Council Tax
With many readers paying the Council over £200 every month in Council Tax which they collect on behalf of the government they are not feeling too well about prophesying increases next year.
As one Chronicle reader asked me recently. “If we are saving the council £1.5m a year because of our recycling why can't they reduce our Council Tax”? Good question. All they will say is that because we are now so good at recycling it just keeps the increases lower than they would be! But one day our political parties will realise that Council Tax payers are also voters so don't rely on their support forever.
Email etiquette
According to the leader of Bexley Council Teresa O’Neill the use of capital letters in an email is considered to be shouting! REDUCE OUR COUNCIL TAX!
No jobs for Bexley school leavers
Youth unemployment in Bexley has reached a 13-year high, The Prince's Trust is warning that this summer’s school leavers could be the hardest hit since the crash of 1929.
In Bexley, unemployment in 18- to 24-year-olds has leapt by 111% in the past year, the highest since 1996. One in three of those claiming Jobseekers Allowance in the borough are aged 18 to 24.
In Bexley approximately 2,750 students will leave school this summer. Those leaving with no GCSEs are twice as likely to sign on as those with qualifications.
Our doves
The dove population in our dovecote has now reached fourteen with many new pure white birds this year. Alas we have lost a few where the parent has laid two eggs. They manage to feed them both for a while then eventually the stronger of the two seems to edge the other out. I haven't quite discovered the secret of hand-feeding them. They continue to be a source of amusement in the garden.
Bleriot Memorial flight
We took off for Dover to join in the centenary celebrations of Bleriot's flight across the Channel. It proved to be a disappointing weekend. The promise of forty vintage aircraft on display never materialised and the promise of hundreds of microlights flying in from France didn't either. A wonderful opportunity missed. See fuller story inside.
13th Lark in the Park
Whilst Bexley Council deprived the Sidcup community of its annual circus by hiking their prices to occupy Sidcup Place it was good to see the churches in Sidcup organising the thirteenth Lark in the Park. It was bigger and better than ever before enjoyed by thousands of youngsters and the elderly alike. The weather held for most of the time and the organisers confirmed that the event was really to see how churches work in a practical way in the community and leading youngsters by example.
Stone Leisure out perform
Stone Leisure Ltd, publishers of the Bexley Chronicle Series, contract magazines and the long established Motorhome Monthly magazine and organisers of the Motorhome & US RV Shows and Outdooor Leisure Show, feature prominently in the latest Plimsoll Financial Analysis. They say; Sales and profits margins are better than the industry's largest player; the company is likely to overtake competitors in the next twelve months; Stone Leisure has maintained its performance much better.
Do we want an independent Mayor?
If you are unhappy the way our council is lead you will soon be able to vote for a directly elected Mayor who could replace the Leader of the council for the next four years.
How you have your say is difficult to fathom so we have designed our own form for you to complete to give your views. See page 15
Do help us help you by filling it in and returning it to the address shown. Thanks.
Record plum and apple crop
We heard reports that early favourable weather gave Kent growers their best ever crop of Victoria plums and apples for a long time. Whether they will reach our supermarkets is doubtful.
Our own allotment growers are also reporting excellent crops. The Chronicles own apple trees are plentiful as our picture shows. Our plum trees haven't done so well this year and no damsons at all!