IT’S ALL systems go for the huge Olympia Park development in Selby.

A new £2.6 million access road scheme has been shortlisted by the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership for funding through the government’s Growing Places Fund. And it’s been announced a major planning application for housing and the link road will now be put to councillors in the next two to three months.

If the road funding gets the go-ahead, it will provide a springboard for the development to open up the land beside the bypass for the massive Olympia Park development, masterminded by landowners BOCM Pauls and Selby Farms.

The access road will branch off from the existing roundabout on the bypass near the swing bridge.

Richard Cooper, of BOCM Pauls, pledged that despite the economic situation, the Olympia Park partners remained committed to the development.

He said: “We believe it’s vital for the regeneration of Selby and the provision of employment opportunities.

“We have a lot of faith in Selby. BOCM Pauls is committing itself to keeping our mill in Selby open, and the development will go on around that.

“We will retain a presence in the town – we’re great supporters of the town.”

The masterplan is to provide 2,000 permanent new jobs and about 1,000 new homes during a ten-year build programme.

Sections of land behind the existing BOCM Pauls mill will be opened up for housing, but other areas east of the Potter Group property will be used for warehousing and industry, as well as offices.

Mr Cooper added: “The benefit of getting funding for the access road is that it will enable work to be carried out potentially more quickly.”

He said a planning application for the housing development and the access road would be submitted to Selby District Council by late spring.

Developers had been working closely with the council for years to make sure the planning application fulfils its criteria.

SDC leader Coun Mark Crane said: “We’ve met with the developers for more than two years now to discuss what they want to achieve and what we would like to see, and these meetings have been constructive.”

He believes this co-operation has been instrumental in securing the LEP shortlisting for the access road funding.

CARLTON Village Hall has applied for £324 to install a ramp for wheelchair users.

The building’s treasurer Jennifer Onions has submitted the funding request to North Yorkshire County Council’s Selby Area Committee so the hall can have a new concrete ramp with handrail installed by the fire exit for use by people in wheelchairs or with pushchairs.

The project costs £1,080, and it’s hoped it will be completed in April. The funding bid will be considered at Monday’s meeting.

PLANS to limit parking on a residential street in Sherburn look set to be approved by councillors.

North Yorkshire County Council’s Selby Area Committee is due to discuss installing no waiting zones in Garden Lane, Sherburn, to try and stop lorries mounting the verge to avoid parked cars.

Following a consultation with residents, the council is recommending introducing the zone from the junction with Tomlinson Way, and running alongside 11 properties.

The meeting will take place at Community House in Portholme Road, Selby, on Monday at 6pm.

CONTROVERSIAL plans to change town roads as part of the planned new Tesco store will be discussed at North Yorkshire County Council’s Selby Area Committee meeting on Monday.

All traffic leaving the expanded supermarket will only be able to turn left on to Portholme Road, with motorists wanting to head the other way being redirected along New Lane and Gowthorpe. The one-way system in New Lane will also be switched from the southbound to the northbound lane. Changes could also be made to the mini-roundabout at the junction of Union Lane and the A19 at Brook Street.

A PROMINENT former councillor says a village library should be shut down, despite a vote for it to remain open.

Alan Hartley, a past member of Barlby and Osgodby Parish Council, says the local authority hasn’t got a mandate to keep the library, despite an overwhelming vote in favour in a ballot of local homes.

Mr Hartley added: “To say it has got the backing of the people is absolute balderdash.”

The library was due for closure under North Yorkshire County Council cuts. However, the parish council is currently preparing a business plan with a view to taking the service over and using the building as a combined library and community centre.

Mr Hartley said if Barlby Library was well used, he might take a different stance, but it isn’t.

He states of the 5,000 questionnaires sent out to each home in Barlby, Barlby Bridge and Osgodby, only 200 replies were received. Of the 200, some 90 per cent were in favour of retaining the library.

