“No Parking” on dropped kerbs
Three Rivers District Council is now able to issue parking penalties to motorists who park on a dropped kerb in the district.
Following a recent legislation change, the council can now carry out parking enforcement and issue a parking ticket to any vehicle that parks on, or in front of a dropped kerb, even if there are no yellow lines or other marked restrictions present. This service has been introduced to try and assist residents who have contacted the council with concerns about other people inconsiderately parking across dropped kerbs or their driveway entrances.
This new legislation refers to two different types of dropped kerbs – those allowing pedestrian access at pavement crossovers and those allowing access to a driveway for a residential or business purposes. In respect of driveways, enforcement can only be conducted at the request of the owner of the premises – this is to prevent tickets being issued to the residents’ car or to their visitors’ vehicles. However, parking close to a dropped kerb or blocking visibility sightlines is not considered a contravention under this new legislation. The offending vehicle actually has to be parked across the dropped section of the crossover.
Once a call has been made to the Parking Shop, a Civil Enforcement Officer will visit the property within an hour, and once the resident has signed a request for parking enforcement, a ticket will be issued if applicable, but the vehicle will not be removed. The service will be available between 9am and 5.30pm, Monday to Saturday, on 01908 223506. If assistance with vehicle obstruction is required outside these days and hours residents are advised to report the matter to the Police on their non emergency line 0845 330 0222.
For more information on this service please call the Parking Shop on 01908 223506, between 8am and 6.30pm, Monday to Saturday.

Watersmeet film
Thursday 18th March
COCO BEFORE CHANEL Cert.12A 110 mins.
Costume drama teling the story of Coco Chanel’s rise from obscure beginnings to the heights of the fashion world. Starring Audrey Tautou as Chanel.
Showing at 2pm - doors and kiosk open at 1.15. and 7.30pm - bar open from 6.30.

Concert: Bach Magnificat, Mozart Requiem
Saturday 27th March, 7.30 pm
The Royal Masonic School for Girls, Rickmansworth
Tickets £12 (£6 for under 16s) from: the door, choir members, Chorleywood Book Shop or phone 01923 774816.

Happy Man - new plans
Another application has been submitted by Tesco Stores Ltd for the Happy Man Public House, Berry Lane, Mill End. The application is for redevelopment of the site to provide a Class A1 (retail) unit at ground-floor level as a convenience goods store with 4 two-bedroom residential flats at first floor level with associated access, parking and landscaping.
Previous plans for a store with 8, and then 7, two-bedroom flats were refused by the Council on the grounds of over-development of the site.
You can view the new planning application 10/0329/FUL on the Council’s website - and can submit comments online through the ‘public access facility’. Any comments will need to be received before 2nd April 2010 to ensure that they are considered before the application is considered by the Council’s Development Control Committee on 22nd April.

More Recycling
At last - TRDC now collects all types of plastics (except that which has come into contact with raw meat). They are also able to accept food and drinks cartons (commonly called Tetra Paks) in the box with the plastics and cans. The plastics the Council are able to accept include:

All of this material can go into the recycling box with the food and drinks cans, cartons and aerosols.
It’s not possible to list every type of plastic that the Council can take, however the only type of plastic they really cannot take is that which has come into contact with raw meat and clingfilm.
Items still need rinsing and squashing, so you can get more in your boxes, but also so the vehicles do not have to tip so often. You should be aware that some of this material will be exported for recycling, however there are strict controls on this to ensure it is all recycled properly. We hope over time the percentage being exported will decrease.

Woodlice
Good news - the Council has caught a ‘woodlouse’ in Croxley Hall Woods.

Watford Phil concert change
There’s a change of programme for the Watford Phil concert in the Colosseum on Sat March 13th.
Bax’s overture “Tintagel” is replaced by Saint-Saens’ 2nd Piano Concerto played by 15 year old Lara Omeroglu, from the Purcell School in Bushey. Lara has just become one of the 5 national finalists of the BBC Young Musician of the Year (to be televised in May), having won the keyboard class, and would like to gain some experience playing her chosen concerto before a large audience. You can see her playing a Chopin prelude on YouTube when she was 13.
The remainder of the programme stays the same - Andrew Shore singing Vaughan Williams’ “Five Mystical Songs”; Walton’s “Belshazzar’s Feast”; Britten’s “St. Nicholas”.
Details and on-line ticket sales from the Watford Phil website. www.watfordphilharmonic.co.uk Stalls £12.50, Gallery £14.00.

Council Tax cut

Residents of Three Rivers will once again benefit from improved services and a cut in council tax after the Lib Dem run council voted through a 0.5% cut in the Three Rivers part of the Council Tax.

Average Council Tax charged by Three Rivers for each household across the district will now be more than £1 less than it was four years ago. This is the second time in three years that the TRDC part of the Council Tax has been cut. This has been achieved by further significant efficiency savings without cutting services, which means the continuance of value-for-money services for local people.

Herts County Council has voted for no change in its share of the council tax.

William Penn Enquiry

At last week’s full Council meeting, councillors voted unanimously to call in the external auditors to conduct a “full, independent and transparent scrutiny” of the much-delayed William Penn swimming pool project. It is not yet known when they will be able to publish their report.

Wood Lice

It has been reported that some people are going into our woods, cutting trees & branches and selling them off for firewood. TRDC woods are vulnerable and have already been ‘visited’ by these thieves. They certainly do not have permission to do this, and any such activity should be reported to TRDC on (01923) 776611.

Watford Concert

Watford Philharmonic perform at the Watford Colosseum on Saturday 13th March.

The baritone Andrew Shore will be the soloist in Walton’s ‘Belshazzar’s Feast’ and Vaughan Williams’ ‘Five Mystical Songs’. Andrew lives in Chorleywood - he is a distinguished international baritone who performs not only with English National Opera and at Glyndebourne, but in opera houses all over the world.

The choir is also singing Britten’s ‘Rejoice in the Lamb’ and the orchestra is playing Bax’s ‘Tintagel Overture’.

Details and on-line ticket sales from the Watford Phil website www.watfordphilharmonic.co.uk/concerts.html

Ricky Pancake Race Video

In case you missed it, see the spills and thrills on Cllr Les Mead\’s YouTube site - youtube.com/watch?v=0Fc2RbwvIJo

Fairtrade in Three Rivers

Another YouTube video - youtube.com/watch?v=zjZokvi5h3Y

See more at www.watfordfairtrade.com, which has a page of local shops that support Fairtrade.

Children’s Roller Disco

Sunday 14 FebruaryChildren’s Roller Disco at the Princess Marina Sports Complex, within the grounds of the Royal Masonic School, Rickmansworth.Children 14 & under welcome£3 Entry£2 Skate HireCome along for skating fun and games, any ability welcome! For more information or to hire skates please call Georgina on 01923 725344 or email princessmarinasportscomplex@hotmail.co.uk

Watford and Three Rivers Refugee Project

‘Penniless refugees and asylum seekers round these parts? Surely not!’  But, sadly, there are indeed such people struggling to survive in our area. The Refugee Project, run solely by volunteers, seeks to befriend them and give them practical help. They helped a number of cases, including small children, in this way last year.The AGM will be on Monday, 15 February, 7.30 p.m. at the Watford Friends Meeting House, 150 Church Road, Watford. The formal business (which will be kept very short) will be followed by the guest speaker Dr Hannah Lewis, who is the author of two independent reports for the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust into destitution among refused asylum seekers in the UK. Her latest report (2009) exposes the worsening crisis amongst refused asylum seekers and calls for an immediate temporary amnesty for ‘unreturnable’ asylum seekers. Dr Lewis will take ‘Still Destitute’ as the theme of her talk. All welcome on Monday 15 February. Further details from John Shaw (01923) 775219.

Annual Pancake Race in Rickmansworth

Once again the Coach and Horses are sponsoring the Annual Pancake Race in Rickmansworth High Street at 11.00 am on Shrove Tuesday 16 February.The High Street will be closed from 11.00am to 11.45am.All proceeds go to Watford Mencap, a local charity supporting 500 adults and children and their carers in South West Herts.The cost to enter a team in to this fun event is £50 for a team of 4. Call Lesley Blee on 01923 713622 or e:mail lblee@watfordmencap.org for more details.

Land of Liberty

Three Rivers DC’s new arts and heritage project, Land of Liberty, will be taking place at the Maple Cross Club on Wednesday 17 February from 6pm - 10pm.The aim of the evening is to engage with the local community, asking residents if they would like to become involved in the project and how they would like to see it develop.

Film at Watersmeet - The Changeling

Thursday 18 FebruaryThe Changeling is the story of a single suburban mum, Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie), whose son Walter (Gatlin Griffith) was kidnapped from her LA home. Months later a young boy surfaced, claiming to be Walter.

Showing at 2pm - doors and kiosk open at 1.15. and 7.30pm - bar open from 6.30.There is ample seating at Watersmeet so pre-booking is not necessary.For the matinee parking vouchers allowing 4hrs parking can be purchased for £1 at the film box office.

Family/Children’s Film for Half Term at Watersmeet - Disney Film UP

A comedy adventure about 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfils his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America, but he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic 8-rear-old Wilderness Explorer named Russell.

Matinee only at 2.00pm Doors open 1.15pm.No need to pre-book - pay at the door.

Rags to Riches…the fashion show with a difference

Three Rivers Volunteer Centre and Vinspired (the National Youth Volunteering Programme) have joined together to bring you a fashion with a difference. Three charities, Sue Ryder, Help the Aged and Oxfam, all local charity shops on Rickmansworth High Street, over 100 volunteers and 40 outfits combine to make one glamorous night with prizes galore!

Rags to Riches is on Saturday 20 February at 7pm with tickets available from Watersmeet priced £7 and £5 concessions. Call 01923 711063 or book online.

WD3 Schools Campaign
It is becoming increasingly difficult for children living in South West Hertfordshire to be awarded a place at a local, quality secondary school.
The situation has been getting worse over recent years and is set to become even more problematic. Forecasts from Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) show that by 2014/15 there will be more children applying for places than are available. HCC is aware of the issue yet still is doing nothing concrete to remedy the problem. This is a situation that cannot be allowed to continue.
A group of local parents have recently formed the WD3 Parents Secondary School Action Group to persuade HCC and Three Rivers to provide more local secondary school places for local children. The Group’s short term goal is to ensure that HCC expands intake capacity to create sufficient places for local children at local schools. In the longer term, their goal is to ensure the provision of a new local, community secondary school.
The group needs the support of as many local parents as possible. They are holding an open meeting next Wednesday, 10th February from 8.00pm at St. Peter’s Church of England School, Church Lane, Mill End.
The purpose of this meeting will be to make those responsible for providing our local education services understand the urgency and the demand for a new school. They would be delighted to see as many parents as possible attend. The larger the number present on the night, the harder it will become for the cause to be ignored.
Go to www.wd3school.wordpress.com to find out more about the campaign and how you can respond to the LEA’s current consultation exercise.

Ricky in 2009
I am grateful to my colleague Cllr Les Mead for his compilation of highlights from 2009 in and around Rickmansworth. See it at this link on YouTube.

Three Rivers Music Society Concert
Friday 12th February at 8pm St Mary’s Church, Rickmansworth. £10 on the door, discounts for Members.
The Arlequin Piano Trio performing music by Beethoven, Suk, Schubert, Shostakovich.

Development Control Committee
The DC Committee met on Thursday 21st January and made the following decisions on applications in the Rickmansworth area:

4-6 Station Road, Rickmansworth
09/1776/FUL
This is the Trend & Thomas corner. Extension above and to rear of existing building, converting a two storey building into three storeys with two additional two bedroom flats, creation of a first storey extension over existing car park to provide office accommodation, retaining parking spaces and creating a new frontage onto road with formation of new vehicle entrance to Northway. Deferred for a site visit, after concern was raised about impact on existing residential properties.

Yorke Road School, Croxley Green
09/1798/OUT
Outline application: Residential development up to 5 dwellings (including access), at Leukaemia Research Fund (former Yorke Road School). This was refused: the existing Locally Important Building by reason of its historical and architectural merit makes a significant contribution to the local scene. The proposal would involve the loss of a Locally Important Building which would adversely affect the character and appearance of the local scene.
Yorke Road was the first school in Croxley Green. It was opened by All Saints Church on 4th January 1875, and meant that the children of Croxley Green no longer had to walk to Rickmansworth to be schooled. In 1977, the school was closed down and the premises were used as a mail order packaging site and a further dwelling. Ten years later the dwelling was converted to an office and storage space.

Scots Hill, Croxley Green
09/1963/OUT
Outline application: Erection of 5 terraced houses and vehicular access to Scots Hill at land outside Rickmansworth School, Scots Hill, Croxley Green, for Hertfordshire County Council. This was refused: the proposed development by reason of its size, number of units, layout, siting and position of buildings would result in a cramped form of development with a layout dominated by buildings and hard-surfaced areas; would result in inadequate amounts and quality of amenity space provision; and would result in pressure for treatment or removal of trees of special amenity value.

Litter bugs
People who drop litter in the Three Rivers areas are among the most likely in Hertfordshire to be fined for littering. Since April 2007 Three Rivers District Council has issued forty £75 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for the offence, which puts it at the forefront of Hertfordshire councils in implementing powers granted in the Cleaner Neighbourhoods Act 2005.
The council has also been mostly successful in its attempts to force landowners to clear messy private areas. In 33 out of 36 cases Litter Clearing Notices – issued with the threat of a £100 fine – have been promptly obeyed by the owner.
TRDC has recently increased the number of litter bins in the area to include recycling bins. The Council also places ashtrays in key locations and is working with pubs to make sure that people don’t drop cigarette butts on the pavement.

Bogus phone calls warning
Hertfordshire Police are warning all residents and especially the elderly to make sure they never give their bank or personal details to people who cold call them.
Police have been investigating a number of incidents in the last month, including five incidents county wide earlier this month, where vulnerable people were being called on the telephone by someone claiming to be a police officer investigating a fraud on their account (the caller’s number is withheld).
The victim is asked to provide their bank details, including pin numbers. On some occasions the offender, posing as a police officer, has attended the home address whereupon the elderly victim has handed over bank statements and credit/debit cards. The criminals seem to be preying on the elderly and police are very keen to warn people that these calls are not legitimate.
Hertfordshire Police have issued the following guidelines to residents to prevent them from becoming a victim of crime:

Using 112 as an emergency number
Following several enquiries to Hertfordshire Police about an email being circulated, police are reminding mobile phones users that dialling 112 is exactly the same as calling 999 - with no special additional features.
The email refers to an alleged incident in Dorset and makes several suggestions around the use of the European emergency services number 112. Herts Police would like to clarify:

Development Control Committee
The first meeting of the year is on Thursday 21st January at 7.30pm, Three Rivers House. Members of the public are welcome to attend. Applications on the agenda in the Rickmansworth area include:

4-6 Station Road, Rickmansworth
09/1776/FUL
Extension above and to rear of existing building, converting a two storey building into three storeys with two additional two bedroom flats, creation of a first storey extension over existing car park to provide office accommodation, retaining parking spaces and creating a new frontage onto road with formation of new vehicle entrance to Northway.

