have different  planning  permissions to that of protected Green Belt? If so does anyone know where I can find the differences   Whilst the media is jumping up and down about Green Belt Land should we not be concentrating on protecting the open Countryside that surrounds the Green Belt. I think we all probably get mixed up at times. Green Belt Open Countryside Two very di

Police Message (New)

Police Message Burglary Dwelling The Common Earlswood I nc 318 20/11/2012   Between 1pm-8.30pm offenders have gained entry via the rear of a property on The Common Earlswood. Offenders have conducted a untidy search of the upper parts of the property and taken a quantity of computer items. It is not believed offenders attempted to search the lower part of the property. A neighbour reported seeing a white van reversed on the drive @3.30pm with 2 males seen going towards the property, he believed to be making a delivery, it is possible these were the offenders. If anybody has any information please call 101 and quote the above inc number. CrimeStoppers can be used to report information anonymously on 0800 555111

This Will Surprise You!

Its Strange, When I look at Business trying to make a living, I really don’t blame them for exploring all avenues. What disappoints me is the total lack of respect for their residential neighbours and how their actions and ideas will affect our life style, I really do think there is a need to promote Rural local Business and not just say no every time they have a bright idea.   I do think rural Business  as do residents have a responsibility to work together and come up with the right solutions  for the majority. We shouldn’t just railroad each other, call it a strange thought but isn’t it just common sense. Business wants to make money (Simple) people want to live quietly get home from their place of work and forget (Simple) mean while we have Business making money whilst we try to live quietly. Just throwing a few thoughts about randomly ;-) Carrie

Did Anyone Else See This?

I thought I would share this photo with you. Taken in Birmingham Last Monday or Tuesday on the way home.

Broadband Speed

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Mike Downes Kenilworth

As I watch Mike Downes go Global I can’t help but admire him and wish him the best of luck. Unlike so many of us Mike appeared to reach a point and then left Local alone. However on the other hand he has guided some of us to become Hyper Local with his skills knowledge alongside the determination to persuaded others to go Global. As my local community leaders start to wake up and realise there is a need for their presence on the web, for content to be updated on a regular basis in order to keep people up to date. I find myself reflecting on why I started blogging and now what I want to do next.        So I sort of understand why Mike went Global but I still don’t think it is the right place for me. I think I am going to go Micro Local and move on down instead of move on up. I always was different.  However I would Like to say to Mike Downes Thank you so much for your tips and advice and well done for your achievements. Carrie

Local Twitter Accounts

Well here is a bit of news and I am really pleased to see Tanworth In Arden Parish Council now has a Twitter Account, I must admit they haven’t used it a lot but its good to see and hopefully in the future they will use it for quick updates and messages. Their Tweet account is @Tanworthpc Also its good to see we have the Arden Community Forum on Twitter @ArdenForum Why not give them a follow and keep in touch and informed with your local community. I must admit it took me a while to find a use for Twitter however once I had sat down and worked out what interested me and found those organisations and people Tweeting away. I have really found it very useful. I have to say I am still a Twitter fan rather than a Facebook Fan but am very slowly getting to grips with Facebook.

Counter Productive

Like most of us I don’t like crime however my attention has been drawn to a telegraph article, naming and shaming criminals even showing mug shots. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9606771/Criminals-to-be-named-and-shamed-by-Home-Office.html OK I think it is fine if you are looking for someone connected with a crime to publish a mug shot, However I think publishing photos of those who have already been convicted of a crime which I assume means they may be in prison or serving a sentence is slightly counter productive. My reason for thinking this is there are so many organisations trying to rehabilitate those that have committed crimes and settle them back in to society as law abiding citizens is all very commendable however all the work is undone by naming and shaming all over the web. It means they won’t get a job which means they won’t have money which means they will fall back into crime in order to survive. As I say I can understand it if

New Blog Page

Well with all this talk about the PCC elections obviously it go me to thinking about crime. I have always with permission posted our Police Messages however realised they were scattered all over the place and easily lost within the blog, as on the whole I post them as and when I receive them. I decided to collate all of the 2012 ones I had received and put them all in one place for ease of reference. So I have added a new page to the blog dedicated to our Police Messages.  You will find the link on the first tab at the top of the page or on the link below http://earlswoodlakes.blogspot.co.uk/p/police-messages-2012.html I will still post them on the home page of the blog as and when I receive them however I thought an archive would be interesting.  Whilst I was looking at the ever growing list I noticed it is not a comprehensive list as I know of at least three incident that is not listed.

