Parish Matters
Parish Matters - Emergency Plan
Following instances of prolonged power and water supply failure, severe weather, flooding and other incidents, Local Authorities across the country have been asking parishes to plan how they would support their residents in the event of an emergency or difficulty that places parishioners or their property at risk.
Information garnered from the questionnaires sent to all parishioners has been collated to produce a resource audit. The Emergency Plan Group met during 2010 with representatives of all three emergency services and Telford & Wrekin Emergency Planning personnel to enable the formulation of our terms of reference.
Cmdr. Steve Collins, who has experience of emergency planning in the navy, is the secretary of the group and has produced a first draft with some sections still to be completed and with the contact details of people who have volunteered to assist being removed to maintain privacy. Any comments or suggestions on the plan should be forwarded to Steve Collins on 01952 5068622.
The Emergency & Resilience (E&R) plan aims to take what might be seen as ‘good neighbourliness’ and add to it an element of structure and planning in order that the resources of the parish are used to maximum efficiency. The plan and consequent organisation does not aim to take the place of the emergency services and the immediate response for any emergency is still to dial 999.
However, a range of events from major accidents to industrial disputes could mean that some of us need assistance from the parish, even if that help is just somewhere to wait and have a cup of tea until the incident passes.
The difficulty of predicting when an incident may take place or what assistance may be required means that the Parish Council needs to create lists of volunteers willing to assist and what tasks they are able to undertake.
Some parishioners have already been contacted by the Parish Council and have agreed to put forward their names whilst others volunteered their services at the Open Meeting in April 2010. During late 2010, the Parish Council will provide further information to those that have already agreed to assist and will attempt to seek out additional volunteers so that the full organisation is in place before the Winter.
With the initial E & R plan published on this website, parishioners are encouraged to view the document and to offer any comments or the names of additional volunteers to Councillor Steve Collins on 01952 506862.
In the event of an incident residents who think that the E & R organisation should be mobilised in support of the parish should call the E&R Duty Coordinator on 0777 259 6191.
Emergency Plan (downloadable document)
Game Bird Shooting Issues
A commercial shoot is run across much of the land in the parish from September to January each year.
In addition to the noise and disturbance caused (particularly to household pets and horses) in some parts of the parish during the shooting season, some residents have found the large numbers of game birds reared from the summer months causing a nuisance in gardens and a danger on local roads.
Through its game-keepers, the shoot does, however, make a useful contribution to both the Neighbourhood Watch and to managing valuable local habitats.
In view of a number of complaints over the local shoot last season, the Parish Council has taken-up several issues with both the organisers and the British Association for Shooting & Conservation (BASC) under whose Code of Good Shooting Practice they operate.
Foremost among these were spent shot falling on private properties and public places in the village, and disturbance caused to local pets and horse owners.
Although BASC investigated the formal complaint made over the shoot’s operation, they accepted their members’ assurance that everything possible was being done to prevent such problems arising, and chose not to impose any sanctions.
However, the shoot organisers have undertaken to monitor the situation over the coming season and make any adjustments to their operational practice should these prove to be necessary. They have also emphasised their desire to be good neighbours in the community.
Regardless of the shoot’s calculations that spent shot could not fall on public places or properties, the Parish Council believes the plain fact that shot has fallen on a number houses in the village as well as the children’s playing field is evidence that something has been going wrong.
The key word here, though, is evidence. On the basis that actions speak louder than words, the Council needs your help in monitoring the position over the coming season.
Specifically, all residents are asked to record and document any instances of shot falling on their properties and our public spaces or other problems as and when they happen. Written evidence is required of the exact location and time of any incident, with photographs and or samples of spent shot, wherever possible.
Anyone who has any issues or concerns over local shooting should contact the Parish Council or
British Association for Shooting & Conservation 01889 565050
Telford & Wrekin Environmental Health 01952 381818
Dog-in-the-Lane Landfill
A single licensed landfill continues to operate in the parish as a legacy of previous opencast coal mining.
Operated by Onyx, the site at Dog-in-the-Lane just off the Horsehay Road, takes trade (not toxic or industrial) waste and at the current rate of filling should be completed and restored to a mixture of woodland and pastureland by the end of the decade.
Until then, however, it is likely to continue causing occasional problems, including mud debris and pot holes along Horsehay Road, landfill gas smells and wind-blown litter.
All parish councillors and a number of concerned residents meet Onyx four to six times a year in an official liaison committee which attempts to address such problems while monitoring the site’s operations and progress in restoring other areas of local mining disturbance that formed part of its original planning permission.
Any road or other problems should be reported both to the Environment Agency (responsible for policing the landfill licence) and the operator as rapidly as possible, with details of their nature and precise timing.
Coalmoor Landfill site
- After 10 years of hard work the long term problem of high leachate levels has been overcome. These levels are now 2 to 3 metres below the compliance level.
- After care vegetation has taken well.
Coalmoor Dry Processing site
- Veolia is to apply for a non-material change re restoration.
- Members of the committee expressed approval at the appearance of the restoration.
Candles
- Mr Peter Thomas had no fault to report about the site inspection. Grass has taken well on the seeded areas from which there are 360 degree views. The wheel wash was working well and the road clear.
- The Environmental Agency made a surprise visit on 12th May 2011 to look at the waste gas extraction wells [about 100]. All are working well. The situation is constantly reviewed with extra wells being put in as required. The Agency commented that unlike other waste management sites measurements taken here are done properly!
- The report on the Gas Audit is due in 2 weeks time.
- Leachate levels remain above compliance levels but the EA reported an improving situation. All damage to the leachate treatment plant has been repaired. There is an Improvement Plan in place to lower leachate levels and extraction rates are improving.
- Pools are sprayed to prevent flies from breeding.
- The January, February, March and April Complaints Forms were examined. Simpson’s Walk residents continue to experience odour problems. November to late Spring is the worst time when temperature inversions and high atmospheric pressure are common. EA suggested that the source of the problem could be special waste [ 1:3 ratio ]. Diane Parkes is to have a gas monitor installed in her house in November. She suggested that the most noxious gases do not get into the gas management system….they are escaping sideways [ like methane did at New Works ].
Pat Hutchings 13/05/2011
Contacts:
Environment Agency (freephone hotline) 0800 807060
Onyx (Dog-in-the-Lane site) 01952 630005
