Council exploits the motorists

I am writing to you as I feel very upset at how the council are exploiting innocent drivers. On October 15 I parked my car on St George’s Road and went off to work as usual. I park there every day if spaces are available and have done for several years. On returning, I found a parking ticket attached to my windscreen. I was slightly confused and could not understand why. I then noticed parking restrictions had changed from 24 hours to one hour waiting only.

The sign is quite small and as I have parked there for years, did not think to check.

I was then approached by a resident who told me the restrictions had changed about 10 days earlier and several drivers had been caught out. She said she had been sitting in her front room waiting for people to park there and was going out to warn them.

She also said that nobody had noticed the change and apparently traffic wardens had been patrolling the road to catch out people.

I emailed the council protesting this change should have been made clearer, ie a large sign placed in the area to warn drivers and was told it was placed in the Great Yarmouth Mercury and it was down to me to read the article and I should have read the sign when I was parking.

The council is obviously taking advantage and are on to a nice little earner. I wonder how many other drivers have been caught out like myself and whether the council have made the general public aware of the changes in these parking restrictions. The fine has cost me a whole day’s wages. I am sick to my stomach to think our council are doing this and can get away with it.

I have 12 days to pay £25 or the fine then increases to £50.

KAREN HALLIDAY

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Lucky to have the Paget staff

I recently visited the James Paget for a routine check up carried out at the endoscopy suite. They were very busy as always but this did not affect my treatment which was carried out in a professional and caring way.

This was my second visit and although the staff were different people I found them cheerful, helpful and above all went out of their way to take my mind off of the procedure which to be honest can be a little stressful for the patient. We talked about food, which in the end made the doctor feel quite hungry. We all had a laugh and I went on my way until the next time.

Oh how lucky we are to have these people looking after us.

My message to the government. Treat NHS staff the way they treat us. We all know savings have to made but never with front line staff pay. These people are the NHS... abuse them and you risk losing them.

BRENDON WALKER

Bradwell

Who monitors North Denes?

Land swap or land grab? Sounds more like the latter where the Haven Seashore caravan park is concerned. (Mercury, October 17, about land in the Jellicoe Road area. They seem to have carte blanche to do what they like, ploughing up the sand dunes and putting in walkways and steps all over the place.

I note that further north, on the other side of the Caister Lifeboat Station, a private property owner seems to be doing the same thing - and others will surely follow suit.

The question is, who is monitoring the situation, and, more specifically, just what does Haven Seashore put back into the community?

MIKE SPRAGG

Collingwood Road,

Great Yarmouth

Beginning of an era this year

In September 2014 it was an end of an era and a beginning of an era. Alex left Ormiston Herman Academy to start Ormiston Venture Academy and Jamie started Ormiston Herman Academy. Their mum Lisa attended the school when it was known as Herman First and Middle School and it has become interesting to us all to find out about the history of the school.

So Herman’s Heritage was born... We are looking for photos, stories and anything else related to Herman School past and present.

A Facebook Group has been set up: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HermansHeritage/ and if anyone can help with any information please feel free to contact Alex, Tia, Adam and Jamie Hutchinson at HermansHeritage@TiasTreasures.net

The HUTCHINSON FAMILY

Email

Who will answer my questions?

It is good news that unemployment is down locally although the Euro and world economy downturn could mean further risks to jobs, so fragile is the recovery. The issue of unemployment is more complex than raw numbers that the Government has announced. (Mercury, October 17).

How many people gained jobs in the town or are people having to commute to prospering Norwich? How many people are lost due to statistical changes?

How many are in zero hours or part-time jobs with all the uncertainties that brings? How many are in minimum wages jobs with the taxpayer subsiding employers through tax credits and benefits?

How many are in temp jobs with the uncertainty that brings? How many are unregistered with all the hassle of benefit claims?

How many have been forced off benefits? How many older workers have just given up and drawing on savings? How many families are struggling after losing well paid jobs to take lower paid work?

How much is the impact of unemployment having on health and welfare services?

What has been the cost of making so many public servants redundant and into early retirement? In some cases, a year’s salary has been paid when they could have been working! How many people are under employed in jobs that fail to match their skills and qualifications?

How many young people that should be in apprenticeships are unemployed or lesser jobs? The support to young people of Connexions has almost disappeared due to Government cuts. How many new graduates are under employed?

How many jobs remain at risk of being lost? Is the extra help for the disabled working? How are ex offenders faring in the jobs market? Could more have been done to help the unemployed with job creation programmes like in the past?

