Appeal For Witnesses To M40 Collision

Warwickshire Police are investigating a serious road traffic collision on the northbound carriageway of the M40 between junctions 14 & 15 at around 12.20pm on Saturday 15 October.

The collision involved a grey coloured Renault Megane Estate and a green Vauxhall Astra.

As a result of the collision the Renault Megane flipped on to its roof. A female passenger in the vehicle was airlifted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham where she received treatment for an arm injury.

The 44 year old female driver of the Vauxhall Astra, the only occupant of that vehicle, was taken to Warwick Hospital for treatment to minor injuries and later released.

As a result of the collision the northbound carriageway was closed to traffic. The southbound carriageway was also closed for a short time to allow the air ambulance to land.

Police investigating the collision would like to hear from anyone travelling on the M40 motorway around12.15pm who saw the two vehicles travelling north near to the Warwick and Leamington Spa turnings, or anyone who witnessed the collision itself. They are asked to contact PC Mark Savidge on 01926 415465 or via voicemail x 10410.

Southam Town Centre Closed

Southam Town Centre will be closed today [October 17]  to traffic due to the Southam Mop Fair.

Traffic must follow the diversion signs.

The town centre will be affected throughout the day, evening and night.

Dolly Mixtures and Torpedoes Swimathon

Southam Lions "Dolly Mixtures" and "Torpedoes" [Simon Turner, Simon Cobley, David Williams, Tony Lorimer, Dave Brough, Delyth Williams & Ann Jakeway] took part again in this years Soroptimists Swimathon at Warwick School.

The event took place on Sunday [October 16].

Shattering previous records they completed an amazing 4950 metres in the allotted 55 minutes!

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Nigel Rock to speak at Rotary

Nigel Rock will be talking to the Rotary Club of Southam 2000 about his recently published book ‘Sure Strike’ - a WWII thriller. 

Nigel Rock’s talk will be about the story behind the story - and the trails and tribulations of getting  published. The book is fiction, but based on a background of real events of the period and what might have been, but mixed with his family stories. 

The talk will take place at the Fox & Hen, Bascote, near Southam, on Thursday evening 27 October.  Places can be booked by contacting: Dave Roberts on 01926 815831

Nigel Rock contested the general election in 2010, coming second in the Kenilworth and Southam Parliamentary constituency. He was born in Warwickshire, and was for eight years the Stratford District Councillor for Stockton and Napton until he stood down in May.

Although fiction, there are special connections with the Warwickshire area with mentions of, for instance, Chesterton, Wellesbourne and Ashorne. Nigel's parents met in RAF bomber command during World War II and much of the story was inspired by incidents of that period.  Some of the events his parents told him about have been a framework of fact around which the fictional story has been woven. 

As well as national events, the book paints a picture of ordinary life behind the scenes in the RAF from recollections in diaries and other documents as well as photographs including that from a De Havilland Mosquito crash that saw Nigel in contact with the Royal Canadian Air Force Archivist.  Nigel says “There was quite a lot of research involved to make the story fit events of the time and the technology background. Of course with a fictional novel history can be bent a bit, but I wanted to make things as realistic as I could.  In writing the book it makes you appreciate the bravery of many people from 70 years ago.”

In summary the storyline is this: The British Security Services become aware that a German mathematician is leading a team (more or less the opposite number of the Bletchley Park team) who suspects the existence of the British code breakers and initiates a search of British country houses where they might be based. 

Their search is made by combination of photo reconnaissance and sending false messages.  The British discover a brilliant mathematician and linguist is on administrative duties at a bomber command airbase and they set out to use his skills.   

Having been stung by the vicious reprisals meted out by the Nazis after Czech patriots (who were in fact trained in Warwickshire) assassinated Reinhard Heydrich, the British are wary of assassination attempts. The result is an RAF clandestine but surgical strike to eliminate the threat of discovery.  Coding, espionage, technology and romance feature in the book.

