PLANNING INQUIRY - IT'S ALL A MATTER OF WORDING

In considering alternative career choices that I might have taken advantage of, I have often thought that I would like to have been a spy, or a lawyer.

In a number of the roles and responsibilities I have held, which have been wide and varied, I have been required to gather and retain information, often of a confidential nature, and requiring a high degree of sensitivity. I have also been in the position of questioning others when considering the evidence, or lack of it, that can have a significant impact on the future lives of those I represent. This can pose something of a dilemma, particularly where a personal judgement may be required in weighing up the pros and cons of a situation

If rumours are to be believed, over the years I have gained a reputation for challenging those in authority, but in what I hope is seen as a constructive way, to gain an acceptable outcome for all concerned.   

The context in which much of my activity has been carried out has largely revolved around healthcare, education, and in my capacity as District Councillor, planning.

This month, the whole issue has really been brought home to me as I attended several sessions relating to the Shudrick Lane planning inquiry, held at South Somerset District Council offices in Yeovil. Although I represent Ilminster as a County Councillor, planning is, usually, a District issue, but given the wider implications of the outcome of this decision for local residents, I was keen to observe the proceedings.  

On the first day of the enquiry, apart from the 30 odd members of the public, and what seemed like enough paperwork to fill a small van, I counted around 20 ‘officials’, legal bods and experts who were to play an active part in the inquiry.

With top barristers earning in excess of £100k p.a., and taking an average of £30k for the rest of those present, I calculated that the 8-day inquiry alone would cost a minimum of £150k. This does not even begin to scratch the surface when one considers the months and months of background work and expert advice, independent reports and surveys sought. The proposed 220 homes must be worth at least £40 million. Clearly, obtaining planning permission is big business.

What I have found fascinating though, was not so much the opportunity to listen to both sides putting across their arguments for and against, but the extent to which canny lawyers, when cross examining those presenting their case, were able to pick through the bones, literally word by word, looking for cracks and flaws in the evidence. Language is a wonderful thing and has always held a fascination for me.

Much attention has been paid to whether or not the public benefits resulting from such a development will ‘significantly and demonstrably’ outweigh the importance attached to any harm that might be caused. This is of course a matter of interpretation, which is where the independent expertise and investigative skills of the inspector come in.  

For me this has been an interesting experience, and a sobering one. At the time of writing there is no clear indication of what the outcome of the inquiry will be but of one thing we can be sure, the inspector’s decision will be eagerly awaited by all concerned.

Winsham School Breakfast Club

Linda Vijeh, Jenny Robbins and Winsham School pupils

Ilminster County Councillor, Linda Vijeh, got off to an early start this week to meet pupils of Winsham School as they tucked into a hearty breakfast of fruit, cereal, toast, crumpets and juice at the re-instated Breakfast Club, which is currently run three days a week, attended by 10 pupils and staffed by a small band of willing volunteers, at a cost of just £1 per pupil per day.

Linda had been asked to visit by Head Teacher Sarah Stringer, who is keen to spread the word. Linda said, ‘It is well known that a good start to the day can really have an impact on the learning achievements of young children in many ways, including an increase in their attention span. Offering the Breakfast Club is a good way to support parents and families.

There is also the social aspect. One of the things we have found is that by eating together children improve their social skills and table manners. I have previously been able to support initiatives such as this by using my Health & Wellbeing money but as this is no longer available I am trying to help by supporting fund raising activities. I am planning to hold a fund-raising quiz in March to get the whole community involved. This is important, as these children are our future.’

Samaritans quiz raises £220 and Amelia turns 80

Left to right – support volunteer and cake maker Susann Parker; branch Director Liz Flower; support volunteer ad birthday girl Amelia Bruce; branch committee Chairman Jackie Steele

Taunton & Somerset Samaritans had two reasons to celebrate this month. At the beginning of the month committee members celebrated the 80th birthday of long standing support volunteer Amelia Bruce with a special cake, featuring her trademark collection bucket and tabard made by fellow committee member Susann Parker.

