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Your say online, December

DECEMBER: This is the place for users of Hemeltoday to have their say online. Have your say on local news, local issues or the national issues. Have a moan or say thanks. Scroll down to see the views of others:

Have your say on local news, local issues or the national issues.

Have a moan or say thanks. Click here to have your say or scroll down to see the views of others:

jan

hemel hempstead

the longest anyone will have to wait to have their bin emptied is 11 days well thats fine but our bins and recycling boxes were already full by Christmas day, and actually there was 18 days between it being emptied on Friday 12th December and Tuesday 20th December, unless the Council are talking about working days, does this mean that we are no longer allowed to use our bins on Saturday and Sunday! That said every respect to the bin men who did take our extra bin bag the do a fantastic job with very little thanks

Ruth Dawson, Wimbledon Park, London

I visited 'The Paper Trail' twice this year. The museum is an excellent one. While I was there, I noticed a group of school children busily engaged in learning about it, and having great fun doing so. It is clearly an invaluable aide to learning about how industry used to work, how the children's local history is bound up in the past commerce of the area, and how recycling used to work, and how water transport was invaluable to the industry of the area.

It shows how things used to work and could work again, in a modern way: recycling is so important for us. Transport that maximises the use of renewable energy, such as water transport could well become very significant to us. It is vital that past lessons and experience in the prudent use of resources learnt are not lost. This museum teaches us all about such usage.

I visited the Paper Trail, because I needed crucial information in my research into a predecessor of mine who wrote a biography of his working life with Millington and Sons Ltd, one of the companies merged into John Dickinson's company. The archive is such a useful one to me, it holds a very good collection of books and artefacts on the paper trade, that is scarcely equalled elsewhere. It would be very short sighted indeed to allow it to close. Nothing short of wicked to dispense with it. What are we all going to do without it? We will lose something that we cannot replace.

What about the people of the area? Are you not proud of your heritage? Can you let something so valuable disappear, for want of a little support? Have you got so many museums and resources that you can afford to dispense with it?

I read about this potential disaster in the Hemel Hempstead Gazette for 17th December 2008. I do hope that you are going to run a significant campaign to keep this fine place going in difficult times. It started at the same time as the recession, but post recession, it will be able to keep itself.

James Smith

Cholesbury Common

Cholesbury

Dear Sir, I was shocked and saddened to hear that the South Berks Hunt had managed to catch a fox with hounds during this years Boxing Day hunt. Judging by the bloody site of the kill and reports that the hounds were covered in blood this revolting and barbaric killing of an animal for fun would be enough to disgust any normal person. If they wish to ride horses round the countryside dressed up in hunting garb I have no problem but why do they need to tear innocent animals to shreds just for fun? Foxes are vermin and can be controlled by shooting and poisening.

Karen Ferguson

BovingdonLeave Bovingdon alone... In response to the lady who wrote in last week expressing her concern about a potential Traveller site in Chaulden, stating that she thought that Travellers should be able to live in peace on the Bovingdon Airfield! - the Council are looking at putting a site on the Airfield - right next to a large housing estate! Just as you don't want Travellers on your doorstep neither do we. In Bovingdon we already have a prison, we are inundated with noise and traffic on Saturdays as you all come to the market and we cannot get our children into any secondary schools apart from Adeyfield which is the other side of Hemel so we do not need to be punished any further as a village.

Laurence

Hemel

Well said, Laurence of Highfield. It is a shame that the football club does not get more help, but there are other factors such as apathy, the availibility of the other higher ranked clubs, the poor coverage of the club in the Gazette that result in lower than average gates. The team is doing well at the moment and I would urge people to get down to Vauxhall Road and have a look.

laurence daly

highfieldWhy does dacorum borough council pour so much money into a traditionaly sparsley supported northen sport rugby leauge. Meanwhile virtualy ignoring and supporting its exellent football teams ambitions this is agreat town which derserves a chance to see 1st class football foget watford luton or mk dons take a trip down to vauxhall road and be suprised at the welcome but not at the exellent standard of football kids for a quid - no excuses dads.

C Maton

Berkhamsted

I am deeply concerned that the fields near Upper Hall park and Ashlyns are being proposed as a Travelers site. There are 3 schools within close proximity including a lower and middle school. I am also shocked at how little consultation and advertising of the proposals has gone on. These proposals could have a large impact on the feel and character of our town. I feel that more publicity about the events and also their timetable is required.

Ray

Hemel Hempstead

Retired at 50 that is an unbelievably early age to retire, l am 61 and still working in the Building Trade, and l shall do untill l am 65.

