Why no vets in Hemsby area?

I read the letter in last week’s Mercury where a lady brought up the subject of there being no vets in this area yet they are opening another one in Gorleston. I live in the Newport area and until three weeks ago I was lucky to have someone to take me to the vets at Acle but unfortunately he is now unable to drive.

I am an old age pensioner and am not able to carry a cat all the way to the vets so what are we supposed to do? I am not the only person in this area in the same position as because I do not receive any benefits I cannot use the RSPCA in Tar Works Road, Yarmouth which I think is wrong just because I have worked all my life and paid for a pension we are penalised.

So why haven’t we got a vets?

V M SPELLER

Email

County decided charges at tip

I am writing in reply to Mrs D Chamber’s letter regarding the £68 charge to drop off her shed at the Caister recycling centre. I completely agree with her that £68 is expensive when you consider her husband was doing what would be the logical thing to do.

However, I do have to put a couple of facts right. I worked there for five years until this year and the charge that ranges from £30 to £68 is set by Norfolk County Council.

The staff on the site get none of this money and believe me, the abuse and arguments that myself and current staff got for enforcing this was a regular occurrence.

There is also no discretion other than the one 80 litre item per seven days.

In early 2014, myself and the staff recommended to several NCC officers that the charge should be reduced from what was then £20 to a smaller scale of charges based on a per item basis. A few weeks later we got new signs saying the new minimum charge would be £30!

This gives you an indication of how much NCC listened to us. let alone the public.

Another point is that Great Yarmouth Borough Council is responsible for clearing flytipping so NCC has no incentive to reduce the charges in the flytipping argument. It basically states you can clear your shed over a six-week period for free. On a note of good news, the recycling centre is providing a hazardous waste amnesty on Saturday and Sunday, September 12 and 13.

So I advise as many residents as possible to get rid of old paints, thinners, chemicals and fire extinguishers while they can. This amnesty is done only once a year and is completely free.

Cllr ANDY GRANT

Ormesby

Pay to do right thing is wrong

Replying to Ms Tungate’s letter about my original letter concerning the recycling tip.

The question I was asking was why had my husband been asked for the £68 when we pay council tax for refuse that’s what I want to know.

And yes, I will be getting in touch with the county council to complain but I work full-time and do shifts.

My other point was if the council is trying to stamp out flytipping they need to have a stern word with their employees because I could just have easily dumped the shed but it was reloaded and taken elsewhere. And I can assure you that they were not threatened with disrespect.

Myself and my husband both work full-time, pay council tax, full rent, don’t get any help with benefits and are asked for more money for doing the right thing. Unfair in my book.

Mrs D CHAMBERS

Email

Chalets are not a thing of the past

Following letters and reports in the Mercury regarding the old Pontins site at Hemsby ie Gordon Craig stating it could go for housing, and affordable housing at that. Keith Kyriacou, the Hemsby Parish Council chairman states he sees the Pontin’s site with its 1960s buildings etc as a thing of the past.

I do not know what he is on about as the chalets there now were built in the 1970s. Despite what they are saying the site should be for the holiday trade. I cannot see 200 houses bringing in holiday trade.

P TURNER

St Margaret’s Way,

Fleggburgh

Sort out Syria at its source

I have been hands-on involved in welfare work since 1984 with the Mission for Seafarers and the building of the Seamen’s Missions here in Great Yarmouth, then in Tema, West Africa and Le Havre in France for the BSS charity.

But I am now in a quandary. Sad people, through no fault of their own, should be cared for and at the same time through a coalition of Western countries entering Syria and removing the present regime. This will give the coalition a strong foothold in Syria and with US help deal with the butchers from so-called Islamic State.

This has to be done before any efforts are made to move further migrants.

I came out of hospital last week so I have first-hand knowledge of just how stretched our NHS is. Then I read that doctors must do a seven-day week. The NHS is at full capacity now so by accepting thousands of migrants how will it cope?

Great Yarmouth food banks are working like doctors at full capacity. The borough council hasn’t the funds for the upkeep of toilets, seafront attractions or the three entrances to the borough.

So against my years of caring for peoples of any nation, religion I must say any more influx of welfare cases will only cause further unwanted stress to already stressed-out people.

