Clitheroe 422324 (Editorial), 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified) +6 Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, Thursday, June 14th, 2007 www.clitheroeadvertiser.co.uk Clitheroe 422324 (Editorial), 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified)


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Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, Thursday, June 14th, 2007 7


Letters to the Editor - Write to: The Editor. Clitheroe Advertiser and T im e s ,K in g Street, Clitheroe BB72KW Kditorial e •mail: vivien.meatlifo eastlancsnews.co.uk ~j -t V’> "


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‘ .<* * 1.5VA v Desecration of


our historic trees I READ with astonishment your story about the York Street lime trees. As 1 understand it, the trees


were fatally damaged by workmen digging a deep trench immediately adjacent to their trunks. Anyone with half a brain would


realise that such an act of crass stupidity could have only one out­ come, and yet you report that offi­ cials from Lancashire County Council approved the building works. Furthermore, the very same


council is now "working with the district council” to resolve the problem. And how? By knocking down


SOME of (he magnificent trees under threat (CK060G07/5)


This ale was sheer bliss!


I HAVE just returned from a very enjoyable few weeks stay with friends in the Ribble Valley. Being a real ale enthusiast (sadly there is very


little of it over here), I decided to sample some of the beers on offer at your recent beer festival. I was very impressed with the wide choice of


ales and enjoyed discussing them with fellow enthusiasts. Top marks to the organisers and helpful bar staff for providing an afternoon of sheer bliss.


LON VINNIGRY Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Eire


the very trees they have effective­ ly consigned to the axe. If ever there was a self-fulfilling


prophesy, this is it. A cynic might say the trees were


damaged intentionally, but regard­ less of the truth of the matter I believe there should be an urgent investigation into the matter. Perhaps the local ombudsman


would be interested in learning how and why a council might over­ see the desecration of historic trees, and why it would then have the gall to claim that it was "con­ sulting" local people on what to do. One final point: who is actually


going to pay for the damage? Will there, perhaps, be a sub­ s tantial donation from those


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NIGEL BUNYAN, Holden, Bolton-hy-Bowland


This is corporate


vandalism! BEWARE axe-man cometh. Last Easter a perfectly good tree


was felled adjacent to the retire­ ment homes in Fairfield Drive. The tree helped improve the setting of the retirement homes which are sur- rounded by a stockade of what appears to be recycled pallets. The local councillor informed me that the tree was removed because it was too close to one of the houses and its roots might cause damage and also that full consultation had taken place. The tree was about 15 feet from the nearest property which is 14 feet further away than the huge trees next to the council offices. The council seems to have a new invention to science that can detect roots without the need of digging trenches and that this tree had chosen to send its roots under the nearest building to avoid the rain. I asked the locals about the consultation and only one person had been contacted and that person had complained about a tree branch being close to her back window. She expected the tree to be pruned and was amazed to find the tree had been felled while she was away on holiday. With that sort of attitude and


reasoning I fear the trees in York Street will shortly be no more. It has happened before, the same


old lame excuses were used to remove an avenue of trees in Chat- burn Road and Henthorn Road alongside many individual trees around the town. They were replaced by little sticks which still to this day are little sticks. Since when has the council wor­


ried about pavements? There are plenty of areas in the town without trees that are in a poor state of repair. The trees don’t show any dis­ tress at having some roots removed and of course they will quickly re­ grow. If the electricity board have made some of the trees unstable why wasn’t something done imme­ diately (not all of the trees were affected)? I suggest that the true reason for


this madness is money and this year the Government, with good inten­ tion, has offered money to help councils remove dangerous trees. If there was genuine regret at the


obvious degeneration of this area of the town then the replacement trees would be of a similar size like the ones recently planted in central Manchester. From past experience the replacement will be with 7ft. sticks. Sadly in a short time the axe-man


will come, money change hands, job done and with a bit of sickening publicity they will get a few stu­ dents from the grammar school to plant a few little sticks. I t is, in my opinion, corporate


vandalism. (You can see avenues of mature


lime trees around St James and Bushlev in London they are around SOft. tall and were planted in 1060 and are not under threat).


BUZZ Name and address supplied


Excuse to avoid


sweeping leaves REGARDING the felling of lime trees in Y


rork Street. Mr David


Hewitt is quite wrong in saying the lime tree is unsuitable for urban areas. How come in most European towns and cities the lime flourishes? In Berlin they are almost wor­ shipped, one of their great military marches was named after them. Why are they still healthy after all these years growing in York


Street? I have never seen any gale dam­


age to these trees, and for what lit­ tle damage there is to the footpath there is plenty of space to walk around the trunks. I get the impression that the


council is looking for excuses, as it can’t be bothered to sweep up the leaves in the autumn.


J. S. BAILEY Well Court, Clitheroc


Positive plus for


the environment RE: Letters - “Historic Trees Face The Axe” While walking my children down


Chatburn Road on the way to the Castle Park, I have been conscious of the numerous vehicles exceeding the speed limit by a large margin. I was always pleased to reach the rel­ ative safety of the lime trees in York Street after negotiating the traffic at the roundabout. Now, of course, I realise that it is these very trees rather than the speeding drivers that pose a threat to pedestrians! Has the council conducted a


proper investigation into exactly how dangerous the trees are com­ pared to speeding cars and vans? Surely in the interests of safety the council’s resources would be better employed promoting effective speed controls on roads like Chatburn Road rather than the felling of trees that contribute positively to the environment.