UKIP supporters, in particular, will wonder how many local jobs have been lost to EU workers?

The country must get back to full employment with well paid jobs, proper training schemes and help to get back to work. We are wasting our most important asset of people.

CHRIS WRIGHT

Victoria Street,

Caister

Support for Cllr’s principled stand

While not living in his ward, I would nonetheless like to express my support for the principled stand taken by councillor Colin Fox over the new ban on garden waste from grey bins.

Throughout the borough we have effectively been blackmailed into subscribing to garden waste collection through either the brown bin or paper sack systems.

This constitutes a de facto rise in council tax for all but those few residents with no gardens at all.

By contrast to the stand taken by Mr Fox comes the unthinking words of his former leader on the council, Trevor Wainwright.

Mr Wainwright speaks of the “win-win” situation residents now find themselves in.

Firstly, while Yarmouth may now be in line with the rest of the county in banning garden waste from grey bins, is it the case that all other Norfolk residents have to pay on top of their council tax to have it collected?

Secondly, the “option to take it to the tip.” An option, yes, but hardly a free one. This assumes, of course, access to a car and the fuel to run it on. Or is Mr Wainwright offering lifts?

If I were a member of the Labour group on the council I think I know which of these two gentlemen I would prefer to have as my leader.

RUSSELL GORDON

Youell Avenue,

Gorleston

Why charge for green waste bin?

Three cheers for Cllr Colin Fox who has the guts to stand up for low income householders who will be affected by the new rules on garden waste in bins.

I have had a brown bin from the start. I pay for this to be emptied 24 times a year. At least nine times I have nothing to collect, but three or four times a year I have extra, which I have always put into my green garden bag or left by my brown bin.

But now the men are refusing to take this although I know of other properties that have several extra black bags out and these are collected every time. I cannot afford to buy another brown bin.

Other councils don’t charge for green waste to be collected. I don’t see why we should.

I have never had much interest in UKIP but if they do better in the local council for local people I think a lot of us will think good and hard when it comes to voting as this lot do very little for us.

You only have to look at Yarmouth town centre: it says it all. We need a few more like Colin Fox.

A BLAKE

Address withheld

Newtown youth club must open

I am writing this on behalf of the Newtown community with concern over the Newtown youth club. I would love to see the youth club open for the children around here; they need something or somewhere warm.

I went under the bridge the other day and what an eyesore it was and children were climbing the fence as the centre was locked.

Throw away the flowers the council buys to put on the roundabouts and on the seafront, which must cost a pretty penny, and I am sure they could sort something out for these children and get them off the streets.

Mrs PAIGE

Sturdee Avenue,

Great Yarmouth

Impressed with JPH treatment

I have had reason to be admitted twice to the James Paget Hospital since January, once to the Charnwood suite and then to ward 7. I would like to say on both occasions I was very impressed with the first class treatment and aftercare I received from doctors, nurses and auxiliaries. The food was very good and service very professional. Everywhere was clean and tidy.

I was treated very well and always kept informed as to my progress for, and after, my knee replacement. Thank you very much.

JOHN PALMER

Patterson Close,

Great Yarmouth

Rhetoric is all meaningless

“Brits my boss”, says Cameron; the only reason Westminster is entertaining leaving the EU is because of the formidable challenge to the government presented by UKIP. Therefore, the political rhetoric is all meaningless hot air to avert a crisis and woo the electorate away from UKIP.

If the Conservatives (or Labour) win the next election, it will be business as usual of handing more British Sovereignty to Brussels.

On a more relevant note: I was delighted to learn street performer, John the puppet man, is performing as usual.

ROGER HAYES

Beccles Road,

Bradwell

Silver Sunday success thanks

On behalf of Soundwaves Community Singers, I would like to thank Norfolk Broads Lions for the kind sponsorship of the afternoont at Soundwaves Community Singers Silver Sunday Event on October 12 at All Saints Parish Hall, Scratby.

I would also like to thank the following people and businesses for their kind donations of raffle prizes: Hemsby Craft Shop, QD-Lathams, Chapmans Butchers Martham, Hemsby Fish and Chip Shop, The Coffee Station Hemsby, Clatterpot Studio Hemsby, Glass Rainbows Caister, East Coast Restaurant, and the Premier Shop Caister. Also thanks to O L Church Hemsby and Scratby, Winterton and Martham Post Offices for offering to hold tickets for the event and finally to all those friends and family of the singers and the caretaker at All Saints Hall for their help and support on the day.