Ronnie Harwood

Bulbourne Court Tring

What a joke, Do we enjoy using Tring Station Car Park? When Silverlink had the franchise it was a delight to go to the station car park after 4 p.m. and park for free to visit theatres and friends in London and Milton Keynes. Sadly London Midland have imposed a parking fee of 5.50 to be paid at all times therefore substantially increasing the cost of these trips. Using a Senior Rail Card one could go to London for 7.65 and Milton Keynes for 5.15. With the newly imposed parking fees these outings cost 13.15 and 10.65 respectively. Correspondence with London Midland has not produced a satisfactory solution - I was informed that a) parking had never been free and b) I could get a free season ticket if I drove and electric car!!!!!As one who does not need (or want) a season ticket but as a frequent regular user of the railway this did not seem very helpful. I now drive to the ourskirts of London where parking is still free. Many friends and neighbours share my concerns regarding this added cost. How ironic that it should be levied at a time when we are encouraged to leave the car at home.

eric hadaway

Hall Close Kettering Northants

I grew up in Hemel Hempstead in the 1940s and 50s. How sad it is that a schoolboy with a knife is now worthy of a report in the local paper. Knives were a normal part of schoolboy equipment when I was at Nash Mills and Belswains primary schools. They were useful tools, often the gifts of parents or friends, and I never heard of anybody being injured by one. The only common antisocial use requiring confiscation was the unauthorised carving of school desks - usually with the offender's own name!

Ken Shirt (Steward of the Three Rivers Museum Society)

In my view this manufacturing plant and museum should remain, and ways found to generate the funding required for its future development.

As far as I am aware it is a unique example of British Industrial Heritage and it displays, so well, how paper was produced in vast quantities in this part of the world for the first time in the Nineteenth Century.

In recent years this organisation has become a centre for those both locally and nationally interested in how paper was first produced on an industrial scale. Extremely good links have been built with local schools and other groups and we know these contacts are very warmly regarded by all in the community. Where else can these production processes be seen & understood?

There are other working museums which were set up to showcase our Industrial Heritage. Take as examples: The Cromford Mill in Derbyshire set up by Sir Richard Arkwright in 1771, as the first water powered cotton spinning mill. This is a working museum, and like our Paper Trail museum is highly regarded both locally & nationally, and stands as a living historical monument to the UK's early Industrial History; also, The Ironbridge Gorge Museums, Telford, where early industrialisation can be seen & investigated by all. This museum seeks to develop the interest of its visitors, and demands their attention by welcoming them, stating in their promotion literature (referring to the industry that went on) to: "hear it!...feel it…see it!...do it…"! These are by no means the only examples of our wonderful industrial past.

I have a few suggestions about possible moves forward to generate lines of funding:

1) Approach our national newspapers such as The Telegraph, Times, etc for funds. These are the companies which have benefitted massively from a paper manufacturing industry set up on the fringes of London. Your editor is sure to know who should be contacted and what approaches are likely to produce the best results.

2) Make contact with the National Museum of Science & Industry in London SW7. They will have a Curator with responsibility for the Museum's collection of objects relating to the paper manufacturing industry. This person may well be able to further direct your approaches to possible funding sources.

3) The Heritage Lottery Fund, which seeks to set up projects aimed at preserving and making accessible the nations heritage using a share from the income of the National Lottery.

4) Approach other Industrial Heritage Museums and determine how approaches can be made to both turn away the impending wolf at the door; and then help The Paper Trail make & direct its approaches for future funding.

These are just a few ideas about how to proceed and maybe some or all have been tried. However, if the job of saving the museum is worth doing …..it is worth doing well! There is nothing to stop further, and even additional approaches being made to those people, out there, who are found to be controlling the purse strings!

I trust these are a few ideas which you may find helpful.

Dr Richard Grayson

Vice-Chair, Liberal Democrat Federal Policy Committee

Parliamentary Candidate, Hemel Hempstead Liberal Democrats

The Paper Trail is a major part of Hemel's heritage. The charity also performs a valuable role in working with young people on a wide range of projects, especially those which promote sustainability, for example through its recycling schemes. Many of these projects deliver valuable social outcomes which are crucial to the goals of local government. So I believe it is essential for Dacorum Borough Council to recognise the importance of the Paper Trail to our town and to start supporting it financially in ways that it does not do so at present.

Over recent months, national government has saved key institutions for the general well-being of the economy, where once it said that intervention would be wrong. At a local level, the Borough Council is in the best position to help the project to ensure that the work of the Paper Trail can continue. It is due to the current financial crisis that the Paper Trail has fallen on hard times, having been unable to sell land in line with its plans. In such times, we need local government to be active in the interests of all. This means being prepared to save a crucial local resource in just the way that national government has stepped in to help the banks.

The most practical way for the Council to do this would be to waive the rent that it currently charges the Paper Trail. This amounts to 30,000 per year. It would be quite legitimate for the Council to instead charge a peppercorn rent of 1 a year and then to deal with the shortfall in receipts when the new budget and Council Tax are set.

That needs to be done now. The Paper Trail has possibly only weeks in which to raise funds for secure its immediate future. Let's save it while we still can.

Michael Stanyon

Acrewood Hemel Hempstead

It was with a sense of shock and horror with which we read your article "Historic Paper Trail may be forced to shut down" Gazette 17 December.

