Breaking the Boundaries of Age

As I approach yet another landmark birthday later this month, I have taken the time to reflect on the rapidity of the changes that have occurred during my lifetime so far. Nowadays I might well be described, with a certain degree of accuracy, as a typical middle class, middle aged woman. It was not always the case, as my own upbringing was distinctly working class, although I did briefly benefit from the mixed blessing of a scholarship place at public school, before I ran away, and eventually left.

Certainly the values and morals of society today are very different from even 10 years ago. It is no longer possible, for example, for levels of abuse to remain uncovered and swept under the carpet in quite the same way, although I’d be the first to admit that we still have a very long way to go.

In our working lives jobs are no longer for life. It remains something of a surprise to me when I meet anyone who has held the same position in the same company for much longer than say 10 years. I’m on my fourth career myself, though admittedly not always by choice. There is of course the argument that change is good. We all know of the person who to all intents and purposes blocks any kind of progress, on the grounds that ‘we’ve always done it that way’. However, I would argue that new and different is not always necessarily better; the old cliché, ‘if it’s not broke, why fix it’ comes to mind.

Probably the key factor and facilitator of change has been the significant advances in technology. In tandem with this has been the need for me to adapt to these changes, not always very willingly I might add.

At a recent meeting of the Council of Governors at the RD&E NHS FT, where I represent Somerset, we discussed at some length the introduction of Electronic Patient Records, and both the benefits and drawbacks of such a move, and I have long since accepted that constant, relentless communication seems to be the order of the day, although I refuse to be a slave to my mobile phone, much to the annoyance of others.   

I strive not be typically representative of ‘middle England’, although my favoured activities and interests would fit nicely into that grouping.

With this in mind, I gave consideration to some meaningful way to celebrate my move from one decade to another. I admit that in the past I have always been quite ‘sniffy’ and snobbish about the dubious attractions of tattoos, until I carried out some research for an article on their history. It was with some trepidation therefore that I arrived for my appointment last week with Richard Sukeles, to have my first ever tattoo. I was very apprehensive, both in terms of the pain, and the risk that something so permanent might not be to my liking. I need not have worried, I have been delighted with the result and feel that in confronting my own prejudices I have made my point; that by remaining open minded and being receptive to new experiences the results can be quite surprising and liberating.  As for the design of my tattoo, suffice it to say it is something that perfectly capture the essence of me.

ETHNIC MINORITIES AS SPORTS COACHES

Headline news this week was the absence of ethnic minorities, and to a lesser degree, women, as sports coaches. It would seem that we have long since got over the issue of the nationality of those who play for our football teams across the country, as long as they play well enough to satisfy the fans’ lust for supremacy over rival teams. It would seem though, as all the fuss would lead us to believe, that when it comes to coaching activity the opportunities for these sporting heroes to show their mettle are very thin on the ground, if not virtually non-existent.

When it comes to selection there have naturally been calls, by the politically correct brigade, for quotas to be introduced

Were I in a position to influence, which thankfully I am not, the quota system is not something I would favour.

There are some who may think that this is a pretty poor analogy but I feel that the same applies to government, whether or at local or national level. We have for sometime seen similar cries for equity, particularly in relation to the balance of women in power.   

With next year’s elections just over the horizon each party will be battling it out for domination, although if early indicators are anything to go by it will be a close run thing. What is then likely to happen, is that keen to consolidate their tenuous hold on power, they will put their chums in place. In my experience of observing and challenging those in authority what tends to happen is that they surround themselves with sycophants to shore up their own egos.

I maintain my stance on this issue in much the same way; the only thing that should matter is that the best person for the job is chosen. We currently have a coalition government at national level and as we get closer to next May so we will begin to see the cosy pact they want us to believe previously existed unravel faster than you can pull at a loose thread on a sweater.

What should happen for whoever holds the balance of power is that those charged with holding high office, making key life changing decisions on behalf of those who voted them in, is that they should put their fears aside and go all out to find the very best person for the job regardless of their political allegiance. That way I believe we will get a better more equitable government. This is something that in the coming months we will all need to consider as we make up our minds about who will be best able to represent us.

At a local level there are already some authorities, albeit in the minority, that operate in this way; from the limited information I have gleaned it has had no adverse effect on their performance. Rather, were I in a position to take decisions about such appointments, I would fully expect to reap the rewards of having chosen well. Perhaps it is for this reason, when asked to participate in selection interviews for high ranking positions, I feel quite able to take some credit for the outcome. I may not be able to do their job, but I like to think that given the right assessment criteria, I can pick the best man, or woman, regardless of their ethnic origin.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS

The protests relating to the lack of affordable housing in London made national news this week, as one might expect. Certainly there is considerable evidence to support the growing need for housing of all types across the country, which in itself does much to fuel the anti-immigration argument.

