Letters to the Editors
TROJAN HORSE IN SWAFFHAM PRIOR
Dear Editors,
At the special PC meeting to consider affordable housing on Thursday 26th June people from ECDC (the Greeks) proposed six dwellings on the "DENCORA" field along Rogers Road. They assured the meeting that this would not create a precedent for further development.
After much debate the PC (the Trojans) welcomed the gift but said that eight dwellings would be better. The Greeks could not believe their luck. It should be noted our equivalent of the bearded King Priam, the Chairman, abstained from voting even though the horse would be stabled on his doorstep.
The ECDC request was based on a survey of District needs resulting in eight people giving first priority to live in SP. ECDC did not know if these people were local or were related to local people or were from neighbouring parishes! Yet again no demographic survey of SP was done to estimate the possible future availability of existing rental housing.
Were not these people the ones who assured us that the building of the affordable houses on Pulpit Corner would deny "Dencora" one of their arguments for developing the field? Were not these the people who used local taxes to stop house building in Ely to create a park?
SP already has a very high proportion of rental property do we really need more?
Yours truly,
Bonfire Nuisance
Dear Editors,
The sun is shining and at last, we can believe that Summer has arrived. The doors and windows are open and the house is benefiting from the feeling of being filled with fresh, warm air. The children are busily playing in the garden, as the washing machine churns out another load of sweetly fragranced washing (yes, the fragrance does come out of a bottle), to be hung on the line to dry. A scene replicated throughout many households of our village, I am sure.
But quickly close the windows and doors, fetch the children in (or reach for the asthma inhalers), and just forget that washing. Yet another domestic garden fire has been lit. Not to mention the fires in the rubbish bin in the cemetery.
WHY is it that garden fires are so important to some of the villagers, that they have to be lit on a beautiful day, when surely everyone wants to enjoy the weather, not be choked by the terrible stench and smoke. On Saturday 21st June, I took my children out to Anglesey Abbey for the day, leaving two lines of assorted children's clothing out to dry. On our return, not only did the house reek (the windows had been closed), but the washing had to be redone.
This situation is now getting beyond a joke, and is happening far too regularly.
It is my understanding that there are guidelines for when it is appropriate to light a garden fire - after 7pm? Is there anyone out there that can clarify this so that we have more consideration for other village residents from those who light the fires?
Oh, a Wasps' Nest you have trodden in, Mike and Jane - we're sure all our readers will have bonfire opinions, one way or another! Of course, the perverse Eds are more suspicious of that fragrance in the bottle when it comes to allergies, but then they would be...
Macmillan Coffee Morning
Dear Editors
This year, 2003, is the 10th year that I have been hosting a "World's Biggest Coffee Morning" in aid of Macmillan Cancer Relief. I would like to make it a really bumper year and try to raise even more than we did last year (£411.55). All the money we donate is used by our local branch so it could well benefit people we know.
In order to raise more money, I thought we would have a Bring and Buy Cake Stall - preferably homemade - and if anybody would like to volunteer to run this stall on the day I'd be very grateful if he or she could get in touch with me.
There will, of course, still be the Raffle so there will be no shortage of opportunities for you to spend your money!