The title of “Sure Strike” is derived from the bomber command motto “Strike Hard - Strike Sure”. 

The book is on sale at local book sellers Waterstones in Leamington, Kenilworth Books, Warwick Books (and can be ordered from any book seller as well as on line.) 

You can get a copy from Clippers Hairdressers in Southam, or Napton Post Office.

The book is also available at Amazon and a Kindle version has just been launched.

Courtesy of Amazon, it is possible to see inside the book by clicking on the image below:

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Jeremy Wright goes to Gaydon

Jeremy Wright followed in the footsteps of James Bond and Prince Charles when he got behind the wheel of the latest Aston Martin, which he has nominated for the Made By Britain initiative.

All the country’s 650 MPs have been asked to nominate a product manufactured in their constituency as part of the initiative, which aims to dispel the myth that Britain no longer makes anything.

Mr Wright, the MP for Southam and Kenilworth, which covers Aston Martin’s headquarters at Gaydon, commented: “The Aston Martin is the ultimate top-of-the-range iconic product. It is a fabulous luxury car which I am very proud to see designed and manufactured in my constituency.

Aston Martin, which is now a completely independent British company, prides itself on its creativity, engineering excellence, fine craftsmanship and personal service.

At the company’s headquarters at Gaydon these remarkable cars are being designed and manufactured to the most exacting standards. They are personalised products made by highly skilled craftsmen.

Not only does Aston Martin dispel the myth that Britain doesn’t make anything, it is making a product that the rest of the world is beating a path here to buy.”

Mr Wright has nominated the Aston Martin Virage, which was launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March. About 500 of the cars, worth £75 million, have already been made this year.
The company, which has an annual turnover of about £500 million, employs more than 1,400 people at its Gaydon site, where all its models are designed and, with the exception of the Rapide, manufactured. 

While its cars are sold worldwide, it is constantly working to develop new markets, particularly in Russia, China and the Middle East. It will have nine dealerships in China by 2012 and has already sold 500 cars there this year, more than 12 per cent of its global annual total.

Mr Wright added: “MPs want to show through this initiative that manufacturing is thriving in Britain and Aston Martin certainly demonstrates that. Through their focus on innovative engineering, cutting edge design and personalised craftsmanship they are breaking into new markets around the globe. What they will need in the future is more highly skilled employees and this initiative is designed to encourage more young people to look to manufacturing as a career path and stick with the maths and science subjects that they will need to do this.”

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Click here to view all the nominations.

Recently, National Geographic also went to the Gaydon factory:

For the first time on television, Aston Martin's most advanced production car, the One-77 was showcased on National Geographic's popular Megafactories series.

Following un-paralleled access to Aston Martin the hour-long programme charted the intense One-77 development programme throughout the three years it took from the car's conception in October 2007 to the build of the first production One-77 in October 2010.

Filmed in high definition the show illustrates how Aston Martin remains at the forefront of contemporary manufacturing, embodying design and engineering excellence, and a brand with a truly special heritage.

In never seen-before footage of the exclusive facility where up to 77 examples of the One-77 will be hand-crafted, Megafactories details the highly skilled manufacturing process fusing modern technology with traditional hand-craftsmanship and painstaking attention to detail culminating in over 2,700 man-hours to complete the ultimate Aston Martin by a dedicated team of 27 technicians.

The One-77 facility is located in its own specially created standalone building within the company's global headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire. Inside the facility the distinctive production space is laboratory-like in its design and detail, an open plan 1,000 sq m serene space with its white walls, floor and ceiling containing four build positions and a host of specialist equipment and tools. The facility is a marked departure from a conventional automotive production space, with each car remaining static throughout the build, rather than progressing from station to station.

Megafactories: Aston Martin launches the new series on one of the world's largest networks and premiers in the UK on Sunday 4 September, 2011 at 9.00pm on National Geographic, Sky Channels (526, 543-HD) and Virgin Media (230, 232-HD).

