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www.ivanjennings.co.uk www.myspace.com/ivanjennings email: ivan@ivanjennings.co.uk Last updated Monday August 25, 2008
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In The Press April 2003 - May 2007:
Please click the picture for the Borough Events Pictures page (also try the In The Press Picture page) Click Here For In The Press May 2007 - May 2011 page
Hyperlinks to Newspapers: Articles from The Staffordshire Newsletter Hyperlinks
to articles:
Campaign Starts
Stafford Borough Conservative Candidate Launch - Page 13 Staffordshire Newsletter 12th April. The conservative party are the only party putting candidates forward for all 59 seats in the elections in May. Candidates pictured are Front: Mike Carey, Mark Heenan, Judith Delgarno, Ann Edgeller, Trevor Reeves, Charles Simpson. Back: Ivan Jennings, Ken Brown, Bryan Cross and Eric Cartwright. Once-a-month pub bid for 'dry' village
PUTTING
the spirit back into the rural community is being taken literally by villagers
in Cotes Heath.
Members
of the village hall committee have put pints on the agenda in a bid to boost
rural social life. They want to turn the village hall into a local pub.
An application for permission to use the Published on 16/06/2005 Village
victory in speed battle
PEOPLE
power has triumphed in Slindon after 12 years of campaigning for a speed
reduction on a 'death trap’ road. Delighted
residents and councillors have been informed that the stretch of A519 through
the village is set to be reduced to 50mph after highways bosses and police gave
the green light. The road - which has already claimed the life of a
motorist - is a notorious accident blackspot and campaigners have constantly
pushed for a reduction, branding it a "death trap". The
village hall committee resorted to buying their own £700 speed gun last year
and submitted records showing many vehicles to be travelling in excess of
80mph. Eccleshall parish councillor Lindsey Von
Elbing added: "I’m delighted. It’s only a 10mph reduction, but I’m
sure it will be easier for the police to enforce." In a letter to Councillor Jennings, county council
official Steve Howard said the nature of the road did allow for the speed limit
to be reduced, but no further reduction could be considered at this time.
He said following a meeting with Inspector Les Dyble, of Staffordshire Police,
it was felt the speed limit should cover the length of the road between the two
existing Slindon nameplates.
Consultation with residents about works to implement the speed reduction
are currently under way with the changes expected to be complete before autumn
this year. Published on 26/02/2004 DIY
speed checks on death trap road
WORRIED Slindon residents have resorted to buying their own speed gun in a desperate bid to cut the number of accidents near their homes. They say the stretch of A519 through the village is a "death-trap" which has already claimed the life of a motorist and been the scene of many accidents. The Village Hall Committee used £700 of their funds to buy a speed gun device to monitor the traffic to convince highway bosses that the national speed limit is not appropriate. They claim a 40mph limit is needed and have collated photographs of accidents and a table of recorded speeds to send to the council.
Eccleshall Borough Councillor Ivan
Jennings has given his backing to the campaign and says something urgently needs
to be done. He said:
"This part of the A519 is another fatal accident waiting to happen. Speeds
in excess of 80mph have been recorded with the Village Hall Committee’s speed
gun. There has already been
one fatal accident along this road and several others where it has only been
pure luck and/or the speedy response of the emergency services that has stopped
that number climbing. We are looking preferably for a 40mph speed limit but
otherwise at least a 50mph limit." Slindon Parish councillor Lindsay Von Elbing
added: "Villagers are doing everything they can to stop accidents from
happening but we need help from the powers that be." Resident Leonie Smith said: "It is a
really dangerous stretch. A 40mph speed limit is desperately needed." Staffordshire County Council local transport
unit manager Paul Grosvenor said: "There have been previous discussions
about the speed limit in Slindon between ourselves and the police and each time
it has been resolved that the national limit is appropriate.
The County Council. as the Highway Authority, has not got powers to be
able to enforce a speed limit; the only people who can are the police. We
can’t reduce the speed limit in isolation."