Yorke Road, Croxley Green
09/1798/OUT
Outline application: Residential development up to 5 dwellings (including access), at Leukaemia Research Fund (former Yorke Road School).

Scots Hill, Croxley Green
09/1963/OUT
Outline application: Erection of 5 terraced houses and vehicular access to Scots Hill at land outside Rickmansworth School, Scots Hill, Croxley Green, for Hertfordshire County Council.

Watersmeet Film
Also on 21st January, the Watersmeet film is The Boat That Rocked.
This is an ensemble comedy (which means it involves several separate but interrelated story lines) in which the romance takes place between the young people of the ’60s and pop music. It’s about a band of rogue DJs that captivated Britain, playing the music that defined a generation and standing up to a government that, incomprehensibly, preferred jazz.
Showing at 2pm (doors open 1.15) and 7.30pm (bar from 6.30).
Coming up: The Changeling (18th Feb).

Winter Weather
You don’t need me to tell you what a problem this is causing everyone. Three Rivers is doing all it can to resume refuse and recycling collections - snow-chains on the vehicles and spikes on the men’s boots. TRDC is also working with HCC to keep the roads clear - 10 tonnes of salt are promised today, and priority will be given to keeping the main roads clear.
Updates are continually being posted on the Three Rivers website, www.threerivers.gov.uk.

Beat the Killer Cold
The Beat the Killer Cold scheme gives some extra help to pensioners in need. This is in addition to the Government’s Winter Fuel Allowance. For information about Beat the Killer Cold or to make a donation, please contact TRDC at enquiries@threerivers.gov.uk, phone (01923) 776611, (minicom 01923 727 303).
To make a donation, send a cheque payable to “Fuel Voucher Fund”, to:
Beat the Killer Cold, Three Rivers District Council, Northway, Rickmansworth, WD3 1RL.
The Council will donate an extra pound for each pound you donate.

Planning Applications since the last newsletter

Land at 81A Hornhill Road, Maple Cross
09/1958/FUL
Retention of 81A Hornhill Road and provision of parking and garage at rear, retention of bungalow as one bedroom dwelling (81B Hornhill Road) and erection of two semi-detached dwellings with garaging and parking; associated access improvements and new access road. This site has been the subject of several applications in the past couple of years.

130 High Street, Rickmansworth
09/1976/CLPD
Certificate of Lawfulness Proposed Use: Change of use of first and second floor from offices (Class B1) to photographic studio (Class B1).

18 - 20 Ebury Road, Rickmansworth
09/1806/FULDemolition of existing houses at 18 and 20 Ebury Road and erection of 8 semi-detached dwellings on land at and to rear of 18 - 20 Ebury Road involving construction of new access roadway and alterations to existing public right of way (footpath 67). This site has also been the subject of several applications in the past couple of years.

90 High Street, Rickmansworth
09/1880/FUL
Change of Use: Conversion of existing opticians (Class A1) into a coffee shop (Class A3) with new shopfront and signage

Octagon Music Society
This society promotes a series of classical chamber music concerts each season. All concerts are held in the Clarendon Muse, Rickmansworth Road, Watford. This is a new hall providing comfortable tiered seating and ample parking facilities. Concerts are open to members and non-members and tickets can be purchased in advance from Watford (01923) 224092 or at the door. All concerts start at 7.45 pm. The next concert is on Sunday 7 February 2010, and features:
KATIE STILLMAN (violin)
SIMON LANE (piano)
Schubert: Sonatina in G minor D. 408
Britten: 3 pieces from Suite Op 6
Strauss: Violin Sonata in E flat
Beethoven: Violin Sonata Op 47, “Kreutzer”
Canadian Grand Prize winner Katie Stillman and recital partner Simon Lane have won numerous awards and are in great demand across the UK. Their performances are always given a rapturous response, and are invariably followed by an invitation to return.

CANAL SIDE CAROL SERVICE
Organised by the Boaters Christian Fellowship.
Saturday 5 December, 4.30pm, Batchworth Lock.
All welcome.

Victorian Evening Video
Thanks again to Cllr Les Mead for putting Ricky on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWlsvUAMSHU

Love Food Hate Waste
This campaign is trying to reduce the amount of food waste we all throw away. Each year UK homes throw away 8.3 million tonnes of food and drink. It’s not just peelings or bones either! Most of this is good food and drink like bread, meat, cheese, vegetables, salad, milk and carbonated drinks that we simply have not got round to eating or drinking. We waste £12 billion worth of good food every year.
See www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for handy hints about food storage and also some recipes for using up leftovers.

Christmas Greetings
The next edition of this newsletter will be in January 2010. I wish all my readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Victorian Evening, Rickmansworth High Street

It’s time for the popular annual fixture - this Friday, 27th November. 5pm – 9pm.
The Christmas lights will be switched on at 7.30pm. Shops open until 9pm.Traders across the town will dress in period costume to kick-start the Christmas trading period. They will be joined by the stars of this year’s Snow White pantomime to switch on the Christmas illuminations.
Attractions include fair-ground rides, Morris dancing, Punch & Judy show, hot roast chestnuts and mulled wine.

Music
The Chiltern Choir is performing Haydn’s Creation in St Mary’s Church, Rickmansworth at 7.30 on Saturday 28th November. Tickets £12 (£6 for under 16s) from: the door, choir members, Chorleywood Book Shop or phone 01923 774816.

Planning
TRDC Development Control Committee met last week. Amongst the items under consideration was
249-253 Watford Road, Croxley Green, WD3 3RX
09/1341/FUL
Demolition of existing dwellings and buildings and redevelopment of site next to The Harvester public house / restaurant, for the erection of ten detached two-storey dwellings with garaging, parking and new road. This application was deferred at the previous meeting in October, and the developer has modified the plans to meet Councillors’ concerns. The plans have now been approved.

Herts maps go digital
Ordnance Survey maps of all of Hertfordshire’s 5200 public footpaths, bridleways and byways – 1875 miles / 3000 kilometres in total - are now available on the county council’s website.
To find out more, visit the main web maps page on the council’s website: www.hertsdirect.org/maps

Three Rivers on Twitter
See twitter.com/ThreeRiversDC

William Penn latest
Work to the drains in the front section of the building needing major repair is now well under way. Several sections of the re-laid drainage have now been completed, tested and the reinforced concrete replaced. Once this concrete is sufficiently dry, screeding repairs will be carried out prior to retiling of those areas.
Now that excavation and the associated dirty works are finished in the pool areas, preparation for the retiling of the pools has begun.
Meanwhile, excavation of defective drains in the changing accommodation at the rear of site is continuing.
Tarmac will be laid to the footpath at the front of the site this week and the footpath should reopen by the end of this week.

Bin dates
The collection calendars for the forthcoming year will be left hanging on the bins by the refuse crews over a two-week period from this week.

Heavy brown bins
TRDC have received a number of calls from people whose brown bins have disappeared on collection days. It appears that the crews have reported that, as these bins were too heavy, they fell into the back of the lorry. TRDC will replace your brown bin, but ask all residents to ensure that they do not overfill the brown bins. If your brown bin feels heavy to move please keep some back for the next collection.

Contaminated brown bins
TRDC sends out letters to people who put the wrong stuff in their brown bins, so they know what they did wrong and can correct it in future. Unfortunately they have sent a few letters to incorrect addresses as it is sometimes difficult for the crews to tell which bin belongs to which house. It would be really helpful if residents could number their bins to help reduce this problem.

Not enough recycling boxes?
Please note that you are able to have as many recycling boxes as you need, so please call TRDC on 01923 776611 or use the online services to ask for more. Don’t forget you can put empty aerosols in the recycling box with plastic bottles and cans, and Yellow Pages can go in with the paper recycling.

Ricky Bangers voted best
Congratulations to Chris Blake, the High Street butcher, whose Old Victorian Sausages were the London region winner in The Hunt for Britain’s Magical Bangers.

Local Development Framework Consultation
Following previous public consultation on the LDF Core Strategy, TRDC is now consulting further on how and where new homes will be provided in Three Rivers up to 2026. The Core Strategy Further Preferred Options document focuses on the source of future housing and housing sites, including two large sites in the Abbots Langley and Croxley Green areas.
TRDC is consulting on its Further Preferred Options document up to 15 January 2010 and would like people to give their views. The full set of consultation documents can be viewed on the TRDC website at www.threerivers.gov.uk (follow the link from the front page). Copies of the documents, permanent displays and information are available at the Council offices in Rickmansworth and at Abbots Langley, Croxley Green and South Oxhey libraries during the consultation period. TRDC is also holding several drop-in consultation events across the District during November and December, which you can come along to.

Big Pants are back
Watersmeet’s pantomime dame is asking children and young people to design new bloomers for this year’s production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Following the success of the competition last year when more than 1,000 children and young people designed big pants for the pantomime dame, the competition has returned in style with entries coming from as far as Amsterdam.
The Big Pants Panto competition is open to children and young people aged from 4 to 14 years old. A design template for entries can be downloaded here on the pantomime page. Alternatively people can contact the Box Office on 01923 711063 and the template can be posted out.
Big Pants will be running until 20 November, when Dame Dolly Dumpling will decide on the winning pants. These will then be worn during the pantomime which runs from 11 December to 3 January.

Watersmeet Film
Thursday 19 November 2:00pm & 7:30pm The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (12A) 166mins
Born with a strange condition, Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) ages in reverse. Beginning as a frail old man, he grows progressively younger at the same time as falling in love with family friend Daisy (Cate Blanchett).

Watersmeet programme
There’s lots more on at Watersmeet - a musical, ballet, and lecture - click the Watersmeet page on TRDC’s website.

Watford Philharmonic Concert
Wednesday, November 11th at 7:30 at Watford Colosseum.
This is the first of the 75th Jubilee Concerts, and features Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance and the Music Makers, Delius’ Sea Drift and Holst’s The Planets. Many of the choir are from Three Rivers, as well as Watford.
Tickets can be bought on the door, or in advance from the website http://www.watfordphilharmonic.co.uk/concerts.html

PLANNING
At last week’s Development Control Committee, two of the items listed in the previous newsletter were refused permission. They were at these sites:

The application for housing at 249-253 Watford Road, Croxley Green, WD3 3RX was deferred to the next meeting.

Happy Man News
In response to pressure from TRDC, Tesco is going to tidy up the appearance and safety of the site. They are also preparing to submit a revised planning application.

M25 Work
The environmental bund (tipping) adjacent to Chalfont Road has gone ahead with the agreement of landowner and tenant. It should be finished by July 2010. A small bund is under construction on the Chorleywood side of the M25 at the request of residents.
The plan for a huge bund on the fields above Mill End homes was scaled right down but that has now been abandoned – the tipping is likely to be at Junction 20. TRDC has pressed the contractor to go ahead with the planned acoustic fence to protect residents from increased noise.

Traveller Sites Postponed
An existing traveller site in Bedmond (near Abbots Langley) has been given permission to expand. This has taken much of the immediate pressure off TRDC to identify a site now. The traveller site consultation planned for this year has been postponed.

RICKMANSWORTH LOCAL AREA FORUM
All are welcome to come to the meeting to be held on Wednesday 4 November 2009 at 7.30pm
St John’s Catholic Primary School, Berry Lane, Mill End, Rickmansworth WD3 7HG
Refreshments will be available from 7.00pm
AGENDA
1. INTRODUCTION
2. COMMUNITY SAFETY
To discuss local crime issues with the local Police.
3. THERMAL IMAGING CAMERA
To receive information on the Thermal Imaging Camera
5. LOCAL AREA FORUM GRANT
The Forum is asked to make suggestions for the use of its £2,000 grant.
6. LOCAL ISSUES INCLUDING UPDATES ON THE M25 AND WILLIAM PENN LEISURE CENTRE
Your chance to raise topical local issues.

Ricky Road Run
This event was held on 25th October and highlights can be seen on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1IXEnQ0DrM , courtesy of local councillor Les Mead.

WILLIAM PENN POOLS

At last night’s full Council meeting, TRDC voted the necessary extra funding to facilitate the completion of the two new pools at William Penn Leisure Centre. The extra cost is of course very unwelcome, but inescapable if the pools are to be finished and made available to the public. The rest of the rebuilding programme - the gym, studios, café etc - has been open some time and very well received. The usage figures have increased significantly.

Since the previous contractor was sacked last February, serious and expensive defects in work already done have been discovered. These defects have had to be put right - failing to do so would certainly have caused trouble and disruption in the future.

The Council is as frustrated and angry as residents, and wants to see the pools open and get those responsible for the delays and cost over-runs to pay. The decision made last night provides the framework to achieve this. The details of the finances were discussed in the confidential part of the meeting to protect TRDC’s position in the likely event of legal action to recover the costs. Disclosure at this stage could prejudice TRDC’s case and put Council Taxpayers’ money at risk.

PLANNING

The Development Control Committee meets this week on Thursday 22nd Oct at 7.30pm, Three Rivers Council Offices. Members of the public are welcome to attend. This month’s agenda includes three local sites we have discussed before:

81, 81A and 81B Hornhill Road and land rear of 2 – 24 (Evens) Woodland Road, Maple Cross, Rickmansworth, WD3 9TG
09/1243/FUL
Demolition of 81, 81A and 81B Hornhill Road and erection of 14 terraced, semi-detached and detached dwellings with associated garages, parking, access road and landscaping.
Previous applications include: (1) demolition of the existing pair of semi-detached dwellings and the erection of seven (one detached, two semi-detached and four terraced) dwellings - refused in June 2007. This application was appealed and subsequently dismissed. (2) Demolition of the existing buildings and erection of six dwellings (one detached, two semi-detached and three terraced) with garages, parking and access road - refused by the Committee but granted on appeal.

