Metheringham News - 2nd September 2010

From Dot Howes

Metheringham Methodist Church hold their Annual Harvest Festival on Sunday 26th September 2010. the service at 10.30a.m. will be led by the Rev Neil Vickers. On Monday 27th September there will be the Harvest Supper and Auction of Produce at 6.30p.m. in the Chapel Hall. Tickets are £6.50 available from Joyce Sellars.

Back by popular demand for one night only and also to raise funds for the roof work on St Wilfrid's Church. Metheringham Amateur Dramatics will be performing The Shakespeare Review on Saturday 18th September in Metheringham Village hall at 7.30p.m. The review is an anthology of songs, sketches and readings with a Shakespearean link and several items were originally performed on radio and TV. There will be some changes to the programme performed last year in Metheringham and earlier this year at The Playhouse in Sleaford. Tickets are £6 for adults and £5 for concessions and they are available from D & K News and Infolinks. Further information is available from Fran on 01526 320827.

Metheringham Parish Council discussed and passed a motion on Tuesday 31st August that in the event of a planning application being submitted for the Nocton Dairies development the Metheringham Parish Council will most urgently request that North Kesteven District Council holds a public consultation meeting in Metheringham Village Hall. The village has the largest population in the area and potentially could also be affected by infrastructure, logistics and other environmental issues.
The public could then see the plans, hear the comments, make their own decisions and notify the council of their concerns but ultimately the decision is up to North Kesteven District Council. The parish council also proposed that a community liaison committee be formed and terms of reference will be drawn up. District Councillor John Rose outlined the time scale for any planning application received. The public consultation period will be for 13 weeks and will commence two weeks after the receipt of the planning application, thought to be mid-Sept..
Around a dozen members of the public attended Metheringham Parish Council's August meeting in the village hall and outnumbered the councillors. The reason for the interest was the agenda item concerning Nocton Dairies. Chairman of the council, Councillor Dr Mike Allen invited each person to make their point during the public forum but asked them to limit the time they spoke to enable everyone to have their say. The speakers were all concerned at the plans for a super dairy in Nocton parish which are due to be submitted to NKDC in mid September. Seven members of the public spoke, six were from the parish and the other represented CAFFO (The Campaign against Factory Farming Operations), The points raised were
- The proposal is likely to be totally inappropriate in size for the area.
- There will be access needed onto the B1188 and greater use of that route.
- There is a threat to the water drainage system and consequences for the local aquifer from any leakage of effluent.
- The villages are downwind of the proposed site and will get the smells
- There may be a visual impact for those living on the top road as well as smells and increased noise and lights day and night.
- Property values may fall
- That there should be a National Public Enquiry into the need for Super Dairies in the U.K..
- Anyone concerned may contact CAFFO for support and information on "all things Dairy".
- Nocton Dairies have now appointed a Public Relations person to help with communications between themselves, the media and the public.
- That a liaison committee should be created to ensure a central pooling of reliable information from all parties involved
- That the development would cause ruination of the local villages and the rich local environment.
- That to be prepared should there be another Foot and Mouth outbreak there should be incineration and isolation facilites and capabilities incorporated in the plans.
- The scale of the proposal is unacceptable and will affect development in the area.
- Because there are primary schools near where the effluent will be spread there is a need to look at the possible health risks to schoolchildren.
- No-one should be impartial on this issue.
- Should there be an agreement for public meetings to be held in Metheringham the parish council should co-opt someone to look after the publicity of said meetings.
- The proposed slurry spreading and lagoon siting map shows proximity to public roads and schools and there will be a risk of flies, smells and dust.

Before moving onto the business of the parish council meeting Councillor Dr Allen thanked all those who had spoken and said they would take note of the points raised. He pointed out that there are always two sides to a story and the parish council have to listen to both sides.

St Wilfrid's Church Harvest Supper will be in the church hall on Friday 24th September 2010 at 7.00p.m.. Tickets are £8 and do not include drinks so you are invited to bring your own. Tickets are available from the Another Chance shop or Margaret Amos.

The Dunston Road railway bridge work has overrun and the road and bridge will not be re-opening until 24th September.

Metheringham residents, especially the elderly, should be vigilant for cold callers after a distraction burglary in the village. PCSO Lisa Duckworth gave the warning while presenting the police report for August to the parish council. It had been a relatively quiet month for reported crime in Metheringham with two burglaries and a theft. Much police time has been taken up during the summer with anti-social behaviour by school aged children. Children have been claiming to be staying with friends while actually being out on the streets causing a nuisance and mischief. To stop this behaviour she asked that parishioners report immediately disruption on the streets on Friday and Saturday nights in particular and that parents really do know where their children are overnight. The area now has an additional PCSO, Caroline, which will make it easier for them to get to where they are needed immediately once notified.