The show will be broadcast in 64 countries worldwide.

 National Geographic Megafacories

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Southam News: It's News for Southam

New Secretary of State for TransportA selection of stories from Southam News appears here

The bizarre Liam Fox affair has resulted in a new quandary for anti HS2 campaigners: a new Secretary of State for Transport.

After the resignation of Liam Fox, the current boss of all things transport, Philip Hammond, was hurriedly moved to fill his post. Filling Hammond's shoes is Justine Greening.

Justine Greening was Economic Secretary to the Treasury and this represents a promotion.  She may or may not know what's in store for her when she dusts off the HS2 file and sees what's in it.

Meanwhile, Philip Hammond is now Secretary of State for Defence. Having failed to keep control of anti-democratic Stasi-like attack dogs HS2 Limited, it is somewhat worrying that the people he is now in charge of have things like tanks & missiles at their disposal.

 Justine Greening

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Summers Son continues to shine

Lee Summers, son of Midlands Entrepreneur of the Year Gary Summers is certainly following in his Father's footsteps. At the recent SummitSkills Awards (formerly the National Training Awards) held at ExCel in London, Lee collected the prestigious Environmental Excellence Award along with £150 worth of vouchers and £100 in training vouchers.

  Passionate about renewable energy as a teenager, Lee completed his degree in Environmental Management and went on to complete a master's degree in Renewable Energy for the Built Environment. he worked in the UK and Canada delivering many innovative eco-build projects before rejoining the Alumet Group as Environmental Manager to aid them develop their ISO14001 standards. He has since been promoted to Technical Director, specialising in solar photovoltaics (PV).

  SummitSkills Chief Executive Keith Marshall OBE said "It has been a big year for the organisation. Government approval of the SummitSkills led National Skills Academy for Environmental Technologies marked a significant milestone in the evolution of the way training is delivered in this area. Our determination to recognise and celebrate excellence is fundamental to us and as a sector we must continue to do so in the future. The individuals winning today are the future for us all"

  Lee aspires to make Alumet the most sustainable company operating in the UK by 2014; for the business to generate all of its energy from renewable technologies and to achieve zero waste to landfill. Lee's inspirational leadership and technical know how as enabled Alumet's EOS Energy division become one of the country's fastest growing solar panel specialists.

  www.alumet.co.uk  www.eosenergy.co.uk

 

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400 in 4 in Southam on Telly on Midlands Today

Midlands Today were in Southam yesterday [October 13] to cover 400 in 4 when they visited Southam College.

The visit featured in the evening edition:

Southam News, of course, was also there:

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Longer Lorries

Some hauliers will be allowed to use longer trailers under plans to boost growth published by Roads Minister Mike Penning.

Following consultation on proposals to allow a two metre increase in the length of articulated lorries, the Department for Transport is allowing a ten-year trial of up to 900 trailers at an increased length of 2.05 metres, and 900 at an increase of one metre. The longer lorries will operate within the existing weight limit of 44 tonnes.

The trial is expected to provide a £33m boost to the haulage industry as the longer vehicles provide up to 13% more loading space – allowing fewer journeys to transport the same amount of goods - without compromising safety.

Mike Penning said: "The road haulage industry is vital to the growth of our economy. By allowing companies to use one truck where they may have previously needed to send two, we can help the sector improve efficiency and save money – which should in turn benefit consumers.

Independent research showed the potential environmental, safety and congestion benefits of longer trailers and this voluntary trial will give industry the opportunity to demonstrate how this works in practice.

The trial will be subject to rigorous annual assessments and will be closely and independently monitored throughout so that any concerns are addressed quickly."

The consultation responses indicated that haulage operators would like the option to choose between different trailer lengths depending on the type of operation they are carrying out.

The changes would make the total permitted length for articulated lorries 18.55 metres; the current maximum length for lorries using a truck and drawbar trailer is 18.75 metres. The Government has ruled out any further increase in length.