But he argued: “That doesn’t mean the people of this parish want the library. They can get 200 replies of people within walking distance of the library. But I live in Barlby – the north end – and we’re two miles away from it. My wife goes to Selby Library.

“For people in Osgodby, it’s a bus ride away – they might as well go to Selby where there’s more books and more choice.

“And for people in Barlby Bridge, they can even walk to Selby. It just doesn’t make any sense.”

He said the existing library was only open 13 hours a week and was little used.

“It’s an under-used resource which doesn’t need keeping,” he added.

Mr Hartley said many other people shared his view in the village but were “too lazy” to fill in the questionnaire.

Parish council chairman Coun Brian Marshall was unavailable for comment at the time of going to print.

But he has previously stated he wants the library to remain open. He considers it well-used and vital for children who don’t have computers.

POLICE have charged a man with two counts of attempt to cause GBH with intent and driving a motor vehicle dangerously following a mass brawl among a group of Turksih men in Old Goole last week.

The 20-year-old is due to appear at Beverley Magistrates Court tomorrow.

Officers have released 12 men on bail, pending further enquiries following an incident involving around 25 men, which is believed to have started in Scunthorpe and then led on to a street fight outside the Plaza Pizzeria in Old Goole.

During the incident in the early hours of February 14, a man is believed to have been run over and two other men suffered leg injuries. One man has been released from hospital and another is still receiving treatment.

Detective Inspector Paul Kirby said: “At present we believe this is an isolated incident.

“Police have increased patrols in the local areas and are pleased to report that no further incidents have taken place.

“If you can help piece together the three separate events and we have not yet spoken to you, please contact one of my detectives.”

Humberside Police can be contacted on the non emergency 101 tel number and quotielog 55 14 January 2012.

THE sound of the West End will thrill audiences on March 3 when Beyond the Barricade returns to Hull New Theatre with a brand new 2012 production.

THE sound of the West End will thrill audiences on March 3 when Beyond the Barricade returns to Hull New Theatre with a brand new 2012 production.

Recreating original West End/Broadway musical hit songs with amazing authenticity, Beyond the Barricade features a cast of past principal performers from Les Misérables and the 25th Anniversary Concert at the O2 Arena.

This sensational production features songs from West End hits, including Miss Saigon, The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies, Mamma Mia, Blood Brothers, The Jersey Boys and many more, with a spectacular finale from Les Misérables.

Audiences are advised to not miss out on the musical event of the year!

Tickets for Beyond the Barricade are priced from £18.50 to £19.50, and are available from the Wilson Centre in Alfred Gelder Street, by calling 01482 300300 or log-on to the www.hullcc.gov.uk/hullnewtheatre website.

And we’ve got three pairs of tickets to give away to the Hull show. To enter, simply tell us who wrote the musical Phantom of the Opera and email your answer, together with your name, address and daytime telephone number, to editorial@selbytimes.co.uk address Closing date is February 29 2012 and usual Selby Times rules apply.

ELVIS fan Pete Rodgers was all shook up when he checked through his collection of the superstar’s memorabilia.

For he came across what is believed to be the first recording contract the superstar signed in 1954!

The 73-year-old is convinced the item could sell big at auction and is now trying to get it authenticated.

Pete, of Elm Road, Mexborough, said: “It could be worth thousands. I’m going to try and and get an expert to confirm it is the real thing.”

The former army corporal paid £1000 for a stack of Elvis memorabilia from a friend in 1975.

This included scrapbooks containing pictures of the superstar in concert, and nearly 80 rare vinyl records of his biggest hits, such as Jailhouse Rock and Heartbreak Hotel.

But it was only a couple of years later when Elvis died in 1977 that he had a proper look through and noticed the contract.

The agreement was signed on July 12, 1954, by Elvis, his parents Vernon and Gladys, and the singer’s guitarist Winfield Scotty Moore III.

