Monthly Archives: November 2015

Gerald's Blog

Gerald’s December Blog

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The rain stopped just long enough for us for the Remembrance service at the war memorial. We do right to remember those men who lost their lives so we can enjoy the life they never knew. The choral service that night was a wonderful experience – beautiful unaccompanied voices in a lovely setting just proved how good the acoustics of Whittington Church are.

i am informed that now the company developing the solar farm on Saddler Nook Lane have got their plans passed by the local authority they no longer feel obliged to give any money to local good causes. I had thought of all kinds of wonderful projects to spend it on. What a pity. We should be very wary of strangers offering gifts.

I am so pleased to hear that a few volunteers have come forward to help wind the church clock. That venerable piece of Victorian engineering is 140 years old this year, and when properly maintained, still keeps wonderful time. Long may it continue.

What is it about religion that turns sane rational people into wild murdering terrorists? Why do the worlds religious leaders not get together and start a UN-type peace forum to teach all their followers that other religions are just as devout as theirs, and that we should tolerate other people’s rational views?

We all have special memories of Dick Haston who died last month. The local boy, born at Lane Foot farm, went to Whittington School, and was such a popular member of our local community. Farm worker, truck driver, farmer, market gardener and Whittington race course chief steward – Dick did all these jobs, took them in his stride, always with a smile and a cheery word for everyone who crossed his path. Dick will be sadly missed by his family and friends and all who knew him, a wonderful character with a fount of local knowledge and always willing to give a helping hand.

News & Opinions

Public Transport (3)

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Although the 80 Services is not mentioned in the article in the Lancaster Guardian, it is on the list of services to loose it’s subsidy.

Interestingly, of all the services affected only these three are denoted as “in partnership” between the Council and the bus operator and the level of subsidised operation is unclear.

Whether there is an element of subsidy for the 81 service from Cumbria and similar for Yorkshire for the 80 is not known.

The villages affected are:

81A Caton, Brookhouse, Claughton, Hornby, Arkholme, Gressingham, Whittington, Kirkby.

81B Caton, Brookhouse, Claughton, Hornby, Wray, Tatham, Wennington, Melling, Tunstall, Burrow, Kirkby.

80   Caton, Brookhouse, Claughton, Hornby, Wray, Tatham, Wennington, Low Bentham, High Bentham, Burton in Lonsdale, Ingleton.

In Whittington Parish there are 148 houses paying Council Tax. The total amount paid is £257,320 and the average amount per dwelling is £1,731.

The equivalent for Council Tax payers living in the City is £1,291. This difference is caused by rural properties being in higher Tax Bands. Considering the fact the we have much less access to events and services in the City (and even less if we loose the bus service) it seems unfair that we should pay £440 more, to receive less.

News & Opinions

Public Transport (2)

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It is clear, from studying the 20 pages of the Introductory Guide to the proposed Parish Based Public Transport Scheme, that holding two separate Public Meetings on this subject are not the best way to disseminate the essential information. A single meeting of all interested parties would seem desirable.

Any Public Meeting would need to be informed of:

  1. What are County proposing regarding the existing service? The PC may have information which they have not made available in that already circulated or generally and, if not, need to ensure it is available for the meeting/s.
  2. If the intention is to cease the 81A, 81B and 80 services entirely then the catchment of authorities involved starts at Caton & Brookhouse then, via Hornby, it effects all communities and businesses, North & South of the Lune to Kirkby, including Kirkby and all communities to Ingleton. The meeting/s will need to be told what discussions have been held, or planned, with the effected communities.
  3. The guide suggests that a Working Group needs to be appointed. They would produce a Business Plan for a Charitable Limited Company, which would determine the nature of the service wanted and the funding and structure arrangements required. Have the PC considered this and if so what is their view?

I am given to understand, by Juan Carlos López Miranda, TSO for Local Bus, Integrated & Public Transport, Lancashire County Council, that the date for submission of comments has been extended from 11 December to some time “towards the end of December”, and that the PC were aware of this at the time of their meeting.

I would think that the interested parties in Whittington will need to have much more information on exactly what comments or views the County expect to receive from us, before any meeting can come to a reasoned conclusion.