AUGUST MEETING - New Lamp, Bankbotton, Hadfield 8.00pm

Next Monday is the first Monday in the month and it's not a Bank Holiday. That means it's time for our monthly meeting at the usual time and place - The New Lamp, Bankbottom, Hadfield at 8.00pm prompt. I will publish a full Agenda on this blog over the weekend.

In the meantime if anyone has anything that they would like to raise as an Agenda item or any announcements etc, then forward them to me at: tinhadra@aol.com as soon as possible for inclusion.

Put the date in your diary and try and pop along.

KEEP HIGH PEAK GREEN

This is to let everyone know about a new group that has sprung up in the borough called Keep High Peak Green. They are a collection of campaigners and residents that have got together borough wide in order to fight "unnecessary development of Green places and spaces in the High Peak"and can be found here.

Whilst they are essentially trying to hold back greenbelt and greenfield developments they also point out that inappropriate usage of brownfield land can be of equal concern to residents of the borough and use the example of Rossington Park and S.C.C. Ltd at Bridge Mills, as a case in point:

"We have seen sites such as Rossington Park and Bridge Mills in Hadfield spring up, and although these were Brownfield sites, they are clear examples of types of development that are inappropriate and clearly not wanted by local people.

We are also opposed to the seemingly widespread policy of squeezing large housing developments into relatively small parcels of land. Such schemes are proliferating all over the Borough and need to be checked."

Their immediate priority is to encourage everyone to respond to the document 'Shaping The Future Of High Peak', which you can do in slightly different formats here or here . The deadline is this coming Friday 25th July, so please take a look and find time to respond.

I have mentioned the document in a previous blog, when it came up at an Area Forum which can be read here You can also link to the document using the blogroll at the right hand side of this blog. It isn't necessary to reply to every question or section - just fill in the questions you want to or the sections that you feel strongly about.

So why is this document so important? I will leave you with the words of Keep High Peak Green:

"The document is crucial as it will determine how High Peak decides to pursue development projects in future years. Those who love the unique character of the Borough need to respond to the consultation.

It needs to be made clear to the Authority that the designation of any more countryside, greenfield or garden sites for development in any future plan is unacceptable.

Furthermore, the Council should refuse to collude with any central or regional government objectives that cannot be achieved without violating this principle, irrespective of any financial carrots that are being dangled by central government to obtain its cooperation." Quite.

Updated Map Of Hadfield P.O. Postcard Campaign

More of the map has been coloured in and we are perhaps nearly halfway to covering the whole of Hadfield. If you could spare an hour of your time to do some of the areas not yet done or volunteered for, or even if you just want to do your own street, your help and assistance would still be greatly appreciated. Just e-mail tinhadra@aol.com and we'll get cards out to you.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE
CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

End of Consultation - Tintwistle P.O.

Monday 21st July was the final of day of consultation for commenting on the proposed closure of Tintwistle Post Office . As readers of the blog and residents of Tintwistle will be aware we ran a postcard campaign, which we delivered to every household in the village. A copy of the postcard can be viewed here.

We have of course also responded to the Post Office consultation through their official website, a copy of which can be read below. This marks the end of the campaign and we wait with baited breath to hear the outcome, news of which will be posted as soon as it is known.

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

UPDATE ON THE HADFIELD D.L.O. DISPUTE

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Hello Everyone,

Apologies to our regular readers for the lack of posts this week but there is a reason. Oddly enough, it's actually due to over activity rather than a lack of it. We have been busy wording, printing and delivering the above postcard, which is the centrepiece of our campaign to Save Hadfield Sorting Office from closure.

The postcard sums up our fears for the future of Hadfield Post Office. itself should the L.D.O. be closed and this has been dealt with in earlier posts. However there have been some developments over the past few days which I will summarise.

Bouyed by the staggering support shown by residents across Hadfield through their poster campaign, local posties voted unanimously for strike action in an attempt to reverse the 90 Day Closure Notice issued by Post Office Management.

Two days worth of strike action were called, the first being Thursday 10th July. The scheduled second day, which was to be Monday 14th July wasn't actually needed due to the fact that the P.O. buckled and finally agreed to hold talks with the CWU after previously refusing to discuss the matter.

What has been agreed is a six step negotiation process which will take six weeks to complete. This is certainly a step in the right direction and obviously means there is the real possibility of a positive outcome.

Consequently, our proposed Public Meeting has to be put on hold pending negotiations as it would be unrealistic to expect either party to speak publicly whilst talks are in progress nor would it be pertinent to do so when there is a chance of a positive outcome through official channels. We will of course still be ready to call such a meeting if and when it seems appropriate and/or necessary.

Our postcard campaign, on the other hand, is vital right now, which is why we are attempting to get thousands of them out across Hadfield over the next week or so. The people of Hadfield have shown local posties their support through displaying their posters. Posties have shown their determination to keep the L.D.O. open by being prepared to take strike action.

The final piece in the jigsaw is for us all to show the main man himself, Chairman, Allan Leighton how angry we are at the Closure Notice. Residents and service users can do this by putting a stamp on the card that comes through their door and mailing it to him. If you can't wait for yours to arrive you can always print off the one above on card!

If you would like to help the campaign along, you can volunteer to help deliver our postcard by e-mailing us at tinhadra@aol.com and we'll get the cards out to you. The following map details our progress so far and where you can come in:

CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE

CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE

HADFIELD POSTAL WORKERS PICKET

In a few hours time Hadfield Postal Workers will step up the fight to save the Local Delivery Office from closure. Today marks the first of two planned one day strikes which will begin with a picket of the Station Road office from 5.00am this morning. The second of the two strike days will be on Monday 14th July.