It says: “W.S. Moore III is a band leader and booking agent, and Elvis Presley, a minor, age 19 years, is a singer of reputation and renown, and possesses bright promises of large success.

“It is the desire of both parties to enter into this personal agreement for the best interests of both parties.”

Pete kept the contract in a plastic wallet for years as his time was taken up travelling the World in the Royal Army Service Corps.

But he has recently taken up the task again of trying to get the document authenticated.

He said: “I’m going to try and contact his estate in Graceland, there’s also a big Elvis Fan Club in America.

“I’ve been to see a valuer and he said it could be worth a lot of money so long as I can prove it is real.

“I really don’t believe it’s a photocopy.

“I’ve had it nearly 40 years and it looks authentic.

“If I can get the right certificates for it then I’ll look at selling it off. It could be worth a fortune.”

SELBY TOWN Hall is to host a controversial Edinburgh Festival hit show, called An Instinct for Kindness.

The show is about the experience of actor Chris Larner who accompanied his chronically ill ex-wife to Switzerland’s Dignitas clinic. He came home with an empty wheelchair and a story to tell. The show he created went on to be one of the most talked about and critically acclaimed performances at last summer’s Edinburgh Festival, gaining five star reviews from broadsheets, a place in Newsnight Review’s ‘Top Three Festival Successes’, total sell out status and a coveted Scotsman ‘Fringe First’ award. On March 3, Chris brings this extraordinary story to Selby Town Hall.

Town Council Arts Officer Chris Jones, said: “Chris’s show was a complete sell out in Edinburgh last summer with glowing reviews across the board. Assisted dying is an immensely challenging topic to tackle in any form, but the opportunity to hear this story from someone who was so intimately involved makes for an especially engaging and deeply moving prospect.

“This is one of the most fascinating performances we have put on in many years.

“Through a candid, poignant and sometimes comic performance, he explores both the profound personal implications and the wider ethical issues that surround the contentious topic of assisted dying.”

And we have a pair of tickets to give away for the show. To enter our competition just tell us what role Chris Larner played in TV’s London’s Burning. Send your answer, together with you name, address and daytime phone number, to: Chris Larner Competition, Selby Times, 74-76, Gowthorpe, Selby YO8 4ET. Closing date is February 29, 2012. Usual Selby Times rules apply.

LOCAL lovers of Shakespeare are in for a treat next month when Selby Town Hall screens a live broadcast from London’s National Theatre of The Comedy of Errors.

The production, screened on March 1st, features Lenny Henry. It has played to packed audiences since it opened in November.

The story centres around two sets of twins, separated at birth, who collide in the same city without meeting for one crazy day, as multiple mistaken identities lead to confusion on a grand scale.

Shakespeare’s furiously paced comedy is staged by The National in a contemporary world into which walk three prohibited foreigners who see everything for the first time.

The play is brought to Selby through the ground-breaking National Theatre Live scheme, which broadcasts the very best in British theatre, live from London’s South Bank, via satellite, to cinemas across the UK and around the globe.

Town Council Arts Officer Chris Jones said: “This is one of The National Theatre’s big hits.

“It’s already proving to be one of the most popular screenings we’ve hosted since the programme began in Selby back in September.

“Lenny Henry has been highly praised for his return to Shakespearean acting, and this is a fantastic opportunity to see one of the capital’s most talked about productions without having to leave your home town!”

CHILDREN will be plunged in to poverty when changes to Working Tax Credit come in to force in April, a charity has warned.

Families in Mexborough and across the Dearne could be among those to suffer most, as couples who currently work 16 hours to qualify for the benefit worth £3,870 a year, are told they must work 24 hours to receive it in the future.

The recession, coupled with childcare issues will make this requirement impossible for the majority of affected families, claims the Child Poverty Action Group.

Local councillors agree. Dearne North Coun Janice Hancock said: “People are struggling to get by. The work isn’t there, and if it was families would still face problems over childcare.