Current UK regulations limit the maximum loading length of semi-trailers to 13.6 metres. Under the trial, the Department will be permitting the limited use of semi-trailers with a maximum loading length up to 15.65 metres. This is the same loading length currently allowed for rigid truck / drawbar trailer combination vehicles.

The maximum permitted length of articulated lorries drawing the longer semi-trailers will be 18.55 metres. This compares to 18.75 metres for the rigid truck / drawbar trailer combination vehicles mentioned above.

The Government is not permitting any increase in the current maximum gross vehicle weight of 44 tonnes. It has also ruled out the introduction of “gigaliners” – lorry combinations of 25 metres and above.

The Government had also consulted on the possibility of increasing the length of cabs to allow a more aerodynamic frontal design. However, it was clear from the consultation that there is unlikely to be significant commercial demand for aerodynamic frontal designs at present. The Government therefore does not intend to take this any further at this time, but will keep the situation under review.

Stop HS2 at Parliament today

Stop HS2 at Parliament today:

 

 

Over 200 people attended prior to the debate which took place in the House today.

 

For other photos, including ones featuring various MPs please visit the Stop HS2 Facebook Group.

400 in 4 in Southam

The RAF Red Arrows and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight are riding Coast to Coast across the breadth of Wales and England.

They are covering 400 miles in 4 days, “400 in 4”.

400 in 4 were in Southam today [October 13].

Of course, Southam News was there [as from 07:00] and caught all the action. 

400 in 4 were at Southam College at 8.15 on their way from Stratford heading to Daventry.

We have a photo feed [here] with over 40 photos that you can zoom in and out of.

Dr Emma Egging is taking her husband's place as number 4 - Jon Egging was tragically killed in the summer whilst flying with the Red Arrows.

On the 11th of October 2011, a combined team of 23 cyclists from the Royal Air Force’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, The Red Arrows Display Team and Fly2help will cross the UK at its widest point in just 4 days. The route bagan at St. David’s Head in Wales and finishes in Lowestoft, leaving approximately 100 miles to cover each day. The project aims to raise £50,000 to support both the Royal Air Force Association and the Fly2help scheme.

After the tragic death of Flt Lt Jon Egging in August it has been decided that anything the challenge raises over £50,000 will go to The Jon Egging Trust, set up by Jon's wife, Emma, his mother Dawn, Jon's best friend James and his Red Arrows teammate Ben. The Jon Egging Trust will give disadvantaged young people the opportunity to achieve their potential through gaining access to a variety of inspirational activities and experiencing the thrill of flight.

Text CYCLE to 70099 to donate £3 and have your chance to win a VIP day with the Red Arrows or BBMF. The lucky winners will be able to meet the pilots, tour the aircraft and see what happens behind the scenes on the world famous display teams!

We have a newsfeed to follow 400 in 4: click here

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Recycling Event event at Southam College

The Warwickshire Waste Partnership is working in partnership with DHL and Stratford secondary schools to encourage residents to recycle their redundant electrical items at school recycling 'bring' events.

The bring events provide convenient locations across the district for residents to easily recycle old broken electrical items. Small items will be accepted including phones, remote controls, VCRs, digiboxes, electronic toys, kettles, irons, hairdryers, Christmas lights, small DIY tools, radios and clocks.

·  Today [Thursday, 13 October] there is a bring event at Southam College from 08:00 until noon

By recycling unwanted electricals and electronics residents can reduce landfill and save valuable raw materials. For example, one household iron contains enough metal to produce 13 steel cans.

Large electronic items such as TV monitors, fridges, and computers will not be accepted at the events but can be taken along to any of Warwickshire's Household Waste Recycling Centres.

To find your nearest Recycling Centre and check opening hours visit the website at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/hwrc

If the unwanted electrical items are still working, some of Warwickshire's voluntary and community organisations will also gladly accept unwanted working electrical items, which are inspected, checked and resold – often with a guarantee. To find you local reuse scheme log onto www.warwickshire.gov.uk/reuse

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Mask-arade Rub it in

Mask-arade have appeared on ‘How to Win in the Den’, a Dragons’ Den catch-up special.