249-253 Watford Road, Croxley Green, WD3 3RX
09/1341/FUL
Demolition of existing dwellings and buildings and redevelopment of site for the erection of ten detached two-storey dwellings with garaging, parking and new road.
Previous applications include: (1) Demolition of existing car showroom and erection of 45, one and two bedroom apartments with basement one part four and part five storey building containing car parking at 253 Watford Road. Application withdrawn June 2006. (2) Demolition of existing car showroom and erection of 43 one and two bedroom apartments in two 3/4 storey blocks with basement car parking. Refused 29 October 2007 and dismissed at appeal in 2008.

63 Nightingale Road and land rear of 61 and 65 Nightingale Road, Rickmansworth, WD3 7BU
09/1397/FUL
Demolition of 63 Nightingale Road and outbuilding to rear of 61 Nightingale Road and construction of four detached houses, garaging and access road.
Previous applications include: (1) Erection of five detached dwellings at land to the rear of 61-65 Nightingale Road. Refused February 1998, on grounds of unsatisfactory form of backland development, prejudice privacy of occupiers of existing frontage development and unacceptable loss of trees. (2) Land rear of 57-65 Nightingale Road. Erection of five detached dwellings. Refused October 1998 on grounds of unsatisfactory form of backland development, prejudice privacy of occupiers of existing frontage development and unacceptable loss of trees. Appeals were lodged against the refusal of both the above applications and were dismissed

New plans submitted

Car Park, Grove Crescent, Croxley Green
09/1288/FUL
Proposed block of six flats in two storey building on existing car park with associated car parking and landscaping.

7 - 9 Church Street Rickmansworth WD3 1BX
09/1519/FUL
Change of use of an existing courtyard to an outside cafe space and the replacement of two windows to the rear of No.7 Church Street.

Appeal decisions

Tesco has won its appeal to build seven flats and an express convenience store in Croxley Green, on the site of an old car showroom next to the Shell petrol station. The proposal was twice rejected by the committee and twice withdrawn by the applicant.

“Love Flowers”, 88A High Street, Rickmansworth appealed against an enforcement notice for the erection without planning permission of a pair of outward opening metal gates. The Inspector has allowed the appeal, granted permission, and directed that the enforcement notice be quashed.

Morningside redevelopment refused
At last month’s Development Control Committee, plans for the redevelopment of Morningside, on the corner of Uxbridge Road and Nightingale Road, were rejected by Councillors. It was considered to be an overbearing development, there was no Section 106 agreement to meet the costs of the additional demand on local services, and there were doubts about the terms of the provision of affordable housing.

New plans submitted

61-63 Nightingale Road, Rickmansworth WD3 7BU
09/1397/FUL
Another application on this contentious site. Demolition of 63 Nightingale Road and outbuilding to rear of 61 Nightingale Road and construction of four detached houses, garaging and access road. A previous application was refused in July last year.

153 High Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1AX
09/1399/FUL
This is the Urban Vine PH, previously The Hogshead, previously Nat West. Change of use of first and second floors from Class C3 (Residential) to Class B1 (Offices) with rear extensions including second floor dormer window and alterations to external steps to rear, change of use of ground floor from Class A4 (Public House) to A3 (Restaurant) and creation of parking spaces to rear.

This month’s Film at Watersmeet
Thursday 15 October 2:00pm & 7:30pm Doubt (15) 104 mins
Set in 1964 the story centres on a nun who confronts a priest after suspecting him of abusing black student, Donald Miller (Joseph Foster) a friendly but awkward boy. His relief is clear when he is befriended by the priest. Meryl Streep stars as the stern Sister Aloysius, Philip Seymour Hoffman as the Priest.

Everyday Active
A new edition of this brochure covering the period from now until March 2010 is available at the Council offices and leisure venues. It contains details of a host of sports & leisure activities, Tea Dancing, Nordic Walking, and IT and digital photography courses in Ricky, Mill End, Croxley, Chorleywood and the rest of the Three Rivers district.

New sports website
A new website has been launched to promote sport and physical activity across Three Rivers.

Residents can now search for sports clubs, activities and projects in their local area all in one place, by visiting the Three Rivers Community Sports Network website - www.threeriverssport.com. Key features include a Club Search facility, a What’s On guide and an interactive Sports Blog where residents can share opinions on topical issues.

Development of the site was funded by Sport England, contributing towards its goal ‘to build a world-leading community sport system of clubs, coaches, facilities and volunteers’.

Editor’s Note: Apologies for lack of newsletters in past month.

Art at Watersmeet
Painting, printmaking and drawing by Kathy Foster and Joy Thomson
Saturday 12th September, from 9.00 am - 12.00 pm
This exhibition represents a new drive to display art at Watersmeet and is part of the countywide Herts Open Studios initiative with the Herts Visual Arts forum (full brochure available here http://www.hvaf.org.uk/open-studios/OPEN-STUDIOS-2009/Brochure).

Friends of Watersmeet Film Society
Tickets for films are available at Watersmeet on the day.
Thursday 17 September 2:00pm & 7:30pm The Young Victoria (PG) 104mins.
A romantic and lavish affair, this film follows Queen Victoria from her cloistered childhood to her ascent to the throne at the age of 18, the early years of her reign and her marriage to Prince Albert. Starring Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend & Paul Bettany. More at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0962736/.

Mortgage Rescue Scheme
Three Rivers Council has been running the Mortgage Rescue Scheme (MRS) since it started in March 2009. This is just one of a number of options and support measures the Council offers home owners in mortgage difficulty or at risk of repossession. The Government has provided £285 million, which is being match funded by Registered Social Landlords, to run the Mortgage Rescue Scheme. The aim is to prevent home owners from having their homes repossessed and Local Authority Housing Departments are administering the scheme on their behalf.
Mortgage Rescue is intended to be a “last resort” and all home owners facing difficulties in making their mortgage payments should, in the first instance, seek advice from an accredited money advice agency such as CAB to look at their finances as a whole as well as what options the lender could offer to make the mortgage repayment affordable. If this is done and there is no alternative then a referral to the Local Authority for a Mortgage Rescue can be considered.
If you require further information please contact the Housing Team on (01923) 727060 or website www.direct.gov.uk/mortgagearrears.

Three Rivers Emergency Services Open Day
The open day last Saturday was a great success. It is estimated that more than 1,000 people attended during the day. Over £800 was raised for this year’s selected charities, Herts Air Ambulance and Help for Heroes.

Planning decision deferred
The Development Control Committee meeting on Thursday 20th August deferred a decision on 253 Watford Road, Croxley Green, WD3 3RX for demolition of existing dwellings and buildings and redevelopment of site for the erection of 10 detached two-storey dwellings. Councillors were concerned at the minimal provision for car parking. See 9/0882/FUL.

Appeal dismissed
The Cottage and Windrush, Rectory Road, Rickmansworth. Outline: Demolition of existing two houses, erection of a single building comprising fifteen two bedroom flats with parking for ten cars - the planning appeal has been dismissed. See 08/1974/OUT.

New planning application
Land at 81 & 81a Hornhill Road and Land Rear at of 2 - 24 (evens) Woodland Road, Maple Cross WD3 9TG
See 09/1243/FUL.
Demolition of 81 and 81a Hornhill Road and erection of 14 terraced semi-detached and detached dwellings with associated garages, parking, access road and landscaping. Previous plans on this site have been refused, but one for 6 houses was allowed on appeal.

Kitchen caddies
To make it easier for residents to separate and store food scraps and peelings, Three Rivers District Council (TRDC) will be delivering a free kitchen caddy to every household in the district during September. This follows a successful pilot scheme in Abbots Langley last autumn when 1500 households were given a chance to try kitchen caddies, with encouraging results.

Open day
Saturday 5th September 2009 at Rickmansworth Police, Fire & Rescue Stations.
11 am - 4 pm Free entry, with Collection for Help for Heroes and Herts and Bucks Air Ambulance. Refreshments available. Displays and fun for kids. Please note - NO public parking on site.

Development Control Committee meeting, Thursday 20th August, 7.30pm at Three Rivers House.

The following application is on the agenda - you may view the application details and the officers’ report online on the Council website.

253 Watford Road, Croxley Green, WD3 3RX
Demolition of existing dwellings and buildings and redevelopment of site for the erection of 10 detached two-storey dwellings with garaging, parking and new road at 253 Watford Road, Croxley Green, WD3 3RX. There have been previous applications on this site, which is used for car sales and is next to The Harvester public house / restaurant, including one for 45 flats, and another for 24 3-bed houses, both of which were withdrawn by the applicant; the Council refused plans for 42 and 43 flats. More details at 9/0882/FUL.

Local Loos
Many people have commented about the lack of loos in Ricky - but every time TRDC repaired the loos that used to be in the old car park in Northway, they were smashed up within days by vandals. It is the same story in towns up and down the country. The Council now promotes a community toilet scheme. The idea is simple - TRDC teams up with local organisations to enable you to use their loos during normal opening hours.

Venues that are now in the community toilet scheme include:
Three Rivers House (the Council offices), Rickmansworth
Budgens supermarket, Chorleywood
The Harvester public house, Croxley Green
Facilities are also available next to the Cafe in the Park at the Aquadrome.

Environment News
TRDC’s latest round-up of local Environment News can be read at
http://www.threerivers.gov.uk/Default.aspx/Web/environmentnewsaugust09

Green Flag for two local beauty spots

Two of the district’s most popular locations have been awarded Green Flag status.

The Chorleywood House Estate and the Aquadrome, both local nature reserves, have been put on a par with some of the country’s finest parks.

The Aquadrome impressed judges with its recent improvement programme. The newly constructed Café in the Park was also praised along with the many active community groups who regularly use the reserve for activities such as sailing, windsurfing, fishing and Nordic walking.

Chorleywood House Estate received equal praise for its significant historic and wildlife interests, including the new Community Orchard project which has seen around 100 apple, plum, cherry and pear trees planted this year.

Green Flag Awards recognise and reward the best parks in the country. The scheme is sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG), English Heritage and Natural England.

Locally Listed Buildings

Three Rivers has added the current List of Locally Important Buildings to the following web link: http://www.threerivers.gov.uk/Default.aspx/Web/1234. The documents can be downloaded as PDFs.

The buildings are arranged according to the various parts of the District. The Council would like to hear of any corrections or additions to the information on the current entries, or any suggestions for additions. Please let me know and I will forward any comments received.

Grounds Maintenance Award

Three Rivers Grounds Maintenance has been short-listed as one of the top eight finalists for an award for its Parks, Grounds & Horticultural service. The awards are run by the Association for Public Services Excellence which attracted over 390 submissions across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The awards will be held in September, in Cardiff.

Morningside to be redeveloped?
A Housing Association has submiited plans to demolish the existing sheltered housing scheme of 27 units at Morningside, Uxbridge Road/Nightingale Road, and redevelop the site with the erection of a part two and three storey building containing 15 two bed flats and 4 one bed flats with associated car parking and landscaping. More details on the Council’s website - click on this link: 09/1012/FUL

Two health-related reports caught my eye recently, which I pass on for your interest.

Health Profile for Three Rivers
The health of the people of Three Rivers is generally better than the England average. However, smoking in pregnancy, physically active school children, obesity in Reception age children and children’s tooth decay are all similar to the England average. In older people, hip fracture and excess winter deaths are also similar to the England average.
There are inequalities within Three Rivers by location, gender, deprivation and ethnicity. For example, men and women from the least deprived areas can expect to live longer than those in the more deprived areas: for men by 3 years and for women by 4 years.
Over the past ten years rates of deaths from all causes, and early deaths from heart disease and stroke have improved for men and women and are better than the England average.
Compared to last year, smoking during pregnancy and physical activity in school children have worsened and are now similar to the England average. However, GCSE achievement is still the best in England.
Health priorities include reducing smoking prevalence, childhood and adult obesity and alcohol misuse.
More at the APHO website.
(Source: APHO and Department of Health, Crown copyright 2009)

Most polluting postcodes in Britain identified in heart of middle England
Middle class neighbourhoods are the worst polluters according to the first ever breakdown of Britain’s carbon footprint.
Carbon emissions per household by postcode were calculated by looking at official figures on energy use, travel and general consumption including food.
People in wealthy areas eat more exotic and environmentally unfriendly food, such as prawns flown from Malaysia, green beans from Kenya and organic pears from New Zealand.
They fly more often and take foreign holidays in more distant locations, drive more “gas guzzling” 4×4s, and live in bigger houses which cost more to heat and light.
The most polluting area in Britain around Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire (WD3 4xx postcode area - Loudwater and parts of Ricky and Croxley Green) produced more than 36 tonnes on average. Other affluent areas that performed badly such as Woldingham, Surrey, Shiplake, Oxon, and Gerrards Cross in Buckinghamshire were also in the heart of the commuter belt.
The average household in Britain produces around 28 tonnes of carbon per year.
Full article on the Daily Telegraph website.
(Source: Daily Telegraph, 18 Jul 2009)

Riverside Drive closed this Sunday
Three Rivers will be carrying out urgent tree safety works in Riverside Drive this coming Sunday, 19th July. An Emergency Road Closure and Diversion will be in place from early morning and will last all day.

Coach House plans
09/0899/FUL
The Coach House is the office building that sits in the car park next to St Mary’s Church - it was rebuilt several years ago, causing some controversy when modern materials were used. The proposal is for demolition of the building and erection of a two storey building with further accommodation in the roofspace with 12 x 1 bed flats and 2 x 2 bed flats, change of use, formation of new access and ancillary works and re-use of existing access.

William Penn Swimming Pool
Three Rivers issued an update today which anticipates that work to correct defective work carried out by the previous main contractor will lead to completion at the end of the summer (i.e. August/September), provided no further major defects are revealed. The Council says that although this date cannot yet be confirmed, there is no foundation for the opinion that the project will not be completed this year, as recently reported in the local press. The full news bulletin can be found at www.hertsmereleisure.co.uk.

Recycling - new high
Provisional figures for the period April to June show that Three Rivers residents recycled 52% of household refuse, which is a new record.

New Planning Guidance
Updated guidance notes on permitted development rights for householders have been placed on the Council’s website at the following link and are known as the Herts Guide: http://www.threerivers.gov.uk/Default.aspx/Web/Planning
The guidance notes are intended to give clarity both to those who wish to extend their properties and to those who do not wish to see such extensions built. They have been drawn up in response to the Government changes to permitted development rights and are joint documents with all Hertfordshire Districts to provide consistency across the County. The Guide will be updated as case law develops.

