Agenda 2019

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/14726409.WELCOME_BOOST__Plans_to_build_600_new_homes_revealed/ WELCOME BOOST: Plans to build 600 new homes revealed Magna housing board and directors 600 houses in 5 years. A pathetic gesture which does little to address the acute hosing shortage particularly in the rented sector, in Dorset. Politicians must have the political will to address this scandalous housing crisis, not only in Dorset but in constituencies around the whole country. The solution is for the country to commit to building 800,000 new home over the course of a full parliament where at least 70% of the new homes would be for social housing. For far too l ong, the housing shortage has been used as a means of maintaining high price levels in the housing market and for the price of land, thus condemning many families to the prospect of never being able to afford to purchase or even rent a home of their own.  800,00 homes per year required The recent applicatio...

  http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/13504514.REVEALED__Dorset_in_firing_line_for_badger_cull/ Dorset in firing line for badger cull   The unproven, untested and barbaric practice of killing badgers for no other reason than some "expert" thinks that it may be a good idea, comes to Dorset. The vast majority of scientific evidence and research, tell us that culling has very little or no effect on the spread of bovine TB. In fact the evidence says that inoculation would be an effective method of control if such a link could be establish and would in any case not require Badgers to be killed.  The only reason that inoculation is dismissed in because it is more expensive than a bullet and the "authorities" responsible for the culling process have to monitor costs and save money. Bloody outrageous.

  http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/11668325.Waste_partnership_is_standing_firm_on_rubbish_bags_despite_vermin_fears/ Waste partnership is standing firm on rubbish bags despite vermin fears East Street, Weymouth   I drove past this stack of rubbish yesterday 15th December 2014,(and it was not the only one which I passed while in Weymouth). It seems that the waste has been put into the "wrong sacks". The thought occurred to me that rather than buy "black plastic" sacks to cram the rubbish into, why do the people putting the bags out, not put it into "blue plastic" sacks? That is of course, provided that the DWP have actually delivered a supply of blue plastic sacks to be used for the purpose. However, so far the performance of DWP in the catalouge of errors, screw ups and general poor management and administration of the "new system" is less than adequate. Moreover, they seem to be demanding more money from the Council to cover ...

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/11597808.Residents_revolt_over_rubbish_service/   Residents revolt over rubbish service It is not only Portland that has a problem with the new waste disposal scheme operated by the Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP). I posted this in the letters section of Dorset Echo, this morning. The following is the transcript of an "online chat" which I had with DWP last week. The food waste was eventually collected and the bin was left lying on its side with lid open, in the middle of a public drive way. There will probably be another "online chat" this week as the food waste bin was again not emptied. A new "Report a missed bin collection" reference number has been issued and a complaint has been sent to DWP. They will respond "within 10 days". If DWP or anyone else thinks that we should have rotting food waste lying around the house, or stored in our garage until they are prepared to coll...

http://www.letsrecycle.com/news/latest-news/councils/new-collection-system-2018boosts-recycling2019-in-dorset       A new recycling and rubbish collection service provided by Dorset Waste Partnership.  There was quite a bit of vehicle congestion, at various times, around the lanes and in the villages of the Bride Valley yesterday (28th August). From mid morning onwards into late afternoon, Swyre, Puncknowle, Litton Cheney and  a number of other villages, became clogged with local and holiday maker traffic waiting patiently for the lanes to clear.The cause of all this congestion was three ( or maybe even four) large trucks completely blocking the lane, with only room for pedestrians to walk on either side. The trucks were all from the same contractor who it seems was on contract to the West Dorset District Council, or the Dorset Waste Partnership, (I can never tell the difference), and were delivering "wheelie bins" to every household in the Br...

