Plan for firms and flats

A PLAN to convert an Akeman Street building in Tring into flats and business units is expected to be submitted next month.
Consensus Planning, the group working on plans to transform the Rose and Crown Hotel, has come up with proposals to convert the old X-Tek Systems building.
A public meeting was held earlier this month to gauge public views on the plans for 10 flats and small commercial units at 64-68 Akeman
Street.
Concerns were raised about the limited number of parking spaces. At the moment there are only eight parking spaces, which would have to be shared between residents and workers.
Innes Gray from Consensus Planning said: "It is a small, narrow street in Tring, with limited parking. That was the key issue for everyone. We need a bit of time to think through our options. We are making recommendations to our client."
To give your views on the plans write to Innes Gary, Consensus Planning Limited, 1 Verulam House, 224 London Road, St Albans, Herts, AL1 1JB or email info@ConsensusPlanning.co.uk .

Attractions of tour bus

THE Chilterns Rambler bus is back on the road during Sundays and bank holidays offering value for money for fun family days out.
Explore and enjoy exciting days out at places like the Ashridge Estate, Tring Reservoirs, the Ridgeway National Trail and Ivinghoe Beacon.
This season's Sunday and bank holiday service is operating between Hemel Hempstead and Whipsnade Wild Animal Park
until Sunday, September 24.
A day ticket for one adult costs £3.30 or £1.65 concessions and two adults travelling together can take two children free.
Visitors using train services can catch the 327 Chilterns Rambler at Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring stations.
For more information call Centrebus on 08707 44 746, or Red Rose Travel on 01296 399500.

Dogs called in as neighbour spots burglar

POLICE dogs were called in after a man tried to force his way into a Tring home by smashing a window.
He fled from the scene in Chiltern Way when he was disturbed by a neighbour, who raised the alarm on Thursday.
Police called to the home at about 10.10pm used tracker dogs to try to find the man but no arrests were made. It is believed the offender was riding a bicycle.
During the same night another Tring home in Dundale Road was targeted. This time the burglar made off with a personal organiser and a bicycle. Police were called to the home at 7.50am on Friday, May 19, but it was reported that noises of an intruder were thought to have been heard at about midnight the previous night.
Also just before midnight on Wednesday, May 17, a man living in Brook Street reported to police that he opened his curtains to discover a man peering through his window.
Tring has also seen a spate of car crime - 10 vehicles were broken into between May 10 and May 19. The break-ins happened in Meadow Close, Dundale Road and London Road. Anyone with information about any of these crime is asked to call police on 01442 271004.

Card campaign to save hostel

POSTCARDS protesting against the closure of Ivinghoe Youth Hostel have been sent to homes in Pitstone and Ivinghoe. Residents are being urged to sign the cards and send them to YHA chief executive Roger Clark.
The postcards call for YHA bosses to reconsider plans to close the
hostel.
Following a meeting between YHA officials and  village residents in April, a letter detailing reasons to keep the threatened hostel has been sent to YHA trustees, by campaigners. The trustees are expected to discuss the matter this month.
Ivinghoe's hostel is among 32 hostels to be closed to save cash, money which will be ploughed into updating other hostels around the country.

