Richard's Journal

November 2009

Havant Borough 50+ Forum, Warblington and Denvilles Residents' Association, Havant Borough Council, North Dorset District Council, Southern Entrepreneurs
Sandy Hopkins, Chief Executive, Councillor Tony Briggs, Leader of the Council, Janet Rees, Corporate Director, Joy Okwuadigbo, Head of Regeneration, Frank Campbell,
Havant Borough Council
Mediumistics, Sharron Barr, Children in Need

 

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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.


Tue
sday 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”.