However, it would be taking a rather simplistic view of the current situation to blame it all on incomers, many of whom do much to contribute towards our economy in one way or another. 

Locally there has been much angst and arm wringing as South Somerset once again gets ready to submit its local plan to the inspector. It has certainly been a very lengthy, time consuming and expensive process for everyone involved.

I always find it interesting to observe the extent to which, by and large, as long as everything is going well, most of us go about our daily business without too much consideration for the wider world beyond. It is only when we feel that our way of life is under threat that we take to the streets to fight our cause, as in this case.

Certainly where local planning is concerned there is always the tricky dichotomy between  overworked planning officers doing their best to apply rules not of their making, whilst being all too aware of the presumption in favour of planning permission being granted, unless evidence can be provided to the contrary. Sadly, the burden for gathering this evidence is increasingly falling on the shoulders of those local residents who feel that they will be most affected by any development. Whether the concern relates to the capacity of basic infrastructure, highways, school placement, the environment, or in the case of Somerset, worries over the impact on flooding, it certainly pays to do your homework.

It is hardly surprising when I suddenly find that I’m the most popular person around, unless of course the application does not go the way they would wish. For significant developments, or those with the potential for a negative impact on the factors mentioned above, the decision will fall to the area committees to make.

Unfortunately, and my point in raising the subject at all, is that this not where it ends. We are increasingly seeing the situation, where having been granted permission for a development, with an agreed percentage of affordable housing included as a condition, the developer will some time later look to have this condition modified, or removed altogether, usually on grounds of the lack of viability of the project.

Thus we find ourselves in a catch 22 situation, with the developer saying that they cannot complete construction whilst the affordable housing condition remains. Despite great unease among both planning officers, and locally elected council representatives it would seem that there is little to be done. I know that we all need somewhere to live, but I don’t believe we should be held to ransom in such a way in order to satisfy greedy unscrupulous developers.

Likewise, there seems to be no mechanism in place at all to penalise those who go ahead with construction without gaining planning permission first. All the offenders need to do is to submit an application retrospectively; this doesn’t say much for the rest of us who do our best to be law abiding citizens. Personally I blame Eric Pickles for such nonsense. 

Celebrity Wines

With Christmas fast approaching my thoughts naturally turn to the problem of present buying for my wine loving friends. There is of course wine, or for those with time and money to spare, a vineyard perhaps?

Whilst owning a vineyard, or having one named after them, may be the perfect present for the person who has everything, the rest of us will be searching for present solutions that won’t break the bank. So, why not treat your loved one to a bottle or two from a vineyard with connections to their favourite star?

The trend of towards celebrities investing their cash in vineyards is not a recent one. In ancient times, leading philosophers, playwrights and politicians often owned vineyards for personal use.

Nowadays, there are many reasons why celebrities choose to become involved in the winemaking industry. Some do it just because they seem to need the ego trip, whilst others go down this route because of the tax benefits it can bring about. It certainly saves nipping down to the supermarket every time Simon Cowell pops round for a drink.

Some, such as film director Francis Ford Coppola, come from families with a long history of winemaking, while others, such as actor Gerard Depardieu, have been lifelong wine enthusiasts. He even lists winemaker as his occupation on his passport, and is involved in a number of wineries around the world. Interestingly, and not to be recommended, he stated in a recent interview that he consumes as much as 14 bottles, a day! It definitely puts my own more modest consumption into perspective.

Johnny Depp bought his former girlfriend, Vanessa Paradis, a vineyard estate just NW of St. Tropez, but despite his reputation as something of a serious wine connoisseur, recent reports suggest his wine drinking days are over.  

David Beckham also acquired a vineyard in Napa, California, for his wife’s birthday in 2008; but unlike others who use their celebrity status as a selling tool in the wine industry, their wine is for the consumption of friends and family only.

His old boss, former Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, a real wine buff, was reported to be purchasing a vineyard in France last year for several million pounds. With the publication of his best-selling book last year, he should even have money left to spare.

Winemaking can become a second career for some, like former racing driver Mario Andretti, who purchased his Andretti Winery, also in California, as a hobby in 1996. His wines sell for up to £70 a bottle, with the premium brand, Montona, named after his home village in Croatia.

