Blog
Date 1st February 2008
Well the phones been getting hot with folk making enquiries about the
Disco Show and I've actually found five minutes to get a temporary
website up and running at www.stuart-hughes.co.uk
well why not go and take a look just click on the web address. Well at
last we've said goodbye to the awful month of January I never thought it
was going to end. February brings with it the dreaded annual increase in
Council Tax I've heard it mooted that County are looking to raising its
rate by 3.5%. Just wait for the pensioners party to start waving their
banners on budget day 14th February.
Date
29th January 2008 Work on the second stage of the Sidmouth to
Sidford cycle track gets under way today and to mark the occasion I shall
be digging the first sod. The Fire budget is a hot topic and how to close
the funding gap. I am certainly not in favour of doing away with full time
cover at fire stations....after all if it was seen essential that the
towns being mooted for change required full time cover well what has
changed?
Date 28th January 2008
Well here we are at last in the run down to the end of January and I for
one won't be sorry to see the back of it. I must say I have been
overwhelmed by the post bag and calls that I have received during the
course of the last few days supporting my views on the Marina issue. There
can be no doubt about it such a development would spoil what we have here
in Sidmouth and what so many keep coming back for year in year out
UNSPOILT CHARM. Lets keep it that way.
Date 24th January 2008 Just how much higher are fuel prices
going to rise and have you sat back and worked out just how much more
you are paying compared to the same time last year...you will be gob
smacked. What is totally unfair about this whole issue is that it is the
amount of tax we are paying per litre and on top of this is the 17.5%
VAT and so the government are coining in our money. You can do something
about it by signing the online petition to the government and all you
have to do is click here..... FUEL
PETITION
At least you will feel better for signing up and lets hope that someone
listens!!
Date 23rd January 2008 Wow January is dragging on and the weather
we've been having recently has made it feel even worse...never mind only
just over a week to go and then we shall be in February and spring is
just around the corner.
Now since re-launching my DJ'ing career I've now got an agent who is
seeking out some bookings for my show which now boasts a laser light
show and yes its all DMX which doesn't mean much to some and it definitely
means even less to me. There's no doubt about it things have certainly
changed since I first spun the 'wheels of steel' in the 70's. I've been reminiscing
and have caught up with the Emperor Rosko on his website which is
brilliant and also a great friend of mine Ron Spook Dickson who used to
front a band called Nightmare and who made an album which featured non
other than Roy Wood on horn. Well Ron who must be in his 60's is now
DJ'ing and does the Nightmare Show at Halloween time. Rosko is also in
his 60's and so by comparison I'm a youngster. There's one thing about
it all three of us are personality DJ's and believe me we'll be in great
demand for many more years to come. Watch out for the Stuart Hughes
Disco web pages they're coming soon. Date
22nd January 2008 At last the news that those living in Arcot
Park and the lower section of Woolbrook Road have been waiting to hear.
The reconstruction and resurfacing works on the two sections of highway
between St Francis Church to the junction of Balfours and Arcot Road
between Exeter Cross (A375 Sidford Road) and the Alexandria Road/Manstone
junction will be carried out from the 18th February and 22nd February.
There will of course be diversions in place whilst the work is on going
but this is a small price to pay for the improvements that will be made.
Date 21st January 2008 And so the Marina talk continues, the only
unfortunate part about it is that no one has thought about consulting
the County Council as Highways Authority. If they had they would then
soon realise that any such proposal is unrealistic unless you are
going to provide a relief road through to Port Royal. Sidmouth has
always taken pride in being unspoilt and unchanged and it is this that
brings holidaymakers back time and time again. It is doubtful that
they continue to come if there were a marina and whilst several of
those in favour of such a scheme say it would bring in a different clientele
they forget that many would sleep on board their yachts. I have always
said that everyone has seen the famous white cliffs of Dover and we
here in Sidmouth have our equally famous red cliffs. I believe that if
developers are looking for somewhere to build a marina then they
should look at Seaton which is soon to under go regeneration. Seaton
has a relief road the Underfleet which by-passes the town, after all a
marina will need servicing and we already have enough traffic problems
in Sidmouth without creating even more. Let us move ahead with the
Park and Ride site and either pedestrianisation or at least partial
pedestrianisation of Sidmouth town centre. These two improvements
would provide us with a much better environment and provide an
improved shopping experience for local residents and visitors alike.
Date 18th January 2008 The bus parking saga rumbles on and it
is clear to see that no one wants buses parking overnight in their
neighbourhood. The voices have been heard from Broadway against a tongue
in cheek suggestion that Stagecoach should look to the lower car park at
the Knowle, strangely they have suggested that the buses should relocate
back to Alexandria where they came from. The locals living nearby in
Pathwhorlands don't want them and in any case their planning application
has been refused. The Manor Road car park has been playing host to two
buses and yes you've guessed it...the locals say they should park at the
Knowle as do the local residents around Potbury's.
Well the buses have got to go somewhere and near to Sidmouth because if
they did relocate back into Exeter then the level of service we have at
present would be severely cut. I have made two suggestions the first is
for the County, District and Stagecoach to get around the table and get
the Park and Ride site on the go. Secondly and a cheaper option would be
to provide the link road into the Alexandria Industrial Estate off of
the B3176 which would allow the buses to park without interfering with
anyone. Oh and it has been mentioned on more than one occasion why not
go to Sidford Waste Water Treatment Plant site....a no no I'm afraid as
there is an Oak tree with a TPO in the way.