MPs back calls to retain free bus service

New support for faith school travel

THE fight to save free transport to faith schools has been backed by Hemel Hempstead MP Mike Penning.
Hertfordshire County Council wants to save £2.4 million in travel costs because of funding cuts.
Mr Penning said: “If these proposals go through, families who cannot afford the transport costs will be denied the choice of a faith based school, unless they live close by. That is unfair.”
Parents and teachers turned out for a meeting at Hemel Hempstead School earlier this month to voice objections to county council bosses.
Teachers say, if the proposals are given the green light pupil numbers will dwindle, forcing their faith schools to accept more local, non-religious children, or even face closure.
Under the proposals free school travel to faith schools would not be given to pupils joining the schools from September 2007. Pupils already attending a faith school and getting free transport would continue to do so as long as they attend that school.
New pupils, including siblings of existing pupils, will not be entitled to free transport, unless it is their closest school and more than the statutory distance from their home (three miles for children more than eight years old and two miles for children under eight.
Pupils already at the school and receiving free transport would continue to do so until they leave school. Free transport would not automatically apply after the end of Year 11.
MP for South West Hertfordshire, David Gauke, said: “Faith-based schools play an important role in our education system providing parents with a wider choice of high quality education.
“If transport subsidy is lost that choice will be lost for many people. That will be bad news for pupils, parents and the schools themselves.”
Tring Town Council is backing the drive to save free travel to faith schools, amid fears for the environment.
Tring councillors say the cuts proposed by Herts County Council could see more mums and dads taking to the roads to drive their children to school.
During a Tring Town Council earlier this month, Cllr Lloyd Harris said: “I have strong environmental credentials and I do feel that all school public transport should be free, so children can get public transport when walking is not suitable.”
Many children from Tring travel by bus from the town to Catholic schools in Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead. Cllr Olive Conway highlighted that a double decker bus and a coach, both full of children, travel from Tring to schools in other towns every weekday.
Cllr Nick Hollinghurst said: “I think it would be a great regret if there was an increase of traffic on the roads. I think the best way for children to get to school is by bike, by walking or by bus, but not by private car - although sometimes the situation is unavoidable.
“I'm opposed to anything that would inhibit travel to school by bus and increase private car use.
“People at faith schools are being given a privilege, but I would prefer them to retain that privilege to avoid more cars on the road and to help sustain the bus service.”
Tring Town Council has written to Herts County Council objecting to plans.
The consultation on free travel to faith schools runs until June 9. Education bosses from Hertfordshire County Council will be holding a meeting for concerned parents and teachers at Nicholas Breakspear School in St Albans on Tuesday, June 6 from 7.30pm to 9pm. To book a place call 01438 737350.
Comments to be sent by June 9, to Hertfordshire County Council, Freepost HJ71, School Transport Consultation, Room 35, County Hall, Hertford, SG13 8DF.

Sporting triumph

A sports dinner at Pendley Manor Hotel raised over £14,000 for the Iain Rennie Hospice At Home on Thursday, May 18.
Football commentator Peter Drury hosted the event, with guests including TV presenter Jim Rosenthal. cricket analyst Simon Hughes, football referee Graham Poll and ex-Arsenal striker Alan Smith.
Auctioned items included a signed Freddie Flintoff cricket bat which went for £430, a Spurs football sold for £1,000 and a pair of pyjamas donated by Coronation Street's Mike Baldwin sold for £200.
Head of community fundraising for hospice, Liz Clarke, said: “It is a brilliant total. We are very grateful to all the people who bid on the auction lots so generously.”
The money raised will fund a hospice nurse for more than six months.

Mummified animals are the cat's whiskers

TRING'S zoological museum has narrowly missed out on a top award for its 2005 exhibition, Animal Mummies of Ancient Egypt.
The Walter Rothschild Zoological Museum was shortlisted  out of 25 entries under the Project on a Limited Budget category for the Museum and Heritage Awards for Excellence.
Less than £2,000 was spent on the exhibition, which received international press coverage, including being featured on a children's programme for CBBC and coverage on CNN.
It also got a big thumbs up from visitors, who praised the exhibition in the museum's comments book.
The museum made it to the shortlist with three others - the Theatre Museum in Covent Garden, London, the Pumphouse Gallery, Battersea Park, London and Harrogate Borough Council.
A panel of judges from the museum and heritage world presented the award to the Theatre Museum.
Rebecca Chetley, spokesman for the Walter Rothschild Zoological Museum, said: "It shows that we were good enough to win, so it is a brilliant achievement and showed how good the exhibition was. It was also a chance to show how well our exhibitions are attended. We were really pleased."
The animal mummies exhibition ran from February to July in 2005 and included some exhibits that had never been shown before including a cat buried under the grounds of the Duke of Bedford's house, thought to be 300-years-old and a gazelle foetus.
Miss Chetley said: "It's a fantastic topic. It's the sort of thing people of any age are interested in. Museums aren't particularly well funded and a lot of projects are run on a small budget."
The museum had 42 school visits to see the exhibition and visitor numbers were 24 per cent higher between February to July compared with the previous year.
Director of the Museum and Heritage Show, which runs the awards, said: “It was about creative use of a budget and the impact the project has on the rest of the museum. It is a particularly tough category in terms of shortlisting because so many of the projects are worthy of the award.”
The Natural History Museum, a sister museum of the Walter Rothschild Zoological Museum, won the award for the UK's favourite museum.