“This government is not living in the real world. You need to live here to know how hard it is for people.

“The one thing that matters has been taken away from young people and that’s hope - hope of getting work, hope of getting a house. All we can do is to shout as much as we can for them”.

The chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, Alison Garnham, said; “This change will pull the rug from under the feet of hundreds of thousands of families desperately trying to make ends meet. It’s inevitable that many children will be thrown in to poverty.

“Imagine how hard it will be on low pay, with low hours and kids to take care of, when suddenly up to £70 a week gets taken away.

“The sensible thing to do is for David Cameron to put this on hold, or it will mean many families are no longer better off in work”.

Government statistics reveal the changes will affect 420 families and 840 kids in Doncaster North constituency, including Mexborough. In Wentworth and Dearne, taking in Goldthorpe, Thurnscoe, Bolton, Swinton, Rawmarsh and Wath, there are 415 affected families with 655 children. Another 360 families and 750 youngsters will suffer in Barnsley East, including Wombwell and Darfield, and in Don Valley, with Conisbrough and Denaby, 455 kids and 220 families stand to lose out.

]]> 1.4271338 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:23:23 +0000 http://www.goolecourier.co.uk/new_apprenticeships_1_4271320

A CHARITY that aims to regenerate former mining communities in South Yorkshire, has announced funding towards apprenticeships and job opportunities.

As the number of youths out of work spirals to 1.04 million, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust’s (CRT) National Apprenticeship Programme will invest £20,000 in Rotherham to create 20 apprenticeships, that will be delivered by Rotherham College of Arts and Technology.

The boost brings the number of opportunities provided to young people in coalfield areas by the programme to 550 and investment by the CRT to more than £1.1m.

This second phase of the National Apprenticeship Programme will focus on young people aged between 16 and 25 who are more than twice as likely to be out of work than older people.

But in recognition of the growing number of young people not in education, employment or training, more than 70 per cent of the apprenticeships will be created for young people aged 16 to 18.

Trust chief executive officer Gary Ellis said: “This programme will be a real boost for young people struggling to find work. Former coalfield communities have been badly hit by the economic downturn and this has compounded the problems already experienced by young people.

“This programme is a direct response to help young people into work and create a strong platform for their future aspirations.”

The apprenticeships will run for 12 months, in a wide variety of industries and occupations and will run for a minimum of 12 months.

For more information about the Coalfields Regeneration Trust visit www.coalfields-regen.org.uk.

]]> 1.4271320 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:17:43 +0000 http://www.goolecourier.co.uk/legal_blondes_holding_court_1_4270982

An exhausting and harrowing day in court had just drawn to a close.

For hours on end, prosecuting barrister Alison Dorrell had grilled the man in the dock.

But suddenly she found she herself was on trial.

The female judge presiding over the case had ordered Alison to her private chambers.

“I was instructed to lay my hands on her desk like some naughty schoolchild and told off in no uncertain terms for turning up to court in coloured nail varnish,” says the eminent 50-year-old Sheffield legal eagle, still smarting from the incident of many years ago.

“I’d gone to work wearing the pale peach polish I’d painted on for a new Year’s Eve party two days before.

“It was utterly ridiculous, but then so are many of the restrictions on the way female barristers present themselves in court. We have to dress like nuns; we might as well put a wimple on.”

Before she can step into Sheffield’s Crown Court, Alison has to ensure every strand of her flowing blonde hair is scraped from her face and hidden beneath her barrister’s wig. Her make-up must be barely visible, her jewellery restricted to wedding and engagement ring, her heels low and the clothes beneath her mandatory black robe be sober and plain. No flesh must be visible. Her arms cannot be bared above the wrist and a high white collar must cover her neck.

She well remembers the day, in the middle of a rape trial, when the judge announced he was retiring and would not return to the courtroom until Ms Dorrell had re-arranged her attire. A glimpse of her neck had apparently been on display.