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10645974.Gridlock_chaos_hits_Weymouth/?ref=mr   Gridlock chaos hits Weymouth Crossing at the top of King Street Weymouth Esplanade The harbour crossroads outside Asda in Weymouth    When "intelligent traffic lights" with their associated spaghetti of white lines painted seemingly at random on the road surface, replaced the roundabouts back in 2010-11, many people predicted that they would only cause confusion and delay. Tragically, not only has this has been proved to be correct but at least two people have been killed, a number of people have been injured and there have been countless accidents and near misses particularly at the "Asda" junction. This is in addition to the general congestion reported in this article. Who ever drew up this "improved" traffic scheme for Weymouth and incidentally the surrounding approach roads, has created infinitely more problems than the scheme was...

  http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10531628.Portland_helicopter_scrambled_to_diver_with_decompression_sickness/ Portland helicopter scrambled to diver with decompression sickness Portland Coastguard helicopter   Another call out for the Portland helicopter. These call outs are a regular occurrence here, regularly saving lives. The government want to scrap the helicopter service and save money. A clear demonstration of the ConDem coalition values.

  http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10441786.Gas_companies_granted_licences_for_fracking_in_Dorset/ Gas companies granted licences for fracking in Dorset Possible drilling sites in Dorset Cliff falls along the Dorset coast line have been a regular feature over recent months. Now the gas companies have been granted licenses for fracking beneath huge parts of Dorset and Hampshire. The 150ft  long, 6ft  deep crack appeared on cliffs near Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth landslide near Durdle Door   landslide at West Bay   Fracking has been linked with groundwater contamination and toxic air around sites, and in Lancashire, fracking was blamed for causing small earthquakes. As usual, the old "thousands of jobs could be created" chestnut has been trotted out to justify another of mans assaults on the environment.

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10242948._No_go__for_motorists_in_May_as_parts_of_A35_are_set_for_closure/?ref=mr  Sections of A35 are set for closure in May David Groves from Connect will be in charge of the work on the A35    Road closures between Bridport and Honiton over ten days in May. It seems that many road closures and endless miles of traffic cones on each side of the workings, are always commenced during the holiday season. I know that there are valid reasons (?) why this particular work is scheduled for May (putting down a specialist surface that cannot be laid in moist conditions), but the chaos of diversions and hold ups is something many tourists, commuters and local residents are forced to endure in countless areas all over the country in the spring and summer months every year. Miles and miles of cones.   How often have vehicles crawled for miles past the "Lane ahead closed" markings only to find when ...

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/localnews/10071171.Council_plan_to_demolish_Pavilion_and_sell_North_Quay_offices/  Council plan to demolish Pavilion and sell North Quay offices The civic offices at North Quay . Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, is considering demolishing the Pavilion and selling the council offices on North Quay in a bid to save money.The council is also considering selling off other council assets including seafront hotels and reducing the number of councillors as it struggles will cuts which means it will be spending £3.9 million less each year by 2019/20. It seems to me that Weymouth and Portland Borough Council is, along with some other councils, run by and for the benefit of, its officers and departmental directors. Unelected and un accountable, these faceless shadows create "policy" and projects suited to only to themselves and their over inflated perception of their own importance. The elected members are relegated to the...

  http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/9889734.Weymouth_Bayside_Festival_Organisers_apologise_for_flop/?ref=mr ORGANISERS of the failed Bayside Festival have apologised for leaving people out of pocket. Joe Hall, managing director of Mainsail, the company that ran the stricken venture, spoke to the Echo as administrators for his firm announced it will go into voluntary liquidation at the end of the month. from DORSET ECHO: 19th July 2012.   " Weymouth and Portland Olympic travel advice row It comes after hoteliers and traders told the Echo that radio adverts telling people the area will be congested has put visitors off. Weymouth taxi driver Eddie Hawkins fears the ‘fiasco’ will destroy summer-time trade as people will be put off from coming to the area at all. He said: “The council have been telling people not to come in their cars and now South West trains are telling them to drive as the trains will be busy. It is absolutely ludicrous. ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-    A very sad footnote to the item which I posted yesterday morning both on Facebook and "New Agenda" under the heading of "Can the Olympics work for Weymouth". The junction where this accident occurred is close to the Asda supermarket, and is in my view, the most confusing and dangerous junction on the new system. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.