Local postmen were balloted last week and returned a 100% vote in favour of industrial action such is the strength of feeling over the issue. It is clear from the number of posters displayed in the windows of residents across the whole of Hadfield that local people share their outrage.

From the perspective of the postmen, most of whom live locally, the notion that they should have to drive to Hyde to sort mail then drive back again to Hadfield to deliver it, is truly outrageous. From an environmental perspective, this madcap idea puts additional traffic onto local roads and is a disgraceful waste of fuel. No doubt that is of little consideration to Royal Mail who will expect Postal Workers themselves to bear the burden of travel costs.

As residents we have something more to fear and that is the loss of Hadfield Post Office itself. I have raised the argument in a previous post, which you can view by clicking here, that a small business such as Hadfield Post Office will struggle to overcome the loss of income which is derived from Royal Mail's use of the Delivery Office.

Unless and until Royal Mail are prepared to give categoric assurances that the future of Hadfield Post Office is secure or that there is a viable business plan in place that would enable the Postmaster to sustain such a loss of income (which I believe to be in excess of £30,000 per annum) then the assumption must be that the odds are stacked against its long term viability without the Delivery Office in situ.

This being the case we wholeheartedly support the Postal Workers industrial action, which will also see a work to rule on Friday and Saturday. Hopefully, the bad publicity that Royal Mail will generate for themselves might persuade them that any financial savings they hope to make through closure of the LDO will be outweighed by public disgust at what they are doing and loss of goodwill amonst their own staff.

For our own part, we intend to support the Postal Workers by launching a postcard campaign. We are looking to deliver a postcard to every household in Hadfield so residents will have a quick and simple means of showing their anger.

We are also attempting to hold a Public Meeting and are currently seeking a local venue. We intend to invite representatives from both sides to explain their position as they see it. I would particularly like to hear why the alleged Health and Safety issues cannot be resolved without such drastic action as closure, which seems excessive. Further details regarding the industrial action and news of our own campaign will appear on this blog as soon as they are available.

SAVE WOODHEAD TUNNEL GROUP MEETING

Here's one for all you local railway enthusiasts or for those who just think it makes logical sense to retain and eventually re-open a railway line between two major cities.

Friends and supporters of the Save The Woodhead Tunnel group have their monthly meeting today, Thursday, 10th July at the Prince of Wales in Glossop, which has become their normal venue. Meeting starts at 7.15pm . All welcome.

The group have their own blog which can be found by clicking here

Despite recent media coverage claiming them victorious in their efforts, the group are not at all sure this is indeed the case and their blog has posted some pictures like this:

to illustrate their point. More stories and pictures on the blog itself.

Tom Levitt MP who supports the campaign to keep a Woodhead Tunnel available for future use has recently written to those who signed a No 10 petition which you can read below by clicking on the image:

CLICK ON IMAGE ABOVE FOR FULL SIZE READABLE VERSION

The full text of the Westminster Hall debate that Mr Levitt refers to can be found here

Letter from High Peak Borough Council re; Appeals by SCC Limited against Enforcement Notices

PLEASE CLICK ON IMAGE TO READ

Residents Meeting - MONDAY JULY 7TH, 8.00PM the NEW LAMP, BANKBOTTOM

Next Monday is the 7th July and it is the first Monday in the month which means Tintwistle and Hadfield Residents Association (TAHRA) will meet at the New Lamp, Bankbottom, Hadfield at our usual time of 8.00pm prompt.

This month we have not one but two guest speakers, which is good news for all those of you who don't want to hear me all night long.

Top of the Agenda of course are the proposed closures of Tintwistle Post Office and Hadfield Delivery Office. I am therefore pleased to confirm that Dave Kennedy the Branch Secretary of the Communications Workers Union (CWU) will address the meeting in person.

He will explain the issues, provide an update and answer all your questions. I have also had a phone call from a local Councillor confirming their attendance. It's clearly a topic of grave concern and promises to be a lively meeting, so get there early if you don't want to end up in the gallery.

Regarding the proposed Tintwistle closure, we have already produced a postcard (see above) which will be distributed around the village and the Brosscroft area next week. Residents will just need to sign and return it, although written letters are always preferable. Our response to the Delivery Office closure is something that I hope will come out of the meeting.

Our second guest speaker is Jo Osborn who has been in the local press recently over her battle with HPBC. She is attempting to prevent them from building flats on a greenfield site on Lambgates. She will outline the issues involved and her reasons for opposing the plans. The proposed development comes before planning on Monday 21st July. Comments can be made up until that date by clicking here.

Our final Agenda item will be to give another mention to the Local Development Framework. It may not sound very catchy or interesting and it's something I've been banging on about all year. However Friday 25th July is the final day for responding to the consultation document 'Shaping the Future of High Peak', which you can do here or here.

Basically it is your chance to tell the council what you do and don't want to see happen over the next 20 years. Bang in your form, get yourself on the list of consultees and you will have a greater say in what goes on in your area in the months and years to come. I have provided a fuller explanation in a previous blog which you can find here

---------------------------------AGENDA ITEMS-------------------------------

1. Dave Kennedy - Branch Secretary CWU - Tintwistle P.O/Hadfield L.D.O. closure threat.

2. Jo Osborn - Proposed Lambgates development.

3. Plea to respond to Local Development Framework http://consultation.limehouse.co.uk/highpeak/drafts/46/index.html

4. AOB
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Royal Mail Responds to the closure of Hadfield Delivery Office

CLICK ON LEAFLET TO READ

Tom Levitt Responds to the closure of Hadfield Delivery Office

CLICK ON LEAFLET TO READ