Watersmeet Film Society
Thursday 16 July 2:00pm & 7:30pm Australia(12A) 165 mins
Set in northern Australia before World War II. More at imdb.com.

Chorleywood Village Day
Cllr Les Mead has been filming again. Highlights on Youtube.

Tesco plan refused
At the Development Control Committee meeting, Thursday 18th June, Tesco’s application for a Tesco store and 7 two-bed flats on the Happy Man site was refused. Meanwhile, Tesco has withdrawn their appeal on the previous plan for a Tesco store and 8 two-bed flats.

High Street plan won on appeal
The plan for 14 apartments at number 1 High Street, Rickmansworth has been won on appeal. Details on this link: http://snipr.com/trdc1479 - the appeal decision is the last item on the Associated Docs tab.

Ebury Road plan won on appeal
The plan for demolition of existing storage building attached to rear of 163 High Street and erection of two storey building comprising five one bedroom flats has been won on appeal. Rear of 163 High Street and 18/24 Ebury Road, Rickmansworth. Details on this link: http://snipr.com/trdc1958 - the appeal decision is the last item on the Associated Docs tab.

Award for local PC
At the recent Hertfordshire Police Authority Safer Neighbourhoods Awards ceremony, PC Emily Laver (Maple Cross, Rickmansworth & Mill End) won the Neighbourhood Police Officer of the Year Award - a considerable achievement, as there are 4,000 police officers in Herts.

New number
TRDC’s Environmental Health Out-of-Hours emergency contact number has changed. The main response service has been outsourced to First Response. Contact with them is now via the Council’s main telephone number 01923 776611 where the call will be automatically diverted to an operator.

Watersmeet Film Society
Thursday 16 July 2:00pm & 7:30pm Australia (12A) 165 mins
Set in northern Australia before World War II, an English aristocrat who inherits a sprawling ranch reluctantly pacts with a stock-man in order to protect her new property from a takeover plot. As the pair drive 2,000 head of cattle over unforgiving landscape, they experience the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by Japanese forces firsthand. More at imdb.com.

Croxley Revels video
Highlights of this year’s event have been put on this YouTube site by Councillor Les Mead.

Development Control Committee meeting, Thursday 18th June, 7.30pm at Three Rivers House

The following application is on the agenda - you may view the application details and the officers’ report online on the Council website.

The Happy Man, Berry Lane, Mill End WD3 7HR
Details: 09/0537/FUL
This is Tesco’s revised plan for the Happy Man site, showing a building of one to three storeys, comprising a Class A1 (retail) unit at ground-floor level to be used as a convenience goods store with 6 x 2 bed and 1 x 1 bed residential flats at upper levels with associated access, parking and landscaping for Tesco Stores Ltd. The planning officers are recommending refusal.
A previous plan for a Tesco store and eight 2-bed flats was refused last November. Last week Tesco submitted an appeal against that refusal.

M25 Road Closure
The M25 will be closed overnight this Saturday, from 10.00pm to 7.00am Sunday, between Junctiions 17 and 18, to demolish the pedestrian footbridge just south of J18. The diversion will be via Uxbridge Road, Rectory Road and Chorleywood Road. The bridge will be replaced next spring.
New “environmental mitigation bund” proposals
Meanwhile, TRDC has received formal notice from Skanska/Balfour Beatty for the construction of two permanent environmental mitigation bunds alongside the M25 – both between Shepherd’s Lane and Junction 17 at Mill End, one on the Chorleywood side of the motorway and the other on the Rickmansworth side. These replace an earlier proposal for a permanent environmental mitigation bund on the Rickmansworth side only. Details can be viewed on the Council’s website via the following link.
http://www.threerivers.gov.uk/Default.aspx/Web/M25Widening-TwoEnvironmentalMitigationBundsoffJunction17.
The difference between the new proposals and those announced in January are as follows: On the Chorleywood side of the motorway between J17 and Shepherds Lane – nearer the Shepherds Lane side – a short bund, 3 m high, will be built, involving 1.6 acres. Access for construction work will be only from the motorway. This work will start in June/July.
On the Mill End side there will be no bund. The Statement describes it as a bund but it is a sloping area of tipping taking less than 3 acres, instead of the 13 acres in the previous plan. This site will be accessed only from the service road off the motorway at J17. This work will not start until the harvest is in. A 2.5m acoustic barrier will be erected alongside the carriageway to reduce noise.
These works will be constructed during stage 1 only, with the work finished by July 2010 and no return at a later stage. Both areas will be planted with trees in the 2010 planting season.
The replacement of top soil, and appropriate measures to detect contamination are part of the proposal. Drainage and flood prevention measures will be provided. The footpath/ bridle way will be diverted along the boundary of the land to be purchased for these works.
Please send any comments on these proposals to Peter Kerr at
TRDC Planning Dept, Three Rivers House, Northway, Rickmansworth or peter.kerr@threerivers.gov.uk by 6th July and they will be forwarded to SBB.

Herts County Council Elections
The local elections on June 4th within the Three Rivers part of the County Council were: Barbara Lamb (Conservative) re-elected in Rickmansworth. The Lib Dems held Croxley Green and Abbots Langley, the Conservatives held Chorleywood and Oxhey Park, and the BNP won South Oxhey from Labour. Details can be found at http://www.hertsdirect.org/actweb/election/dist85.htm.

Local Events

Croxley Revels on The Green, Saturday 20 June, 1.30 to 5.00pm.

Young Musician of the Year 2009 Competition Finals
Saturday 4th July 7 pm
St Mary’s Church, Rickmansworth
Tickets on the door from 6.15 pm: Adults £10, Students £5
This event is organised by the Rotary Club of Rickmansworth nad Three Rivers Music Society.

Solomons Hill
Mixed feelings about the stalls and tables in Solomons Hill, the footpath between Boots and Caffe Nero. Some people like the “continental” element, others dislike the clutter. TRDC’s Regulatory Services Committee will be discussing it at a meeting on June 17th. If you have any comments, please email them to Ted Massey. If you manage to get your comments in by June 4th, they will be recorded in the agenda. Anything received later will be verbally reported.

Christ Church School - Circus Summer Fair 2009
At Christ Church School, The Common, Chorleywood on Saturday 6 June 2009. Attractions include:
Circus Skills Tent
Jet Ride
Inflatables
Ponies
Cream Teas
BBQ
Plants
Candy Floss
Tombolas
Toys
Gifts
Crafts
Admission: Child £1 Adult £2 Family £5

Diary dates

Watersmeet Film: Thursday 18 June 2:00pm & 7:30pm Slumdog Millionaire.

Croxley Revels, Saturday 20 June.

Road Traffic link
Frixo is a road / motorway traffic reporting site which gives users up to date information - the site gets updated every 3 minutes via feeds from various sources including the government’s official Highways Agency site. Try it at www.frixo.com.

Get more active this Summer
Adults in Three Rivers can enjoy staying fit and healthy over the summer season, with the popular Everyday Active programme from Three Rivers District Council.
The exercise and crafts activity programme offers enjoyable exercise sessions and also gives residents the chance to take up an old arts and crafts hobby, or try something new. Throughout June and July free taster sessions will be taking place in a number of locations including Mill End, Croxley Green, Chorleywood, South Oxhey and Bedmond.
Activities will include Movement to Music, pilates, self-defence, Nordic walking, outdoor gym taster sessions and badminton (funded by the Herts Sports Partnership). If you fancy something a little more sedate there will also be a wide range of arts and crafts activities on offer, including glass painting, creative textiles, drawing from scratch and card making. Digital photography courses will also be on offer for budding snappers, costing £3.50 per week.
For more information and an Everyday Active brochure, contact Three Rivers District Council on 01923 776611 or visit the TRDC Leisure pages.

Food Hygiene Ratings - Scores on the Doors
It is very important that all food businesses obey the law and supply food that is safe to eat. So this is a reminder that the Council’s Scores on the Doors scheme is on the website and is constantly being updated. Residents can see how well a food business has done on its last inspection.
Under the scheme, each food outlet may display inspection information (in the form of a certificate) on the door or window, which is supported by information on this website.
If you cannot find a premises you are interested in anywhere on the Scores on the Doors document below it will be because either it was last inspected before 1st January 2007, or it is a new business awaiting its first inspection.
Click on the link to download the latest Scores on The Doors report. The report groups premises by their star rating, from five stars (excellent) down to zero (poor).

Batchworth Canal Clean-up
Volunteers will be cleaning up a stretch of the canal. Meet at the Batchworth Lock Canal Centre in Rickmansworth WD3 1JD.
Come dressed for all weather. Collection supplies provided.
Organised by the ACS Hillingdon Girl Scouts. For more info or directions, please email ACSHillingdonGirlScouts@gmail.com.

Watford Philharmonic Concert - A Night at the Opera
Several local residents sing in the Watford Philharmonic choir, and their next concert is on Saturday 13th June at the Watford Colosseum at 7.30 and is “A Night at the Opera”. The conductor, Terry Edwards, is the retired conductor of the Covent Garden Chorus, so the soloists are from there.
The concert includes selections from Samson & Delilah, the Bartered Bride, La Traviata and Macbeth. Tickets can be bought on-line at www.watfordphilharmonic.co.uk, on the door on the night of the performance or by phoning the ticket secretary on 07546 112 321.

The Rickmansworth Festival takes place on the third weekend of May every year and celebrates canals, the community and the environment. Now going for over fifteen years, it is the highlight of the town’s annual calendar and finale of Rickmansworth Week.

The top attraction for many is the wonderful array of canal boats from across the country - a unique spectacle moored along the towpath up to four deep.

It all takes place at the Aquadrome and Batchworth Lock - 10.30am to 10.30pm Saturday, 10.30am to 5pm Sunday.

There will be a Spitfire flypast on Saturday at 3pm.

Along the towpath at Batchworth you will find boat trips and rope work demonstrations.

On Sunday there will be a vintage Routemaster bus from the station to Batchworth.

Please give generously to the bucket collectors. The festival is organised by volunteers from Rickmansworth Waterways Trust who run a schools programme on canal life called “Learning at the Lock”, which is funded by the proceeds. More details on 778382 or www.rwt.org.uk.

Please tell your friends and family too!

RICKY WEEK VIDEO
If you missed last Saturday’s parade through the town, you can see it on YouTube, courtesy of Councillor Les Mead.

1.-1.30pm. The floats gather in the High Street between the railway bridge and St Joans

1.30pm Judging the floats

2.0pm Parade moves off to Bury Grounds via High Street, Station Road, Northway, Church Street, and Bury Lane.

2.0-5.0pm Grand Carnival Fete

2.30pm Crowning of Miss Rickmansworth and formal opening of Ricky week.

2-4.0pm St Mary’s Church Tower open - amazing views!

New Tesco Planning Application
Remember that you can view all planning applications online on the Three Rivers web site. You can also comment on all applications online.

The Happy Man, Berry Lane, Mill End WD3 7HR
09/0537/FUL
Tesco’s have submitted a revised plan for the Happy Man site, showing a part one, part two and part three-storey building comprising a Class A1 (retail) unit at ground-floor level to be used as a convenience goods store with 6 x 2 bed and 1 x 1 bed residential flats at upper levels with associated access, parking and landscaping for Tesco Stores Ltd. A previous plan for a store and eight 2-bed flats was refused last November.

Free Compost TOMORROW
National Compost Awareness Week (3rd - 9th May)
West London Composting, the site where the brown bin waste is taken, is donating 10 tonnes of compost. This will be given away to residents, as has been done in previous years, as part of National Compost Awareness week. The giveaway this year will be held at the Aquadrome in Rickmansworth. Grounds Maintenance staff will be on hand on Wednesday 6th May between 8.30am and 3pm (or until the compost runs out). Residents are asked to bring their own bag(s). It will be on a first come first served basis, with a limit of 2 bags each.
Mint and cherry tomato seeds will also be given away (first come first served and limited to one pack per person until they run out), to encourage people to grow their own food.
And just to remind you, the Household Waste Recycling Centres sell bags of 100% recycled soil improver. Visit their website for more information or call the WasteAware helpline on 08457 425000. You can also visit West London Composting in Harefield to purchase compost, but you need to contact them directly to arrange this. More details on www.wlcompost.co.uk

Environment News
The second edition of Environment News has been published on the TRDC website. Included are: the annual free compost event (see above), Bike Day, the Canal and Environment Festival and beekeeping on a budget.

Herts Highways Award
Herts County Council is a finalist in the Public Private Partnership Achievement of the Year in the Municipal Journal Achievement Awards. The citation reads: “HCC’s partnership with consultants Mouchel and contractor AmeyLafargue has been delivering efficiency savings and first class road maintenance services through Herts Highways since 2002. Following a major review and extension of the contracts last year, the partnership has built on its success and now on schedule to meet a new target £13m savings over the next 4 years.”
Many residents will raise an eyebrow at the inclusion of “first class road maintenance services”.

Museum is 21
The Three Rivers Museum of Local History was born 21 years ago this week, and local historians are marking the anniversary with parties and receptions.
Barbara Owen, Chair of Trustees, said: “People are so interested in history, what it was like in the old days in Rickmansworth - what they remember from their own lives and finding out about their forebears.”
The charitable trust is planning to hold an exhibition about Roderick Henderson who lived in Basing House and started the first fire brigade in Rickmansworth at the beginning of the 20th Century. Also on the drawing board is a concert of the William Penn opera which has been performed in the USA.
The museum is housed in Basing House next to the public library in Rickmansworth. Opening times are 2pm – 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am – 4pm Saturday.
Three Rivers Museum receives support from Three Rivers District Council.