As voluntary archivists we have been patiently recording and cataloguing the unique collection of material linked to the paper manufacturing and printing industries, most particularly those along the river Gade.

ur collection comprises over five thousand six hundred objects including twelve hundred books and journals with a further twelve hundred photographs. Two of us have been engaged in this work for eleven years and the others for seven years. Apart from being a primary source for the establishment of the Visitors Centre we have also undertaken research on fresh stories and have taken these to the community at large by means of talks and lectures as well as writing in various places.

Recently contributions to the prestigious Oxford Ashmolean Museum's book about Sir John Evans and to the British Association of Paper Historians have been made We are constantly reminded of the collection's value by researchers who are unable to find similar material elsewhere. As custodians of the archive we are acutely aware of the trust placed in us whenever people donate their objects. This year alone eighteen individuals and companies have made donations to us. We have continually managed this resource in the belief that it will provide an on-going capability to provide information for future generations.

It would be a tragedy if the credit crunch were to bring about the demise of this resource especially if it were to occur in 2009, the bi-centenary of John Dickinson's arrival in Hemel Hempstead to establish a great industry. We therefore urge all readers to support the appeal launched by Jacky Bennett, the Paper Trail's Chief Executive.

Michael Stanyon, Jill Penwarden, Marian Latchford, Ann Banfill Voluntary Archivists The Apsley Paper Trail

Chris Silver

Schmiedweg Bad Kleinkirchheim Austria

Ihave just read online, !Credit crunch fears for new Watford hospital! DHAG chairwoman Zena Bullmore in the artical put a pefectly sound straight forward question to Health Trust chief executive Jan Filochowski ( see article )and the first part of his repply was " Nothing is written in this world. Bombs may drop on us and there may not be any hospitals anywhere " Does this person live in the real world. What fantisy world does he exist in, and this person is the Health Trusts Chief executive What hope does saving Hemel hospital have, You have my best wishes Zena and good luck our whole family signed you petition a long time ago, you are doing a wonderfull job. By the way does Jan Filochowski live in Hemel or nearby?. I wonder if he has ever tried to get from Hemel to Watford in the rush hour or even either side of it. Chriss austria

Andrea Jones

Raglan Street Hillfields Coventry CV1 5QF

It would be a real shame if the football club was to close. I remember going to the Vase final at Villas ground and what a superb match it was! We came so close to winning, and I still have my shirt, hat and scarf from the day (the black and white makeup is long gone though!) Despite having lived in Coventry for seven years now, I still follow the scores and have been back for a match with my new husband. (not so new now!) As a member of the former Berkhamsted Rotaract Club, we met for our meetings in the board room and always enjoyed a drink together afterwards in the bar. We were always made to feel welcome, and the bar also put a collection box up for us (during my year as President, we raised 1000 for the Hospice). I wish everyone involved with the club all the best and I really hope you can survive. With love and fond memories Andrea Jones (formerly Styles)

Miss Kerry Charlton

Watford

I am so sad to hear that the apsley paper trail might be closing. It is a lovely place to visit and has done an enormous amount for people in the community, organising courses and family days. When there is a huge need to recycle how can anyone let a mill close. I really hope a solution is found to enable this wonderful heritage site to stay open.

Terry Ransome

Museum Manager

I have read your report on the financial problems faced by the 200 year old Frogmore Mill and Paper Trail (Historic Paper Trail may be forced to shut down, 17th December).

As the Museum Manager (voluntary) at the British Schools Museum in Hitchin, I know exactly how the trustees, volunteers and staff will be feeling. Here we are preparing to mark, in 2010, our own 200th anniversary. The bicentenary of the opening of the very first "Monitorial" School in Hertfordshire, where the historic British Schools buildings stand today.

Those of us in this 'business' know how very vital it is to preserve heritage – it is important locally, it is important on a national scale, and very often important internationally too. It is important to provide tourist attractions, opportunities for volunteers to meet and to learn new skills, and places for children to learn of their past and of their environment.

There are always ups and downs in the financing of endeavours like this.

Apsley Paper Trail is facing a 'down' – but at all costs it must be supported.

I urge their local community to see them through it – for the sake of our heritage and for our future.

FRANCIS MCLENNANDear Editor, I was amazed to see the article concerning the possible closure of the Paper Trail at Apsley. It is a very important project run on very professional business principles and should not be allowed to disappear. We are saddened at our project – The 1940's Experience at Bushey – at the way in which history can be so casually discarded and lost There is an important sales phrase / acronym - beloved of some of our supermarkets - which should alert us to the dangers of complacency and lack of action - "WIGIG" – When It's Gone –It's Gone. There is no way of retrieving lost heritage.

Mrs Pam RoseThe deadline for residents to comment on the proposed sites for new housing and traveller sites has now passed. Looking at the number of people who have responded on- line, I am saddened at the very low number of comments, but not at all surprised.