They went on the show to let the Dragons see what a success Mask-arade is today.

The show was on BBC 2 at 9.00pm on Wednesday 12th October.

The show is repeated on Monday October 17 [23:20 on BBC Two]. 

The BBC team spent four days with Mask-arade gathering footage for the programme; they first followed the Maskateers to the Royal Spa Centre, Leamington where Buddy Greco masks were handed out to every member of the audience before the legendary Rat Pack singer’s show, then the film crew visited Mask-arade’s old premises at Ford Farm in Southam as the staff worked around the clock to keep up with demand leading up to Kate and William’s wedding, when over 250,000 Royal Family masks were dispatched in just a few weeks. 

  Next stop was Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury for Trigger Happy TV star Dom Joly’s ‘Wherever I am’ tour, this time the Maskateers fitted a mask to every seat prior to the performance ready for a special ‘masked’ feature during the show. Dom Joly even gave an interview in praise of Mask-arade’s success since the Den. Finally the BBC team followed Chris, Dean and Ray up to Newcastle where they issued 3000 Tony ‘Bomber’ Brown masks to the travelling army of West Bromwich Albion fans, again the film crew managed to obtain another interview as ‘Bomber’ said how humbled he was by such a gesture.

Director Dean Walton said “it’s good that the Dragons have admitted that they got it wrong, and even though they didn't invest things have really worked out well”

  Mask-arade now employ nine staff and recently moved to a state of the art headquarters at Albion House in Southam which was opened by Paul Daniels & Debbie McGee [see here].

Mask-arade's original appearance on Dragon's Den:

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www.mask-arade.com  01926 814292

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Laser Tools Announce New Tool

The new fuel line clamp and stopper kit from, Southam based, Laser Tools (part no: 5219) is indispensable for the busy technician with a selection of different tools in a handy kit.

The tools stop fluid loss and seal off pipes and hoses while working on the engine and ancillaries. They are designed to suit a variety of pipes and hoses, including fuel lines, transmission fluid lines, brake pipes, coolant lines, vacuum pipes, etc.

·                                 Use to seal steel, plastic and rubber lines once disconnected.

·                                 Prevents fluid leaks and contamination during servicing.

·                                 Use with all automotive fluids.

The tools included are:

·                                 Extension hose clamp — useful for clamping off hoses where access is limited.

·                                 Stoppers — used to close off hoses, vacuum pipes, etc. Six stoppers are supplied, two of each size: 3/16", 1/4", 5/16".

·                                 Metal fuel pipe clamp — seals off the end of fuel pipe.

·                                 Banjo clamp — seals off both sides of a banjo fuel or brake pipe fitting.

The kit also includes a handy fuel pipe separator to quickly disconnect snap-fit fuel connectors.

It is available now for a typical price of £62.24 but remember to check your local supplier for the best prices and special offers.

Prices correct at time of publication.

For further details, please contact the Marketing Department 01926 818196

 Laser Tools

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Aston Martin is Cool

The iconic car marque Aston Martin, which produces most of its vehicles at its world headquarters in Gaydon, has been named the UK’s coolest brand by the annual CoolBrands survey.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership believes that the title is a testament to the strong high quality and high value manufacturing sector in the sub-regional economy.

With the recognised need for ‘UK PLC’ to rebalance its economy back towards production and manufacturing, the strength of the automotive sector within Coventry and Warwickshire is a real asset to build on for the future.

Cllr Alan Cockburn, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and LEP board member, said: “This is great news for the local economy and shows that manufacturing is far from the dying industry that people often perceive.