Sign up for Asthma Alerts
You can control your asthma; that’s the message from the Herts and Beds Air Quality Network this week, ahead of World Asthma Day, which is today, Tuesday May 5th.
In November 2008 the Herts and Beds Air Quality Network, of which Three Rivers District Council is a part, launched an airAlert scheme to help sufferers of asthma and other respiratory illnesses. airAlert can send messages to mobile or home telephones and via email to warn residents when poor air quality is predicted. The service is designed to inform vulnerable residents of a pollution incident the day before it is expected, so as to help them manage their respiratory health.
Asthma affects more than 300 million people worldwide and is characterized by recurrent breathing problems and symptoms such as breathlessness, wheezing, chest tightness and coughing.
If you suffer from asthma and would like to sign up to the service, register for free at www.airalert.info or ring Three Rivers District Council on 01923 776611 for a hard copy of the form. The airAlert service is provided by the Herts and Beds Air Quality Network, which is made up of members from each of the 14 district authorities in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

Decisions of last week’s Development Control Committee meeting at Three Rivers

3 Anson Walk, Moor Park HA6 2LA
08/2255/FUL – Part demolition of existing dwelling and erection of a two-storey side and rear extension with front dormer windows, single storey rear extension, first floor rear extension, new front and rear chimneys, creation of a basement level, conversion of existing garages into habitable accommodation with front bay windows, alteration to fenestration, raised rear terrace with balustrading, retaining walls and increase in hardstanding. REFUSED due to the scale, bulk & design of extensions dominating the existing building, affecting the landscaped setting and failing to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

Croxley Green Watercress Farm and Fisheries, Rousebarn Lane, Croxley Green, WD3 3GG
09/0163/FUL – Part Retrospective: Addition of watercress silt pits; proposed renewal and erection of boundary fence and gates, re-positioning of watercress processing plant and removal of asbestos cement and their replacement with timber housing for water pump Houses and processing plant. Deferred for a Committee site visit.

29 Wolsey Road, Moor Park HA6 2ER
09/0176/FUL – Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two storey detached dwelling with basement level and further accommodation in roofspace served by rear dormer window, side rooflights and front and rear windows. REFUSED due to the proposed replacement building failing to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

Moor Park Mansion, Batchworth Heath, Rickmansworth, WD3 1QN
09/0216/FUL - Creation of new practice ground including regrading of land, erection of 10m high green netting with support poles and erection of single storey wooden structure to cover teeing area. Deferred for a Committee site visit.

The Cottage, Homefield Road, Chorleywood, WD3 5QJ
09/0390/FUL - Erection of 2 pairs of semi-detached dwellings (4 houses) with detached garages and associated parking and landscaping and a new vehicular access on to Orchard Drive. REFUSED: the proposed development would result in the overdevelopment of the site with a cramped and poor layout, which does not maintain the character of the area in terms of plot size and depth, height and a regularity in alignment of the plots which is not characteristic of the locality. As such the proposal would result in the visual character and appearance of the conservation area and locality in general being significantly harmed with a detrimental impact on the street scene. This is exacerbated by the removal of part of an ancient hedgerow to facilitate the scheme.

Rickmansworth Week
This year’s “Week” is from 9th to 16th May, with the Canal Festival taking place on the weekend of 16th/17th May. More details next month.

Next issue
The next issue of this newsletter will be after the first public holiday Monday in May.

Fatal Accident in Mill End
A South Oxhey man was killed in Mill End in the early hours of Good Friday morning when he collided with a car. The man was walking along Uxbridge Road at around 3.40am when the incident happened near the junction with Long Lane. The police have appealed for witnesses to come forward on 0845 33 00 222.

Development Control Committee meeting, Thursday 16th April, 7.30pm at Three Rivers House

The following applications are on the agenda - you may view the application details and the officers’ reports online on the Council website.

3 Anson Walk, Moor Park HA6 2LA
08/2255/FUL – Part demolition of existing dwelling and erection of a two-storey side and rear extension with front dormer windows, single storey rear extension, first floor rear extension, new front and rear chimneys, creation of a basement level, conversion of existing garages into habitable accommodation with front bay windows, alteration to fenestration, raised rear terrace with balustrading, retaining walls and increase in hardstanding.

Croxley Green Watercress Farm and Fisheries, Rousebarn Lane, Croxley Green, WD3 3GG
09/0163/FUL – Part Retrospective: Addition of watercress silt pits; proposed renewal and erection of boundary fence and gates, re-positioning of watercress processing plant and removal of asbestos cement and their replacement with timber housing for water pump Houses and processing plant.

29 Wolsey Road, Moor Park HA6 2ER
09/0176/FUL – Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two storey detached dwelling with basement level and further accommodation in roofspace served by rear dormer window, side rooflights and front and rear windows.

Moor Park Mansion, Batchworth Heath, Rickmansworth, WD3 1QN
09/0216/FUL - Creation of new practice ground including regrading of land, erection of 10m high green netting with support poles and erection of single storey wooden structure to cover teeing area.

The Cottage, Homefield Road, Chorleywood, WD3 5QJ
09/0390/FUL - Erection of 2 pairs of semi-detached dwellings (4 houses) with detached garages and associated parking and landscaping and a new vehicular access on to Orchard Drive.

The Friends of Watersmeet Film Society

Thursday 16 April 2:00pm & 7:30pm
The Reader (15) 123mins
This film tells the story of Michael Berg, a German lawyer who as a teenager in the late 1950s had an affair with an older woman, Hanna Schmitz, who then disappeared only to resurface years later as one of the defendants in a war crimes trial stemming from her actions as a concentration camp guard late in the war. Hanna is played by Kate Winslet, who won the Oscar for Best Actress in this year’s Academy Awards. More at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0976051/

Mill End on You Tube
A video of the recent Mill End celebration day has been put on You Tube by Les Mead, one of my colleagues on the Council.

New Planning Applications

Land Adjacent to 61 Heronsgate Road, Chorleywood WD3 5PA
09/0361/FUL
Erection of detached two-storey dwelling with further accommodation in roofspace served by front and rear dormer windows and rooflights to side, detached garage/ carport to front of site, new vehicular access and parking area.

Queens Oak, 30 Astons Road, Moor Park HA6 2LD
09/0416/FUL
Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two-storey detached dwelling and detached car port and associated external works and landscaping.

Easter Celebration
Christians in Rickmansworth are gathering for a short informal service followed by coffee and hot cross buns.
Berry Lane Green Space at the top of Field Way, near the Methodist Church, 7.00am Sunday 12th April.
Wear warm clothing and footwear for walking on grass!

Recycling News
The Reduce, Re-use Recycle booklet has now been updated by Three Rivers Council. The directory lists everything which can be recycled and re-used in Three Rivers including computers, baby clothes, spectacles and batteries. The directory also lists local food producers including for lamb, beef, honey and watercress.
Yellow Pages can be recycled through primary schools and can also now be recycled by us at the kerbside with your other paper recycling.

Beat the Recession
Three Rivers has published advice on its website. Even residents on higher incomes could benefit from some of the information, in particular energy saving advice and free security and fire checks.

Fair schools deal demanded for Three Rivers children
The secondary transfer situation in this part of the county is once again proving a nightmare for parents and children.
914 Hertfordshire children did not get any of the schools they preferred, while 1028 out of county children got places. This is a significant increase on last year. 397 of the 914 live in Three Rivers and Watford. This is grossly disproportionate.
The overall county figure for getting one of the schools chosen is 92.85%. In Three Rivers it is only 81.57%, and in Watford 81.65%.
In Three Rivers four local secondary schools were closed some years ago, and the land developed for housing. The young people now unsuccessfully seeking a place in a local school would have gone to these schools. The new housing targets being imposed on local authorities will significantly increase the pressure for school places in this area where we already have the worst situation in Hertfordshire.
If you would like to support the call for action, please visit the on-line petition site.

914 Hertfordshire children did not get any of the schools they preferred, while 1028 out of county children got places This is a significant increase on last year. 397 of the 914 live in Three Rivers and Watford. This is grossly disproportionate.

The overall County figure for getting one of the schools chosen is 92.85%. In Three Rivers it is only 81.57%, and in Watford 81.65%.

Young people living very close to secondary schools are being sent miles away. Example - a child living near Rickmansworth School told to get a school bus in Mill End to take him through Rickmansworth again to Westfield School in Watford.

Inevitably this situation causes disappointment, distress and despair. It also leads to huge numbers of extra car journeys with the inevitable environmental consequences. Young people are deprived of after school activities, and all the benefits of a local school.

What is our local education authority doing to achieve some improvement ? – wringing its hands, agreeing it is unsatisfactory, saying nothing can be done and hoping the crisis will soon pass over for this year!

This is not good enough. Our communities in this part of the county want something done now. Putting extra classes into far away schools, that parents do not want their children to attend, is not good enough. Nor is forcing parents to choose out of county schools - they are after all Council tax payers in Hertfordshire and all these schools, whatever their status, are funded by local tax payers.

In Three Rivers four local secondary schools were closed some years ago, and the land developed for housing. The young people now unsuccessfully seeking a place in a local school would have gone to these schools. The new housing targets being imposed on local authorities will significantly increase the pressure for school places in this area where we already have the worst situation in Hertfordshire.

What are we asking for?

- We need a new community school in this area .

- We want the LEA to make representations to the Government about the impact of the existing situation on local families and press for a change in the law that will grant local children priority at local schools before out of county pupils are accepted.

- We require a public assurance that Herts County Council will pursue both these proposals and anything else that will relieve the totally unacceptable secondary transfer situation in S.W Herts.

If you would like to support our call for action, please visit our on-line petition site http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/TRschools.

New Aquadrome cafe opens
The new Café in the Park opens for business on the banks of the Aquadrome’s Bury Lake tomorrow, Saturday, from 9.30am. The cafe was part funded by Three Rivers District Council.

Easter Activities
Acting masterclasses, sports activities, arts and crafts sessions, music making are amongst the activities on offer for children and young people this Easter half-term
Playschemes give youngsters the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities, make new friends and learn new skills.
There are also plenty of activities available for older children and teenagers - from DJ-mixing to junk fashion, there’s an activity on offer to suit all tastes. Budding young actors may be particularly interested to know that the talented Daydreamer Company will be visiting the district to lead several “X press ur self” drama workshops. Workshops will be led by professional performers and will cater for all experience levels.
Booking is required for all Easter activities. Support with playscheme costs can be provided to families on a low income and those in receipt of Benefits.
For more information on all the activities above or to book places, go to the Council’s Leisure and Culture page or ring 01923 776611.

Bedroom Farce
Rickmansworth Players present Alan Ayckbourne’s comedy play Bedroom Farce, from 15th to 18th April at Rickmansworth School Performing Arts Centre, Scots Hill, Rickmansworth WD3 3AQ.
Tickets £10 Concessions £8
Box Office 0844 745 1944
Ricky Players look forward to welcoming you back to the 1970’s for an evening of fun, frolics and calamity!

Celebration Day for Mill End
Saturday 28th March, 12 noon to 2.0 pm
At the Community Centre, Church Lane.
The Mill End Community Assoc says “Mill End is a fantastic place to live. There is loads going on. People are friendly. We have green fields on our doorsteps and a blue sky above. Mill End is a community of mixed ideas and races. We are all families in this often rough world sharing life and it’s ups and downs. Do come and meet everyone around in a fun and celebratory atmosphere.”

Development Control Committee
Decisions form meeting on Thursday 19th March.

1 High Street, Rickmansworth, WD3 1ET
09/0010/FUL
Erection of single four storey residential block comprising 14 apartments and 14 parking spaces.
Permission refused on the grounds of the poor appearance of the elevations which would be prominent in the streetscene thus failing to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

Land at Rickmansworth School, Scots Hill, Croxley Green
09/0081/FUL
Details of appearance, landscaping, layout scale and refuse storage and disposal facilities, following outline approval 2 years ago fir erection of 7 four-bedroom dwellings and 8 three-bedroom detached dwellings.
Approved subject to a renegotiation with the applicant over the siting of the property on Plot 9 adjacent to the boundary with no.7 Cottage Close. Additional Condition to ensure retention and maintenance of old boundary wall adjacent to Cottage Close.

29 Wolsey Road, Moor Park, Northwood
09/0176/FUL
Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two storey detached dwelling with basement level and further accommodation in roofspace served by rear dormer window, side rooflights and front and rear windows.
Deferred for Site Visit by the Committee, will be on agenda of next meeting of the DC Committee on 16th April.

Applegarth, Parrots Close, Croxley Green
09/0193/FUL
Demolition of existing dwelling and garage and erection of three detached two storey dwellings and three detached garages with associated parking, landscaping and amenity provision. Permission refused.

New application received
331 Uxbridge Road, Mill End
09/0253/FUL
This is the old Tudor-style building near the BP petrol station. Proposal for demolition of existing buildings and erection of eight residential units (4 x 2 bed and 4 x 3 bed) in 1 x 3 storey block and 1 x 4 storey block with undercroft parking / open courtyard, dormer windows and rooflights with associated access and landscaping, with Uxbridge Road facade to be rebuilt to match existing in style and detail.

Free Badminton Coaching for Girls
From Thursday 26th March, Chiltern and Three Rivers Badminton Club will be offering free badminton coaching sessions for girls aged between 8 and 12.
Provided in conjunction with Sport England and the Three Rivers Sports Network, the coaching sessions will take place at St Clement Danes School on Thursdays from 4.45pm - 5.45pm.
The free sessions will run throughout April and May and beginners are welcome.
To book a place on these free sessions, please email coach@c-t-c.net. For more information, please call Frances on 07970 240000.

Development Control Committee
This month’s meeting is on Thursday 19th March at 7.30pm at Three Rivers House. All members of the public are welcome to attend.
Very short agenda this time. Local items of interest include:

1 High Street, Rickmansworth, WD3 1ET
09/0010/FUL
Erection of single four storey residential block comprising 14 apartments and 14 parking spaces.

Land at Rickmansworth School, Scots Hill, Croxley Green
09/0081/FUL
Details of appearance, landscaping, layout scale and refuse storage and disposal facilities, following outline approval 2 years ago fir erection of 7 four-bedroom dwellings and 8 three-bedroom detached dwellings.

29 Wolsey Road, Moor Park, Northwood
09/0176/FUL
Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two storey detached dwelling with basement level and further accommodation in roofspace served by rear dormer window, side rooflights and front and rear windows.

Applegarth, Parrots Close, Croxley Green
09/0193/FUL
Demolition of existing dwelling and garage and erection of three detached two storey dwellings and three detached garages with associated parking, landscaping and amenity provision.

Swim for Free
From 1st April iSwimforFree will be available for everyone under the age of 19 and everyone over the age of 60 years.
The pools where you can swim for free are Sir James Altham Swimming Pool in South Oxhey, Woodside Leisure Centre in North Watford, and the William Penn Leisure Centre when it reopens.
Free swimming is available at all public swim times at Sir James Altham Swimming Pool, so you can swim at your leisure for absolutely nothing! You will only have to pay for swimming lessons, club usage, aqua-aerobics and private hires.
Free swimming is available at Swim for All, Swim Fitness, 50+ swimming sessions, and Swim for Fun sessions at Woodside Leisure Centre.
You will need to register in advance with the your choice of venue to be able to swim for free. Registration is simple and free.
More details are available here on the Three Rivers website.