He said parish councils across the county are currently being consulted
about traffic issues and said the speed limit through Slindon could probably be
reviewed during this process. No-one
from Staffordshire Police was available for comment yesterday. Published on 06/11/2003 David's
school bus U-turn joy
EDUCATION
bosses have made a dramatic U-turn by agreeing to pay for an escort for a sick
boy to travel on a school bus.
Eleven-year-old
David Elliott - who has a rare cancer as well as behavioural difficulties - has
been off school for almost six weeks after his mum refused to send him on the
bus. She feared that, left unsupervised, he could attack other pupils or even
the driver.
Mum, Kate Le Broc, of St James’ Green, Standon, had her request for a
taxi to transport David to Blessed William Howard Catholic High School turned
down by Staffordshire Local Education Authority. A spokesman said they could not justify the
£8,000 cost and felt it was reasonable for him to catch the bus. Miss Le Broc had also asked if an escort
could be provided to accompany David on the bus but was still told
"no". Last week she spoke to the Newsletter about her despair at the
situation.
However, on Thursday she was informed by education bosses that they were
able to provide an escort.
She said: "I’m thrilled to bits. I’ve still got my reservations
but am willing to give it a go.
"I’m worried about getting him on the bus, but they have said in
theory there will be no problem in the bus picking him up from outside the
house." Miss Le Broc rang the education authority on
Thursday to say she was faxing through a new pyschologist’s report on David's
condition to back her transport appeal. It was then she was told a decision had
been made the night before to provide an escort. "It’s great news.
David’s pleased he’s going back to school." Miss Le Broc has thanked Eccleshall Borough
Councillor Ivan Jennings, who helped liaise with the education department.
He said: "After the culmination of several discussions with the
county council officers we have, in my opinion, a solution which deals with the
situation that has unfortunately arose.
Obviously the main thing is that David can now get on with his education
in the surroundings of his school with the extra support now given." A spokesman for Staffordshire County Council
said: "We believe if David can catch the bus it would be beneficial for him
and his social development, but we do understand his mother’s concerns and
have agreed to provide an escort."
He said initially they had been told there was no extra room on the bus
but this had now been rectified.
He added: "We do not actually employ escorts so are now searching
for someone to take up the job of assisting David on his journey to and from
school." Published on 16/10/2003 Articles
from The Hyperlinks
to articles: Ø
Action
needed on danger road Ø
Strong
opposition to town complex Ø
Right
sign, wrong road, for village "Open Spaces Work Will Help Biker Problem" Nov 30, 2006
An eight-year plan to improve open spaces in Eccleshall ward will help remove problem bikers, it is hoped. The open space at Standon village has been plagued with motorcyclists because access gates were being left open. It meant residents who tried to walk and enjoy the area often felt they were risking life and limb. Now a new plan for the area - which will see it officially being recognised as an open space - means new entrances will be put in place with special gateways to sort out the problem. Solicitors are dealing with the last-minute details and it is hoped the scheme could be finished by spring. Stafford Borough Councillor for the area Ivan Jennings, who has been working on the project, said: "This year will see the further improvements to open spaces within the Eccleshall Ward area and progression of our strategy for leisure space development in the area." " Initially, we will see improvements to the open space at Standon. We will then continue throughout the year and onwards on areas throughout the ward. We've been discussing sites at Eccleshall and proposals for Croxton but that's further along the time scale. We're, hopefully, going to be ending the eight year plan with a medium sized leisure facility for Eccleshall".