Will social services, doctors, schools, housing be able to cope with such an influx of destitute people. Just look at the state our borough is in.

On another point, we cannot afford a third bridge crossing and it should not split the river in two, If and when we can afford such an expense the route should be South Denes, South Quay, North Quay, Staples Corner, turn left over Bure Bridge on to the Acle Straight.

This will free up heavy traffic through Gorleston, separate the holiday trade from tourists and most of all keep the river open from mouth to Haven Bridge.

JOHN L COOPER

Burnt Lane,

Gorleston

Council is in a tricky situation

The public meeting last week into the redevelopment of the Pontins site at Hemsby for up for 200 dwellings and community/commercial facilities, was very well attended. Brandon Lewis MP and site owners Northern Trust were not present.

The public were invited by parish council chairman Keith Kyriacou to ask questions after council officer Dean Minns explained the planning application that had been re-submitted. Several people had very relevant questions to ask and some were not so relevant. Eastport?

There were some people shouting from the back of the room and others politely asking their questions when asked after raising their hands.

As I see it the GYBC are in a very tricky situation, they have the government’s Core Strategy Policy Programme on one hand, and the developers and Hemsby Parish Council and residents on the other.

The residents and Hemsby PC do not want 200 houses on the site. They are more in favour of mixed occupancy, mainly leisure and local amenities such as a school and doctor’s surgery etc.

Developers must come up with a viable proposition which has to be approved by GYBC, for the site within a given period of time, to comply with the government’s Core Strategy Policy, which is to accommodate 7,000 homes within the eastern area in the next five years. There are already several sites earmarked for development in Hemsby some of which already have planning approval for houses.

Why is this land not being used first, before the Pontin’s site needs to be considered.

Nothing is going to be done with the Pontin’s site anytime soon, because even if the latest planning application is approved, yet another one will have to be drawn up with all the specific details on it for them to be approved.

This can take several years to come to final agreement, by which time it will be too late for GYBC to fulfil the criteria of the Core Strategy Policy. If they don’t do this, Northern Trust will invite developers to build on it as they see fit. This is how I understand it. If I’ve got it wrong I know someone will soon put me right.

P SUTTON

Hemsby

Interested in joining council?

The four-year term to be served by current members of Bradwell Parish Council will come to an end in May 2016, and elections for a new council will therefore take place then.

If you live in Bradwell, and are interested in joining the council, or would like to find out more about what membership involves, there will be a drop in session held between 2pm and 8pm on Tuesday, September 15, when you will have the opportunity of a chat with the council chairman and possibly other members.

If you would like to attend then, please could you telephone 01493 444478 (24-hour answerphone), or email clerk@bradwellparishcouncil.co.uk, by 5pm on Monday, September 14, stating an approximate time when you hope to arrive?’

JEREMY CABORN

Parish Clerk,

Bradwell Parish Council

Elderly evicted from bowls rinks

We learned on September 1 that Great Yarmouth Indoor Bowls Club will only be in existence for one more season, and then we will be evicted from our present location within the Marina Centre. The club is unable to meet the amount of income required by the borough council and new operators Sentinel.

We are being replaced by a new gym and fitness centre to cater for the needs of a younger generation. To quote Cllr Carl Smith: “The investment in the Marina Centre underlines the Borough Council’s ongoing commitment to improving and modernising sports and leisure facilities promoting and enhancing the health and fitness of local residents. The redevelopment will hugely benefit everyone.” Really? So they axe the bowls, the only sports activity that caters for the older generation because we are not making enough money. Surely they can reconsider housing the bowls club somewhere within the Marina Centre in a smaller area?

For some of our members , bowling is the only exercise they get and it is also very important to them socially, keeping them in touch with their friends and fellow bowlers.

HELEN FARROW

Great Yarmouth Indoor Bowls Club

Weather caused by Gulf shift

After another spell of disturbing weather, my mind was cast back to a letter I wrote to the Yarmouth Mercury dated March 14, 2014 in which I referred to what I thought was the cause of it: a shift of the Gulf Stream brought about at the time by severe solar activity.

Stating then, should it not return to its normal position, the disturbed situation would continue.

Well, it didn’t! In fact it has veered even further east starting vicious looking cloud swirls over Europe. Let’s wait awhile, it could swing back to the norm!