T. HILLSDON Chatburn Road, Clithcroe


Barrow plans: two


residents reply THE following is a copy of a letter sent to Messrs Gerald and Harry Hitman in response to documents they have circulated to residents in Barrow about their proposals to develop land there.:


Dear Mr Hitman, Thank you for your correspon­


dence with “your" colourful depic­ tion of “our” village in the future. Did all of the villagers receive the same or just those of whom you


We welcome your


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may deem as possible objectors to your grand plan? No doubt you are aware that Ribble Valley Borough Council (RBVC) is currently preparing its LDF Core Strategy as part of a minimum three-year proj­ ect as it is obliged to do so, given the recent implementation of the new Primary Planning Legislation. We note that your “interesting”


documents form part of a submis­ sion to RBVC. Our local authority has openly sought public opinion and we assume that your well-pre­ pared views are in response to this present core strategy? We acknowledge that most vil­


lagers’ knowledge of the present upheaval in planning law is very limited. We also believe that the majority of Barrow residents think you have made an actual planning application to RVBC. This appears to have caused a great deal of dis­ tress, unease and turmoil within our community. The document you have publicly disclosed is manifest­ ly partial in its nature. It is driven as much by develop­


er’s financial motivation as by the suspicious claims in your covering letter for there to be a “golden opportunity to refine them to ensure the real wishes of the people of Bar- row put into action”. When and where did this opportunity occur for us to highlight the improvements we may wish for “our” village? What you have cleverly achieved is to cre­ ate the illusion, for many Barrow residents, that your plans are a lot further down the line than what is actual reality! In the circumstances we respect­


fully invite you to make a full dis­ closure of your submission. Include the names of your colleagues in your consortium. Then we will know who we are dealing with! Publicly apolo­ gise to all Barrow residents for the undoubted confusion your docu­ ments have caused and instruct your consortium’s qualified planners to explain as best they can, in plain English, precisely where and how these documents fit into the present forward planning procedure as of today!


MRS JOSEPHINE RAW and MRS NICOLA KING, Cockerill Terrace, Barrow


Rapping robot tours by Duncan Smith


A RAPPING robot named Recy­ cler began a tour of Ribble Valley primary schools this week. The state-of-the-art robot, pic­


tured, is on a mission to spread the word about the importance of recycling Between June 11th and 21st,


Recycler will visit primary schools throughout Ribble Valley to bring recycling to life through his exciting, interactive educa­ tional show. It is aimed at teach­ ing pupils and teachers all about “the three Rs” - reduce, reuse and recycle - and yes, the robot really does do a funky rapl Recycler shows children what


they can do to make a difference and give examples of how they can put the three Rs into practice at home and school. Dave Taggart, Recycler Educa-


■ Or / €


one tonne of waste each year and more than half of th is can be recycled. “Recycler raps to the children


all about recycling and what they can do to help. The children quickly pick it up and join in - it’s a great way to remember impor­ ta n t messages and take them home.” Coun. Robert Thompson,


chairman of Ribble Valley Bor­ ough Council’s community com­ mittee, added: “Educating chil­ dren about the importance of recycling and the environment is the path to a greener future. “We are committed to promot­


ing recycling through educational opportunities and are delighted to welcome Recycler to the bor­ ough.” The Recycler educational pro­


tion Officer, said: “Every house­ hold in the UK throws away over


gramme is part of the national “Recycle Now” communications campaign.


Artists with little time to spare!


LOCAL art group New Form Arts, that’s their logo on the right, has been busy of late. During Clitheroe Festival weekend, members of the art group were out and about promoting their work. They were based at the library to provide a showcase of art and managed to escape to the streets to encourage the


Clitheroe public to get involved. A spontaneous


children’s art com­ petition proved to


be a great success • and was enjoyed by all, while for the adults there was a chance to witness the artists in action. This was the group’s fourth exhibition and a good indica­ tion of the success it is enjoying. This weekend


there is another chance to see the art group exhibit, as its members take over Chatburn Village Hall for the second year running as part of the Bowland Fes­ tival. Work to be exhibited will range from the traditional to contemporary, using watercolours, calligraphy, encaus­ tic art and much more. A few artists will


be stationed at the hall to provide prac­


' *


tical demonstrations. The exhibition will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. New Form Arts is always


looking for new members to join in, so whether you just dabble for fun or are a seri­ ous artist, log on to www.newformarts.org.uk to find out more about the group.


• WINNERS in the East Lan­ cashire Hospice lottery weekly draw were: £1,000 - Mrs Cartledge, Blackburn; £250 - Mrs Wrigley, Clitheroe; £100 - Mrs Walsh, Dar- wen. If you would like to join the lot­ tery, call Gill on 01254342847.


A ; A . A


AN excellent night of Ital­ ian extravagance was enjoyed all in aid of charity. Almost 100 members and


guests of the Ribble Valley Macmillan Cancer Relief 100 Club gathered at Gavi’s res tau ran t, in Whalley Road, Clitheroe, to enjoy the special evening and raise more than £800 for the deserving charity. During the event, a


cheque for £24,000 was also presented to boost funds for


* 4 - a i.4


A tasty treat in a good cause


Macmillan Cancer Relief. This amount had been raised during the past 12 months thanks to a number of fund-raising events, donations, charity lunches and sportsman’s evenings. The committee members


send thanks all individuals and businesses th a t have supported the club’s events. During this year, lunches


will be held at the Spread Eagle, in Sawley, on May 16th and in August and


November with another spectacular ball on Friday, November 2nd. Anyone wishing to join


the club or attend one the lunches should contact the secretary, Margaret Moult on 01254 812672. Our picture shows com­


mittee member Mrs Carole Field (middle) with the cheque, along with other members of the club and staff.


(T170407/3)


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