One Down (possibly), Two to go

Well a planning application has been submitted to replace a flat roof to pitched on the Old School House, so looks like somebody might be buying it.  Apart from the fact it doesn't appear to have any parking it looks a sizable house.  Which leaves the other two properties, the Library and Victorian Institute to be sold, when that will be remains to be seen.

Trouble with planning applications, it can sometimes get planning officers away from their desks, which means they sometimes come across things they aren't meant to see or find out about, as somebody in Misterton has recently discovered.  Tucked out of the way down lanes, it's amazing what you can do without planning permission, even to the point in one case (very old) that when they eventually notice, there is little they can do about it, apart from issue a council tax bill.   Bad job really, you mind your own business on your own property and somebody comes poking their nose in.

The application for Fox Covert is still pending and might have been passed if somebody hadn't poked their nose in, again where it wasn't wanted and totally uncalled for given the circumstances. 

Little going on really, still no actual movement on the railway bridges although one  road is being closed early November so they must be making a start soon. I understand the old canal bridge on Station Road has cracks in it, which is no wonder when you consider what goes over it, when they can't get under the railway bridge.  Some turn round, some can't be bothered and given the narrow road down there it would be easier to turn round.

Please - Don't be ill

I think we ought to start a petition up and get some changes made at the surgery.  Have you recently called them to arrange an appointment.  Well if you have you know exactly what I mean.  It was bad enough but not too bad  with the prescription line, although you can do this online (as long as you get a password and produce your passport) but now it's all numbers, lots of them and even when you think you have finished you are probably way out in the ether.  All this is probably when you don't feel too good either so you just get more and more frustrated.  Worse still is if you are not good on the telephone and hard of hearing.  The only way out of the roundabout, is, a visit to the surgery.

Another gripe is the entry system now, easy peasy when you are shown how but and a big but, fingers on a screen, fingers that have probably just wiped their nose, fingers of someone who is full of  germs and a screen that someone has probably been coughed on, sneezed on, well you get the picture.  Hardly a  healthy system of entry.

There seem to be loads of staff about, but service sometimes seems very slow in the back office and no welcoming receptionist on the front desk.  People complain about poor service, which is not good, especially considering we have such good doctors.  You can bet if the surgery advertised for someone just to take phone calls to make appointments, they would be inundated with applications. 


New technology is fabulous, in the right place, but this new telephone support/filtration system stinks and can creates even more stress for patients.  So, let's have a petition and let our doctors know that the new system is not working. 

Poor but Proud

I see in the parish magazine there is a note about a trust administered by the parish council, the one where there is a distribution at Christmas to the aged of this village.  Not a lot, up to £10 in the past, so enough to put a smile on your face.

The trustees, the parish council, have decided, that because of advice from the Charity Commission, probably global advice, that in future these distributions will no longer take place and instead they will have  to submit an application form to beg for money.  I say beg because that's what it amounts to.  I suspect that the cash will sit there for years because those who badly need the odd shilling over Christmas will probably think it is not worth advertising to the parish council that they are short of money.  It's bad enough filling forms in for claiming benefit and as you know, and while most of us have no trouble filling in forms and claiming the cash we are entitled to, the elderly don't usually get their full whack, because they have different values, especially about asking for money.

They suggest friends and relatives nominate them, even worse in my view, whole can of  worms opened when outside interference is involved.  Best to leave things as they are and stick with an annual distribution, then everyone has a smile on their face at Christmas.  They have managed to ignore the Charity Commission in the past without getting their wrists slapped so why change old habits now.

Movement on the bridge improvements at last, as a road closure starts again early November. There is one thing, all this delay must be putting a few pounds in certain pockets, unfortunately not mine. 

More Expense

Things are looking up, we have September minutes up on the Parish Council website, and at a respectable size.

What a pity they are not published how they used to be when you could scrutinise to your hearts content in the library, now from what I've seen so far you don't even get them on the notice boards.