Aston Martin is a real jewel in Warwickshire’s crown, but we also have a host of other world class assets – from Jaguar Land Rover’s global headquarters and research and development functions, to BMW’s engine plant at Hams Hall, and the MIRA in the north of our area. These, combined with the great work of our two universities who lead the world in terms of research and training within the automotive sector, mean that the future is bright for our local economy.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership is determined to ensure it does all it can to support the growth of advanced manufacturing, which will hopefully lead to even more awards and accolades for the businesses and products created in our area.”

Aston Martin Chief Executive Dr. Ulrich Bez has previously stated that the Gaydon site represents the future of the company. He said: “Gaydon is the future of Aston Martin. It combines cutting edge technology with hand craftmanship and tradition. It is probably the best facility of its type in the world, and the perfect showcase of how to design and build innovative cars for the 21st century.”

The CoolBrands poll produces league tables based on the opinions of marketing experts, business people, and thousands of consumers.

According to the survey, Aston Martin is cooler than global giants such as Apple, Rolex, Google and Ferrari.

The carmaker is famous through its association with James Bond films. Production of the only vehicle not manufactured at Gaydon, the Rapide sports car currently made in Austria, will be moving to Warwickshire in 2012.

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Theft of drain covers

Theft of drain covers is an on-going crime which will ultimately kill someone. It is a regular occurrence in our area. No-one has any idea whatsoever who possibly could be doing this.

Since June, there have been recorded thefts of 400 drain covers from roads across Warwickshire – causing a major road safety issue and costing the taxpayer thousands of pounds to replace.

The most recent spate of thefts have been in the Bidford on Avon and Salford Priors area in the south west of the county and Nuneaton and Brinklow in the north of the county. Whoever is doing this - and who knows who it can possibly be -  is likely to move, or travel, to our area next.

The primary concern is the safety of road users, particularly cyclists who risk being seriously injured if their wheels get caught in the uncovered holes. In addition, the cost to Warwickshire taxpayers of immediately making safe the drains and permanently replacing the stolen covers is estimated at £90,000.

Cllr Peter Butlin, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transport, said: “Gully thefts present a danger to road users and replacing stolen drain covers costs the taxpayer a huge amount of money.

We need public support in reporting any suspicious incidents so that thefts can be prevented and the offenders brought to justice. Our latest information indicates the offenders may be wearing fluorescent jackets and using unmarked vehicles, and we are asking the public to report any activity they see where people appear to be working around drain covers so that we can check whether they are supposed to be working on the highway.

If anyone sees suspicious vehicles parked or anyone behaving in an unusual manner near road drain covers they should call the police crime desk on 01926 415000, but if they see a theft in progress they should call 999 immediately. It would be useful if registration numbers of suspicious vehicles could be noted.”

You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously: 

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New scheme aims to make communities safer

Warwickshire County Councils Fire and Rescue Service will be launching a new scheme this week thanks to a grant of £4,500 from the Electrical Safety Council (ESC).

The scheme, which encourages young people to spot potential fire hazards in the home, has been established by Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service as part of a drive to keep young people safe from harm through an interactive fire safety education programme.

As part of the scheme, pupils will be asked to carry out an initial hazard spotting exercise which checks key elements such as whether there is a working smoke alarm in the home, if there are any electrical cables running under carpets or rugs and ensuring that there only one plug used per socket. Checks can be carried out in their family home, grandparents, neighbours, relatives or friends houses. Once complete, the young people have to hand in a completed assessment to the school and are awarded with a Junior Fire Safety Champion certificate.

All assessments are passed onto the fire service and are entered into a monthly draw for a £25 WHSmith voucher. The assessment also provides the residents with the opportunity to request advice or a free home fire safety check from the fire service.

Schools Liaison Officer, Ruth Greenhalgh said: “We are really pleased to have received funding for this scheme from the Electrical Safety Council. This is the second scheme they have funded within the last three years to help educate young people about how to stay safe in the home. The project will now be rolled out to schools across Warwickshire to give young people aged between 9 and 10 the opportunity to learn more about fire safety, electrical fire safety and how to stay safe in the home.”

