Posted January 8th 2008
Dear All

ECO TOWN OBJECTORS GROUP MEETING

Just in case you do not know, this is a note to inform as many as possible on the North side of the A47 and along its route, in the Tilton Ward, that there is to be a meeting at the Coplow Centre on at 7.30pm on Friday 18th January. The more Villages we can get together to form a solid objection to this potential "blight" the better, and to support our fellow residents in the immediate areas effected is vital because the impacts of 12000-15000 homes will have a devastating impact on High Leicestershire in the countryside around Tilton.

The Objector Group has gained momentum and some organisation through County Cllr Feltham and Local MPs. Now is the time to support that drive, so I do hope you can offer your attendence or a substitute for yourself, in support. We cannot wait until the decision on sites is made in February to object - it will be too late by then if our area has been designated!

Regards
Cllr Mike Rook

Posted 18th December 2007
Dear All
Here is a link (at the very bottom of this email) to at least allow us to do something now regarding the proposals to build the Eco-Town on our doorstep. Basically we are saying we want to retain a "say" in local democratic planning processes, and it can be signed on-line.

You may have already recieved this link. If so it's better to get it twice than not at all.

Whatever - do PLEASE sign and pass it on to all your residents and any other local contacts potentially blighted by these plans. We must all be concerned for "High Leicestershire" and the impact 20,000 new homes could have on our doorstep.

Cllr Mike Rook.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Michael Rook
Subject: Re: Petition
To: Penny Faulkner

Dear Penny
I have signed the on-line petition. I am very keen indeed to fight these proposals, and am in touch constantly with my colleague Graham Spendlove-Mason. As Cllr for Tilton Ward I believe it will blight "High Leicestershire" and we must do all in our power to fight the proposals even before we know more about them. The suggestion is enough in my view to stop this nonsense. I have passed on the message to my ward PCs but no doubt I am only duplicating your works - but that does not matter.

I have spoken at some length with Alan Duncan out MP for the villages covering Hungerton and Keyham down to East Norton and Tugby. I think he has to be more "Visible" and I have told him so!!

Cllr Mike Rook - Tilton Ward.

On 17/12/2007, Penny Faulkner wrote:

Please help to defeat proposals for an "eco-town" development consisting
of some 15,000 houses to be built in South East Leicestershire.

Earlier in 2007 the Government announced a nationwide initiative for 10
new "Eco-Towns" to built by successful bidders from the private sector.
This competition is to be managed by a new Homes and Communities Agency
with no formal open consultation with local authorities and neighbouring
communities and without regard to the draft Regional Plan.

The Co-operative Group are a major agricultural landowner in south-east
Leicestershire. Under less than transparent information-sharing
procedures, the Co-operative Group, in association with English
Partnerships who are the agents for NHS property near Great Glen, are
bidding to develop 15,000 (or possibly up to 20,000) homes on the site
of Leicester Airport and surrounding countryside, extending from
Stoughton out towards Great Glen and Houghton on the Hill and beyond the
Strettons.

Their eco-town proposal is being presented with plenty of positive spin:
green technologies, affordable housing, and self sufficiency. However
for communities in south east Leicestershire including the neighbouring
suburbs of Leicester it presents a major threat.

Firstly a huge area of important countryside would be lost. The
developed land, and the surrounding area would no longer provide the
space, recreation and enjoyment it does now.

Secondly, despite assurances that inhabitants of this new eco-town would
use public transport, there is huge risk from greatly increased road
traffic in the area: steep increases on the already congested A6 and A47
routes into Leicester, and dangerous levels of road use on completely
unsuited minor roads nearer to the development.

This concept is experimental and certainly not suited to the area. It
might provide a quick answer for the Government's own housing crisis,
and huge profits for the developers, but it is hard to see how
Leicestershire itself can benefit from such a scheme. Perhaps that's
why Leicestershire isn't getting a say?

Please help defeat this proposal by

- Signing the on-line e-petition at the 10 Downing Street web
site: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/PennburyEcoTown/

- Keeping track of campaign developments at:
www.save-england.net/stoughton-ecotown

Please take action now: final results of the competition are expected to
be announced in February 2008.

Please pass this email on to anyone else who may be concerned

Posted 8th November 2007
Dear All
I have been allowed to release to you the some what startling news of a proposal to develop a New Town in the area of Stoughton Airport/Oadby environs on what is the edge of Harborough's jurisdiction and into Oadby and Wigston Borough Councils' area.

The proposal is for an ECO-TOWN, a new government designation, of some 20,000 houses!!

If built this would have an enormous impact on the infrastructure, and quality of life of my residents in Hungarton, and, not to mention Lowesby, Baggrave, and even through to Skeffington and East Norton, Cold Newton and Tilton, simply because of the impact on traffic flows trying to access Leicester. Indeed a true blight!

I am pledged to fight it.

However, I must stress that HDC has not been consulted, and no decisions taken. Initial reactions from all the Councillors, of all parties, is one deep resentment at the proposals and the manner in which they have been aired. Especially as we have only just completed our Local Development Framework with its attendent housing needs included, and which had no requirement for numbers of homes of this magnitude.

The County Council was not informed directly of these proposals and is still considering its options. The proposals raise more issues than I care to go into in this message.

The problem with a designation of ECO TOWN means that the government, in its drive to build 3million houses by 2020, can impose such a development on us.

The Leicester Mercury and local media will no doubt be carrying this story on Thursday 8th, now that it has "broken", and that is why I can now inform you promptly.

Regards, and sorry to be the bearer of such news

Cllr Mike Rook

Dear All
I am finding it difficult to keep my diary and commitments up to date, and I am very conscious that although I have been working hard with constant attendance at HDC Council, I have not been much involved at Parish level, where I would wish to help wherever possible, and to attend meetings when called. Often my evening Planning, Executive, or Portfolio commitments clash with Parish Council activity unfortunately.

Would it be possible for you to drop me a list of 2008 dates for your community PC meetings or VM meetings, so I can diary them? Covering 13 Parishes as I do it can be a bit of a nightmare getting around if I fail to get your dates diaried!!

Are there any issues you would wish to raise with me at this time?

As you know HDC are in the middle of a round of "Have your say" Meetings, and the developments that this will stir will feed into in the Community Strategy Policy. Village Plans are considered vitally important in this process.

The Gov has just announced the Grant proposals for local gov over the next 4 years, starting at an increase grant of about 4.5% increase to local Gov. How that will be divided up to all councils we have yet to hear. However, HMG also expect £150m worth of cash-able savings from local gov, which will help curtail the relentless increase in numbers of staff perhaps. Also a reduction in "Targets" set, so that will help the relentless collection of stats!

We have begun a food waste pilot in Burbage and Bosworth to trial weekly collection of ALL food waste. The county council continues to explore the technologies behind waste to energy plants - which would be a huge step forward for the whole county. Harborough are recycling about 51% of all domestically collected waste, one of the highest figs in the whole Country. We now have 48 "Bring-Banks" in the districts for paper, glass tin and plastics etc. I have not been able to achieve any movement on kerbside plastic collections, for many good reasons I will talk about endlessly!!

The Budget round, and prioritising of the spending needs for 2008/09 has started in earnest, for the April budget and council tax calculations in 2008. I am very conscious of the pressures being on a fixed income myself!

HDC passed its first "Temporary" wind testing tower the other day. HDC has a Policy now for granting these things, which they will need to rigorously conform to. In a rural area I can see Wind Farms as a real issue, from which I will not back away if ever they occur on large scale plans - which they don't at present..

Regards to you all
cllr. Mike Rook