Irish born actor Sam Neill, who now lives in New Zealand, has called his winery situated in the well regarded Central Otago region on the South Island, Two Paddocks. The Proprietor’s Reserve, Last Chance, Pinot Noir, sells for around £35.

There are different degrees of involvement, and nearly all of them collaborate with an established winemaker but nonetheless it can be a very lucrative business.

Some celebrities lend their names to a special “one off” wine production, as in the case of Pol Roger’s famous Cuvée Winston Churchill, and for many years Rothschild has employed famous artists, including Prince Charles, to design labels for their wines.

Here are some ‘celebrity’ suggestions for solving that present buying dilemma this Christmas.

Francis Ford Coppola – Inglenook, Rubicon, Rutherford, Napa Valley, California, USA. Purchased from profits made out of The Godfather films, this is serious winemaking at its best. Pricey, the exceptional Classic Cabernet Sauvignon is definitely one for keeping, and my top choice at around £50.

Gerard Depardieu – Chateau de Tigne, Anjou, France (and others). He is very active and hands on. The rosé is inexpensive, at under £10 a bottle, and would be number two on my wish list.

Antonio Banderas – Anta Banderas, Ribera del Duero, Spain. Try the ‘a10’, Tempranillo with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, at under £20.

Sting – Tenuta il Palagio, Tuscany, Italy. Each release is named after one of his songs; his ‘Sister Moon’ red blend gets good reviews, and his ‘Message in a Bottle’, costs just £12.50.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt – Chateau Miraval, Brignoles, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France. First put on sale to the public last years at £13 a bottle, It sold out within days. An award-winning rosé, Pink Floyd (the group recorded part of their album, The Wall, here) is also produced.

Lionel Messi – Bodega Valentin Bianchi, Argentina. All profits from his wine ‘Leo’, go to his charitable foundation. Two reds made from Malbec, and a white called Torrontés are produced.

Nick Faldo – Katnook Estate, Coonawarra, Australia. Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc are available.

David Ginola – Coste Brulade, Provence, France. Silver medal award-winning rosé produced.

Ian Botham and Bob Willis – McLaren Vale, South Australia. The BMW wine range was created in conjunction with Australian winemaker Geoff Merrill, producing a Chardonnay, a Cabernet and a Shiraz.

Graham Norton – Invivo, the New Zealand company that supplies his chat show wines, put out a special Sauvignon Blanc under his name this year.

All of these wines are all available to buy online in the UK. Most are available for around £10, up to a whopping £100+ a bottle.

 

 

 

Wines to go with Paella

I’ve always been a fan of rice dishes, part of which stems from the time I spent as a newly-wed naval wife, in Hong Kong, where special fried rice was the order of the day practically every lunchtime, spent sunbathing by the pool at the naval base, Tamar. Those were the days.

Closer to home, and with Spain emphatically holding onto pole position as the top holiday destination for us Brits, many families will have returned from their time in the sun, sporting bronzed bodies, Having got the kids kitted out ready for a new school year, they will be looking forward to catching up with friends and inviting them round for a bite to eat.

There can be few better ways to entertain than to produce a steaming dish of fragrant paella. Easy on the washing up, with the ability to be eked out to accommodate extra guests, it provides a flavoursome reminder evocative of sunny, relaxing times, and is a real crowd pleaser.

Although Paella originates from Valencia, where it is generally cooked with meat, which could include chicken, rabbit and even snails; it is only outside Valencia that ‘mixed’ paella, containing both meat and fish, is served. Recipes vary - and are much argued over - but typically the dish will include chicken or rabbit, prawns, mussels or clams, red peppers, pimento and saffron-flavoured rice. Some prefer Paella Negra, a seafood dish made with squid ink, which turns the rice black.

It is one of those dishes with many different interpretations, and goes well with a wide range of wines or other beverages you might choose to accompany it.

Paella is typically eaten at relaxed, informal gatherings so I'd avoid those knockout new world wines packed full or fruit, or reds, high in tannins.

If you’re a bit hesitant about the idea of matching fish and red wine you might automatically think of pairing paella with a white wine, but the heartiness of the dish makes it just as good a match with a rosé or a red.

When considering Spanish wines our thoughts automatically turn to Rioja, but there is a lot more to Spanish wines than this perennial pub favourite, particularly as many of the lower priced offerings provide little of the character and flavour associated with a good reserva. So now is the opportunity to try something a little different.

Traditionally, the Spanish drink rosé or a crisp Spanish white wine such as albariňo with their paella, and lovers of sparkling wines often enjoy a good Cava. Outside Spain, the lighter reds and rosés from Languedoc-Roussillon would go well, and there are now some characterful whites wines, with an earthy richness, made from Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier, on the market.