Lorraine Carney, Senior Campaigns Manager at the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) said: “Our primary objective is to help people stay safer around electricity. So we are delighted to work with the Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service to support their innovative Junior Fire Safety Champion Scheme. According to government statistics, almost half of all accidental fires in UK homes – that’s over 20,000 each year – are caused by electricity, so it’s vital that people are made aware of where electrical dangers may arise in their homes and understand how to prevent an electrical-related accident happening.”

Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said: “We are really pleased to once again be working in partnership with the Electrical Safety Council and Warwickshire schools. The new scheme will ensure that more young people will have the opportunity to develop their fire safety knowledge which in turn help to make our communities safer. “

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Weekly waste collections

At the end of last week the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, announced the Government would make £250m available to councils which guarantee weekly collections for five years and demonstrate improvements in recycling and procurement.

Warwickshire Waste Partnership are horrified and say the move back to weekly general waste collections would not only be a huge step backward in reducing recycling rates, but would also cost local taxpayers millions of pounds in landfill tax charges.

The majority of Warwickshire currently has an alternate week residual waste collection service with recycling collections and green waste collections taking place on the other week.

The Partnership says there are still weekly collections taking place in Warwickshire, just in a different form, often with better recycling and green waste collections than in other areas.

Warwickshire Waste Partnership highlights that the full costs of changing residual rubbish collections is not taken into account by the Government’s offer.

The Partnership says the additional collection costs of changing back to weekly collections across the whole partnership could be around £2.8m per annum. Whilst the Government has offered to cover the charge for five years it has not considered the huge extra cost Councils would be burdened with after the five years not to mention the more immediate costs of disposing of the additional waste.

The cost of landfill tax is currently £56 a tonne this year and increases by £8 each year. Assuming residents return to similar habits to when Warwickshire was collecting residual waste every week, if all of Warwickshire did return to weekly collections this could produce an additional 33,000 tonnes of rubbish a year for disposal. This could cost the taxpayers an additional £2.4m in disposal costs at this year’s disposal rates. In 2013/14 this could cost Warwickshire £3.3m.

Councillor Alan Cockburn, Chair of Warwickshire Waste Partnership, said: “Even if we wanted to we simply couldn’t afford to return to weekly rubbish collections even with the Government’s offer of funding. Not only that but it would be almost impossible to increase the amount of recycling in Warwickshire if we did return to the old collection systems.

Alternate weekly collections have been a real success story in Warwickshire, resulting in dramatically increased recycling rates, and saving taxpayers tens of thousands of pounds in potential landfill tax. By working with communities I believe the vast majority of local people in Warwickshire have embraced the new collection system.”

www.warwickshire.gov.uk/recyclewarks

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Kineton Victorian Evening

Kineton Victorian Evening is lining up to be a very festive event with the promise of a visit from a magical character who, Hogwarts duties permitting, will spirit proceedings into action.

As well as the mystery guest, the Victorian Evening will have stalls, sideshows, games, roast chestnuts, mulled wine, mince pies, Santa’s grotto, carol singing and other musical entertainment and many of the village shops will be open with ideas for Christmas food and presents.

There is still just time to apply to run a stall - let Gill Hawtin at Flower Thyme in Kineton have written details of your stall proposal by November 5.

If you have any questions you can email Vicky Bird at vjweir@hotmail.com.

Kineton Victorian Evening is on Friday November 25th; 6pm to 8pm.

Awards Ceremony highlights firefighters success

Firefighters have been recognised for their long service at Warwickshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Services annual awards ceremony.

This year saw awards, medals and certificates presented in a number of categories including: the Queen’s Long Service & Good Conduct Medal, Community Achievement Awards, Celebrating Partnership in Industry and recognition of the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Chief Fire Officer, Graeme Smith said: “The ceremony provided me with a great opportunity to personally thank staff for their commitment and dedication to the service and it was a privilege to have the Lord Lieutenant, Martin Dunn, present the long service medals as the Queens representative.

