Tag: England

Stupid Suggestion


https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/2024/02/10/portsmouth-sewage-flick-drummond-slammed-as-mp-says-people-should-not-flush-toilets-when-its-raining/content.html

It’s no wonder MP Flick Drummond has been criticised.

She has suggested that Jo and Joanna Public should stop flushing the loo, taking a bath, or using their washing machines during times of heavy rain.

Her ridiculous comments are just taking the focus away from the real issue, which is that the water companies are doing very little to prevent the discharge of sewage into our rivers and coastal waters.

Since the start of 2024, there have been 23 confirmed occasions of sewage being released into the Langstone Harbour area.

23 occasions in less than two months. What this shows is that fining the water companies isn’t working.

In 2021, Southern Water was fined £90m for deliberately dumping billions of litres of raw sewage into protected seas over several years for its own financial gain.

Just last year, 2023, Southern Water was instructed to return £43 million to customers by reducing bills for 2024.

And rubbing salt into public wounds, the water companies paid out £65.9bn in dividends to shareholders in the years up to 2022.

So somewhere between paying fines and paying dividends are the huge profits they are making, enabling them to pay huge salaries to their management.

Ian McAulay, CEO for Souther Water, was apparently paid a bonus of £550,900 in 2020/21. This is in addition to a  £435,000-a-year salary and with pension payments and benefits secured a £1.082m pay package.

It’s time that these company execs were hit in their personal pockets. Then, maybe, they would feel inclined to take positive action.

So Flick Drummond, perhaps instead of blaming the public, you could target the true people responsible, the water companies, and their execs.

Perhaps you could also look at the decision-making of the planners, which surrounds the many developments in this area and apply pressure to ensure that the sewage infrastructure is set in place BEFORE building starts.

The public voted you into your position to speak on their behalf. They can easily vote you out.

Sky Park Farm


Today, we spent a glorious few hours with our granddaughter and great grandson at Sky Park Farm

Sikka Deer

While it is a working deer farm, it is also a great place to visit to keep the kids entertained.

Grubs Up

Providing easy walks and opportunities to feed the various species of deer.

Red Deer

Also on site is a farm shop and restaurant along with a huge play area for kids.

Flying Goggles ???

We did the obligatory walk and fed the deer before heading inside for a spot of lunch.

A Fine Set Of Antlers

Finally, once our tummys had been satisfied, we headed to the play area so that my great grandson could run off what energy he had left.

Fallow Deer

Such was the effects of all that walking, playing, and fresh air on arrival at home, Junior took himself off to his bed.

Who’s A Proud Fella !!!

Sky Park Farm is a lovely place to visit, and we will return.

Togetherness

“Little scroats” should be “willing to take a beating”


https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/2024/01/14/portsmouth-councillor-little-scroats-who-brazenly-stole-500-worth-of-vapes-should-be-willing-to-take-a-beating/content.html

I totally agree with this sentiment.

Increasingly, over the years, my view has become that anyone who breaks the law automatically relinquishes their rights to protection under the law.

I also believe that these “scroats” should be prepared for some public humiliation. Bring back the birch, stocks, and pillory.

I would fully support the introduction of US style chain gangs, wearing bright jackets with the crime emblazoned across the back.

Glow @ Marwell Zoological Park


Had a lovely evening out with family yesterday at Marwell Zoological Park.

Here are just a few snaps ….

The beginning ……

I See Wild Animals


Do you ever see wild animals?

Do I ever see wild animals ? Yes, I do !

Living in a semi rural location means that on occasions, we are visited by various types of wildlife.

Focussing on our garden, we are regularly visited by foxes, hedgehogs, and squirrels.

Grey Squirrel

Just today, maybe an hour ago, we were visited by this albino squirrel.

Albino Squirrel

You would think that albino squirrels are rare, but we have had several visit us over the 30-plus years that we have lived here.

Hedgehog
Hedgehogs – Courting Couple

Other visitors to our garden, over and above the usual garden birds, we have had the occasional sparrow hawk and even a couple of pheasants.

Outside of our garden, I have seen badgers, foxes, and regularly see deer.

And last, but not least, here is a slow worm that came out from under our new deck last year.

Halloween Display


https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-5-1932/content.html

Earlier in the year, I responded to a clarion call for polystyrene boxes, of which I had a few.

