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Monday
2nd November 2009
Havant Borough 50+ Forum -
Meeting at the Civic Offices, Havant
On the first
Monday of November I attended a meeting of
Havant Borough 50+ Forum at the Civic Offices, Havant.
Among the subjects that came up was the matter of questions to be
submitted to
Sandy Hopkins, Chief Executive
of Havant Borough Council and
Councillor Tony Briggs, Leader
of Havant Borough Council at the next
meeting of Havant Borough 50+ Forum Meeting on Monday 7th December 2009.
During the meting I had some ideas for
questions for Sandy Hopkins, and
Councillor Tony Briggs, of
Havant Borough
Council at the next
meeting of
Havant Borough 50+ Forum Meeting on Monday 7th December 2009.
At the end of the meeting I asked Jan Gough if it would be alright to
let her have my list of questions at the coffee morning the next day and
she said that would be fine.
Tuesday
3rd November 2009
Havant Borough 50+ Forum -
Coffee Morning at the Beacon Centre in the Meridian Centre, Havant, and photo shoot at the East Street
pedestrian crossing
I went to the
Havant Borough 50+ Forum Coffee morning in the Beacon Centre at
the Meridian Centre in Havant.
Apart from meeting a few people there the main reason for going was to
help with publicity for the campaign to get the pedestrian crossing in
East Street, Havant, moved.
Peter Walden had arranged for
“The News” ,
Portsmouth, to be there at 11.00 a.m. We were all at the crossing by the
appointed time but there was no-one from “The News”. One of those
present went to
“The News” Office in Havant and returned with reporter
Jeff Travis. Jeff explained that the photographer was not available
until 12.00 p.m. and asked if we could come back then. Despite the
inconvenience, everyone agreed to do just that, only to find that, while
the weather had been fine at 11.00 a.m., by midday it was raining.
In the interim Jan Gough had arrived so i gave her a print of
the questions I had compiled for Sandy Hopkins, Chief Executive of
Havant Borough Council and Councillor Tony Briggs, Leader of Havant
Borough Council at the next
meeting of Havant Borough 50+ Forum.
We made out way back to the crossing in time for the photographer at
midday. In due course, the photographer, Paul Jacobs, arrived, made a
note of our names and took a few photographs while we were standing on
the pavement at the south side of the crossing. I took a few of my own
but decided it might be a good idea to take some from the north side of
the crossing. Whether he had already decided to do so or not, I was not
sure but Paul Jacobs followed me across and took a few more photographs
as well. Although I took some photographs of the others standing on the
pavement, Peter Walden decided it would be a good idea if they had some
actually on the crossing. So he led the others across, holding his hand
up to the traffic while they were n the middle of the crossing, so that
they could all pose, effectively, for a few seconds while we took
photos.
Those present at the crossing were Peter Walden, Judy Glennister,
Brandon Taylor, Malcolm Wensler and Gwyneth Byfield.
During one of the waiting periods I had a conversation with Brandon
Taylor, amongst others. He said he was involved with
Warblington and Denvilles
Residents’ Association,
in the Hornbeam Close area of Denvilles, though as someone who delivered
the Newsletter, etc., rather than being on the Committee. I told him
that I had volunteered to be a member of the Committee, particularly as
so many people were leaving, or had left, after many years of working
for the residents, though I had not yet heard back from Chris Stanley,
the Acting Chairman of
Warblington and Denvilles
Residents’ Association, who had just moved out
of the area.
Overall, I was in Havant longer than expected and did not arrive home
until lunch time. Of course Jo was interested in what had transpired.
During our conversation the subject of
Warblington and Denvilles
Residents’ Association came up, along with my
E-mail contacts with Chris Stanley, the Acting
Chairman of the Residents Association, and me not having heard from him
for some time.
Tuesday
10th November 2009
I finally got around to looking up
Janet Rees, Corporate Director of Havant Borough Council who I met in the Meridian centre in Havant at a Council organised event
on Saturday 31st October. Among the links I came across was a
North Dorset Council (http://www.north-dorset.gov.uk)
PDF (http://www.north-dorset.gov.uk/index/about_your_councils/north_dorset/committees/minutes_and_agendas/council_minutes_28nov08.pdf)
that included a comment about Janet Rees leaving to become Corporate
Director of Havant Borough Council, more of a glowing tribute:
“Janet Rees: the Chairman paid tribute to Janet Rees, who was
leaving the Council’s service on 31 December 2008 to take up a post at
Havant Borough Council. Janet had made a substantial and long lasting
difference to North Dorset. He highlighted the work Janet had done in
establishing the community partnerships, her contribution to the
Council’s achievement of ‘Good’ in its Comprehensive Performance
Assessment and in working to keep affordable housing at the top of the
agenda. She would be greatly missed by Members and officers alike. He
wished her much success in her new role. The Leader of the Council and
Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group joined the Chairman in
thanking Janet for her contribution to North Dorset and wishing her
well.”
Clearly Janet Rees joined
Havant Borough
Council untainted by the machinations of Havant Council. The impression I had
gained during our conversation on that last Saturday in October appears
to be borne out.
When I looked up North Dorset Council (http://www.north-dorset.gov.uk)
I found a link at the bottom of the page “Economic Downturn, Free advice
and support”, which led to a page (http://www.north-dorset.gov.uk/index/working/business/economic_downturn.htm)
headed:
For sources of support and assistance to
residents in North Dorset please go to the following link:
Economic
Downturn Leaflet
Economic Downturn Information for Business in North Dorset
Business Support (http://www.north-dorset.gov.uk/index/working/business/business_support.htm)
under North Dorset Council (http://www.north-dorset.gov.uk)
seems quite good as well, at least on paper, a stark contrast to what I
have experience in Hampshire in general, let alone Havant Council. The
only positives are outside the Chambers of Commerce and Southern
Entrepreneurs (http://www.southernentrepreneurs.com).
Thursday
12th November 2009
MediuMystics in “The
News”
I came acroos a story in
“The News” ,
“Mystics
are offering cut-price readings online in aid of Children in Need” .
It was about a “clairvoyant community”, specifically that of
MediuMystics due to hold a 24 hour readathon starting November 20 at 12 noon through
their website.
As well as the readings other well known psychics were donating “some
excellent raffle prizes including tickets for their shows, ghost hunts,
books, CDs, DVDs and personal psychic readings”.
According to the article in
“The News” Sharron Barr (http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome/Children-in-Need-seeks-message.5817152.jp),
from Leigh Park (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leigh_Park),
manages the international site and is quoted as saying “Everything on
our site is free, it is a community really” and “Each year we do a
readathon for Children in Need (http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey)
and recently a put out a request to Facebook (http://www.facebook.com)
contacts for donations and we've been overloaded”.
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