Clitheroc Advertiser & Times, April 6th, 2995 15 Letters /


Members of Ribblesdale governing body have put themselves at the top of a slippery slope


ON March 31st I came to the end of my full-time teaching career. I took early retirement from Ribblesdale High School where I have been a teacher since 1963. On the same day, Glynne Ward,


the head teacher, announced that on the previous evening the governing body had, against her recommenda­ tion and the wishes of her staff, voted to reinstate two 15-year-old pupils caught smoking cannabis. Schools generally and for obvious


staff never know the true extent of infiltration of this insidious habit affecting their own pupils. One thing is certain so far as Kibblesdaje School is concerned: the number of incidents has been exceedingly small. Regular anti-drug counselling, inbuilt curricu­ lar anti-drug initiatives, parent infor­ mation semiars and a tough “bottom line” reduced our problems to an


reasons are reluctant to enter into public debate about the use of drugs, on or off the premises, by pupils. It could be argued that governors and


group of boys were implicated on a suspicion of handling or being found in possession of drugs. They were dealt with according to their degree


absolute minimum. Only a few months ago a small


of involvement. The two pupils recently suspended


and subsequently reinstated by the governors were among the orgmal group. Having been caught and cau­ tioned once, they were caught offend­ ing for the second time. Glynne Ward’s recommendaton for


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permanent exclusion was based on this elementary precept — the pupils had failed to heed the caution and must face the consequences of being caught red-handed smoking cannabis in tne toilets.


unfortunate affair are that the boys concerned have supportive parents and were not considered to be trou­ blesome pupils in class. The decision of the governors was, I am sure, based on humanitarian


The only mitigating factors in this . A GREAT FUTURE


I WAS surprised to see the article in your paper last week entitled “Angry market trad­ ers call it a day.” I felt tkat the article was negative and unbalanced. It did not take account of the operation of market, which is


essentially an outdoor event. Last Tuesday was the day that the whole country


had a blanket of heavy snow. It is quite normal for a low turnout to occur on any market in these conditions. This has happened on the old market site in the past and will probably happen again in the future. The council and traders are looking at ways of preventing this, perhaps by charging trad­


ers whether they attend or not. The entire move on to the new market has been


arranged by agreement with trader representatives. Decisions taken are a direct result of consultation and negotiation and the phasing of this move came as a


direct result of traders’ advice. Many markets run successfully without both light­


ing and guttering. It is an extra provided for the convenience of traders and customers, but not an


essential feature. The two traders who remained open on that day had adapted to the new stalls and made an admirable presentation. The council is committed to the success of the


transition period from old to new markets. It will be a


difficult time for us all, but, by working together and understanding each other’s difficulties over the next few weeks, we will successfully transfer from old to new to the benefit of all concerned. This market has a great future. These teething


problems” are inevitable, but minor in the scale ol such a massive change. Please do not lose sight of the fact that the market is after all, first and fore­


most, for the benefit of the shopper. If Clitheroe market is to thrive and prosper, it


towns.


JOHN PICKSTOCK, (Markets Superintendent)


Bringing life back to town centres


new market as a centrepiece of shopping in Chth- eroe It is disconcerting to find that a minority of market traders are apparently blaming the council for one particularly bad day during what is a crucial


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I WAS very pleased to be present when the new look Clitheroe Market opened for busi­ ness, as pictured and reported in the Adver­


tiser and Times”(March 23rd). ■ I have heard much favourable comment about the


scheme from people in my own village who fre­ quently visit the town for shopping and other pur­ poses. A market town must, of course, have its market, but the development in Clitheroe brings other benefits which are worthy of mention. Bringing life back to town centres is an increas-


must appeal to not only Clitheroe and ^ Ribble Val­ ley customers, but also look to its wider market potential. I would suggest that this kind of report does nothing to attract customers from neighbouring


grounds and was primarily concerned that the permanent exclusion would, or could, affect the future careers of the boys concerned. Glynne Ward and her staff knew this and all concerned were extremely sensitive to this fact. However, unlawful, stupid actions are followed by unpleasant conse­ quences. The harsh facts of life have sometimes to be learned early. What the governors have failed to


perceive is that an articulate and emotive appeal by the parents and their spokesperson have undermined the authority of the people who are at the sharp end of discipline — the head


and her staff.


Where do we go from here? Are we naive enough to think it could not


, „ , be fully vindicated.


DAVID BOWKER, 8 Park Avenue, Clithcroc.


Duty to protect our village


There has been a new development. Ribble Valley Council states that "housing and


I READ the article about the development of the Calderstones site in the paper last week.


employment is to be offered and this should include light industry, research and offices as well as educa­ tion, tourism and conservation activities . This is one of the options that a firm or con­


sultants was employed by Lancashire County Coun­ cil to look at. The other included high-density house


bUWe!lk the consultants have now made their report back to the Lancashire County Council and guess what-' — they say that the second option of high-den-


sitv house building is the only viable option. When I was quoted in last week s paper that


The people of Whalley should have a say m what is happening to their village, if we are to believe


,


that democracy is alive in the Ribble Valley. One report I read recently, called “The Northern


Special and Economic Associates,


Lights,” leads me to believe this will not happen. This was a report put together by a firm.of consultants, called


for the professional property services. In this report, it states that the strategic plan­


ners’ view must prevail over the local view. It actually targets towns and surrounding districts m


the North for large-scale development. The villagers of Whalley must act now- if they do


not want the village to become a suburb of one or


the larger towns in the area. We have a duty to protect our village from such


indy important issue and is linked to the current planning concepts of “Secured by Design. As chair­ man of the borough’s housing committee, I am par­ ticularly pleased that the market scheme incorporates a housing element, namely the provision by the Brad­ ford and Northern Housing Association of a block ol 20 one and two bedroom flats which are approaching completion and should be ready for occupation by the summer. The council will have nomination nghts lor the new dwellings, which means that besides keep­ ing the town centre alive we will be able to reduce


the housing waiting list.