My boxes, along with many others culled from the local area, have been transformed into a Halloween Display with a charity collection. The proceeds of which are going to The Rowans, a local hospice.

Well done to Becky and her friends and family.

Take a look at the following pictures

Free speed cameras in east Hampshire


BBC News – Free speed cameras offered to curb dangerous drivers in east Hampshire https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-66934570

Twenty speed cameras are being offered to community groups in a bid to put the brakes on dangerous drivers. The discreet, solar-powered devices can track vehicle movement, speed and number plates, and are up for grabs for locations across east Hampshire.

This is good news and positive action from the authorities. but I have two points to make

  • This is only going to tackle the boy racers. This technology isn’t going to deal with the noise nuisance. How about deploying some noise cameras
  • This is East Hampshire so it doesn’t include my local roads

To be quite honest, I couldn’t care less about drivers breaking the speed limits. And yes I can hear the protests now. Speed kills, what about the emergency services that have to deal with the aftermath ? What about the families of victims ?

But they don’t encroach on my home life. Whereas the noise nuisance impinges on my life, right inside my living space.

Just Deserts


It never ceases to amaze, the lengths some people will go to evade capture.

https://www.facebook.com/100064584227634/posts/pfbid04pbPw7QHzKQAmoBFHtSwsVdhdPZ2cnUrNqzeW79XADyHT7HAEvaD6zCqRLL9gmKwl/

I feel for the lurcher that was left behind following the vehicle roll. Its owner is now minus a car and his dog.

It makes no sense to me to risk life and limb just to avoid a fine.

Well done the police.

Portsmouth residents to have say on electric vehicle parking and charging around the city


https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/2023/09/19/portsmouth-residents-to-have-say-on-electric-vehicle-parking-and-charging-around-the-city/content.html

I hope this study will look at general parking and not just focus on EV.

The strategy will include a review of parking in the city centre and district centres and encourage sustainable and alternative travel for some journeys where possible. It’s reco gnised that this will mean some people will leave their cars at home more often and will need access to parking spaces nearby. 

Working for a housing association, my daughter needs her car for her job. As part of her job she has to visit various housing association properties both in the city centre but also in the suburbs.

She already experiences parking issues and quite often cannot park near her home. Finding a space near home is something of a lottery. If the council intends to implement strategies to persuade people to use alternative means of transport, leaving their cars at home, won’t this exacerbate the problem.

Lets assume you change cars and get an EV but you cannot park outside your own home, where are you supposed to charge your new EV.

Only 100 charging points in a city with a population in excess of 200,000. The council needs to be looking hard at the overall strategy for all forms of transport. The infrastructure isn’t there for folks to switch over to EV. It’s no wonder Rishi and the UK government are back pedalling on the banning of internal combustion engine powered vehicles.

Rejuvenation ?


https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-4-1895/content.html

The following image, published by The News, shows just one small part of the Waterlooville shopping centre. “Shopping Centre” is a loose term as there aren’t many shops. This particular area contains a couple of coffee and fast food eateries, tattoo parlour and hairdressers. Not really somewhere to go and browse. At the far end is Wilkos, which is scheduled for closure within the next week or so. This due to the collapse of the brand.

This area equates to approximately 20% of the available shop frontage in the town centre. The remaining 80% is in dire need of refurbishment and occupation. The picture below shows the total area that Havant Borough Council (HBC) are hoping to rejuvenate.

As I have said before, I applaud HBCs recent efforts. And the offer of grants to attract businesses into Waterlooville is most welcome. But, I fear it is too little too late.

Any business moving into this town centre is going to have to bring something special to the table. Something that will increase the footfall in the pedestrian area, both to benfit their own business but also to aid any other businesses that also take up HBCs offer.

If I analyse my own reasons for going into the centre of Waterlooville then it nets out to two, maybe three stores. Boots, Celebrations and the grocers. Boots is now a shadow of its former self and I wonder how much longer it will survive.

I used to be a regular shopper in Waitrose, Wilkos, and the butchers with occsional forays into clothes shops if my wife was with me. There also used to be quite a few charity shops but even they have thinned out.

So, there really isn’t much there anymore. Any new businesses need to be providing something really attractive to peek my interest.

I really do hope this new initiative by HBC bears fruit, but I won’t hold my breath.