People Power Works when we work together.

North Yorkshire County Council has given planning permission for the massive extension to the Yorkshire Water Sewage Works at Hemingbrough.

Without the extraordinary efforts of the local Hemingbrough Sewage Works Action Group (HSWAG) it would have gone ahead without significant safeguards for all residents.

Yorkshire Water’s original plan, supported by Hemingbrough Parish Council, was to route up to 100 lorries a week through the narrow village streets and residential areas, putting children in danger, and with the risk of damaging buildings and disrupting village life. HSWAG suggested, campaigned for and won access through the little used Newhay Lane at Cliffe. HSWAG also won concessions on odour and fly control measures and screening by more than a simple wire fence to hide the unsightly works that the Parish Council failed to do.”

HSWAG was formed to combat Yorkshire Water and the Parish Council in late April after residents found out the Council had had a “Special, closed Meeting” in mid February to comment on the plans at an early stage then both had kept residents in the dark for two months while the time for objections was running out.

The Parish Council later described their closed meeting as a “very constructive public relations meeting” and offered to leaflet the village asking people to keep Main Street clear of cars to allow lorries to pass.” Can you imagine the effect on the General Store, the Bread Bin and the Post Office, all vital local businesses, if the Parish Council had had its way and cares were to be kept off Main Street? Can you imagine the effect if Yorkshire Water’s threat to have ‘no parking’ yellow lines put down Main Street?

The Parish Council got what they wanted at that closed meeting; they asked Yorkshire Water to pay for an extension to a Water Vole survey. Yorkshire Water rushed that survey extension through before Councilors commented on their plans in public.” Who was looking out for the village? The Action Group!

HSWAG gathered more than 80 signatures on a petition calling for the Council Leaders to quit for not briefing them, seeking assurances and safeguards between February and mid-April.” The Parish Council ignored it saying they will continue to do what’s best for the village! 100 lorries a day?

Selby Council has been invited to comment on why our Parish Council should call a “Special, closed Meeting” to do it’s normal business of commenting on plans, then produce no Agenda, no official minutes and no record on the Council’s list that the meeting ever took place! Selby Council has also been asked why two Hemingbrough District Councilors, Kay McSherry and James Deans, also kept quiet for the same two months.

Residents must not let large companies and Councilors come to agreements behind closed doors without feeling the strength of People Power. When they were discovered, we heard Councilors and Yorkshire Water publicly challenging each other about what happened, accusations of lying and general pandemonium. Parish Council Meetings, closed to residents, should be banned unless there is a statutory reason for them!

There is still much work to be done by the Action Group. Somebody has to ensure the Sewage Works are built and managed to the approved planning application. Someone has to take a genuine interest in the future of our village.

Independant Survey Indicates it Will Smell

The following is an extract from the Odour survey carried out for the proposed sewage plant in the village, this survey was carried out as the Enviromental officer at Selby Council had objected to the plant on the grounds that Yorkshire Water had provided no statistical evidence in their submission documents that the new plant would not smell.

Their track record on building sewage plants that do not smell is not great, look at the content within the blog on this subject.

I will allow you to make your own assumptions but if you are still in doubt take a ride to the Selby Barlow site, you dont need a map just follow your nose along the by-pass. (Its on the left just over the new swing bridge)

EXTRACT READS AS FOLLOWS:

"Site visits were carried out on the 28th of May and the 4th of June, both to the existing site at Hemmingbrough and two other sites utilising similar plant to the proposed site; these sites were Easington, Humberside and Selby Barlow. It should be noted that there had been a prolonged period of dry warm weather prior to the site visits, which would be likely to give rise to the greatest amount of odiferous compounds" (stink of human waste to you and I)

Now you know this wonderful sunshine we have had over the last few weeks and the nice cooling breeze that has been blowing through the village, (the prevailing wind will bring it right over the centre of the village) make the most of it because when this thing goes up it will be a different story.

Does Your House Back Onto The River

If you are living in a property that currently looks out over the river and has views across open countryside then make the most of it as not only is the sewage works at a height more than a double decker bus going to spoil it but there are now plans to build a wind farm. And the construction traffic through Cliffe village!!!!!

There are plans to build five wind turbines on land at Cleek Hall, this is off Turnham Lane in Cliffe. At the exhibition held at the Methodist Chapel in Hemingbrough on the 15th of June (what you did not know it was happening)the consultant answering questions stated that land was been rented from the Land owner a Mr Platt.

We are advised that Selby DC and Hemingbrough and Cliffe PC have been consulted and should you require any further information you should contact one of the above.

Concessions, We Dont Want Concessions

Concessions are not what we want, Yorkshire Waters new application does not show one thing that will make this look any better, smell any better or ensure we do not have flies or odour accross the whole village.

Yorkshire Water's position is no different now to what it was 3 months ago.

We urge you to continue to complain to North Yorks County Council, also complain to your local councillors and show you are in full support of the total objection to this planning application.

Remember in the years to come it is your gardens and beer gardens that you will not be able to use due to stench and flies!!!!!!

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Spending the day on the 'Sewage Post' at the church fun day, we have had confirmed to us what a pleasant place this is to live, worth all the hard work.

It's been a long road to get here from our first public meeting in the Crown where we decided to formalise the action group because the answers from Yorkshire Water just weren't making sense. We had already had a meeting with them at the school and some of us had been visited in person.

So where are we now?

CONCESSIONS FROM YORKSHIRE WATER

Yorkshire water have agreed to screen the site from view. They propose to do this by building a small bund around the site on three sides and planting trees on the bund to make a more attractive feature. They are ‘happy to consult with residents about what type of trees they would like to see planted.’ Thanks Yorkshire Water if we can ensure no odour and no flies we might get there.
Yorkshire Water have committed to building in special fly nets at the works from the outset, which will help to keep flies away from the village. We need to check if this works. But it’s a start.
What about smell? Yorkshire water say ‘…we can't guarantee there will be no smell given the nature of the facility and what goes into it’.

Still some way to go but we have made progress - and some more friends.

ITS GOOD TO TALK - CHURCH FAIR 6th JUNE

Members of the action group will be available all day on Saturday the 6th of June, at the Church Craft and Fun Day, to talk to anyone about Yorkshire Water's Proposals for the Sewage Treatment Works.

We will have loads of information for you to see and will be happy to answer any questions you might have - the same day- if we can.

Bring the kids - if you have them - there are plenty of fun activities to keep them amused.

See you there!