Money being spent on welcome to the village signs, what for, the ones we have are perfectly alright.  What are they going to do, tack them on or put them separately?  At least the  wall money has been paid.

Then there is the little item on stuff for future meetings:

Victoria Institute- consider purchase by Parish Council

How barmy can you get.  It's been decided we have no use for it and they still want to put their necks in the noose and considering most of them are friends of the VI,  I do hope they will declare an interest.  Then there is the other little nugget:

It was noted that the Trustees have now successfully obtained the residents’ support for a sale of the Victoria Institute having addressed and taken all steps to look into the restoration of the building. It was noted to be an example of how to successfully engage with the public on such matters.

What a laugh, more like an exercise in how to waste money trying to achieve the answer you want regardless of how much it was going to cost.  So now they are going, well trying, to buy by the back door.  Will we have a public meeting for that, I don't think so.  Mind you, I did warn you, persistent buggers.  Might be a bit of a conflict of interest all round when it comes to the price. If they don't get the library sewn up you can see where their sights will fall next. Good to see it's not their own money they are contemplating spending. 

Bit ironic really, they are starting to think of that little cash pot as their own private piggy bank and the only reason they (or should I say we) have  the cash is because of the expertise of the ex clerk, David Wright, he who got regular stick from certain quarters, and who are  now in office.  Without that cash they wouldn't have a pot to pee in.   All fur coat and no knickers springs to mind.

We have Lift OFF

Well somebody did tell them that the July 30th minutes of the parish council were lacking in content and we now have the complete document mysteriously worded of course to keep us in the dark as to the actual conversations.  We also don't have to use our zoom button to read, which makes a pleasant change.

We still don't know when Network Rail are coming back to complete the bodged first attempt of the railway bridges.  Mind you an improvement to the railway crossings will be welcome, for those of us stuck at Haxey Gate for hours (feels like) when the train must surely be still somewhere near Gainsborough.

The wriggling starts around the Misterton Centre, half of them don't want it I understand, because it was linked to previous parish council members.  What they really want to do is duck out at the first opportunity and spend on the old library.  At least some members have budgetary concerns, but not enough it would seem since they are to make an offer for the site and the field at the rear in line with the valuation.  However you have to remember that this was July and things have moved on a bit since then, namely interest from other parties, hence the lot going up for auction.

While I've no objection to land purchase, if only to stop further building, buying the old library site is fraught with trouble and expense, more than we can afford, not to mention the additional costs of  demolition and removal of asbestos.  Then what, a full rebuild and at what cost to current and future Misterton residents. West Stockwith has a small village hall, but then it has nothing else, similar to other villages which have nothing but their village hall.  Misterton has an abundance of buildings that can be used and that's the problem.  Mind you if only 40 odd people turn up for an important meeting you could stuff them into the Church Hall.

Well we could rabbit about this for ever, but lets wait for more up to date developments.

Somebody tries to make a shilling with a business in Misterton, which is an agricultural area and they stab them in the back.  Planning permission wanted on the ground behind the Social Club agreed, then some bugger throws his oar in.  What is wrong with them.  They object to one caravan, needed to be on site to tend animals, and a lot of them.  Something wrong there, very wrong. 

Still not GOOD ENOUGH

Well we have a correct set of minutes on the parish council website for the 30th July, only thing is there is only one page, and it's a blow up job to get them to a decent size to read, so somebody is not checking what they are doing or what they have done.  Very poor show.

Network Rail were at the meeting but what was said and done is not shown.  Problems with the parking on the Pudge, don't think the police will be really interested in that.  Damage to the wall of of the fabulous garden still not been settled, being pursued, well it is October now and when was it done, beginning of the year?

Anyway the bits what we really wanted to know are missing, or maybe it's deliberate to put us of the scent and keep us in the dark, especially when they are plotting to spend our money and hang a mortgage round our necks.  Let's hope somebody complains.