The issue infuriates her: “In my opinion, these are Victorian values designed to keep us down and de-personalise us. I cannot see any reason for it in this day and age,” says the criminal law barrister, a Grade 4 prosecutor who specialises in cases of adult rape and child sex abuse.

Alison is married to fellow barrister Paul O’Shea – they share chambers on Campo Lane. They also attempt to share the parenting duties for their two sons, now 13 and 15, but most of them inevitably fall on Alison.

“The arrangement is we take it in turns, depending on who has the case on at the time,” she says. “But generally speaking it’s still the woman who runs the home. I have to deal with much of the parenting stuff and juggle a caseload as well.

“I went back to work two weeks after having my first child and was at work the morning of the Caesarean birth of my second, which had been planned for medical reasons.

“It’s an incredibly tough job for women. You can’t expect judges to be sympathetic to your childcare dilemmas, there’s zero tolerance.

“Whatever is happening at home, you have to walk into court with your mind on the case, a smile on your face and every hair in place,” says the Sheffield-born former Silverdale pupil.

Women at the Bar rarely go on to become judges. “They say many retire early because of motherhood but I think that’s tosh. I am surrounded by highly capable and promotable women who won’t get a look in when it comes to furthering their career,” says Alison who gave up such aspirations 10 years ago.

Her area of legal expertise is one of the most distressing, she admits: “You are listening day after day to the harrowing experiences people have been subjected to and it often casts a dark shadow.”

But what gets her through, she says, are other women in the profession.

“In court we fight one another hard,” she says. “But as soon as the robes are off, you’ll put your arm around her and do what women do; console and support.”

Legally Blonde The Musical starring Les Dennis, Ray Quinn and Niki Evans runs until Saturday.

Rachel appreciates the back-up at home

Many a male lawyer can dedicate himself to his career secure in the knowledge that family life is safely in the hands of his wife.

Rachel Roebuck, head of the children’s team at Sheffield law firm Lupton Fawcett’s Absolute Family, is one of very few female lawyers bestowed with the same privilege.

“It’s a tough, stressful job with very long hours. To go as far as you want in this profession and have a family life you have got to have support at home.

“And I’ve been very lucky - my partner Andy gave up his career for the sake of mine,” says the 49-year-old Barnsley mother of one.

“Andy took early retirement from his civil service post when our son Samuel was nine months old and I was due to go back to work.

“It affected us financially, but the back-up I’ve had has been invaluable.”

When Sam turned three, Andy Mayo got a part time job that fitted around nursery hours and now he’s 12, it’s Andy who finishes work in time to pick him up from school, leaving Rachel free to manage her department’s immense workload without worrying about her child.

Consequently, she strives to support staff with children. She explains: “In family law there is a high proportion of women. We have a diary and we factor in everyone’s childcare arrangements.”

After 32 years in a traditionally male profession, Rachel insists she has never met with sexism. “You’re judged on your skills,” she says. “I have never had a problem with a male colleague purely because I’m a woman in the job.

“I’m tall and blonde and appearance-wise, while I’ve strived to achieve a balance between professionalism and looking approachable to the children and families I deal with, I have never denied the fact that I’m female – though I’d like to think colleagues see me first and foremost as professional, hard-working and forthright.”

Collette still likes to ‘think pink’

Collette Noonan is a girl who likes to think pink.

“I can definitely identify with Elle, the character in Legally Blonde,” she giggles. “I often add a girly touch – maybe a pink shirt or a pair of pink court shoes to a smart grey suit. I’ve even got a fluffy pink pen, just like Reese had in the film.”

“I want to be able to express my personality in the way I dress for work, but that can be difficult, particularly if I’m going to court, when it needs to be much more formal and respectful,” says the 28-year-old litigation executive at Graysons with Watsam Esam in Paradise Square.

“I tailor my look according to the day’s requirements, although often that smart court suit could well have come from Dorothy Perkins or even Asda – I have to buy them so often, I’m continually searching for bargains.”