JACK DYE

Gonville Road,

Gorleston

Elderly users of Marina are hit

Good news that the Marina Centre is being updated but at what cost, especially to senior citizens. I have been swimming at the centre three times a week for over 20 years.

This July my membership went up £25 for six months, now Sentinel want us to pay for a gym and swim at extra cost. How many 70 to 80 year olds like me can use the gym? They want us to keep fit and healthy but how many can afford these increases? Come on Sentinel, you are a charitable company, think of the senior citizens and others of Great Yarmouth.

D LOWE

Grenville Place,

Great Yarmouth

Town should buy George Medal

It was with a sad heart I read the article about the sale of the George Medal which used to hang in the Great Yarmouth fire station on Friars Lane for 15 of the 20 years I served at Yarmouth.

There are a number of families that owe a great deal to this fireman’s heroism. The town should be very proud of Mr Fred Sadd and if the sale of this medal does go ahead then as a serving borough councillor I sincerely hope the council would try to purchase it for display in the town hall where it would be on show - as was the intention of the son to keep it in the town his father served.

Cllr MICHAEL T JEAL

Young man held hand after fall

I would like to thank the young gentleman who helped me after I had a fall on the Market Gates escalator. He held my head upright and held my hand until the ambulance came. This was very nice as not many people would stop and wait until the ambulance comes. When I arrived at the James Paget Hospital I was also treated by very friendly staff.

JOSE BROWN

Cambridge Way,

Gorleston

Thanks for care at James Paget

I have recently spent a month in the James Paget Hospital, and felt I must just write to say how grateful I am to Mr Lall and his team for all they did for me, and to Ward 9, the nurses were so kind, nothing was too much trouble for them. I cannot praise any of them too much, the Outpatients Department, ambulancemen, right down to the tea ladies. The food was really great. I thank them all very much.

EDNA SPRINGALL

Halvergate

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Mr Khurana and the staff in Ward 7 at the James Paget University Hospital for the care and kindness shown to me during my short stay at the hospital. I would also like to thank the community nurses and the physio team for their aftercare.

DANIEL SAUNDERS

Caister Road, Great Yarmouth

I would just like this opportunity to publicly thank all the staff at the James Paget University Hospital for the high level of care I received whilst I was admitted for elective surgery to have another total hip replacement. So thanks again to Mr Cohen and his orthopaedic team, everyone in recovery, the Charnwood Suite, domestic services, catering, HSDU, the linen room and medical records where I a working at the moment. I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone. Keep up the great work Team JPUH.

STEVE GILHAM

Email

Well done East Coast Truckers

I would like through the letters page to congratulate the charitable organisation East Coast Truckers on the 30th anniversary of their convoy. I know they have strong connections with Cobholm Community Centre and its volunteers regularly extending their authentic Cobholm welcome to these disabled and disadvantaged children.

I and my late mother used to wait in Mill Road and welcome them with many others and so relished the cacophony of wonderful noise made by the truckers and we took great delight in watching the children’s happy faces in this inspiring convoy of lorries.

They have gone from strength to strength and are a witness to what can be achieved in terms of altruism and a sincere commitment, not just to talk the talk but ride the ride. They also provide free holidays and all manner of help and assistance. I recently read of their offer to replace a sensory lawn which was a delight and necessity for a five year old autistic boy which had been stolen. I quote MIchael Read: “This is what we do as a charity” and good on them for making a real significant difference to lives.

I’m afraid I will have to go political now but I personally would like to see this ethos and real compassion extended to the on-going refugee situation and Britain taking a real leading role in this humanitarian disaster. Men women and children who are caught up from no fault of their own in war-ravaged countries and are escaping from intolerable conditions such as Syria. Like the inspiring example of the East Coast Truckers may our charity and welcome extend to these disenfranchised people and that children like Aylan Kurdi do not lose their lives for the sake of action by our Government and the British people.

No-one is disputing it is a complex situation which needs radical and far reaching solutions but our British tradition of caring and welcoming refugees, such as the Kindertransport which rescued thousands of children from Nazi Germany to freedom and safety, has never been more needed in our frightening and fractured world.

JUDITH A DANIELS

Winifred Road,

Cobholm