Amelia has been a support volunteer for the organisation for an impressive 24 years and is a staunch fund raiser, in addition to acting as the branch treasurer.

Later in the week, Samaritans and friends gathered once again at Moose Hall, to be put through their paces by fellow volunteer and quiz master, Linda Vijeh at their bi-monthly quiz, raising a total of £220 to help the branch provide this vital listening service.

The next quiz, which will have a special ‘Irish’ theme, will be held at Moose Hall, Castle Street, Taunton TA1 4AR, on Friday 17th March, St. Patrick’s Day. Start time is 7.30pm and all are welcome. There is no need to book in advance, and the £5 entry fee includes a sandwich supper freshly prepared by the Moose Ladies Circle.  

Quiz for charity CRY raises £400

The community turned out in force last Saturday as 14 tables of keen quizzers battled it out at Chaffcombe Village Hall to raise funds for the charity CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young). The quiz, organised by local resident, Hillary Mead, an avid supporter of this life changing charity, will ensure that local children can take advantage of an upcoming mobile screening programme that is due to visit Tatworth in the near future. 

CRY has had a huge impact in raising awareness of sudden cardiac death in young people and offers support to those diagnosed with potentially life-threatening cardiac conditions as well as bereavement support to families affected by young sudden cardiac death. 

In total the quiz raised an impressive £400, and everyone agreed that the supper provided really helped to make the evening.

Curry lunch raises funds for local church

Annie and Julian Thompson, left and rear, and friends

New Year fund raising efforts in support of St. Peter’s Church Horton got off to a good start this month, when 35 local residents sat down to a splendid curry lunch, for just £6 per person, cooked by Annie and Julian Thompson.

With the assistance of their willing helpers a choice of chicken or vegetable curries were on offer, along with the usual accompaniments of dhaal, samosas, poppadoms and naan bread. As a special treat Nankhatai sweetmeats were served with tea and coffee, for which the recipe follows:-.

Along with a raffle, an impressive total of £285 was raised.

Said local councillor Linda Vijeh, who attended the event, ‘As obtaining external funding to support community facilities and activities becomes increasingly tougher, it is great to see the wide range of innovative ways that local people are coming up with to fill the shortfall. All of this relies of the time and effort of willing volunteers, along with the rest of us to support their efforts. This is what makes our rural villages so special.’

Nankhatai sweetmeats, with a texture similar to shortbread, are traditionally served during Diwali, the traditional Hindu festival of lights, held around the end of October each year.

INGREDIENTS – MAKES 16

80 grams icing sugar

75 grams butter

160 grams self-raising flour

½ tsp. bicarbonate of soda

a pinch of salt                               

¼ tsp. cardamom powder

¼ tsp. ground ginger

extra butter grease baking trays)

1 tbsp milk (if required)

TO DECORATE  

16 whole blanched almonds, cashew nuts or pistachios + dried cranberries to decorate

Ground nutmeg

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180’, and grease baking tray.

Cream butter and sugar either manually or with a hand beater, until light and fluffy

Add the remaining dry ingredients, sifted together, and mix until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Knead into a smooth dough, adding a little milk if the dough is too dry.

Cover and allow dough to rest for 10 mins. (at this stage the raw dough can be frozen for future use).

Divide the dough into 16, shape into balls and place on the greased baking sheet evenly spaced.

Slightly flatten each ball, ensuring there are no cracks.

Top each biscuit with a cashew or almond, and a dried cranberry, and lightly dust with nutmeg.

Bake at 180°C for 15-20 mins. until a pale golden brown – be careful not to overcook.

Allow to cool before storing in an airtight container.

Will keep for 2-3 weeks, if they last that long!

Sowing random acts of kindness

One of the pleasures of being a regular church goer is the way in which many services, aside from the ecumenical focus, follow a seasonal pattern, and how relevant this can be to our daily lives.