This was an appallingly formatted consultation document. I am a professional person with a good degree and my neighbour is a doctor and we both found it incredibly difficult to complete. I did finally manage it, but it took me over five hours, and my neighbour, most of his day off . Other people I spoke to were totally defeated and gave up. I cannot help but wonder whether it was a deliberate ploy on the part of the planning department to create a document that was so "non-user-friendly" and challenging, that very few people would be able to respond. The timing, in the run-up to Christmas didn't help either and I even phoned and emailed the planning department to plead for more time, but they refused.

I am seriously beginning to doubt that we are living in a truly democratic society. It would appear that both at national and local level, the views of the people no longer count; the decimation of our hospital being a prime example. Now we are supposed to sit back and accept the imposition of another 17,000 homes on our already struggling infrastructure and grid-locked roads, the destruction of our Greenbelt, and local communities being ring-fenced with travellers sites.

Val Britten

Berkhamsted

Last Saturday my son's car broke down in Potten End. His car was left on the road outside the shop. He returned on Monday to try and re-start it with no luck. Today I have heard that it has been keyed very badly on all sides and with the words 'don't park here' scratched into the bonnet. To the vicious imbecile who did this, I would like you to know my son is a single parent with custody of his two small children. He works all hours to make ends meet, sometimes having to work away overnight to ensure that he can pay all his bills. His time is spent dropping his children off at school, going to work, getting back in time to collect his children. Then its cooking, housework etc - all that a Mum would normally do. In school holidays, he pays massive amounts for childcare. He does this because he adores his children, wants to make a decent life for them. He sometimes feels there just isn't enough hours in the day to keep it all going. So, has the person who did this criminal damage, enough of a conscience to pay for this damage? Is he/she big enough to say sorry? If not, then I wish them a Very Rotten Christmas, a Very Rotten New Year - and remember, what goes around comes around...

donna pearce

masons road hemel hempstead

I am just writing in reference to Mike Wagers say about being discusted with Mike Pennings outburst. Yes buncefield has been in place longer than most of the houses around it, yes the council didnt really use their brightest card by giving planning permission for the houses to be put around it, but i'll tell you now that i will be worried no matter how much reports say that it is safe for reopening and the fact of the matter is that the houses are around it and another fact is that it should not of exploded in the first place but it DID. Thankfully it caused no fatalities but it does not bear thinking about what havoc or deaths it could of caused on a different day.Mike Penning is looking out for people like me who was affected by the blast and lets face it none of us deserved the upheaval of it all. I admire Mr.Penning for bringing the awareness to the attention of the people who should be listening.I think you'll find, if you took the time to follow his path, just how much good and deserving causes he has helped out now and in the past. Good on you Mike Penning

Vaughan Allen

New Church Hemel

Hemel Hempstead

Just a quick note to say thanks for including our article about New Church Hemel meeting at Galley Hill School in the Hemel Gazette last week (Thursday, 04 December 08), article headlined, "Worship with a Difference". We had a really favourable response from many people who saw the article in the paper; we also had 7 new visitors join us in church for our opening service as a result so thanks very much for putting it in at such short notice.

Paula WatkinsIt is with great sadness that I have read the news of the financial

difficulties being faced by the Apsley Paper Trail.

I have been an Art tutor there for 4 years and have seen the dreams of

the Charity grow and materialise against many odds. It truly is a

wonderful place:

Many thousands of people have passed through the doors of The Paper

Trail. They have come for many reasons: Unique educational days,

innovative recycling inspiration, tours of the Mill where the first

mechanised paper process was invented. Many have come for free community

learning including Family Fundays, Computer and Digital Photography

training and classes in Family History and Scrapbooking. If this unique

facility disappears from our local community it will be sorely missed.

Only last year it won the Silver Award for the most Enterprising place

in Britain. For good reason...The Paper Trail has been a place of

much joy, learning, fun and very importantly, innovation. Please don't

let us stand by and see this brilliant Charity go bust. If you have been

there and had a good day out or enjoyed classes there with your children

or want to preserve a very important piece of local Industrial and

Social Heritage please support this appeal in any way you can.

Norman Cutting

Chestnut Drive

BERKHAMSTED

Your report about the birthing centre at Hemel quotes the report as saying "The case for a free standing midwife unit at Hemel Hempstead was never compelling, except in meeting the geographical consequences of centralising facilities at Watford,". We now have the NHS complaining that A&E are under pressure due to lack of hospital beds and patients actually calling an ambulance. So, the case for a free standing A&E unit at Hemel Hempstead was never compelling, except in meeting the geographical consequences of centralising facilities at Watford, is exactly why we are in the situation we are. The report and the Trust both say that difficulties in staffing facilities are the problem. Perhaps centralising them at say, Birmingham, would be easier as all the staff could be in one place and 'customers' just ferried to and fro. After all, that is exactly what the NHS considers 'patients' as. Customers who generate cash!