Police Message (New)

Police Message Burglary Dwelling Poolhead Lane Tanworth Posted With Permission Thursday  11th October Inc 164 11/10/12 Between 1115-1415 offenders have forced the locks on a set of patio doors to gain entry to a property on Poolhead Lane Tanworth. Once inside they have conducted an untidy search of the property and removed numerous electrical items from within. Also taken were spare keys to both the property and vehicles which were not at the property at the time. A TV set was left in hallway having been removed from bracket in living area, indicating possibly being disturbed by occupant returning at 1415. If anybody has seen or heard anything in relation to this crime please call 101 and quote the above inc number. Crime can be reported anonymously to Crime Stoppers 0800 555111 Home security risk assessments are available on request, please contact myself by any of the contact methods listed below. David Martin                     PCSO6176 Alcester N

Refuse and Recycling Collections EARLSWOOD October November 2012

Refuse and recycling collection calendar & Zone  Finder Your collection day for  EARLSWOOD  is  Monday You are located in  Zone 1 Please ensure your bins are available from 6.00am on the morning of your collection. Please note that your bins will be  collected as normal over bank holidays  (with the exception of Christmas & New Year). Your Collections      Rubbish Collected (Grey Bin)      Recycling & Green Waste Collected (Blue Lid & Green Bin) Calendar October 2012 M T W Th F 1 2 3 4 5 8 9 10 11 12 15 16 17 18 19 22 23 24 25 26 29 30 31     November 2012 M T W Th F       1 2 5 6 7 8 9 12 13 14 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 26 27 28 29 30 Download your personalised calendar as a PDF, perfect for printing. Missed bins If your bin was not collected on your collection day then please report it using our online report form. Visit the  Missed Bin Report Form Share This:

The Basics

Whilst catching up with what is happening around Earlswood & Forshaw Heath something has really niggled me.  I am beginning to think we have one or two new Residents Associations. Probably just a couple of typos but all the same it niggles me. Firstly I see Earlswood and Forshaw Heath Residents Association referred to As Earlswood Residents Association in the Community Forum Leaflets. Then in the Portfolio meeting for speed I see the Association referred to as Earlswood Common Residents Association. Folks it is Earlswood & Forshaw Heath Residents Association. Anyone would think there weren't any Residents living in  Forshaw Heath If no one can get the basics right ie names titles of organisations or even the Right Spelling of somewhere they represent what hope have we all got  It brings in to question the accuracy  of everything else!!!! It is shameful that the basics are not correct.

Speed Limits Forshaw Heath Road/Lane

Oh well we tried to get it down to 40 MPH like the Top end and the soon to be bottom(Rumbush Lane Solihull) Full portfolio meeting can be found on the following link. Click Here to read full minutes Portfolio Holders Meeting 21st September 2012   Reference 7 – Forshaw Heath Road / Forshaw Heath Lane / Mill Lane / Poolhead Lane. Jo Edwards advised that all objectors would prefer the proposed 50mph speed limit to be reduced to a 40mph speed limit. However, the Department for Transport issued strict criteria in respect of the setting of speed limits and any further reduction than the proposed 50mph would also be contrary to County Council policy. Councillor Perry reported that he had been on a site visit to the area and had also undertaken consultation with local residents. Within the current 60mph speed limit, drivers’ mean speed along the road was recorded at 45mph; therefore it was anticipated that a reduction to 50mph would also reduce the

Size Matters

Work This One Out I went into a shop to buy a coat. I didn't try it on because I had already tried one on exactly the same size make and design colour, from the same shop earlier in the day. I went back and purchased the coat. I didn't just rely on the size on the coat hanger I checked the label attached to the coat. and trotted off quite happily with my purchase confident it would be OK. When I got to the office I tried the coat on. The confusion starts it fitted but there was not enough room to wear an additional layer under it if needed. I checked the label again it was the size I wanted and the size I had tried on earlier. I laughed when I checked the sewn in tag Said XL as opposed the  sale label of Large. Well yes I could be classed as a bit dumpy but I am not XL. The only reason I wanted a Large coat was so as I could comfortably fit a woolly pully under it if it got cold. I took it back to the shop where I explained the problem of the

