David Harrison, the County Councillor for Totton South & Marchwood, has called upon the Environment Agency to stop plans that will mean transportation of radioactive waste down the Waterside, for processing n the Fawley area.

The Environment Agency has just launched an eight week consultation on the plans, (available to view on the New Forest District Council web-site). If given the go ahead, radioactive waste from the controversial Sellafield Nuclear Plant will be trucked into the area, a distance of some 350 miles, to an incinerator in Fawley.

Councillor Harrison says “These proposals are totally unacceptable. I have reminded the Environment Agency that an accident along our busy road network could have disastrous consequences, both for other road users and local residents. They need to process this waste at Sellafield, not in the New Forest area”.

New Forest District Council is being pressed to deliver a Christmas present to the residents of the High Street, Totton.

The issue of excessive lorry noise and vibration has been high on the list of local people, often kept awake at night from HGV’s entering and leaving Eling wharf.

David Harrison, a Town, District and County Councillor for Totton South has arranged for District Officers to carry out noise monitoring in a home outside the wharf entrance. He is hoping that the results will justify designating the problem as a “statutory noise nuisance”. Environmental legislation will then require the authority to take action to tackle the problem.

Councillor Harrison says “I have a great deal of sympathy for the long suffering residents of the High Street. I can’t do anything about high volumes of HGV traffic using Eling wharf, but I am hoping that I can force the local authorities to face up to the need to provide a better access. We would not have HGV’s entering the High Street if they could access it directly off the A35”.

New Forest District Council has just announced increases in fees and charges on a range of council services for the coming financial year.

The new charges include above inflation increases on a range of services, including beach hut site rentals, green fees at Dibden Golf Club, rises for playing badminton and use of the fitness suites at the leisure centres and even burial costs (interment fees).

Councillor David Harrison, Leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition group, has condemned the increased charges. He says “Many people will struggle to pay these increased costs. Frankly, they would not have been necessary if the conservative controlled authority had not wasted over £300,000 fighting a hopeless legal case over slippery floors in the leisure centres”.

Report for Marchwood Parish Council Meeting 14th December 2009

Introduction

My final report of the year and an opportunity to thank all the staff and Parish Councillors, as well as the two District Councillors for the support and assistance received. Let’s look forward to another challenging year, one where we continue to work together, getting the best for the community of Marchwood.
Marchwood Energy from Waste Facility

You were provided with an update from Cllr. Kendal at the recent Planning Committee meeting. Although I have a corporate duty towards Hampshire County Council, my primary focus is on protecting the interests of residents in Totton South and Marchwood. There are many issues surrounding the future operation of the site which are being kept secret. I think it highly likely that the capacity of the plant will be increased at a later date. This will have a significant impact on HGV movements in and out of Marchwood.

I made a Freedom of Information request asking for details of any recent reports or studies commissioned by HCC which would lead to increased capacity of the Marchwood ERF. HCC have now formally declined to supply me with this information, not because they don’t exist, but on the grounds that “it is not in the public interest” to disclose.

I will leave members to decide who they place their trust with. Rest assured, I won’t be letting this matter rest.

Marchwood Power Station

The station has now “gone live” and is fully operational, now in the hands of Marchwood Power (rather than the contractors). I am told that the official opening of the facility will now be undertaken early in the new Year.

It is likely that the Marchwood Power Station Liaison Panel meetings that I have chaired over the last 4 years will now cease, but I am recommending that they be replaced with a similar panel for picking up all issues relating to the use of the industrial estate, in as much as operations affect the quality of life of villagers. Marchwood Power have kindly agreed to host such meetings, if this is agreed and supported by MPC.

I was delighted to officially open the solar panels which have been fitted to The Cove building at Totton College, as part of the Solar For Schools Initiative.
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Marchwood Transportation Strategy Group

This group hasn’t met for some months, but I hope it will do early in the new year, if only to brief members on what has been happening.

There are significant improvements planned, costing in the region of £50,000, to four areas in Marchwood, all of which will contribute to pedestrian safety. We also need to keep up momentum on the proposed footway / cycle links both north and south out of the village.

As I understand it, it is for MPC to co-ordinate & organise meetings of this group. I’m happy to support it, as necessary.

HGV Problems

The Traffic Commissioner has still not responded to my request and a 50 resident petition to hold a public inquiry into proposed increases in granting licenses on Marchwood Industrial estate. It’s a government quango and not at all responsive to local concerns. I rather doubt I will get anywhere with it, but I keep trying.