For non-wine lovers, in Valencia, the beer of choice is local brand, Estrella De Levante from Murcia, or other popular native beers such as Ambar from Zaragoza. My personal preference would be a bone dry Spanish fino sherry.

The following wines are available from local supermarkets, and for armchair shoppers, also from a number of online channels.

For those keen to hunt out supermarket bargains, this website might be worth a look - www.supermarketspecialoffers.com

 

Lindemans Bin 65 Chardonnay, 2013, SE Australia. 13%, £7.99

An undemanding wine, well balanced, and with a soft texture.

 

Yellow Tail Pink Moscato, NV, SE Australia. 7.5%, £7.99

Cheap and cheerful, and low in alcohol so easy to quaff.

 

Gold Label Rosé, 2012, Languedoc, France. 12.5% £7.99

A refreshing fruity, rosé from the South of France, a blend of Syrah and other grapes.

Codorniu, Brut, Cava, NV, Spain. 11.5%, £8.99

Made from the traditional Catalan varieties, a good example, made by a long standing maker with a good reputation. Bubbly always makes the party go with a swing.

 

Magnus Hill Chardonnay, 2013, Adelaide Hills, S. Australia. 12%, £9.99

This comes from a cooler climate area, giving a restrained elegance and minerality, with a long finish.

 

Val do Salnes Albariño, 2011, Galicia, Spain. 12% £11.99

A light and intensely fruity wine from the birthplace of this grape variety.

 

Ropiteau Auxey-Duresses 2007, Burgundy, France. 13%, £19.99

A classy wine, where bottle ageing has added to its complexity, giving a creamy oak character.

 

Marques de Monistrol Vintage Cava Rosé Brut. 11.5%, £13

Medal winning Cava from a well established wine maker; superbly refreshing and good value.

 

Gonzalez Byass Delicado Fino. 15.5%, £13.99

A limited production, made for Waitrose, and has exceptional finesse. 

One Rule For One.....

When one puts oneself forward to represent the views and opinions of others, particularly when it comes to planning matters, on occasions some difficult decisions have to be taken. Thankfully, in my 11+ years as the SSDC District Councillor for Neroche ward, which covers the villages of Ashill, Donyatt, Broadway and Horton, I have probably been faced with this situation only a handful of times. Something of a challenge, and not always one to be relished; I am mindful of the quote ‘You cannot please all of the people all of the time..’, but at least I can try.

One such occasion occurred earlier this week when the application for a gypsy/traveller site was brought before Area West for decision.

By the narrowest of margins the decision was made to go against the planning officer’s recommendation for approval, and to refuse the application. I believe it was the right decision but not for the reasons one might expect.

When applications for such sites are submitted emotions run high. Rightly, or wrongly, there continues to be a stigma attached to such applications, mainly brought about by fear, and the anti-social behaviour that is sometimes associated with the residents of such sites.  In spite of such behaviour, what we must always be careful of is tarring everyone with the same brush. In the case of this particular applicant, he is well regarded by those local residents who have known him for osme years. Unlike some other applicants, in any planning context, he did everything by the book, and did not choose to occupy the site in advance of any decision being made.

In my capacity as District Councillor it is my responsibility, and indeed a duty, to represent all parties involved should they seek my advice; to offer unbiased, objective assistance, but above all, to remain open minded until all evidence has been produced. This can sometimes be difficult for people to understand.

In this particular case, at the public Area West Committee meeting, held in Crewkerne, there were many objectors present. In the main, and certainly those from the community I represent, conducted themselves in an appropriate way, sticking to the facts and the evidence they had gained; thankfully with the absence of the distasteful jeering, heckling mentality that one sometimes witnesses. On the other hand, one particular speaker, who announced himself as a prospective parliamentary candidate for next year’s general election, did himself and his party no favours at all by attempting to highjack the meeting for political purposes, and in the process revealed his ignorance of how local government works. Not a very promising sign for some wanting to represent a wider community. His remarks, in as much as he was permitted to air them, amounted to blatant racism in an attempt to stir up the assembled crowd. Fortunately for all of us, his comments were greeted with universal disgust. Had he been allowed to continue, I believe that he would have put the democratic process in jeopardy. Interestingly, I am familiar with several of his County Councillor colleagues, and I do not believe that they would ever behave in such a way.