It is important to realise that the housing element was crucial to the whole market scheme, since the


, , . . ,


sale of the land to accommodate it provided the financial resource to “kick start” the project. It was pleasing to note that Mr Peter Favell, the


environment.


Valley councillors if you have strong views on the matter.


Please contact your local councillors and Kibble , n . . , .


D. WYNNE 3 Queen Mary Terrace,


Whalley.


retiring Clitheroe Chamber of Trade president, praised the market redevelopment in his speech at the chamber’s AGM. His reference to the installa­ tion of closed-circuit television cameras m the town centre highlights the links between the two projects both of which are designed to make Clithei oe a safei and better place in which to live and work.


CHARLES WARKMAN (Coun.), Ribble Valley Borough Council Housing Committee Chairman), Hob Green, Mellor.


UU WIVVll)


being rainetf on our local schools. The budget allocations schools are now being


will force governors to consider cutbacks on main­ tenance, equipment and staffing.


Having survived the last six tumultuous years,


.


Safequards needed to protect our water


I WISH to draw your readers’ attention to the Government’s Environ mental Bill, 1995, which is now proceeding through the House of


Commons. - -


important environmental bills to pass through Par­ liament in a decade or more. The bill will merge the


I t is one of the most


-----* felt that if the Government had given it even more


_


funding it would have had the teeth of steel, which would have instilled fear


existing functions of the National Rivers Authority (NRA), Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Pollution (HMIP) and waste regula­ tion authorities into one body on January 1st, 1996. This will probably result in the Government’s largest quango.


is DAMP DESTROYING


| oppostion, which said:“We will cut back on the num­ ber of quangos.” I have not seen much


Was it not the Conser­ wages. This is another vative Party,,when last in


into every potential pol­ luter in the land. We need the NRA as a separate body with even more power than i t has at present. We in the Ribble Valley have watched HMIP in action and it seems most people are not happy with its image in looking after, we, the people who pay its


quango, which gives me _.ie impression of being spineless and very poor at I h(ope


presentation.


action on this front. I have always maintained that quangos are not demo­ c ra t ic and should be abolished. With the formation of the NRA way back in the


shall be proved wronf*.


1980s, by the late Nicholas Ridley, were we not told: “It’s the best thing for the rivers and streams of England and Wales.” Since then, the Govern­ ment has often told us how efficient and effective the NRA was. So why the change? Why the merger with other bodies? ’Die following questions


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1995, is not ju s t about clean water for a few fishermen. It affects all of us. Naturalists, environ­ mentalists, boys, girls, men and women! The air we breath, the land we play on, the fauna, flora


The Environmental Bill,


must not be an o th e r government quango for


this Government’s friends (the socialists are no dif­ ferent when it comes to


quangos) or a charter for those who would pollute


the water we drink, the air we breath and the land we walk on. It must have teeth to protect the smal­ lest to the largest inhabi­ tants of this land. Don’t let your children say to you in the year 2010, when the water and air qualities are polluted: “What did you do mum and dad when the Environment Bill, 1995, was g o in g th ro u g h Parliament?”


MARTIN JAMES, Kingfisher, Meadowside, Grindleton.


I AM dismayed at the latest monetary assaults AND OCCASIONAL FURNITURE?


Dismayed by the monetary assault on our schools


asked to reduce staff and cope with larger classes. Hardly the “period of con­ solidation” promised by Sir Don Deanng! Parents, teachers and


governors realise how pre­ cious the education of their children is in the state sec­ tor. The Government does


not. Private schools have no


pro b lem s with th e i r finances — they adjust


their fees accordingly. Two-tier systems are developing nicely under this "caring” regime whore


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A. O. DONNELL, (Retired teacher), Baldwin Road, Clithcroe


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and wildlife in all corners of England and Wales. It is the future of tomorrow’s generation yet to be bom. What can we, the gen­


must be asked. Will they lose any of their powers? Will the funding he cut? Will staff lose tneir jobs? The NRA has the power to regulate discharges.


Will tms continue? I am told that the pro­


posed environmental bill currently before Parlia­ ment — it is to take over the pollution control func­ tions of the NRA — will, in clause seven of the bill, have its powers to control pollution reduced.


my fears. s ta n d


tie Nature,


These are just some of I also under-


, { I nave been a great fan j of the NRA and always


...___ _ „ie NRA aSd.the Broads Authority have expressed their concern at this proposal.


t> of


eral public, do, you are probably asking? I t is quite simple. Write to y o u r lo c a l MP, th e environment minister and


th e P r im e M in is te r . Remember, we e le c t them, we can reject them. Members of Parliament do read and take notice of


nationally, is lobbying MPs to get vast numbers of them to sign Early Day Motions (EDMs) in sup­ port of amendments to the •proposed legislation. Your Friends of the E a r th representative locally Do rtnnald Anderson, of 12 Warwick Drive, Clitheroe. His


constituent’s letters. This is certainly true of Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans. Friends of the Earth,


ld Clitheroe 24279. is


1995, must address the concerns of everyone. It


telephone number The Environment Bill,


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happen again? What happens next time? Surely there cannot be differ­ ent decisions for similar offences! Members of the governing body of


Ribblesdale have put themselves at the top of a very slippery slope. They have alienated the head, the staff and probably hundreds of parents who look for a firm stand on an issue as


serious as drugs. Thank you, Glynne, for five good


years under your headship. You deserve better than this and I think in future your efforts and policies will


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