Collette is, by her own admission, “a bit ditsy at times” and known for her sense of humour. “But I’m also intelligent, hard-working and good at what I do,” she says.

“I think people still jump to the conclusion that blondes are a bit dim. It’s nice to surprise them,” she grins.

“Clients’s faces often register surprise when I walk into reception to meet them. They expect someone older and male. Back in the day, this was a male-dominated profession and some clients still have the stereotypical view.

“There was one occasion at my previous law firm when a client was adamant they wanted a man to represent them, not me.”

Collette loves the Legally Blonde movies; she has them both on DVD and has already been to see the musical at the Lyceum.

And just like the character Elle, she has plenty of blonde ambition.

She’s determined to become a fully-qualified solicitor. “It’s what I’ve wanted since I was 11,” she says.

DONCASTER boy band sensation Louis Tomlinson is top of the pops tonight after his band One Direction picked up a prestigious Brit Award.

Louis, who hails from Bessacarr and his bandmates Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, scooped the Best Single statuette at this evening’s glittering music industry bash at London’s 02 Arena.

The group’s debut single What Makes You Beautiful was voted as the best British song of 2011 by radio listeners across the UK and beat off other multi-million selling stars such as Adele, JLS and Ed Sheeran.

It caps a remarkable twelve months for the lads who have become pop’s hottest property after finishing in third place on The X-Factor and have scored a string of hits as well as a sold out UK tour.

JOBS at Drax Power station are safe despite a decision to scrap plans for a massive new plant and a reduction in headline profits.

Senior managers announced they would drop their plan to build a dedicated £700 to £800 million biomass plant at the site on the same day they revealed preliminary results for 2011, which show a drop in key finance performance indicators.

Peter Emery, Production Director for Drax Group PLC, confirmed: “We have decided to cancel the dedicated plant we were going to build on the Drax site.”

This week’s decision was signposted last November in a management statement which said the investment case for new biomass plants was “highly challenging” and that the plants were “in doubt”.

If the new plant had gone ahead it would have created 600 construction jobs but fewer than 100 operational jobs. The plant would have had a 300 megawatt capacity.

Bosses now say the company is on a more “cost effective” course. Instead of the up to £800 million cost of the new plant, it will spend £50 million on infrastructure to allow existing biomass capacity in the main plant to increase by the same 300 megawatts.

The “co-firing” biomass capacity, currently at 500megawatts would then reach 800 megawatts – 20 per cent of the total 4,000 megawatt capacity of the otherwise coal-fired plant.

They stressed none of the existing 760 jobs at the Drax site would be affected, indeed there would be job creation in construction this year.

The decision to scrap the dedicated plant was announced alongside an almost £60m drop in Drax’s headline profit. However, Mr Emery said the performance was far better than anticipated in a volatile market.

The latest EBITDA figure (which represents profit before interest, tax, depreciations, and other factors) has dropped from £392 million in 2010 to £334 million in 2011.

But Mr Emery said that if government agreed even slight increases in financial support for Drax’s biomass production, it could mean more people being taken on at the huge power plant, which is vital to the economy of the local area.

Chief executive Dorothy Thompson said the company delivered excellent performance in 2011. It had a strong balance sheet to go forward with.

Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams said the company continued to invest “a lot of money to safeguard jobs in the Selby area”

Selby band Route 19 have been chosen to play at the Crooked Ways festival, with headliners, Razorlight.

The inaugural Crooked Ways festival is showcasing 15 bands from around West and North Yorkshire to play at Crooked Ways with all of these artists having the chance to open up Crooked Ways’ main stage.

Joel Liddle, the lead singer of Route 19, said: “We’ve only been going a year and we’ve won the Selby Battle of the Bands competition and now we’ve been selectd to play at Crooked Ways.

“We’re also in talks with a record company – we’re going down to London soon.”