Film at Watersmeet (reminder from last week’s newsletter)
Thursday 19 March
FEMALE AGENTS
A wartime adventure, based on a true story. A five-woman commando unit parachutes into occupied France in a daring operation to rescue a wounded British geologist from the clutches of the Nazis. Female Agents is a tribute to the tenacity and bravery of France’s Resistance heroines.
French, German and English with English sub titles
Matinee: Doors open 1.30pm
Evening: Bar from 6.30pm
Parking vouchers available price £1.00 for matinee. Free parking in the evening.
Visit the Friends of Watersmeet website for more information.

New cafe in Aquadrome
The new cafe will be open for business next month.

New path round Park
Local residents asked for the path through Ricky Park, leading from Chorleywood Road to the town centre over the footbridge, to have a better surface. This has now been done.

Motorway compound update
Skanska BB have now put in a Statement of Compliance with the General Permitted Development Order to have their compound at the site they have been working on just north of J16 - a site suggested to them some while ago! They plan to continue with the aggregate recycling at J19, as far as we know.

Comet to cut 280 jobs
The electrical retailer Comet is to close four of its 18 service centres and plans to cut staff at its head offices in Rickmansworth and Hull. Comet said it had started consultations with staff over the move, which it described as “difficult but necessary”. The firm currently employs about 1,600 head office and service centre staff.

Station improvements put on hold
Transport for London (TfL) has put more than half of its programme of station improvements on hold. The plans were established under the now-bust Metronet PPP which TfL now controls. Station improvements at Rickmansworth and Moor Park are on ice.

Enjoy the Aquadrome? Come and have your say
The newly formed Friends of the Aquadrome group will hold its second meeting on Wednesday March 18, in the Colne Room at Watersmeet Theatre from 7.00pm.
The new group was established last year to take an active role in looking after the beautiful Aquadrome Local Nature Reserve in Rickmansworth. The group of volunteers has a direct input in to the management of the site through suggesting projects, undertaking habitat creation and management (such as managing a wildflower meadow, removing invasive weeds, hedge planting and creating stag beetle timber hibernation areas) and carrying out surveys of plants, wildlife and visitors. Last week the Friends were to be found across the site establishing bird boxes to provide nesting opportunities for local birds such as sparrows, tits, tree creepers and nut hatches. A total of 30 boxes will be put up around the site, including a barn owl box.
Meetings of the Friends of the Aquadrome are open to all residents - no experience is necessary, just an interest in the Aquadrome and enthusiasm.

For more information residents can ring the District Council on 01923 776611 or come along to the meeting on Wednesday March 18.

Friends groups are also active at the District Council’s other Local Nature Reserves - Croxley Common Moor, Chorleywood House Estate, Oxhey Woods, Prestwick Road Meadows and the Withey Beds.

Film at Watersmeet
Thursday next week, 19 March
FEMALE AGENTS
A wartime adventure, based on a true story. A five-woman commando unit parachutes into occupied France in a daring operation to rescue a wounded British geologist from the clutches of the Nazis. The film is a tribute to the tenacity and bravery of France’s Resistance heroines.
French, German and English with English sub titles
Matinee: Doors open 1.30pm
Evening: Bar from 6.30pm
Parking vouchers available price £1.00 for matinee. Free parking in the evening.
Visit the Friends of Watersmeet website for more information.
Coming up:
16 April THE READER
21 May THE BOY IN STRIPED PYJAMAS
18 June SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Farmers Market
Saturday 14 March at the Rose and Crown, Woodcock Hill, Harefield Road. Their farmers and suppliers market is a monthly event on the second Saturday of every month. There are activities for kids and breakfasts are served. More information at the Rose and Crown website.

Local Area Forum Meeting
Wednesday 4 March 2009 at 7.30pm. Refreshments available from 7.00pm.
Maple Cross JMI School, Denham Way, Maple Cross WD3 9SS
AGENDA
COMMUNITY SAFETY
Discuss local crime issues with the Police.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE – CHANGING FACE OF LOCAL PLANNING
Presentation from Claire May on Local Development Framework (aka Disrict Plan) Core Strategy Consultation.
ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
See the Anti-Social Behaviour DVD made by local pensioners and young people.
BENEFITS
Overview of Housing and Council Tax Benefits and other Welfare Benefits from Jane Walker, Benefits Manager.
LOCAL AREA FORUM GRANT
Suggestions from residents for use of a £2,000 grant from Three Rivers District Council.
LOCAL ISSUES
Your chance to raise topical local issues.

New planning applications

Land adjacent to Hilltop, 41 Stag Lane, Chorleywood
09/0168/FUL
Outline Application: Erection of a detached dwelling and garage

29 Wolsey Road, Moor Park
09/0176/FUL
Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two storey detached
dwelling with basement level and further accommodation in roofspace served by rear dormer window, side rooflights and front and rear windows

Land adjacent to Adams House, London Road, Rickmansworth
09/0183/FUL
New 4 bedroom house with 2 bay garage and home office over. Relocate vehicular access and provide new close boarded boundary fence to road side

Applegarth, Parrotts Close, Croxley Green
09/0193/FUL
Demolition of existing dwelling and garage and erection of three detached two storey dwellings and three detached garages with associated parking, landscaping and amenity provision. There have been several applications previously for this site, which have been refused.

147A Uxbridge Road, Moneyhill Parade, Rickmansworth
09/0226/FUL
Change of use of number 147A from bookmakers (Class A2) to takeaway restaurant (Class A3/A5) for ancillary use to KFC at number 145 including new shop front with mobility access, single storey rear extension and new rear access with steps and handrails.

Planning appeal decision
152 The Drive, Rickmansworth
07/2612/FUL
Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two, two storey dwellings with basements, detached garage, new vehicular access and associated driveways and landscaping. Appeal allowed with conditions.

Planning Appeal performance
In 2008, 62 planning appeals were determined, of which 40 (65%) were dismissed.

Clothing theft
Last Tuesday the 24th February at approximately 8am a Moneyhill Road resident put a clearly marked bag of clean clothes on the doorstep to be collected by a local ironing company (The Board of Ironing). There was an arrangement for them to collect soon after. They admit that they made an error on that day and did not collect. At 10am (witnessed by a neighbour) a large unmarked yellow van pulled up and the driver took the bag. The ironing company and bona fide charities collecting that day have confirmed that it was not collecting for them. The matter has been reported to the police who are treating it as theft, but say that unless they can identify the van they will struggle with the case. Please be warned, and think twice about leaving items out for collection. If anyone has seen the van in the area, or still has a slip of paper from one of those companies who are not charities that collected on that day, please let me have the details and I will pass the info on.

Council Tax News
Last night’s Council meeting (24.02.09) agreed an increase in the Three Rivers element of the council tax of just 1.5%. Last year saw a small decrease. The average for the other districts in Herts for the coming year is 3.2%. However, most of the tax paid locally goes to Herts County Council, who are demanding an increase of 3.5%. So whilst local residents in a Band E home will see an increase of around six pence per week for Three Rivers, the county council will add nearly £50 per annum. Over the past five years, the Three Rivers part of council tax has increased by just 4%, the lowest for any shire district or borough council in England.
The council will be making further efficiency savings of over £600,000 in the coming year, rising to over £1 million in future years, while maintaining existing services. There will be increased investment in local woodlands and conservation areas, play areas and allotments, and further expansion of recycling. There will also be more financial support for the local Citizens’ Advice Bureaux.

M25 widening at Junctions 16 to 18 - Public Exhibitions
The Highways Agency is running exhibitions to inform local residents of the construction works for the widening of the motorway between Junctions 16 and 18. This is the first section of work to be carried out for the widening project between Junctions 16 and 23, due to start on 27th April.
The exhibitions will be held on:
Friday 6 March 2009, 2pm to 9pm at Watersmeet, High Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1EH
Saturday 7 March 2009, 10am to 5pm at St Clement Danes School, 6th Form Centre, Chenies Road, Chorleywood WD3 6EW
Friday 13 March 2009, 10am to 9pm & Saturday 14 March 2009, 10am to 5pm at The Bull Hotel, Bolstrode Suite, Oxford Road, Gerrards Cross SL9 7PA
Admission to the exhibitions is free and representatives of the Highways Agency project team will be present to answer questions.

Development Control Committee
Last week’s meeting refused plans for a Tesco convenience store (reference 08/2239/FUL) on the site of the former car showrooms next to the Shell petrol station on Watford Road, Croxley. The reasons given were overdevelopment, reflected in the scale and bulk of buildings, inadequate amenity for new flats, and unsatisfactory parking arrangements contrary to Local Plan policies.

Aquadrome improvements
700 metres of the Aquadrome’s footpaths will be made accessible to wheelchair users from April. Works to provide hard surfaces for the footpaths started this week, together with a new path along the main entrance way. The improvements will also include resurfacing the car park. Once the work is completed, all the footpaths will provide good access for wheelchair users as well as making their use easier for pushchairs.
A grant of £118,000 from DEFRA’s Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund has helped fund the scheme. The work will be completed by the end of Spring.

What is happening at William Penn Leisure Centre?
Following the termination of Gee Construction’s employment as main contractor, Three Rivers District Council has commissioned a detailed condition survey of the building and its services. The survey will be used to draw up work packages and these will go out to tender.
The Council will not be able to report a firm date for the completion of the refurbishment until these tenders are awarded and contractors are appointed.
A full report is on the Council website.

M25 Victory
Skanska Balfour Beatty have withdrawn their controversial, unpopular plans for a construction compound at Long Lane, near Junction 17 of the M25. It is believed they will use land at the gravel extraction works near Junction 19 instead. This is a great victory for local residents, who wrote in their hundreds to object to the J17 plans and who attended the packed meeting at Watersmeet earlier this month.

Development Control Committee
This month’s meeting is on Thursday 19th Feb at 7.30pm at Three Rivers House. All members of the public are welcome to attend.
The agenda includes plans for a Tesco convenience store (reference 08/2239/FUL) on the site of the former car showrooms next to the Shell petrol station on Watford Road, Croxley. There would also be seven flats.

Green Belt under Government threat
Three Rivers DC is proud of the Green Belt, which makes up 77% of the district. The Council works hard to protect it and has won awards for doing so. But the Government is now forcing the Council to find sites for 2,400 extra homes to be built by 2021. This is excessive and has been condemned by the Council. But there is no choice. If sites are not identified by the Council they will be identified by unelected Government agencies.
70% of these new homes can be accommodated within existing built-up areas but there is a limit to this and TRDC has been forced to suggest green belt sites for the remaining 30%.
TRDC is proposing that 45% of new homes should be ‘affordable’ so young adults brought up locally can live and work in their own communities.
Public consultation on the LDF Core Strategy (previously known as the District Plan) is now under way (until 30 March). All relevant documents and information can be viewed on the Council’s website at www.threerivers.gov.uk (follow the link from front page).

More Free Swimming
Three Rivers DC’s policy, introduced two years ago, offering free swimming to school children, has been a great success. Not only has it offered healthy exercise, but it has also led to a significant reduction in anti-social behaviour.
The Government has now brought in a two-year scheme to offer free swimming to children under 16 and OAPs. Many local councils are not taking part because the Government has not fully funded it but TRDC has joined up because it is convinced that this healthy exercise offers huge benefits to both age groups. The scheme starts in April.

Pensioners’ Forum
Advice from Age Concern and energy saving experts
Senior citizens from around Three Rivers are invited to hear from interesting speakers and have their say at the next meeting of the Three Rivers Pensioners’ Forum.
Joining the popular forum for the meeting on 20 February will be Carol Collier from Age Concern, who will be speaking to members about the work of the organisation in the local area and offering help and advice on specific issues affecting pensioners. Officers from the District Council’s sustainability team will be attending the forum to give advice on energy saving in the home and free insulation on offer for pensioners. Renato Messere and Steve Farrell from the District Council’s development control team will also be coming along to make sure members are aware of the Local Development Framework consultation and to answer questions on the document.
The Pensioners Forum is a good way to find out about what’s happening locally and make your voice heard. It’s an informal afternoon with the opportunity to discuss a range of topics over a cup of tea and a slice of tasty homemade cake. The Council is encouraging pensioners from across Three Rivers to come along and get involved. The meeting takes place on Friday 20 February from 2pm – 4pm at Three Rivers House in Rickmansworth. Refreshments are provided and taxi fares can be reimbursed for those with transport difficulties.

Ann Shaw, Leader of Three Rivers District Council, said:
“I am delighted and relieved. Residents and the Council have worked closely together to protect local homes and our environment.”

Steven Halls, Three Rivers’ Chief Executive, said:
“I am delighted that Skanska Balfour Beatty continued our dialogue over the last fortnight and that we could reconsider the position of the compound. I am pleased that David Blackburn was happy to continue talking with us to meet a mutually satisfactory decision about the position of the compound.”

David Blackburn, Managing Director of Skanska Balfour Beatty, said:
“We have further reviewed the Junction 17 compound proposal with Three Rivers District Council and the Highways Agency. After extensive consultation a decision has been taken to reconsider our plans for the compound and therefore not locate it near Junction 17 at Mill End. It is still intended to provide the environmental mitigation bunds to minimise any future effects from the motorway.”

M25 Meeting
At a packed meeting at Watersmeet last week (nearly 500 people in the main theatre), residents fired numerous questions at the representatives of Skanska Balfour Beatty, who tried and failed to give reassurances. There were many questions about alternative sites, particularly J19, which David Blackburn from SBB said could not be used because it would involve a “motorway-to-motorway” access. It was pointed out to him that the M1/M25 link is at J21, not J19, whereupon he changed his reason to “The Highways Agency has refused permission to use J19.” It was not explained why. The deadline for comments on the proposals is today, and we await the Secretary of State’s response.

Snow Collection
Missed collections due to snow - if you have missed a collection due to the recent weather conditions, please note that Three Rivers will run a ‘catch up’ service during this week. They will take extra refuse on your next collection and will return for any missed recycling / green waste as soon as possible. Check the Refuse and Recycling Collection Latest page for the most up-to-date information.
Frozen brown bins
Some brown bins are being reported as frozen by collection crews. Unfortunately TRDC will be unable to return until the next collection if your bin is reported as frozen. TRDC apologises for any inconvenience caused.
Heavy brown bins
The crew are reporting that a large number of brown bins are too heavy. Heavy bins can break on the lifting equipment, or be thrown into the back of the collection vehicle. If you think your bin is too heavy, i.e if you have trouble moving it, then please keep some waste back until the next collection.