'More
action needed on danger road' Nov
29 2005 A
strategy to improve the safety of a busy road running through a small village is
not enough, according to a parish council. Residents
of In
the past few years, householders have witnessed two police cars flip onto their
roofs and lorries sliding into their gardens. Back in August, Mark Beeston, who
lives on the corner of the street, was woken at 5.30am when a car ploughed into
his garage for the second time in seven weeks. Highways
official at Staffordshire County Council have released details of a route
strategy, which would improve safety along the A519, which runs through Cotes
Heath. They
have already fitted crash barriers at the edge of Mr Beeston's garden and
suggested a 50-mile per hour speed limit on the stretch of road through Cotes
Heath, which would bring it in to line with neighbouring Slindon. But Standon
Parish Council and residents of Cllr
Ivan Jennings, Borough Councillor for the area, said: "Last week the
proposed A519 route strategy was discussed by Cotes Heath and Standon Parish
Council. We see this as a positive step in outlining both the County Council's
intentions and also the seriousness that is rightly being given to this
dangerous stretch of road. "At
the meeting, it was decided to inform the County Council that although the
residents welcome the proposals, they would still like to have a 40 mile per
hour limit. I fully support Standon Parish Council's proposal and urge the
County Council to look at the area's additional points of concern such as that
at the Strong
opposition to town complex Jun
14 2005 Should
this be the new face of The
multi-million-pound leisure complex, which will stand up to nine-stories high,
will include 286 one and two bedroom flats, a seven-screen cinema, 2,000 sq ft
of cafes and restaurants and a shopping area of more than 14,000 sq ft. It
will be built on the grounds of the present Riverside Leisure Centre. That
building is to be replaced with a state-of-the-art centre on the former
Territorial Army depot at She
told planners: "We have only got one chance to get this scheme right and
that is now." Stafford Historic and Civic Society branded the scheme
'totally unacceptable and out of scale'. And despite a majority of councillors
supporting the plans, others were damning of the complex. Cllr Bill Simpson said
the plans were 'absolutely ridiculous'. He said: "This is anything but
right and we need to get it right. "We are responsible for a lot of old
properties in Right
sign, wrong road, for village
Apr 20 2005
Exclusive By Lynn Grainger Residents
in Eccleshall who successfully campaigned for traffic calming measures in their
village are furious this week - after a sign telling motorists to slow down was
put on the wrong road.
Eccleshall Parish Council had been pushing for the measures on a section
of the And
they were delighted when the highways authority agreed to install a £7,000
vehicle activated sign.
But councillors have told the Post of their shock when they noticed the
sign, which was erected last week, had been put on the And
to add further insult, the sign has been placed in front of the Eccleshall sign
which drivers see as they enter the picturesque village.
David Pimble is head of planning at the parish council. He
told the Post: "The parish council has been pressing for it to be put there
ever since a pedestrian was knocked down."
He said the speed of traffic on the road was 'intimidating' and added:
"We will discuss this at the next meeting of the parish council.
"We were told these signs were very scarce - there was no good
reason to put it on the He
told the Post he was sorry if the parish council felt that they had been 'left
out of the loop' with regard to where the sign was placed.
He said: "We have looked at a number of different roads leading into
Eccleshall. "We looked at the specific area of the Newport Road and the Stafford Road and both met the criteria, but there was nowhere along the Newport Road where we could have clear sight lines and where there was enough ground for us to stick the cables in." He said he recognised villagers' concerns about the village sign and said the authority were considering moving it. But he added: "But we have to consider what is deliverable. We want to deliver road safety and we have to take into consideration whether it actually works." 'Neglect'
of village drains
Sep 21 2004 By Residents
from a storm hit Residents
had demanded that officials turn out after both the borough and county councils
failed to attend a parish meeting three weeks ago.
Roads and streets in the village became raging rivers in August when
flash-flooding hit - leaving many families homeless. Dozens of residents have
been told they will not be able to return home for more than four months.
A
large ditch running along the top of fields near flooded homes which was found
to be full of debris - villagers claim if it was cleared it could hold thousands
of gallons of water. Villagers also fear that drains in the village are blocked
and Severn Trent Water have agreed to return with cameras to check that water is
flowing freely. People
dumping rubbish over their fences near to drains - effectively blocking them
when the flood waters hit. After
the meeting, Borough Councillor Ivan Jennings told the Post he was hopeful that
many of the villagers' fears could be addressed and solved. He said: "We did well to get everyone together - all the people that needed to be there were there. The borough council are going to get plans of the drainage system to see if it can be improved. There are problems with the system - basically it has not been maintained. Where it used to be just about able to cope, it can no longer cope and it certainly couldn't cope with the flash-flooding.” He added: “There has always been some low level flooding in the village but it was just the huge amount of excess water which caused the problems last month. But, hopefully, the low level flooding problem can be solved. When all the work has been completed hopefully we should not have any problems in the future.”
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EXCLUSIVE by Jo
Mason