Police Message (New)

Police Message Shed Breaks Earlswood Posted With Permission Inc 202 & 258 23/09/2012 We have had 2 reports of shed breaks along Shutt Lane Earlswood. It is believed the breaks took place @3am Sunday morning. The time was logged by a alarm that was monitoring 1 of the sheds. From this one nothing was taken, however petrol driven equipment was removed from the other. There were reports of a male acting suspicious around the area on Thursday evening, but there was no trace on a area search conducted on Police arrival. We are further forward in the process of obtaining shed alarms to be made available at manufacturers cost price, and hope to have these very soon for interested residents. Door to door sellers There has been an increase recently in the cloth sellers selling from a holdall. These people are usually ex-offenders trying to make a living. Anybody knocking doors to sell products need a Pedlars Certificate, and below is the legislation that gives

Electric Light Orchestra

Ok its my blog I am going to pass comment on the Electric Light Orchestra as we know from a previous post they did a Demo in Forshaw Heath many years ago. You will need sound on your PC for this Forshaw Heath isn’t a stranger to rock and musical people. They PoP up all over the place, pardon the sarcastic pun J As I listen full blast to Roll Over Beethoven by ELO which by the way I hated when I was a teenager. I suddenly at the age of XYZ Listen to it and think how flipping clever was that? And I actually like it Strangely enough I find my self quietly  or not as the case may be rocking, bopping. Dancing and appreciating the clever use of music and orchestras. Its strange how taste changes as you get older. Thank you ELO

Oh Dear Oh Dear

I love a good game football, I don't really care who is playing as long as it is a good game as "Brucie" once said and I don't mean Steve Bruce. My OH is a complete and utter BCFC fan.  Last night as I took a peak at the scores before he was due home from the match all I could say was Oh Dear Oh Dear.  It is Sunday and all I can still say is Oh Dear, I was going to revert to being a Villa Fan but that wasn't much better. The other half has now banned the mention of football in the house and all I can say is Oh Dear and chuckle. :-)

I am Back :-) Various Bits & Bobs

Well long time no blog. Autumn is here and the heating is on the blog has had a face lift to reflect the time of year. The social media buttons don't work yet but I am getting there slowly. It has actually been a busy two or three weeks with so much going on locally.Lots of learning went on. Lets stay away from that as I might say something I regret, suffice to say I am not particularly happy. Having a blog with a few visitors’ means I have to refrain and try to be slightly more tactful. Which to be honest is not my strongest attribute. In fact foot in mouth and think about it later. The one thing about having a blog that no one visits is I could at least have a quiet moan to myself. Memo to ones self remember to think first and speak later. Moving On On my return to work I had interviews for a new member staff new position. Its not so long ago I was doing the same thing its like ground hog day. I cannot get over the volume of applicants for

Broadband Speed

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The Learning Curve Planning Permissions! Taking time to Praise ;-)

What a week I have had, this year for one reason and another the Other Half and I decided we would spend our two week holiday at home instead of abroad and concentrate on all the things that always needed doing but we just hadn’t got around to doing. My other half is doing his bit for harmony at home and I almost have a new bath fitted :-) however my part of the holiday has take somewhat of an unexpected turn and off I have gone on a planning adventure. I really do wish I wouldn't do it at times - learning curves that is because nothing is ever as simple as it first appears. For one reason and another I keep finding my self communicating with our Local District Council and have been flung into the world of planning and planning applications. What an adventure it has turned out to be. It does not matter what application , where or what for even when.  It’s a different language and nothing appears logical, well I suppose it is logical if you know what you are reading and looking

Police Message (New)

Police Message Posted With Permission After a relatively peaceful period, we have had a mini crime wave during Thursday in the Earlswood area. There are enquiries that are on going, we have an image of a believed offender responsible for the crimes along The Common, that has been circulated across 3 forces. The offences unless stated are believed to have occurred along The Common between 2:30 and 3:30 in the morning. Inc 63, 166,210 & 283 6/9/12   Shed's were entered and items of petrol driven garden equipment were removed, there is evidence that numerous other gardens had been entered, and where it was not possible to enter over the neighbouring fence, offender/s used the field to move further up The Common at the rear of properties. A number of other shed's were entered but did not have anything taken. A conservatory to a property was entered, again nothing was taken, but entry to the house was not gained due to the secondary door being locked