Tanya

Hemel Hempstead

whoever is making the decision to close Hemel Hempstead Hospital obviously hasn't tried to get to Watford General when Watford are playing at home! last week i had to take my 18 month old son to the hospital as he was unwell it took me two hours to find the hospital as vicarage road was closed. i had no idea how to get to the hospital any other way, the police who were diverting traffic would not help me and although i was distressed and crying i was told to keep moving, moving to where!!! i ended up down some side roads completely lost and alone with my son screaming in the back of the car! and once there ambulances were backed up and patients were waiting outside cubicles as there was no room, Hemel has not even closed yet, how the hell are they going to cope with everyone attending the same hospital!

Andrew Henderson

Nashmills CE Primary School

I just wanted to add my name to those concerned at the prospective closure of the Apsley Paper Trail. My school has used the trail on two or three occassions in the last few years. It is a really helpful resource in our Local Studies and Victorians topics,giving our children first hand experience of past lives and culture in their own locality.We have always been made very welcome by the staff and volunteers there, who went out of their way to listen to and answer the children's questions. The practical workshops were excellent. Also of interest is the now sealed World War Two air-raid shelter on our school grounds. I have often wondered whether funding could be found to reinstate this potentially great resource for local schools and community groups. Perhaps our topics need to focus more on whether it is worth preserving such historical buildings rather than what they can tell us about the past. Otherwise we will only be left with second hand resources and the quality of learning diminished as a result.

Tony Theobald

Warners End

I fully agree with the Council not to reduce parking charges in line with the reduction in VAT. It would quite obviously be expensive to alter all the machines in the Borough for the sake of reducing the hourly rate by what would have to be a penny to 39p, which is a ridiculous figure anyway. It would, however, be good PR if the Council were to donate the extra revenue to a local charity, as has been suggested, if there are no legal restrictions to doing this.

Richard Upson

Enterprise Manager

Longdean School

This is a major historic site of the now lost paper making industry providing fantastic experiences for both adults and children alike on how paper was originally produced plus a histor of the John Dickinsons involvemment and provision of work for the community many years ago.

They also provide a great teaching environment for the kids of the hemel area not just history but to learn vital business and personal skills for their future employment and how to be good citezens.

If they go this will have a major impact on many schools, parents and grand parents plus the loss of a major recycling facility which is a drive from Government and the council.

They must stay and I belive that in the short term until main funding comes back on line the Local Council Dacorum should be lending a hand and perhaps funding.

Urgent appeal to save heritage site

I was saddened to read in the Gazette that the Paper Trail might have to close after all their efforts to get this far. When the new visitor centre opened earlier this year it seemed that worries were over in the campaign to save not only this treasured paper machine but also the archives from The British Paper Company and Dickinsons - who employed so many Hemel residents. Not only does Frogmore Mill house an antique, steam driven, paper machine that enthrals visitors – including thousands of local schoolchildren - but it is also the site of the first commercially run paper machine in the world! This is heritage of international value in our borough of Dacorum, we can't let it fail! I have worked, as a volunteer, at the Paper Trail for years - supporting the arts education program and organising exhibitions. The thought of losing this gem from my adopted town horrifies me. Hemel is a modern town with modern industries and businesses but it should not forget its place in the history of paper-based communication. I feel very strongly that the council mustn't allow 'our' mill to close.

Imogen Welch (local artist and Paper Trail volunteer)

Anon, Lockers park boy

The boy was in my class and was a good friend And I speac for all to us by saying we miss Him.

Tina Bowdery, Banbury, Oxon

Search for the Dalek I have just seen your on-line article for the hunt for the original daleks. I am not sure if it any help or not but there used to be a dalek in the back garden of the Fountain Public House, Apsley, in 1975. The pub was run by Tom & Doris but I can't remember their surname. My husband and I were dating at the time and noticed the dalek after a night out at the Apsley Village Club. On our way home we walked through the alleyway that ran down the side of the pub, towards Belswains Lane and noticed it standing there through a gap in the fence. We believe it was the black dalek but it was a long time ago. I remember my mother mentioning a raffle for one and she supposed it might be the one at the pub. This has been a standing joke over the last 33 years when we accuse each other of being so drunk that the other saw a dalek - neither of us admitting we saw it ourself. Kind regards Tina Bowdery

June Greatbatch

I thought the VAT rate you charged must be the VAT rate you declare, therefore no profit to keep. Will the council be breaking the law?

Gerry Howe, Hemel Hempstead

Re Magic Roundabout: day after day, drivers block each mini roundabout, causing gridlock, because there are no signs to tell them how to use the roundabout; no visible road markings (when WAS the last time it was repainted?); and no gridlines to advise them of the importance of leaving each mini roundabout clear until a clear way off the roundabout is available. In London these days, you get fined for not clearing a grid/box junction; maybe we need these box lines and dare I say it, some cameras. Its simple - give way to the right and don't block the mini roundabouts! and while I'm at it - Isn't it about time the whole thing was resurfaced? There are some horrible holes in the roundabout!