Cadets on march for minibus

Tring Air Cadets will embark on a gruelling march through the Belgian Ardennes next month to raise funds for a new minibus.
Military members from around the world come together for the four day European March of Memory and Friendship and will be joined by the eight cadets from Tring.
The youngsters will have to walk up to 32km each day and the cadets are already well into their training and have been going out on regular runs in preparation for the physical and mental demands of the 120km march.
They completed a 45-mile march during two days in March, through the Chiltern Hills, taking in Ivinghoe Beacon and Ashridge Monument before returning to RAF Halton via Tring.
During the march in June cadets will also find out about The Battle of the Bulge which was fought in that area of Belgium during 1944 and about local tourism.
Tring Air Cadets receive no funding from the Royal Air Force, so have to raise their own through membership and activities.
The group hopes sponsorship for the march will contribute towards the £12,000 needed for a minibus.
Tring Air Cadets meets every Monday and Thursday evening at its headquarters in New Road, Tring.
If you would like to support the Tring cadets, or for more information about Tring Air Cadets call Flight Lieutenant Andy Bryant on 07771 826937.

Villagers fight to keep site free of homes

Nearly 200 villagers have signed a petition opposing plans for new housing in the middle of their village.
Although there is no specific proposal for homes on land next to Buckingham Cottage in Tring Road, Wilstone, the site is one of many being looked at during a housing needs survey of the area.
Vic Spratt, who lives at Buckingham Cottage, has cared for the adjoining site, leased from Dacorum Borough Council, since moving into the house 21 years ago.
He agrees there is need for affordable housing, but considers the land in the middle of the village is not the best place to build. “I think it would be devastating,” he said.
The group is calling on the council to consider developing other existing sites which they claim would have less impact on the village.
“It is true that I have an interest in the site remaining as a garden, with its beautiful trees, but I have been amazed at the support I was given when I went round the village,” said Mr Spratt. “Nobody wants this land to be built on.”
Tring Rural Parish Council clerk Dawn Slade said the survey had been a council initiative prompted by concerns about the lack of affordable houses for local people. But there were no plans at present for development, she said.
“We are nowhere near making plans. We are in the process of assessing the need for such housing throughout the whole parish, not just Wilstone. A number of sites are being looked at in conjunction with the borough council.”
A statement from the Rural Housing Trust said the survey results showed a need for affordable housing and support for a scheme designed to meet the housing needs of local people.
“The Trust only works in villages where there is a proven housing need and where there is support from both parish and borough council,” said a spokesman. “Our aim is to help sustain village communities by retaining a balanced population, such as a mixture of people from different age and income groups,” the spokesman added.
“We have not decided on a site although one in the centre of Wilstone is being considered. However, we have not determined yet if this is the most appropriate site.”
If a scheme went ahead it would be likely to contain a mixture of rented and shared ownership property of different sizes. 
Shared owners would not pay rent as the Trust aims to make the houses as affordable as possible.
All homes would be available at lower than market rates and affordable to a number of local people.
The spokesman said Trust policy was to keep residents informed and there would be an update on the survey in the next parish newsletter.
If the scheme proceeded, it would continue to keep residents informed through local information sessions and articles.
Mr Spratt presented his petition to Dacorum councillor Derek Townsend, a member of the development control committee on the site last week. Fellow committee member, Cllr Stanley Mills who represents Tring West, was also present.

No plans for tighter water ban

STRICTER water restrictions will not be introduced by Three Valleys Water or Thames Water under special Drought Order powers.
Both water companies have announced they will not be applying for Drought Orders, but are monitoring the situation weekly.
Hosepipe and sprinkler bans were introduced across Dacorum at the start of April.
Chief executive of Thames Water, which covers Tring and its surrounding villages in this area, Jeremy Pelzer, said: “Our current predictions indicate that the situation remains serious, but does not yet justify an
application for a Drought Order.”
The first Drought Order since 1995 was granted to Sutton and East Surrey Water earlier this month.
It gives the water company powers to ban all non-essential uses of water, including car washing, filling swimming pools and watering parks and sports grounds.
Jodi Pastorino, spokesman for Three Valleys Water which covers most of Dacorum, said: “Three Valleys Water currently has a hosepipe ban in place and has no plans at this stage to apply for a drought order, although we are keeping the situation under regular review in light of the ongoing drought situation.
“We continue to ask our customers to work with us to conserve water.”