I’m still hoping that HCC will support what the majority of Marchwood residents say they want, a ban both north & south on HGV traffic using Hythe Road.

A326 safety

Lighting is being installed at the junction of the A326 and Twiggs Lane. A safe pedestrian crossing will be constructed early in the new year.

Marchwood Bus Services Focus Group

I think it worthwhile holding a meeting of the group in January. I am suggesting a few possible dates to Officers at HCC, who will organise things and send out the invitations. There are some real concerns about reliability of the service. I’m hoping Alex Hornby from Solent Blue Line will be able to attend to address these.

Community Grants

In the past 2 months, I made the following grants :
Youth & Families Matter ; £1,000
Solomon’s Theatre (Drug & Alcohol education at Hounsdown school ; £1,000
Forest Bus (now based at Marchwood) : £1,000
Hampshire Fire and Rescue (Memorial) ; £500

County Councillor David Harrison

Hampshire County Councillor, David Harrison, is calling for more urgent action to tackle air pollution in New Forest Towns, such as Lyndhurst and Totton.

Britain is likely to be hit with up to £300 million of EU fines in less than 18 months and up to 36,000 people could die prematurely unless councils act to tackle pollution at a local level.

Lyndhurst High Street and Junction Road, Totton are designated as Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA’s), where monitoring has shown unacceptably high levels of pollution from traffic.

Cllr. Harrison says “It would be a double disaster if the taxpayer has to pay out to fund EU fines, for the sake of taking necessary action to reduce air pollution. Clearly, we need to start taking more radical action, starting with further restrictions on HGV traffic through town centres and requiring engines to be switched off when waiting at train gates”.

Local County Councillor for Marchwood, David Harrison, does not accept assurances that there are no plans to increase the capacity of the Marchwood Energy from Waste Facility.

Hampshire County Council, recently gave permission for the ERF to process waste brought in from outside Hampshire. Councillor Harrison objected to this decision on the basis that it would enable the facility to be expanded at a later date and that Councillors have never had a chance to fully debate or agree that Hampshire County Council should start importing waste from outside the county for processing in places like Marchwood.

Councillor Harrison says “I’m pleased that Officers and Senior County Councillors are beginning to realise that Marchwood has a very serious problem with HGV movements. The fact that they showed up at a Parish Council Committee meeting is a step in the right direction. They heard, directly from Parish Councillors and members of the public present just how stressed out the local road network is from high volumes of HGV traffic”.

Councillor Harrison has submitted a freedom of information request, asking for details of any reports commissioned by Hampshire County Council that might lead to a future increase in capacity of the ERF.

Councillor Harrison adds “I have found, through bitter experience, that promises made on behalf of Hampshire County Council, are often promises broken. The fact that the old incinerator building still looms over the village is testament to that!”

Councillor Mel Kendal, the conservative Hampshire County Councillor and Executive Member for the Environment Portfolio, has issued an official statement, accusing me of being “party political” over my efforts to restrain HGV movements in and around Marchwood.

It seems he does not realise that it is my job, regardless of party politics, to do my very best for the people I represent. My efforts at calling into question the County Council decision making processes and policy are supported by local conservative councillors who have joined me at meetings of the Regulatory Committee and told me that they support what I’m doing 100%.

Marchwood has been allowed to become the dumping ground for a whole range of things most of Hampshire needs but do not want on their doorstep. I’m not going to be put off by insults or bullying. I was elected to do a job for the people of Marchwood. It’s nothing whatever to do with party politics but it is all about supporting the community you represent.

I was “Guest of Honour” today at Totton College.

I had been invited to undertake the official opening of new solar panels that have been installed on the roof of the college building.

A couple of years ago I had hooked up Totton College with Marchwood Power Station who have been promoting the Solar Panels for Schools initiative. I was really pleased that all has worked out and Totton College has benefited from fitting of the panels. It will save the college a significant amount of energy costs and serve to act as an educational tool for the students. Inside the college building they have fitted a display panel that shows how much electricity the panels are generating.

Very cleverly, staff at the college are looking to involve all students at the college from the high level engineering and science students to those that have learning difficulties, who have created some excellent artwork related to the iniative.

It was great to meet staff and students, a reminder that all is not gloom and doom following the disappointment of finding that funding for the major revamp of the college isn’t available.