Chris Silver, Austria

I was born in Hemel and lived there for 58 years before moving to Austria and having just come back from visiting relations in Hemel I was appalled by how much it is changing and the apparent lack of common sense and planning that appear to have gone into the changes. Flats are springing up on every small piece of land that is vacant and perfectly good house being brought up and then pulled down to make way for more flats with no thought being given to how the roads around will cope with the extra traffic and never enough parking allowed. No extra surgery's for doctors or dentist etc. In 2001 the head count in Hemel was around 81,000 and yet the health council want to close the local hospital. Every where you go in Hemel or surrounding areas there are traffic jams how the hell will you get to Watford General. The facilities for Hemel are diabolical there is one sports centre with an indoor and outdoor swimming pool plus sports halls and badminton and squash courts. There is also one at Berkhamsted but that is 5 miles away also we have Jarman park need I say anymore. What do the council do with all your money it certainly does not go on amenities for the people of the town. The state of the roads is horrendous its a wonder people don't have more accidents. Oh and what has happened to the Princess Arms on the A41 I know it was last a Indian restaurant but it is now no longer standing there is a block of flats in its place Why was it pulled down so quick I thought it was an old coaching inn or am I wrong, the same happened to the Waggon and Horses where the new shopping centre is now one day that was standing the next it was gone why so quick stops people protesting I suppose and the site was worth a lot of money just like the hospital site will be when the hospital is no longer there " Lets Hope This Never Happens " . Where does all the money go?. I could go on and on and on but I've had my moan. I would tell you about where I now live but if I did there would not be room for me. Until next time. Chris, Austria

anon

Mike Wager thank you for being another person who has pointed out that Buncefield was here first! Many, many people seem to forget this. Whilst it is bad that many buidings have suffered damaage and many people have been affected by the fire, BUNCEFIELD WAS THERE FIRST!!!!!

Jo Blumson

Brook Street Tring

I have not long had a baby boy, he is now 5 and a half months old, and I read about baby Iona it really hit home at how hard it must be for a family to go through such an ordeal, particularly as they are pracically my neighbours as I also live in Tring. So, I just wanted to be able to pass on my sympathy to Iona's parents and to pay my respects to a very brave, beautiful little girl.

Mike Wager

Mancroft Road CaddingtonI am disgusted at Mike Pennings outburst on TV on Monday over BP's plans to store fuel at Buncefield again. I did write to him after the explosion and stated some points but he appears to have forgotten these again. firstly neither BP or any of its employees were involved in the explosion. secondly Buncefield was built here first all by its self. Why aren't the planners and local council being quizzed on what risk assessments they did before passing plans for buildings on the boundary of an existing oil terminal. thirdly they have been very happy with the revenue from the site for over 30 years . fourthly why doesn't Mike Penning act positively for his constituants he is so worried about by checking that all the recommendations from the enquiry are put into place BEFORE BP start again. The authorities are going to check so well this will be one of the safests sites in the uk Lastly What product BP aim to store is a small amount to what the whole site had Just remember Buncefield was here first, its the greedy council and landowners who allowed people to build up to the boundary fence of an established terminal

Residents of Widford Terrace

Hemel Hempstead

With reference to the proposal by DBC to site two new travellers' sites on Woodhall Farm. My husband and I have been residents of Woodhall Farm for some 23 years and for the last 16 in Widford Terrace, which is a very pleasant quiet cul-de-sac surrounded by trees and green belt land.

We are appalled at the Council's intention to build this site in the field at the back of our house. No consideration has been given to the fact that this is green belt land and therefore should not be built on. There is very poor access to the site, being by single track lanes, and the amenities in this area are already oversubscribed. No consideration has been given to the impact on local schools, the children presumably will be ferried there by taxi paid for by rate payers' money. What contribution do the travellers themselves make to the local economy? In my experience, they add to the crime rate, their children are a disruption in schools and very little if any is done to prevent these people from living above the law. One of our cars currently sports a very large dent in the side from where a traveller child collided with it whilst fleeing the Texaco petrol station having attempted to steal from it. Another of our cars was deliberatly driven into by a car leaving the travellers' site in Three Cherry Trees Lane. The police were unable to locate the owner as the registration plate was untraceable, it cost us several hundred pounds for the repairs. In short we do not want these people living in the community to which they contribute so little. They should be sited away from the homes of hard working law abiding people, Bovingdon Airfield would seem to be highly suitable. We will be opposing this site in the strongest possible terms.

anon

berkhamsted

as a resident of woodlands avenue, i think that town planning was something that was completely ignored when the proposed site at the top of swing gate lane was announced as a possible traveller site. having attended - the poorly announced the public meeting i was informed that the sites were decided by a think tank elsewhere. not only is swing gate lane a through road to two schools making it incredible busy most mornings, compounded by resident parking but it also a pleasant green area for walks for locals. let hope someone sees sense somewhere done the line

anon

Hawk scheme cost 9,000 9000 on hawks to reduce the amount of pigeons in the town centre ???? Absolutely ludricous !!! This project was put forward because last year the DBC spent thousands on cleaning up the mess they leave behind , this year they have decided to pay 9000 to reduce the nuisance of pigeons in the town centre and because this has only reduced the problem by half the DBC will still have to pay thousands to clean up the reduced amount of pigeon mess no doubt ???? Who's idea was this ?? Not the residents of dacorum ......... thats for sure Are there less pigeons ? No i don't think there is to be honest , what a waste of money !!

