NOPLACE AT SCHOOL FORLOUIS

LITTLE Louis Curd was looking forward to becoming his family's fifth generation of pupils at St Paul's primary school in Chipperfield.
But the school has refused the four-year-old a reception place even though he has attended playgroup and nursery classes there. His great great grandfather, George Curd, was a pupil at the school when lessons were held in the old schoolhouse and he was followed by his son, Robert Curd, and later his son – Louis's grandad Michael Curd, pictured with Louis.
Mum Kim, and her brother Barry, also went to the old school before Kim moved into the newly built one further up the road for her last year there.
She was very much hoping to carry on the family tradition and registered her son for a school place when he was just a one-year-old baby. But Louis has been refused a place because he lives too far away.
He lives in nearby Bovingdon and although other children in the village have managed to get into the school Louis lives just that little bit further away in Old Dean. This means the distance from his home to the school didn't match up with school admissions rules. “This school is such an important part of our family and its history and I'm just devastated that they won't let Louis go there,” said Kim.
“He spends most of the time with my family who all live in Chipperfield and it would be lovely if he could have carried on at the village school.”
Head teacher at the Chipperfield primary school, Lyndon Evans, said: “We are always incredibly sympathetic with this kind of situation. But for the first time this year we are so over-subscribed that three children at our nursery haven't secured a place yet.
“They desperately want to come and we desperately want them so we hope that something changes in the next few weeks,” he said. Herts County Council has allocated Louis a place at Chaulden Infants School but Kim is appealing.

BARROW BACK

THE popular litter picking barrow beat is coming to Abbots Langley, Bedmond and Langleybury in the spring.
A pilot scheme in Rickmansworth has proved such a success that Three Rivers District Council is extending the scheme to all areas in the next financial year.
Councillor Richard Struck told The Gazette: “This has been hugely popular with shopkeepers and residents and now we are sending a barrow out to the rest of the district.
“The barrow beat was a regular feature of life up and down the country years ago but was gradually squeezed out of budgets until it disappeared. Our residents kept saying how good it was in the old days so we decided to put a barrow out in Rickmansworth in 2001. Everyone has seemed delighted with it so as soon as we can get a cleaner to push the barrow it will start up in the Abbots Langley area.”
Town centre cleaner Phil Hay, 21, works in all weathers from 7am to 3pm in Rickmansworth and says the best things about his job are meeting residents and chatting to shop keepers. The worst aspects are sweeping up cigarette butts and scraping chewing gum off the pavement. The district council is expected soon to advertise for barrow boys – or girls – to pick up litter the old-fashioned way in a street near you. LEFT: Town centre cleaner Phil Hay.

SCOUTS FACE SECUITY SNAG

AFTER successfully rebuilding its numbers during the past year and a half, 1st Bovingdon Scout Group now faces a worrying security problem.
New six-feet high fencing provided by Hertfordshire County Council to secure the school boundary on two sides of the group HQ site has blocked access previously used by the scouts.
They need an entry to drive a trailer for loading heavy camping gear but are also concerned about two other sides of the site currently bounded by low wire mesh fencing that local youths can easily climb over. Sections of it are already buckled to the ground. Those areas in particular are giving scout leaders a headache because the group membership includes several special needs children.
“We're always looking out for all our members but it is possible that one of these kids may leave the hut via the fire exit, get over the fence and be in the road within moments. To me this is a big safety issue,” said acting group scout leader April Parrott.
The challenging task of raising enough cash to provide strong, high fencing to make the site safe has already started. Box Moor Trust has made a generous £1,500 donation. The fund stands at about £2,500 but double that amount is needed.
Bovingdon Parish Council has promised a small donation, but it is hoped support will come from members of the public.
“It would be really nice to get this fence up before the summer to make sure everyone is safe,” said April, who has been with the group for twenty years.
The group has faced problems at the hut because of vandalism, which puts undue strain on its finances, and it is not allowed to borrow from the bank because of its charitable status. The group has a membership of around 60 including six special needs children. SCOUTING AROUND FOR HELP: The group, pictured ABOVE. PIC 04-164-02

BOUNDARIES REVIEW IS OFF

KINGS Langley Parish Council has shelved plans to review the boundaries of the polling districts because it will cost too much money.
Proposals had been drawn up by councillor Alan Anderson to change the way in which councillors are elected to the parish council because of apparent imbalances in the size and number of people in each district.
However councillors decided not to proceed following a meeting with DBC officers at a parish council meeting on Tuesday, February 3, when they were told it would cost around £2,000 to conduct the review.
Labour councillor Steve Cox is glad the review is not going ahead because he believes there is no problem with the current boundaries.  “The whole basis on which it was advanced was false,” councillor Cox said.
“There is no requirement to balance the parish council wards. “It was designed to eliminate the possibility of Labour councillors being returned,” he claimed.
However, Conservative councillor Alan Anderson has defended his attempts to bring about electoral reform. “I still feel there is an inequality in Kings Langley,” he said.
“Why should 260 people be electing one councillor and 430 people electing another. “I think that is wrong,” he added.

POOPING PENALTIES

DOG owners who fail to clear up after their pets will face an automatic fine of £50 under a new Three Rivers District Council scheme.
The fixed penalty tickets will give an option of paying the £50 within 14 days to avoid legal action. Prosecution could lead to a maximum penalty of £1,000.
Three Rivers, whose area includes Abbots Langley and Bedmond, will be introducing the fixed penalties from April for any person caught not clearing up after their dog.
The council's residential standards manager Gloria Gillespie said: “Deposited dog mess is unacceptable and can be a hazard to our health. “Don't get caught out – be a responsible dog owner and always carry a bag with which you can clear up after your dog.”

STILL HOPE FOR POST OFFICE

A KINGS Langley post office could be saved from the axe after parish councillors revealed they have a strong argument to prevent closure.
The branch in Rucklers Lane may earn a reprieve because councillors claim it has been wrongly classed as an urban post office. “Rucklers Lane could be argued to be a rural post office,” said councillor Alan Anderson, speaking at a meeting of Kings Langley parish council.
“I have had a reply from the Post Office to say they are looking at those issues.” He added: “Just because the post master wants to retire doesn't mean the post office has to be closed. I am sure it won't be too difficult for them to find someone else.”