William Penn
No further news since last week’s announcement that the Council has terminated the contract with Gee Construction. TRDC will manage the team of sub-contractors directly in an effort to finish the remaining work and get the new pool open as soon as possible.

Safer Eating
Pubs, restaurants and food shops in Three Rivers are becoming cleaner, according to a report by the District Council’s environmental health team. Health officers analysed the performance of 405 food premises. Since February 2007, the number of outlets scoring the maximum five stars has doubled from 18 to 36 while the proportion of venues scoring zero has halved from 38 to 19 businesses. The percentage of venues achieving a good rating of three stars has increased from 63% to 72% of the total. The improvements follow the launch of the Scores on the Doors hygiene ratings on the Council’s website in January 2008.

Children’s Nature Week
It’s that time of year again - wellies and glue sticks will be at the ready this February half term (16th to 20th Feb) as the popular Children’s Nature Week returns to the Three Rivers district. Now in its fifth year, the annual week of nature-themed activities is organised by Three Rivers District Council in partnership with The Riversmeet Consortium, South Oxhey and Carpenders Park Schools Consortium and Adrian Extended Schools Consortium. All activities are low cost and some are free. Download a leaflet for details of what’s on offer and how to book.

Ricky Pancake Race
Organisers of the annual Rickmansworth Pancake Race are seeking competitors for this year’s race. The charity event, in aid of Watford Mencap, will once again see participants charge down the High Street wielding frying pans. Teams of four are sought for the relay event on Tuesday, February 24. Runners are encouraged to wear either fancy dress or company branded T-Shirts. The entry fee is £50 per team. To enter a team contact (01923) 713 622 or email fundraising@watfordmencap.org.uk.

William Penn - contract terminated
After mounting delays, Gee Construction, the main contractors for the refurbishment at William Penn Leisure Centre, have had their contract terminated by Three Rivers Council. This only happened today and is obviously a developing story - more information will be included in next week’s newsletter.

M25 Compound at J17
Since the last newsletter, a public meeting has been arranged at Watersmeet (near the Library in Rickmansworth) for 7.30pm this Thursday, 5th February. Representatives from Skanska Balfour Beatty will be present.
Three Rivers has formally objected to the proposal put forward by SBB to build a compound on the land between Long Lane and the Link Road, and to install bunds on land adjacent to Shepherds Lane, Mill End and Chalfont Road, Maple Cross. The Council objects strongly
- to the loss of residential amenity
- to the loss of farmland jeopardising the viability of one of the few remaining farms in this part of the district
- to the inevitable detrimental impact on wildlife
- to the possible land contamination
- to the impact on the highway network
- to the procedure adopted in by-passing the normal planning process
The Council has stated it will not release land in its ownership for the purpose of tipping and will write to Herts County Council as Waste Disposal Authority seeking support to Three Rivers’ position.
Three Rivers Council is sending a letter to the Minister setting out the situation and the views of local residents and the Council.

Development Control - decions from meeting on Thursday 22nd January.

Land at 18 to 26 Ebury Road, Rickmansworth WD3 1BN and land to the rear of 153 High Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1AR
08/1876/FUL
Erection of a detached two storey building with garage on ground floor and flat on first floor. Planning permission REFUSED.

Rear of 163 High Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1AY
08/1958/FUL
Demolition of existing storage building attached to rear of 163 High Street and erection of two-storey building comprising 5 one-bedroom flats with integral garage and roof lights. Planning permission REFUSED.

Hawkford Hall, 231 Uxbridge Road, Rickmansworth WD3 8DP,
08/2016/FUL
Use of car parking area at rear for the parking of vans for Comet Pump and Engineering Ltd. Planning permission granted with tight conditions and for one year only.

Safer
Three Rivers continues to be the safest district in Hertfordshire. The district’s crime level dropped by 1% between October and December compared to the same period in 2007. The district’s current level of crime is 42% below the county average.
Vehicle crime fell by 6.9% to 202 incidents. Criminal damage dropped by 2.4% to 240 crimes. Domestic burglary increased by 34.6% to 148 incidents while non-domestic burglary fell by 24.7% to 67. Despite the rise, the domestic burglary rate remains relatively low, at 4 incidents per 1,000 homes. Violent crime saw a reduction of 22.5% to 131 incidents.

Yellow Pages
You can now put Yellow Pages in the kerbside paper recycling box for collection by Three Rivers.

New Plans for M25 Compound
Construction firm Skanska Balfour Beatty (SBB) have come back with another proposal to site a compound for the planned M25 widening on the land between Long Lane and the J17 link road in front of the homes of the residents there. In addition they want to tip on the open land in Mill End – below the motorway, above the Home Way/ Mill Way residential area; and in Maple Cross – off Chalfont Road near the motorway bridge.
SBB consider that the works do not require planning permission as they are permitted development allowed by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order. Your elected representatives are excluded from any decision making on this. However, we all, residents and councillors, have the right to object between now and 10th February.
There is much more information on the TRDC website.
Objections can be sent by letter or email to Peter Kerr at TRDC, Northway, Rickmansworth, WD3 1RL, or peter.kerr@threerivers.gov.uk. Peter Kerr will collect all the objections and make a record before they are sent on to SBB. Objections do not need to be long letters!

Development Control Agenda 7.30pm Thursday 22nd January at Three Rivers House. Members of public are welcome to attend. Items in the Rickmansworth area include:

Land at 18 to 26 Ebury Road, Rickmansworth WD3 1BN and land to the rear of 153 High Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1AR
08/1876/FUL
Erection of a detached two storey building with garage on ground floor and flat on first floor.

Rear of 163 High Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1AY
08/1958/FUL
Demolition of existing storage building attached to rear of 163 High Street and erection of two-storey building comprising 5 one-bedroom flats with integral garage and roof lights. Deferred from last month for a Site Visit by the Committee

Hawkford Hall, 231 Uxbridge Road, Rickmansworth WD3 8DP,
08/2016/FUL
Use of car parking area at rear for the parking of vans, for Comet Pump and Engineering Ltd. Deferred from last month for officers to seek clarification of intention of applicant re overnight use of parking and to ensure actual bays proposed be marked accordingly on plans.

Gypsies and Travellers - inspectors decide
An independent panel of planning inspectors has supported the East of England Regional Assembly’s draft policy that every local authority should plan for residential Gypsy and Traveller pitches.
In a report to the Secretary of the State for Communities and Local Government, published on 18 December, the inspectors recommend that every local authority should plan for at least 15 additional residential pitches by 2011, except Stevenage and Watford which should plan for at least 10 additional residential pitches. In total, the inspectors recommend an additional 1237 residential pitches by 2011, 50 more than EERA’s draft policy. They also make recommendations for an additional 160 transit pitches and 184 plots for Travelling Showpeople. The planning inspector’s report will now be considered by the Secretary of State, who will then publish any Proposed Changes to EERA’s draft policy in Spring 2009. The Government will then hold a further 12 weeks of public consultation before the final policy is published in Summer 2009.
The original recommendation by EERA officers, based on their professional assessment of need, was that Three Rivers should provide only two pitches - this has now been increased by the inspectors to 15.

New planning applications received during the Christmas/New Year period

245-253 Watford Road, Croxley Green WD3 3RX
08/2208/FUL
Residential development of existing part residential and part commercial car sales land comprising 24 three bedroom dwellings with associated garaging, parking and highway works

189 - 191 Watford Road, Croxley Green WD3 3ED
08/2239/FUL
Demolition of existing car showroom and workshop and redevelopment of site to create new convenience retail store, seven flats (including three affordable units) in two blocks and retail office space with associated car parking and access for Tesco Stores Limited

Tesco, Harefield Road, Rickmansworth WD3 1LX
08/2273/FUL
Installation of a combined heat and power (CHP) unit to provide a sustainable method of powering the store.

139 High Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1AR
08/2248/FUL
Change of use from class A1 (retail) to class A3 (restaurant/cafe) and installation of ground floor, extraction system. This is the Robert Harris Jewellers premises.

1 High Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1ET (eastern end of High Street)
09/0010/FUL
Erection of single four storey residential block comprising 14 apartments and 14 parking spaces.

Planning appeal decisions
The long-awaited appeal decisions for 61, 63 and 65 Nightingale Road, Rickmansworth have been announced - all were dismissed. The plans were originally submitted in August 2007 and May 2008 and were refused by the Development Control Committee.
07/1729/FUL - Demolition of existing detached dwelling and erection of four detached dwellings with access road. Appeal dismissed.
08/1089/FUL - Demolition of existing detached dwelling and erection of four detached dwellings with access road. Appeal dismissed.
07/1788/CAC - Conservation Area Consent. Demolition of existing detached dwelling. Appeal dismissed.

Friends of Watersmeet Film Society
Thursday 15 January 2:00pm & 7:30pm Sweeney Todd (18) 119 mins.
The infamous story of Benjamin Barker, a.k.a Sweeney Todd, who sets up a barber shop down in London which is the basis for a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, Mrs Lovett. Based on the hit Broadway musical. Johnny Depp stars in the title role, Helena Bonham Carter is Mrs Lovett, creator of diabolical meat pies.
Tea & Cakes are served at matinee.performances. Evening bar from 6.30 pm. Tickets for Friends films are not available in advance - purchase at the door. For tickets and details on becoming a member, contact The Friends of Watersmeet Film Society: Membership enquiries - Christine Cain on 01923 772278; General enquiries - Derek Harrison on 01923 446728.

£281,000 facelift for Aquadrome
Three Rivers District Council, working with the Countryside Management Service, has secured a grant of £118,000 to fund improvements at the popular Rickmansworth Aquadrome. The grant has been awarded by Natural England through DEFRA’s Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) and is in addition to the £75,000 secured from the same fund last year. This fund is a legacy from the days when gravel was extracted from the lakes that now form the Aquadrome.
This money, together with extra funding from the District Council, will form the £281,000 needed to upgrade the Aquadrome’s main car park and improve 700 metres of footpath to ensure they are accessible for all visitors. Further on-site information and way marking will also be provided.
Further information on the programme of improvements can be found on the Improvements at the Aquadrome page.

Crime figures lowest in Herts
Three Rivers remains the safest district in Hertfordshire according to the overall crime rate for the first six months of the financial year. Other encouraging figures include those for domestic burglary, violent crime and criminal damage - all are the lowest in Hertfordshire.
Latest figures (April - September 2008), shown as the number of crimes per 1,000 residents:
• All crime = 25.7
• Burglary (residential) = 1.72
• Robbery = 0.14
• Vehicle crime = 4.39
• Violent crime = 3.67
• Serious acquisitive crime (eg. burglary in a dwelling, aggravated burglary and robbery of business or personal property) = 6.26
• Domestic violence = 1.24
• Criminal damage = 5.54
All the above figures are the lowest in Hertfordshire, except robbery and vehicle crime, which are the second lowest.

Planning

Local decisions from the Development Control Committee, which met last week.

Willow Hill, The Clump, Rickmansworth WD3 4BQ
08/1882/FUL
Demolition of existing house and erection of four 2-storey detached houses with rooms in roof. Planning permission GRANTED as per agenda with additional conditions requiring retention and reuse of excavated topsoil on site and parking on site for contractors

62 The Drive, Rickmansworth WD3 4EB
08/1885/FUL
Demolition of existing house and erection of two 2-storey detached houses with basement levels and further accommodation in roof space. Planning permission REFUSED due to overdevelopment out of character with area.

Rear of 163 High Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1AY
08/1958/FUL
Demolition of existing storage building attached to rear of 163 High Street and erection of two-storey building comprising 5 one-bedroom flats with integral garage and roof lights. Deferred for a Site Visit by the Committee

Hawkford Hall, 231 Uxbridge Road, Rickmansworth WD3 8DP,
08/2016/FUL
Use of car parking area at rear for the parking of vans, for Comet Pump and Engineering Ltd. Deferred for officers to seek clarification of intention of applicant re overnight use of parking and to ensure actual bays proposed be marked accordingly on plans.

Happy Christmas and New Year to all my readers.
Please note your editor is taking a break until the New Year, so the next issue of this newsletter will be in January.

M25 widening work begins
The Highways Agency is starting preparation work on the widening of the M25 between Js 16 and 23. This stage involves the felling of trees and shrub clearance within the highway boundary. They are promising to replant when the widening works are complete. The clearance work will start on the clockwise side between Js 16-17, and then after Christmas they will move to both sides from J16 to north of J18. Construction work proper is due to start in the Spring. The overall project will take until 2012. Keep up-to-date at the Highways Agency website.

Development Control Committee meeting, Thursday 11th Dec at 7.30pm, Three Rivers House. members of the public are welcome to attend.

Local items of interest include:

Willow Hill, The Clump, Rickmansworth WD3 4BQ
08/1882/FUL
Demolition of existing house and erection of four 2-storey detached houses with rooms in roof. This was deferred at last month’s meeting for a committee site visit.

62 The Drive, Rickmansworth WD3 4EB
08/1885/FUL
Demolition of existing house and erection of two 2-storey detached houses with basement levels and further accommodation in roof space. This was deferred at last month’s meeting for a committee site visit.

Rear of 163 High Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1AY
08/1958/FUL
Demolition of existing storage building attached to rear of 163 High Street and erection of two-storey building comprising 5 one-bedroom flats with integral garage and roof lights.

Hawkford Hall, 231 Uxbridge Road, Rickmansworth WD3 8DP,
08/2016/FUL
Use of car parking area at rear for the parking of vans, for Comet Pump and Engineering Ltd

New Planning Applications in the local area

Greenways, The Clump, Rickmansworth WD3 4BB
08/2111/FUL
Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of six bedroom detached dwelling

12 Moneyhill Parade, Uxbridge Road, Rickmansworth WD3 7BE
08/2121/FUL
Change of use of ground floor from Class A1 (retail) to Class A2 (Financial and Professional Services)

Land at 18 to 26 Ebury Road, Rickmansworth WD3 1BN and land to the rear of 153 High Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1AR
08/1876/FUL
Erection of a detached two storey building with garage on ground floor and flat on first floor.

100 Valley Road, Rickmansworth WD3 4BH
08/2174/FUL
Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of two storey detached dwelling with further accommodation in roof space.