Dora Curtis

WalnutGrove

Hemel Hempstead

I am appalled that cash-strapped Dacorum Borough Council chooses to spend council-tax payers money to part fund the Phoenix Gateway, a so-called 'art piece' which has been erected in Breakspear Way. Driving from the direction of the motorway these pieces of metal are barely distinguishable from the many tall lighting pillars which illuminate the area. Come on DBC, do you seriously think these steel arches 'Will help boost business in the Buncefield blast-hit area.' What planet are you on? A tribute to the many people who helped get Hemel back on its feet after the disaster is what was needed - and it didnt have to cost 350,000.

Anon

Unfortunately a black cat with a green and red collar has been found dead at the side of Belswains Lane, between Nash Mills school and Kingfisher Drive, on the opposite side of the road to the school. It has been taken to the Vets in Risedale Road to check for a microchip. Our sympathy goes out to whoever has lost this poor little mite.

Edie Glatter

Gravel Lane

Hemel Hempstead

I was so sorry to read of the untimely death of Tom Price. I remember well his time on the Gazette. He was a credit to his profession. He was close to the community he served and could always be relied on to get a story right.

As a Councillor many years ago I had total trust that he would report events fairly and accurately and was never disappointed.

He had a nose for a good story and knew what we were interested in reading. He'll be sorely missed

Amanda Rogers

Parklands Hemel Hempstead

This evening my son (aged 14) and 2 friends went to the cinema at Jarman Park. I dropped them off at the Tesco superstore at 6.10pm for them to buy drinks and sweets before going to the cinema. My son phoned me almost immediately as they were refused entry to the store by the security guard. I returned and was told by the guard that no groups of youths are allowed in the store unaccompanied by an adult after six o'clock on a Friday. There are no notices in the entrance stating this rule. I asked to speak to the manager - he stated that this "rule" has been in the local papers and was known by most customers! He is under no obligation to put up notices as it may alarm other customers. I asked what number was classed as a group. Apparantly it can be 3, 4 or 2! The reson behind it being trouble from the Jarman Park site next door (at 6 o'clock in the evening!!). I find this discrimination against our teenagers (tarring them all with the same brush) outrageous. My son and his friends were upset and confused by being barred when they had not done anything wrong.

ryan

hemel hempstead

the tot that died of cancer awwwwwwww she cuteeeeeee RIP WE ARE GONNA MISS YOU LOADS LITTLE GIRL and im so sorry to hear bout this by the internet and i fell for the parnets

Paul Mackie

Hemel HempsteadMy deepest sympathy goes out to family and friends. Paul Mackie (Work experience student)

james d-e

hertford

THIS IS A UNFORTUNATE ACIDENT REST IN PEACE

emmarest in peace. :( you will be missed x

Alison

Kings LangleyMy heart goes out to the family of this young life lost in such a tragic accident. They must be devasted. They are in my thoughts and prayers.

teri kennedy

byron place hemel hempsteadCissie Holmes,who sadly passed away peacefully in her sleep at home with her family around her on 20th nov 2008,a very much loved mum,grandmother & great grandmother.The funeral took place on friday 5th dec at st.mary & st.joseph church boxmoor,she has been layed to rest in woodwells cemetery, many thanks to the co-op funeralcare.God bless from all the family mum peace be with you.

anon

woodhall farmThis traveller site situation is probably going to ruin my and a lot of other peoples christmas. We can not (i am imformed) voice our concerns over the 2 possible sites that St Albans have put forward for behind Brockwood school so you can bet that it is going to be a given that that location will go ahead. Who in St Albans is going to mind if St Albans council fund a travellers site well away from the population. But we in Woodhall Farm have to contend with Hemel council landing us with a double whammy of one possibly in Holtsmere lane and one in Cupid Green lane. Can we not find a site as near to St Albans as possible to return the favor? Thanks all you council decision makers and MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Tristan Smith

HAILEYBURY COLLEGE

As an old boy to Lockers, it is very sad to hear of this tragedy, i left the school when the boy was younger but i knew him fairly well and he was an extremely nice and caring person. My thoughts are with his family at this moment in time... he will be truly missed.