The event was a great success and we have had many comments about the positive impact the day had for those present, with many asking when is the next one? Many people joined in the singing, particularly at the end when we linked arms to sing We’ll Meet Again. Soundwaves plan to use any proceeds from this event towards putting on other community events in the coming year.

SARAH WELSH

Soundwaves Community Singers

Thanks for help after dog lost

I would like to express our sincere thanks to all the people in Caister who helped search for our missing dog on Monday, October 20. I am happy to report he was found safe and well and returned to us by an extremely kind lady and gentleman from Hemsby. We were overwhelmed by the kindness shown by complete strangers and the assistance received by the volunteers at the RSPCA and Haven Veterinary Surgery. Thank you once again to all involved, we have made a donation to the RSPCA as an expression of our gratitude.

ANNE STANDERWICK

Email

How can we stop cats in gardens?

The man who lives in Caister has a problem with cat’s mess; I would imagine he’s not the first and won’t be the last.

My son has a lovely front garden and cats come out at night and use it as a toilet. Does anyone know of a method to stop them, other than sitting up all night to catch them?

I have had a dog for over four years and I go walkies three times a day and in my pocket are many bags to clean up after him. What is wrong with people who just leave their dog’s poo willy-nilly? Do they not feel guilty?

If you can’t clean up after your dog then you should not own one. It takes less than a minute to bag it, tie it and bin it. So simple.

C A BALLS

Bradwell

Simple question hit the blocks

It is well known it is proposed to build another 180 private houses in Caister-on-Sea and an additional 850 in Bradwell.

As part of a general survey to gain local feeling on the 180 to be built in Caister, I have been selected to answer a questionnaire on the subject. In trying to ascertain if there is a genuine need for another traunch of houses to be built here, I contacted the Town Hall housing department.

As part of my summation I requested from them information regarding the number of people they are aware of as being in need of housing in the Caister area (the equivalent council house list of old). A simple request I thought!

The answer I got was unbelievable! You would have thought I was asking for top secret information. I was told in no uncertain terms the information I had asked for was not for general disclosure.

The lady went on I would need to apply under the Freedom of Information Act and even then the information could be withheld.

This is bureaucratic madness, the term “empire building” comes to mind.

Having now contacted our local MP Mr Brandon Lewis I wait with bated breath to see if, as Minister for Housing he too is asked to “mind his own business.”

Building thousands of houses is fine but unless there is the infrastructure to support a growing population, especially where dentists, doctors and schools are concerned it shows our politicians are guilty appeasement to the manifesto and not to local people’s needs.

My son is an example of the above. Having just moved into the area he cannot get a doctor or dentist to take him on and his daughter has to travel some ten miles by bus each day to go to school.

DAVID MORRICE

Villarome,

West Caister

Baptist church’s WW1 roll call

During the First World War, many of the men associated with Park Baptist Church went to fight for their country, and sadly a number did not return. To mark the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War, the Remembrance Service on November 9 at Park Baptist in Great Yarmouth will contain a roll call of names of those who lost their lives to give thanks and say prayers.

Their names are held on a WW1 plaque at the church and if anyone believes these men may be their ancestors, or anyone who knows they have connections with Park Baptist and would like to come to this service please contact the church on 01493 331910 and leave details or come along to the service at 10.45am where everyone is always welcome.

MAXINE CORRIGAN

Church Secretary,

Park Baptist

Fountains would be source of fun

As Great Yarmouth prepares to hibernate for the winter it is a good time to think about what might work well and attract more visitors nex t summer - those who are n ot put off by the parking charges and go swanning off to the next town that is!

During the summer holidays my family and I had a fun day out at Pleasurewood Hills thanks to the Mercury’s birthday club tickets.

We had a great day but by the time we wanted an ice cream the outlets had closed. Not to miss out on our treat we decided to try our luck at Lowestoft seafront.

Having not been for years it was quite a revelation! The fountains near the pier are fantastic and the children had great fun getting thoroughly soaked - and cold. In the end we had to wrap them in an old curtain in the boot of the car. On a warm day I expect it is glorious.

Im sure something similar would go down a storm in Great Yarmouth perhaps somewhere like Sea Life Gardens.

I understand the area near the former Holkham Hotel was once considered for just such an attraction.

Apart from the lovely beach and the park there is not much to do for free for holidaymakers and visitors and I think it would be a real draw bringing people to the town who would ultimately spend money here.

Mrs E JAMES

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