Tractor fun
at museum

TRACTOR rides will be on offer for youngsters at Pitstone Green Museum on Bank Holiday Monday (May 29).
There will also be model railways, gas and stationary engines and the chance to go inside a Lancaster Bomber cockpit.
The museum event runs from 11am to 5pm. Refreshments will be on offer and parking is free.
Entry costs £ 3 for adults, £1.50 for children.
For more information call 01582 605464.

Top ref Poll keeps up
appearances

Graham Poll says being picked to referee at the World Cup for a  second time is the ‘realisation of a dream'.
The Tring official leaves for Germany on Friday when he will join 21 other top referees at FIFA training centres in Dacorum's German twin town of Neu-Isenburg.
Fitness sessions will he held everyday to ensure the officials are in top shape for the matches.
Graham, 42, said: “Very few people go to one World Cup. To get to two is quite exceptional. The last English person to do it was George Courtney, who went to the World Cup in 1986 and 1990. He was my idol and to emulate what he has done is the realisation of a dream.”
Despite his hectic schedule Graham found time to visit Tring School on Monday for a charity event. He was there supporting the official FIFA World Cup charity - SOS Children's Villages - dedicated to providing homes for orphaned, abandoned and destitute children.
Pupils at the school competed in football challenges and overall winner 15-year-old James Bundey was presented with a T-shirt signed by Wayne Rooney.
Head of PE at Tring School, Lynda Bullock said: “We thought it would be a great idea to get the kids involved and it is something different especially with the World Cup coming up.”
Each pupil paid £1 to take part in the competition, raising about £80 for the charity.
Graham, whose daughter is in Year Seven at the school in Mortimer Hills, often visits the school to help out with events. He said: “I think it is important to support the local school and it is important that all parents get involved.”
The Tring referee admits the pressure will be on during World Cup matches. He said: “Obviously the eyes of the world are watching the game. I really focus on the job in hand. Once I jog onto the field of play I have got 22 players and a ball to deal with.”
FIFA has announced changes to refereeing for the World Cup including the use of refereeing trios from the same country to officiate games and the possible use of radios to communicate. It will announce the trios 48 hours in advance of matches.

‘Nice guy' Barry is the new mayor

TRING'S new town mayor is more than qualified for the job - he was born and bred in the town and has already served as mayor once before.
Cllr Barry Batchelor, 44, was born at his parent's home in Miswell Lane in 1961 and now lives in Adams Way, Tring.
He was elected as the Tring Mayor for 2006/07 during the annual meeting of the town council on Monday night (May 22).
His 10-year-old daughter Emily and partner Etta Barnes were present to see him accept the honour.
During the coming year Mr Batchelor, who works as a management accountant, hopes to see the opening of a new museum in Tring, which will be dedicated to the history of the town and wants to work with the Tring Youth Town Council in setting up after-school clubs and activities.
He has chosen the ILEX Trust as his charity for the year, which teaches cricket, rugby and music to school children.
This is the second time that Mr Batchelor has been Tring Mayor, last time was in 2003/04.
Cllr Chris Fryd, nominated Mr Batchelor as mayor on Monday. He said: “Barry is Tring bred. He does care very much about this town.
“He is quite simply for me the nicest and most honest guy I have ever met. He has also got a wicked sense of humour.”
Former Tring Mayor Mike James handed over the mayoral chain and said of his time as mayor: “It has been a great honour and it has gone very quickly. I have absolutely enjoyed every single minute.”
During his time as mayor Cllr James has attended 120 events and even signed three autographs. He raised £5,750, which was split between his chosen charities for the year, the Iain
Rennie Hospice At Home and the Tring and District Local History and Museum Society.

Youth council to help Jamie

TRING Youth Town Council has pledged to give £250 towards a play area for a terminally ill Tring youngster.
The 24 young councillors decided to help after reading an article in The Gazette about five-year-old Jamie Hodgson who needs a level play area in his garden, where he could use his special walking frame, which is designed to strengthen his back and legs.
Jamie suffers from congenital heart disease, only one of his lungs function properly and he has to use nebulisers to keep his airways open. Because of his illness his parents have had to plan his funeral on three separate occasions. Doctors do not know how long he may live.
Tring Youth Town Council clerk, Emma Cave, said: “They said they felt as the youth council they would like to do something. The story just touched them.”
If you can help call Christine on 01442 890907.

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