Richard Clark, Tring

I can not believe that the idiots at the council have such short memories. Don't they remember the devastation and destruction caused by such people to that particular area at the top of Swing Gate Lane... because I do! They turned what was a beautiful area into something that resembled a scene from some apocalyptic film... trees being felled... Finally they were moved off by the council and the entrances to both woodland areas blocked to prevent further infestation. It has taken many years for those areas to recover, but I ask myself why we bother trying to preserve such areas of flora and fauna for all to enjoy... when the council believe it right to construct something that will not be respected by those who are supposed to use it and will most probably cost everyone a lot more than money to maintain. I know that I now live in Tring (with seven new proposed sites), but I am Berkhamsted born and bred. I lived at 15 Briar Way from the day I was born, so the Swing Gate Area is a place I know well, spending many happy hours roaming those selected areas due to be turned back into a nightmare for the local residents... those feelings are reflected across the entire borough, I don't see the council putting a site outside their offices in Hemel... but then that isn't Green Belt land.

anon

Tribute to Iona After finding a suitable donor this is so absolutely tragic, what a beautiful brave little girl, I cannot begin to imagine how her devastated parents feel, nothing can be worse than losing a child.....lost but never forgotten. RIP princess Iona X

M.James, Berkhamsted

I have just moved from a road off Swing Gate Lane. My daughter still attends the school and will there be until july 2010. After dropping her off in the morning, i take my dog for a walk down the lane , through long green down the fields past the old farm and then thorugh sand pit green (with 2 other children). It is so peace full and beautiful, i am totally mortified that this is a proposed area for any kind of building weather its caravans or brick buildings!... We once saw a family of fox's playing in those feilds which was totally amazing... what will happen to them if this all goes to plan??? What will happen to all the protected wildlife? What also concerns me is will there be enough Schools for all the extra children, Berkhamsted is already struggling to accomodate the local chilren.... Will there be more parking in the town??? SO many questions but no answers!!!!! Its such a shame!!!

James Coles, Hemel Hempstead

Anita, Keavon our thoughts are with you in this difficult time. Jamie + Sarah

RIGAUD, BRISTOL

HIS POOR PARENTS

jackie bourne and family, hemel hempstead

we are very sorry for the family of the young lad who died. i have a twelve year old and cant begin to understand how the family feels.our thoughts are with you...may he rest in peace....

Ian Nunn

Horton Gardens, Hemel Hempstead

Like most I was also unaware of the proposals for the said sites, that is until the leaflet came through my door from the local resident. The first point is, why is up to a resident to post such notifications, surely that is the responsibility of the Planning Department. They do so for small extension to houses, which to my point is less concerning than the present proposals. I am also astonished that St Albans can locate such sites at the boundary line, thus in terms might as well be in Dacorum as the only shops etc. will be those on Woodhall Farm. I am really concerned about the site located on the small quaint little country lane 'Cupid Green Lane, this being a short walk from my house, and it would be my house all will travel past to and from the shops and at present we suffer from vandalism. Of which I can only see increasing substantially. Not to mention turning a lovely Country Lane into what is best described as a tip like that at the Gist site.

colin manfield

isenburg way hemel hempstead

where is the money to pay for these very unwanted sites coming from and does this mean all the illigel sites will be closed or don't these count

Emma

Aston View, Woodhall Farm, Hemel

PROPOSED GYPSY SITES AROUND WOODALL FARM I write regarding the proposed gypsy/traveller sites around Woodhall Farm.

I strongly object the suggested locations for these sites for several reasons; Access to the sites is via a single track lane which will not cope with the increase in cars, lorries, vans and other vehicles which will need to gain access. It will be a drain on the already stretched recources in the area. The dentist and doctor surgery are already overflowing with patients and waiting lists. It takes over several weeks just to get an appointment at the local dentist as it is and the doctor sugeries are a few days to wait if youre sick! For the children of theses sites who need to get to schools the council puts on a taxi service to take them there and back - who will pay for this? what about all the other residents already living here who cant get about for one reason or another? How about helping them? The council could spend this money on other worthwhile things in the town. The sewerage will probably have to be collected in cesspits which again means lorries going up and down a single track lane and who will fit the bill for this? the council tax payers.

There will be a refuge collection issue also with lorries and mess from the sites. Crime will increase in the area; from my experience of having lived here for 29 years, the local Texaco garage already has terrible issues with the site from three cherry tree lane, constantly having to turn travellers away and barring them from the garage. I myself have whitnessed on several occasions gypsies/travellers causing a scene here and at the local shoping parade. Imagine what it will be like with three more sites! The buffer zone is only a ten meter wide tree lined path, this is not adequate space between the estate and the proposed sites. The noise will travel. Valley Green is renowned for its quiet and sought after environment. This will put anyone off moving there. Having looked at the map I can see that the site is proposed in the field behind where I live. I spend a lot of my time (most days) walking in that field alone and it is my place of peace and solitude. I often meet other people doing the same or walking their dogs. It is a beautiful area full of natural beauty. There are plenty of other sites that could be considered that are not so close to residential areas. One place to consider is Bovingdon Air field. there is ample space for the site and for the market with easy access in and out of the site with out being too close to residential areas. Please reconsider this proposal. I haved loved living in Woodhall Farm for all these years and so many people, including myself, are considering moving away due to these unwanted changes.

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