Date 16th January 2008
I was delighted with the outcome of the Executive Committee who in
agreeing my notice of motion on the future of the AIR SEARCH and RESCUE
helicopter service following privatisation in 2012 are now seeking a
face to face meeting with the Minister to seek answers to the many
questions that need answering. Will the new aircraft be up to the job?
as the Sea King is being phased out. Will the Civilian operation have as
many aircraft as the current Military set up? and most importantly Will
the pilot and crews have the same level of expertise and training as the
present Military who as we all know are vigorous in their training. I'm
sure that we shall all be interested in hearing what the Minister has to
say as the Air Search and Rescue Service is vitally important to Devon
with its two coasts and two moors.
Date 14th January 2008 I am delighted to see so many of the
footways being reconstructed and resurfaced in my electoral division. Sid
Road is one of the latest that will soon receive some attention. Highway
resurfacing and reconstruction is also taking place at Glebelands and of
course it is only a matter of weeks now until we see the lower section of
Woolbrook Road and also Arcot Road receiving some attention. The later
will certainly please the local residents as then the dbl yellow lines
will be painted and which will hopefully help in overcoming the danger
that currently exists in egressing from Arcot Park.
Date 11th January 2008
Following the concerns of residents in Fortescue Road about the speed and
type of vehicles travelling through the settlement and having held a
meeting to see what measures could be taken to address the concerns, I am
pleased to see that the two Horse riders warning signs which were part of
these measures have now been erected. Many of the remaining measures will
be taken on board when the work on the Byes Sidford to Sidmouth Cycle
Track Fortescue link is carried out, talking of which the work on the Sid
Park Road to Primley section of the cycle track will begin on the 1st
February.
Date
8th January 2008 Finally decided to make a comeback as a DJ, well
if the Spice Girls, Take That, Led Zeppelin and Queen can do it then I can't
see any reason why I shouldn't. I can still vividly remember the first paid
gig that I did back in 1969/70 at the Quayside Discotheque at Weymouth where
I received £5.00 and believe me that was alot of money in those days. My
equipment consisted of 2X SP25turntables a 50watt linear valve amplifier two
home built speaker cabs a UV light and a couple of flashing light boxes
(controlled manually) and of course a microphone. Having no mixer meant that
I had to learn to give the chat between records and I soon became a
personality DJ. I soon built up my show purchasing better gear and was soon
doing five or six nights a week. The DJ's life today is a doddle compared to
the 70's with CD decks and music stored on CD whereas the 70's and 80's you
had to cart thousands of 7" and 12" vinyl around. The environment
is certainly much kinder thanks to the smoking laws. I am looking forward to
picking up a few gigs and helping raise funding for both the carnival and
Tango Juvenile Carnival Club and so if you know of anyone who is looking for
a Disco then get them to give me a call. 01395 578414
Date 3rd January 2008
Stagecoach buses have relocated back to Potburys yard in Temple
Street from Pathwhorlands where the residents complained about the
noise. The ironic part of this relocation is that they are now
storing 5 double decker buses in the yard whereas they were only
given permission for single decker buses with no more than 28 seats.
As you can imagine the local residents in the area are not at all
happy and you can't blame them. We don't want to see Stagecoach
relocate its service back to Exeter as this would no doubt lead to a
diminished service however I do believe its about time that the
County Council, District Council and Stagecoach got together around
the table and progressed the long talked about Park and Ride/bus
interchange facility after all a site has been identified at the
A3052 end of Woolbrook Road which could also house a new state of
the art Recycling Centre which is also desperately needed. Date
2nd January 2008 Some good news if you happen to live in Fortfield
Terrace and where the residents have been calling for a Residents
Parking scheme and which I fought their cause at the County Councils
Highways and Traffic Orders Committee which I Chair.
The Council has now agreed that seeing that the residents have carried
out their own survey to find car ownership of those parking in Fortfield
Terrace (one of the recommendations agreed by the committee) that they
see no reason why the scheme could not be progressed, however this would
be subject to the residents themselves agreeing to fund the scheme as
there is no budget allocated for the progression of the traffic order
and associated works which is approximately £1,500 plus the annual
charge of permit of £12 each.
From letters that have been published in the Sidmouth Herald it would
appear that the residents have indicated their willingness to pay for
the scheme and I therefore hope that they will now take up the gauntlet
that has been laid down by the County Council. Date
1st January 2008 Well here we are at the start of a New
Year 2008 and may I take this opportunity in wishing everyone
visiting my website a very Happy and Prosperous New Year. We're off
to a flyer here in my electoral division with work commencing on the
Sidmouth to Sidford link of the cycle track. This is really great
news and as the one who first called for the link to Siford on the
completion of the Salcombe Road to Sid Park Road phase over eight
years ago I am delighted that the work is due to start and hope that
its not too long before it is completed as it will be done in two
phases, Sid Park Road through to Primley and then Primley to Byes
Lane Sidford and the link to Fortescue Road.
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