The band is made up of former Sherburn, Brayton and Selby High school boys. They play a mix of ska, indie and punk – and call it skindie punk.

Scott Ward, Marketing Director said: “We are delighted to announce Selby based skindie-punk rockers Route 19 will play.”

He said: “One of our aims when setting up Crooked Ways was to create opportunities for local bands to showcase their talent to a new audience.

“By creating a stage devoted solely to local artists we want to encourage all visitors to stop by the Crooked Ways Presents stage and check out some of the great, and original artists we have in the local area.”

He said Crooked Ways is an independent music festival, named in homage to an early 20th Century book which satirises life in Pontefract. The festival is expecting 14,000 visitors through its gates and will be held in Pontefract Park in the shadow of the town’s famous racecourse on 26th May 2012.

You can learn more about Route 19 by searching facebook.

A PROJECT to collect the memories of people who were involved in Selby’s shipbuilding past has been launched.

North Yorkshire County Council’s archive office held two sessions at Selby Library on Monday to try to make contact with former workers but also to find others who would be willing to help collate a huge archive of information from Cochrane’s shipbuilders that has been donated to the council.

Ellen Tout, from the archive office, said volunteers were needed to help list the collection, re-package the archive, conduct and transcribe interviews with former workers and digitise old photographs for the Trawling Through Time project, which has received a £48,800 Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

Ken Sayner, of Selby and District Family History Group, said: “We feel it’s something we might be able to do to our mutual benefit.”

He said the Cochrane’s archive offered the chance for local people to understand more of what their ancestors may have done at the firm. Ellen has been invited to an open meeting of the family history group on May 1 at Selby Town Hall.

Cochrane’s shipyard was open from 1898 to 1992. When it closed, it ended a 500-year tradition of shipbuilding in Selby.

The company built vessels including trawlers and coasters, oil rig supply vessels, coastal tankers and ferries.

]]> 1.4270247 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:40:10 +0000 http://www.goolecourier.co.uk/event_returns_1_4266921

FAMILIES are being urged to get together for a unique stargazing event at a Dearne nature reserve.

Mexborough and Swinton Astronomical Society (MSAS) will be giving talks and presentations at the Old Moor wetlands site at Wombwell as part of the “Cormorants and Constellations the Sequel” event.

RSPB staff will also be giving guided walks around the site to give visitors the chance to watch birds come home to roost.

This is a follow up to a similar event which proved to be a huge success in January.

It will take place on Sunday, February 26, from 4.30pm onwards.

Anyone interested in attending can contact MSAS member Les Marsden for more information on 01709 584217. Alternatively, contact the Old Moor wetlands centre on 01226 751593.

A POLICE chief has praised communities for putting up a united front to help “scare off” poachers following a worrying increase in the crime across Selby district.

As the winter poaching season draws to a close, Selby’s acting Chief Insp Richard Abbott said criminals are now shying away from the area following the re-launch of one of the force’s most successful operations in recent years.

Operation Jumbo was started in 2009 to tackle poachers targeting the area through the winter months. It was kick-started again last October in a bid to combat rural crime, including barbaric blood sports such as badger baiting.

And this year has also seen a dramatic drop in poaching incidents.

Chief Insp Abbott said: “It’s been our best ever year. We’ve seen fewer incidents so it must be working.

“Those that have committed the crime have felt the full force of the law. We’ve arrested them, seized vehicles and seized dogs.

“We’ve had massive support from rural communities. That’s why it has been such a great success. Police and the public have been working together and it’s scaring poachers away and making them think twice.

“We have a rural watch system and a ringmaster system and support from gamekeepers, landowners and farmers who come out on patrol with us, which means we have a better chance of catching poachers.”

He added: “The old-fashioned image of a poacher with a shotgun over his arm and a brace of pheasants in his hand isn’t the reality. People are coming from other counties, including Lancashire and West Yorkshire, and we’ve seen hare coursing, lamping, deer poaching and badger baiting. However, it’s been a lot less than previous years.”