M25 action
A special Executive Committee meeting was convened by Three Rivers yesterday (Monday 24th Nov) to deal with the threat of a 25-acre motorway construction compound on green belt farmland at Long Lane, which adjoins Junction 17 at Maple Cross. The proposal would also have a major impact on the Heronsgate Conservation Area. A compound is needed for the M25 widening project between Junctions 16 and 23. The construction firm Skanska Balfour Beatty have now withdrawn their proposal, which had been submitted using powers that avoided the need for a planning permission - thus also avoiding the need to undertake public consultation. At last night’s meeting, the Committee agreed on behalf of the Council to object to any such development on green belt land, and to point the contractors to the construction compound near Junction 8 of the M1.

Rickmansworth Victoria Evening
This Friday, 28th Nov, 5.30 onwards. Hot Roast Chestnuts, Fair Rides, Morris Dancing, Punch & Judy and much more to entertain you and your children. The High Street is closed to traffic from late afternoon.

Decisions reached at Development Control Committee last Thursday, 20th Nov.

Happy Man Public House, Berry Lane, Mill End WD3 7HR
08/1701/FUL
Redevelopment plan by Tesco for 3-storey buliding with shop at ground floor and eight 2-bed flats above. The application was refused for reasons of overdevelopment of site, prominent and dominating building, parking bay in conflict with free flow of traffic, impact on local education and transport services.

38 Highfield Way, Rickmansworth WD3 7PR
08/1772/FUL
Erection of detached timber-framed triple garage with first floor storage and roof lights. Approved subject to applicant entering a legal agreement not to use the building as a separate dwelling.

58 Pheasants Way, Rickmansworth WD3 7HA
08/1793/FUL
Demolition of existing bungalow and erection of two-storey detached house. Approved - there were no planning grounds to sustain a refusal.

2 The Drive, Rickmansworth WD3 4EB
08/1821/FUL
Demolition of existing house and erection of two 2-storey detached houses with basement levels and further accommodation in roof space. Refused for reasons of overbearing development giving rise to overlooking of neighbours and harm to character and appearance of locality.

Willow Hill, The Clump, Rickmansworth WD3 4BQ
08/1882/FUL
Demolition of existing house and erection of four 2-storey detached houses with rooms in roof. Deferred for committee site visit.

62 The Drive, Rickmansworth WD3 4EB
08/1885/FUL
Demolition of existing house and erection of two 2-storey detached houses with basement levels and further accommodation in roof space. Deferred for committee site visit.

The Aquadrome, Rickmansworth
08/1949/FUL
Siting of 7 Portacabins and new 1.8m high chain fence adjacent to existing Council depot, to provide temporary (3 years) accommodation for the Nomad Canoe Club and the shop for Out of Town Action Sports, whose existing accommodation is being demolished as part of the development scheme for the new cafe. Approved.

New Planning Applications in the local area

5 Tudor Parade, Mill End WD3 4DF
08/2067/FUL
Change of use from sweet shop/post office (Class A1) to eat in and take away restaurant (Class A5)

1 Odeon Parade, High Street, Rickmansworth WD3 1EE (opposite the Library)
08/2078/FUL
Change of use: From Bonnick’s shoe repairs shop (Class A2) to cafe (Class A3)

Beat the Killer Cold
In the last five years more than 130,000 people over 65 have died from cold related illnesses during the winter months in Britain. In the winter of 2004/5 31,250 people over 65 died from cold-related illnesses in England and Wales alone. That’s 10 pensioners dying per hour.
With soaring fuel prices, things will be even more difficult for pensioners this year. To help the Council’s Beat the Killer Cold scheme, please send a cheque payable to “Beat the Killer Cold” and send it to Janet Ide, Democratic Services, Three Rivers DC, Rickmansworth WD3 1RL.
For every pound donated, the Council will donate another pound. Your donations will go to pensioners in Three Rivers on lower incomes and the money is paid to them in addition to the government’s winter fuel allowance.

Efficiencies to save over £350,000
The District Council will save more than £350,000 this year. The figure was announced at a recent Executive Committee meeting at Three Rivers. The Council’s six monthly budget monitoring report also outlined savings for the coming two years.
Council Leader Ann Shaw said: “We are in a strong position to develop services further and save money despite the credit crunch. Since 2005 we have reduced our costs by £1.22M and the latest estimate for this year is encouraging. Over the next two years from April we are aiming to save an additional £950,000. The savings will come from increased efficiency and a reduction in staff recruitment and I am confident that services can even expand slightly. We are focused on customer service - that’s not just about value and quality of services but also about listening to what residents want.”

Watersmeet Films
27 November THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL Cert. 12A 114 mins
Sir Thomas Boleyn is determined to secure his family’s power and status through the marriages of his children, George, Anne and Mary. With Mary betrothed to William Carey, Thomas agrees to help his brother, the Duke of Norfolk, secure Anne’s place as the King’s new mistress.
Starring Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana and Kristin Scott Thomas.
More info about the film at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467200/.
Matinee at 2.00pm, Evenings at 7.30pm. Tea & Cakes are served at matinee.performances. Evening bar from 6.30 pm.
Coming up ….
January 15th - Sweeny Todd
February 12th - Quantum of Solace (the new Bond film)
March 19th - Female Agents.

Development Control Agenda, 7.30pm Thursday 20th Nov at Three Rivers House. Members of public are welcome to attend.

Items of local interest include:

Happy Man Public House, Berry Lane, Mill End WD3 7HR
08/1701/FUL
Redevelopment plan by Tesco for 3-storey buliding with shop at ground floor and eight 2-bed flats above. The Planning Department recommends refusal.

38 Highfield Way, Rickmansworth WD3 7PR
08/1772/FUL
Erection of detached timber-framed triple garage with first floor storage and roof lights.

58 Pheasants Way, Rickmansworth WD3 7HA
08/1793/FUL
Demolition of existing bungalow and erection of two-storey detached house. This was deferred at last month’s meeting for a committee site visit.

2 The Drive, Rickmansworth WD3 4EB
08/1821/FUL
Demolition of existing house and erection of two 2-storey detached houses with basement levels and further accommodation in roof space.

Willow Hill, The Clump, Rickmansworth WD3 4BQ
08/1882/FUL
Demolition of existing house and erection of four 2-storey detached houses with rooms in roof.

62 The Drive, Rickmansworth WD3 4EB
08/1885/FUL
Demolition of existing house and erection of two 2-storey detached houses with basement levels and further accommodation in roof space.

The Aquadrome, Rickmansworth
08/1949/FUL
Siting of 7 Portacabins and new 1.8m high chain fence adjacent to existing Council depot, to provide temporary (3 years) accommodation for the Nomad Canoe Club and the shop for Out of Town Action Sports, whose existing accommodation is being demolished as part of the development scheme for the new cafe.

Council Budget Consultation
Three Rivers Council is running a consultation on the council budget and how much you think Council Tax levels should be for 2009-2010. What changes would you like to see in services when you think about them in relation to the level of Council Tax?

M25 Widening – temporary compound at Junction 17
The District Council has received formal notice from Skanska/Balfour Beatty of their intention to carry out works to the immediate northwest of junction 17 of the M25. The works will comprise a construction compound for the widening and maintenance of the adjacent stretch of the M25 and are expected to be in use from January 2009 until the end of 2011.
The works do not require planning permission as they are permitted development allowed by the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order.
Comments on the works should be sent direct to Skanska/Balfour Beatty at the address included in the notice, however residents can copy their comments to peter.kerr@threerivers.gov.uk to enable the District Council to be aware of their views.
The notice can be downloaded from the TRDC website - there’s a link on the front page. To access further information, visit the Highways Agency website and follow the ‘M25 Berry Lane Viaduct’ link on the right hand navigation menu.

Recent Planning Applications

The Cottage and Windrush, Rectory Road, Rickmansworth 08/1974/OUT
Outline application to demolish existing two houses and erection of a single building comprising fifteen two bedroom flats with parking for ten cars.

Hawkford Hall, 231 Uxbridge Road, Mill End, Rickmansworth 08/2016/FUL
Proposal to use car parking area at rear for the parking of vans for Comet Pump and Engineering Ltd.

Planning appeal decisions
08/0134/FUL - 81/81A Hornhill Road, Maple Cross. Demolition of existing buildings and erection of 6 dwellings with garages, parking and access road. Appeal allowed.

Licensing Application
The Licensing Sub Committee hearing for the Texaco Service Station in Moneyhill Parade will be held at 5pm on Wednesday 19 November 2008 at Three Rivers House.

Residents’ Association surveys opinions on Met line improvements
Railway commuters in Rickmansworth can take part in a survey on planned improvements to the town’s Metropolitan Line service.
The survey, from Rickmansworth and District Residents’ Association, asks for comments on the launch of new trains expected in 2010, their design and expected service changes.
London Underground plans to increase the peak service into the capital, but that will only happen once all the signals have changed – not expected until 2014.
That means commuters can expect to spend more time standing during the four year changeover, as new trains – each with fewer seats – replace existing trains on the current timetable.
The Residents’ Association is also keen to seek commuter views on how service and signal changes will also affect Baker Street – where delays are regularly experienced because of signal failures.
Committee Member for Transport Russell Carpenter said: “We’re concerned London Underground are poorly organised with their plans, despite their assurances to the contrary.”
He continued: “We’ve already experienced delays to the award of a signalling contract, largely due to the Metronet fiasco. And because of this, they don’t yet know what the future capacity of their line is going to be. They say the service will be better, but what exactly we’re going to get and when is all very uncertain. So we need feedback from commuters to make sure they know what’s going on.”
The launch of new trains does bring some welcome changes – including better facilities for disabled commuters, increased security and – at last – air conditioning.
More details are available in the current issue of the association’s magazine “Independence”, copies available by emailing feedback@rickmansworth-residents-association.org or by leaving a message on 01923 460526.
The survey can be completed online at www.rickmansworth-residents-association.org until Friday 19 December or can also be collected from the town centre library.

18 Longmore Close, Maple Cross WD3 9SE
08/1362/FUL
REFUSED. Sub-division of existing dwelling into 4 two-bed flats including conversion of garage into habitable accommodation, alterations to front door and fenestration detail and erection of an external staircase

Broads of Watford, 189-191 Watford Road, Croxley Green WD3 3ED for Tesco Stores Ltd.
08/1519/FUL
WITHDRAWN BY TESCO’S AGENT, but likely to be resubmitted. Demolition of existing car showroom and workshop and redevelopment to create new convenience retail store and seven flats (including three affordable units) in two blocks with associated car parking and access. (Note - Tesco’s application at The Happy Man (Berry Lane/Tudor Way) will probably be on next month’s agenda.)

Land between 34 and 36 The Queens Drive, Mill End WD3 8LT
08/1646/FUL
APPROVED. Erection of 2 two-storey semi-detached dwellings with rear dormer windows and further accommodation in the roof space with associated access and car parking

58 Pheasants Way, Rickmansworth WD3 7HA
08/1793/FUL
DEFERRED FOR COMMITTEE SITE VISIT. Proposal to demolish existing bungalow and erect a two storey detached house.

The most controversial item on the agenda was a request by Chorleywood Youth Football Club 08/1312/FUL for an additional two 11-a-side pitches and one 7-a-side pitch on grassland in the Chorleywood House Estate, which is part of a Local Nature Reserve, in the Green Belt, and part of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The proposal would also result in additional car parking for 65 cars. Although there were strong arguments in favour of allowing such recreational use, the Committee came down in support of the significant environmental concerns and refused permission. However, the Council will support the club in finding alternative locations.

Local Farmland under M25 threat
Many local residents, including your councillors, opposed the widening of the M25 when it involved taking extra land and bringing the noise and pollution nearer to local homes. We were relieved that the new scheme claimed to need no extra land. Now we find out that acres of local farm land are at risk. Local farmers are being pressed to allow large blocks of land to be used for works compounds and tipping. Under threat are the fields on the north-east side of Long Lane opposite Heronsgate and the land north of Home Way, Whitfield Way and Mill Way in Mill End.
We are very concerned because
• the reduction in land available for crops affects the viability of the whole farm
• autumn ploughing and sowing have had to be postponed
• land used in this way for 4/5 years will take years to recover—it may never do so
• the network of footpaths and bridle ways will be devastated
• the wild life, especially the sky lark, lapwings and golden plovers will be driven away
• the landscape will be destroyed for all of us
• unacceptable heavy traffic will be brought onto local roads which are not suitable for huge numbers of heavy lorries.
Your local councillors will object very strongly to this and try to preserve local farmland. Peter Kerr at Three Rivers DC will co-ordinate objections. If you share our concerns please send your letter to Peter Kerr at Three Rivers House, email peter.kerr@threerivers.gov.uk or ring him on (01923) 727102.

Watersmeet Film
Thursday 23 October The Kite Runner Cert.12A 128 mins
The story is based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini about the bond that develops in Afghanistan between a privileged youth, Amir, and the son of his father’s servant, Hassan, who both have a love of kite flying.
Tickets will be on sale at Watersmeet on the day of the performance. Matinee at 2.00pm, Evenings at 7.30pm. Tea & cakes are served at matinee performances. Evening bar from 6.30 pm.

William Penn update
AT LAST … There has been encouraging progress recently at William Penn Leisure Centre with sustained improvements in all areas of the site. The main contractors now report that they expect to complete the refurbishment in January 2009, with the new fitness suite opening at an earlier stage. TRDC is working with the contractors and the design team to achieve completion as soon as possible while ensuring that the finished building is of the highest possible quality.

Half-term activities
Children in Three Rivers can enjoy free activities on offer from Three Rivers District Council during half-term week.
These schemes went down really well with local children over the summer holidays. The more unpredictable autumn weather (was “summer” any less predictable?) means youngsters may prefer to take part in more indoor activities this half-term.
Free gym sessions will be running between Monday 27 October and Friday 31 October at William Penn Leisure Centre (Mill End), The Centre (South Oxhey), Charters Health Club Woodlands (Abbots Langley) and Charters Health Club (Watford). Free swim sessions will be on offer at Sir James Altham Swimming Pool in South Oxhey.
For full details of the scheme residents can ring the Leisure department at Three Rivers District Council on 01923 779392, or visit the Leisure and Culture page on the website.

Recycling award
One of the Three Rivers recycling crews has won the Collection Crew of the Year category at this year’s Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management. The awards ceremony, run by letsrecycle.com, was held this week at the Millennium Hotel in Mayfair.