However, although it pains me to say so, I believe the point he was trying to make, in connection with the current legislation that permits gypsy/traveller sites to be treated as exceptions to normal planning rules, is right. Yes, I do believe there is room for everyone in our society, and that we should all be treated equally, but whether it be to do with racial, ethnic, religious or gender equality. In fact, I hold a formal Equality & Diversity qualification. I do not though, subscribe to the view that in order to achieve equality we should have in place legislation that to all intents and purposes by its very nature discriminates against the majority. This only serves to increase division and encourages animosity. I consider that the only way to achieve this is through education and exposure to different experiences, not by the big stick approach.

In the case of this application, I felt strongly that this was just not the right site. I’m a bit of traditionalist and I am of the opinion that there is a need to protect our heritage. I feel that the impact of the site on a Grade2* listed property would be detrimental, particularly as there was a recommendation to raise the pitches some height above ground level as a protection against flooding, which in itself seems extraordinary. The application was not helped either by the continued failure of statutory consultees to apply themselves to providing appropriate accurate timely information. The person I feel most sorry for is the poor planning officer, who is only trying to apply the rules that exist, whether or not he personally agrees with them. One good thing has however come out of all this. The boorish naysayers who maintained that ‘This is all a fix, a done deal’ were once again proved wrong by the power of democracy. I’d like to be there when they eat their hats.

Adults Grooming on the Internet

It is no secret to anyone that knows me that I’ve been in the market for a man for some time. Whilst very independent, I believe that having a significant other in one’s life has a multitude of tangible benefits. In my search for the illusive shining knight on a white horse I have explored all means open to me, including internet dating sites, many and varied.

It was not without interest therefore, that I happened to catch sight of a recent interview with a woman this week, of a similar age to myself, who had been targeted on the internet, and ‘groomed’, before being lulled into parting with her hard earned cash as part of an increasingly prevalent scam. Sadly, this is not the first time I have heard of stories of a similar vein.

I would never describe myself as gullible or naive, but it did hit a raw note, where the scenario was alarmingly similar to one I almost became a victim of only a few weeks ago, when I discovered that I had also been well and truly groomed.

The grooming took place over a period of six months, where after making initial contact and exchanging photographs and a few details about our lives, I’d receive an email once every week or so. Like the other women that I’ve since heard of, the story was a plausible one; he had been widowed five years ago, lived in Lucan, and as a construction engineer he was currently working abroad in Malaysia, and was due to return at the end of August. So far, so good. The messages were all above board, friendly and pleasant. Being a fairly suspicious type I noted that not long after we began communicating via our personal emails he was no longer to be found on the dating site. Not that unusual, and when I questioned it, he replied that there was no need any longer as he thought he’d found the woman of his dreams, to which my repost was something along the lines of ‘don’t be so daft’. When I asked for more specific details as to his planned return, he responded by saying that the project had been held up and that he had been asked to stay on to rectify sub-standard work carried out by another contractor. Then, over the August bank holiday weekend I had an email asking if I would accept some money from Canada into my bank account ($32,000 it transpired) to pay for additional materials, with the explanation that he had no access to his account from there. That was when the alarm bells rang loud and clear and I immediately called the police. To my surprise they weren’t at all interested, and I then spent a fruitless weekend trying to contact all and sundry to follow this up, all the while trying not to alert the man in question, playing him along to maintain contact in case he could be traced. Not a bit of it. The fraud office only wanted to know whether or not I felt threatened, and whilst logging my call, they were not going to do anything else and said they did not have contact with other crime agencies. The National Crime Agency’s website for reporting suspicious activity was out of action and no-one was there to speak to at their office. A call to the police commissioner’s office also proved fruitless. So, I gave up, having come to the conclusion that in this country, unless you are a father wanting to remove your child from hospital for treatment abroad, investigation of criminal activity only takes place between 9-5, Monday to Friday.

Being fairly street-wise I’m very lucky not to be daft enough to fall for such a con, but there are many out there who, feeling lonely and susceptible to influence, will allow themselves, almost consciously, to be lulled into thinking that the person piling on the endearments genuinely cares for them. The problem is that those who fall victim to these vile people who target the vulnerable are often too embarrassed to admit it to anyone. This problem is not confined to women; I know of several men who have also fallen prey to such activity. In my case, if I were ever in a position to locate the person in question, I would have no qualms in dealing with them. Whilst the main focus of our attention is quite rightly on protecting children who are targeted in this way, usually for sexual reasons, the lesson for me has been that when it comes to illegal activity, thanks to the internet, it is now a case of no holds barred, and we cannot depend on others to protect us.