LEAP year tradition has it that February 29 is the only day women are allowed to propose to their boyfriends!

While times have changed, we’d like to hear from any Selby district women planning to pop the question to the love of their life on this special day. Or perhaps you have a birthday on February 29 and only et to celebrate once every four years!

E-mail your contact details to editorial@selbytimes.co.uk or call 01757 702198.

RESIDENTS who do not have access to a mains gas supply are set to benefit from new state-of-the-art heating thanks to the extension of a successful council scheme.

Many in Swinefleet have already benefited from a partnership between East Riding Council and community interest company, Community Energy Solutions, during the past four years.

In areas where gas network extensions are not possible, the project has involved properties’ outdated heating systems being replaced with new state-of-the-art air-source heat pumps, which draw in air from the outside and use it to heat radiators.

The scheme has been extended until the end of March 2013, thanks to ERYC receiving funding to install the new systems in a minimum of 25 more homes.

Applications are being sought from private homeowners and those living in private rented accommodation who don’t currently have access to a mains gas supply. Contact Jane Mears on 01482 396278 or e-mail her at jane.mears@eastriding.gov.uk if you are interested.

COUNCILS from across Yorkshire are to meet in Rotherham to discuss how to increase use of electric powered vehicles.

A new collective approach by councils throughout Yorkshire and the Humber may see them using joint funding and purchasing power to try to introduce more delivery of services with electric vehicles.

Coun Roger Stone, leader of Rotherham Council and vice chair of Local Government Yorkshire and Humber, said: ”Devising innovative and different ways of working has been one of the driving forces of local government in Yorkshire and Humber for many years. Protecting the environment is also one of our key priorities. Local Authorities have a major part to play in ensuring that our services are delivered in ways that are not only best for the enviroment but are cost effective for our citizens.

”Councils across Yorkshire and Humber are facing unprecedented cuts to budgets. Accessing European funding for projects such as these help us develop effective new ways of working while ensuring that the Local Authority services people value and need are protected”.

]]> 1.4267917 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:17:28 +0000 http://www.goolecourier.co.uk/boost_for_new_businesses_1_4267915

A NEW scheme has been unveiled to help encourage more entrepreneurs in Barnsley.

The news comes as the town is highlighted as one of the worst in the country for business start-ups, with half as many new businesses as places like Brighton and Aberdeen.

The town is also in the bottom ten for the number of businesses that exist per head of population.

SmartStart, which will be free, will run from April 1 at Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC). It will be part of the second phase of Enterprising Barnsley, a European-funded business support programme that has helped create or protect more than 1,000 jobs in its first phase.

Tim Milburn, Chief Executive of BBIC, said: “What we want is for people to come along for a chat to see if we can help them with a business idea. If we can help, then we will.”

Under SmartStart, potential entrepreneurs will be given one-to-one advice by a business coach and invited to a series of workshops covering everything from sales and marketing to leadership and management.

Genesis is aimed at fledgling businesses and includes office accommodation, intensive business support and business development workshops.

Anyone who thinks they could benefit from support from SmartStart or Genesis, can enquire via the new website www.businessstartsatbbic.co.uk

]]> 1.4267915 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:16:50 +0000 http://www.goolecourier.co.uk/arsonists_cause_crags_fire_1_4267826

ARSONISTS caused a fire which spread across Denaby Crags on Monday night.

Firefighters from Edlington station attended the scene off Wadworth Street at about 9pm.

They spent about 40 minutes tackling the blaze with a hose reel.

A spokeswoman for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said the blaze had been started deliberately.

PART of a garage was destroyed in Hickleton after a fire spread from an adjoining coal house.

Firefighters from Edlington and Dearne stations were called to the scene at Fir Tree Close at 5.45am today, Tuesday.

They used a single hose reel to tackle the blaze and left after about an hour.

A South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue spokeswoman said the cause was accidental.