The Flyer
Town & County . News from the villages
We hear the birds singing but not the lady
Unprecedented ‘ goings-on ’ in Thorley have surprised and amazed its people ! Have we really , I mean really , managed to bring influence and weight into committee rooms and rattle chains of office ? Yes we have , and we are in good company .
The Secretary of State for Housing , Communities and Local Government , James Brokenshire MP , who received eight letters requesting his intervention , issued a direction to the leader and chair of East Herts Council , Cllr Haysey “ not to take any step in connection with the adoption of the plan , while I give the issues raised in the letters further consideration ”.
He wrote this , amid concerns about release of green belt land , only hours before the extraordinary Council meeting was convened on September 11th to adopt the District Plan .
At the same Council meeting , directly as the result of lively exchange of views at the public meeting on July 18th held in response to OTTRA ’ s E-Petition request , a vote was carried unanimously NOT to approve the proposed Recommendation to extend the town boundary into Thorley , thereby thwarting town seizure of parish autonomy for Thorley ’ s southern park and greenbelt farmland south of Whittington Way earmarked for development [ designated BISH5 in the District Plan ].
So , for now , we can joyfully turn our thoughts , and steps , back to the sunny autumnal village landscape , spreading out from beyond St . James the Great church , across the cornfields to Thorley Street , and down to the river Stort and Twyford . It is not always appreciated how peacefully and sublimely attractive is the Thorley section of river , lying alongside a tow path lined with trees and moored narrowboats , flowing through Twyford Lock in Pig lane , and set against the historic backdrop of Twyford House and Water Mill . For how long ? We must not be complacent .
Sylvia McDonald , chmn OTTRA
Furneux Pelham History Group
Are you interested in history , including local history ? If so , come along to Furneux Pelham History Group . We are an informal group that meets on the 3rd Wednesday of the month in the Furneux Pelham Village Hall at 8.00pm .
There will either be a guest speaker or a talk from a member who has volunteered to present researches . All for £ 2 including refreshments .
Come along and see for yourself . New ideas , new speakers , new research welcome .
For more information , contact Linda Bratt on 01279 771696
Meetings are advertised on Facebook , on the village calendar ( FPPC website ), in the parish magazine and the Village Hall noticeboard .
Thorley Wash Nature Reserve
Did you spot us on TV ?
Thorley Wash Nature Reserve was featured on ITV Anglia news . The crew were visiting the reserve three years after Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust reintroduced water voles to the site .
Presenter Liz Summers spoke to the Trust ’ s Water Vole Conservation and Non-Native Invasive Species Officer , Martin Ketcher , and Thorley Wash Nature Reserve ’ s Volunteer Warden , Robert Phillips . The pair explained how the water voles had successfully established populations in both directions of the River Stort , spreading up towards Bishop ’ s Stortford , as well as down towards Sawbridgeworth .
This is fantastic news and testament to the habitat management work of
Manuden News
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang sing-a-long
Saturday 13th October , doors open 7.00pm
Manuden the Trust ’ s Reserve Team and dedicated volunteers . The Trust will continue to monitor water vole populations – vital to their continued success in the area .
You can catch up on the news piece by visiting ITV Anglia ’ s website and searching for Thorley Wash .
Village Community Centre . Fully interactive evening of singing , mayhem and dressing up ( optional ) Bar and bring your own nibbles
Tickets available from John ( john @ japers . co . uk ) 01279 816397 and Richard ( richard @ dale-cooke . co . uk ) 01279 812955
Entry £ 1 - Obligatory Goody Bag £ 6.50
manudenmusicalmayhem @ manuden . org . uk
Letters to the Editor
Send your club news , reports , events and articles to News desk , The Bishop ’ s Stortford Flyer , Thremhall Park , Start Hill , Bishop ’ s Stortford , CM22 7WE or email newsdesk @ flyeronline . co . uk
22 THE FLYER | OCTOBER 2018
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