As well as recognising teams and individuals within the service, the evening also gave me an opportunity to recognise the contribution of all staff and to acknowledge the support of local businesses who release their staff for retained duties.“

Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, Richard Hobbs said: “I would like to personally congratulate all those who received awards at the ceremony. It was a pleasure to see Warwickshire firefighters being recognised for the great work they do within our communities.  This year, several firefighters and fire control staff received Long Service and Good Conduct medals, for their dedication to protecting the community of Warwickshire for over 20 years. This is an outstanding achievement and one I was delighted to celebrate with all those attending the event."

The awards were as follows:

Queens Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, (for 20 years service). Presented by the Lord Lieutenant, Martin Dunne.

·                                 Firefighter, Andrew Corby  – Shipston Fire Station

·                                 Firefighter, James Crane – Leamington Fire Station

·                                 Watch Commander, Leo Fielding – Atherstone Fire Station

·                                 Firefighter, Neal Lewis – Nuneaton Fire Station

·                                 Watch Commander, Anthony Thornton – Fenny Compton Fire Station

·                                 Crew Commander, Scot Whitlock -  Fire Control, Leamington Fire Station
 

Celebrating Partnership with Industry Award presented by Councillor Phillip Morris-Jones.

The Celebrating Partnership with Industry Award is presented to individuals/organisations that have formed a partnership with Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service that has resulted in benefiting the Service or the local Community. 

·                                 Ms Fay Shanahan – Orbit Heart of England Housing Association

 

The Community Achievement Award presented by Councillor Phillip Morris-Jones.

The Community achievement Award is presented to individuals who have been pro-active within the community undertaking tasks / projects which have been of benefit to the community.

·                                 Crew Commander, James Blatcher

·                                 Crew Commander, Paul Cartwright

·                                 Firefighter, Leeanna Kostka

·                                 Watch Commander, Lee Tresigne

The Outstanding Community Support Award presented by Councillor Richard Hobbs

The Outstanding Community Support Award is presented to recognise the support given to the Service by the employers of Retained personnel

·                                 Daniel Lock – Praxair Surface Technologies  – received the ‘Silver Award’ for supporting Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service for 10 years

·                                 John Reeder – Compton Buildings – received the ‘Outstanding Award’ for supporting Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service for over 15 Years

·                                 Paul Warmington – Henley Engineers received the ‘Outstanding Award’ for supporting Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service for over 15 Years
 

Presentation of Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service Innovation Award. The award was presented by Councillor Richard Hobbs

This award is presented to teams or individuals who have developed creative and innovative ways to develop or improve services.

·                                 Watch Commander, Mark Allen

·                                 Watch Commander, Neil McElvenny
 

Presentation of the Unsung Hero Award, presented by Chief Fire Officer, Graeme Smith

The Unsung Hero award is presented to teams or individuals who the Service, feel have gone the extra mile, carrying out their duties with both professionalism and dedication to the organisation.

·                                 Warwickshire County Council’s Deputy News and PR Manager, Lisa Mowe

 Presentation of the Chief Fire Officer’s Special Award, presented by Chief Fire Officer, Graeme Smith

The award recognised the Colour Party for the time and effort they put in to represent the Service at national and overseas events. The members perform these duties on a voluntary basis.

·                                 Warwickshire Fire and Rescue‘s Services Colour Party
 

Recognition of the Queen’s Birthday Honours MBE, presented by Chief Fire Officer, Graeme Smith

·                                 Watch Commander, Andy Duckett

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Southam & Feldon Forum

We have the 'Behind The Scenes' newsletter from the Southam & Feldon Forum which took place on Wednesday 21st September and which form an account of the meeting. 

These have been approved by the Chair of the forum, Cllr Chris Williams.

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A selection of stories from Southam News appears here

For ALL the stories, news and articles go to http://southamnews.org

Southam News: It's News for Southam