Early in January, during the week after Epiphany, 6^th January, many churches choose to hold ‘Plough Sunday’ services. It was thus that I found myself attending the combined service held at St. Peter’s Church in Horton recently. As one might expect, the focus was on the important part that farming plays, particularly in the rural communities that make such a large contribution towards Somerset’s economy.

What struck me most about the ‘talk’ we received during the ‘Plough Sunday’ service, was a quote by an unnamed source, ‘Real treasure comes as a result of the hard work of ploughing and sowing the land’.

It follows that if we do not take care of the land that we depend on to produce the food that sustains us, then we suffer the consequences of our negligence. As more and more of us choose to shop in large supermarkets we become further removed from the route that our food takes from farm to fork.

Taken a step further, in the context of how each of us go about our daily lives, I have for some[LV1] [LV2]  years subscribed to the point of view that if I make a concerted effort to work on behalf of others then both I and the recipients will benefit from my actions. I have amassed a great deal of evidence in support of this ethos, but freely admit that on occasion it can be difficult to achieve, especially when faced with the less than well intentioned actions of others. I am certainly no angel, and on occasion I know that I have behaved disgracefully in the past, but through my faith I feel that I have learnt sufficiently to know that if I consciously work for the greater good of others, then the benefits both for myself and those on the receiving end are limitless.

We all get that ‘feel good’ feeling when we do something nice for someone else, and very often it is reciprocated, resulting in a ‘win/win’ situation for both. In making others feel better, valued and important to us, we reinforce their own sense of self-worth, giving them the tools and impetus to continue the cycle. The importance of this domino effect cannot be underestimated; attempting to influence the outcome of an event through underhand means all too often results in negative outcomes; where we seek to do harm to those who have harmed us in some way perpetuates a cycle of destruction. Our newspapers are littered with such stories.

That is not to say, however, that we must accept the destructive behaviour of others, either from individuals, groups or corporate bodies. What I have found though, is that if I can control my own behaviour and be comfortable with the reasons behind my actions, then in almost every case the right result will be achieved.

I notice that there is a National Kindness Day planned to commemorate the 20^th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death in March. She is quoted as having said, ‘Carry out a random act of kindness with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.’

In other words, to return to my original analogy, and well-known proverb ‘As you sow, so shall you reap’. Something as simple as a kind word can have surprising results.

BENEFITS OF ONLINE DIRECTORY ADVERTISING

Owning and running a business can be difficult in a challenging market.  

With so much at stake you will want to engage in marketing and advertising that is proven and effective to avoid wasting your time with activity that does not benefit your bottom line. This is where business directories, both online and in print can play a key role in your marketing plan.

Why business directories?

According to a recent study, when researching a product or company, 8 out of 10 people will use a directory. Of those who use directory searches, 8 out of 10 of them result in a purchase or intent to purchase.

Business directories are a great form of targeted advertising. When someone chooses to access a business directory they already have a specific need for your service or product. All you need to do is position your listing in the appropriate directory and design your entry so that catches the attention of your target customer before the competition grabs them.

Where online directories are concerned, it helps to select those with high traffic volume in your target market. MJ for example, within the marine sector, benefits from a high Google Page Rank (an algorithm that Google uses to determine the relevance and importance of a web page), which will enable your own listing to appear higher in Google Search Results, thus increasing the likelihood of the user finding your company.

For print directories, you should consider targeted directories and/or those pertaining to your particular niche market. In addition to this, actively look for advertising opportunities within the directory section to further enhance your own brand.

Are business directories profitable?

Maintaining your online listing or directory entry can bring a great ROI. A recent analytics study found that businesses who maintained their print directory listing saw an average of 20% in growth in a twelve-month period (70% of respondents reported year-on-year gains in call volume directly related to their directory ad). Those companies offering an ‘emergency’ service tend to gain the highest average increases. The same study also found that 36% of customers who made a purchase after responding to a directory listing were new to the company, never having used that business before.

Where online listings are concerned, 97% of consumers research a product or service online, looking at an average of 7.9 difference sources, including directories, before making a purchase decision. We all know that if we want to turn a prospect into a conversion, we need to remain front-of-mind to our potential customers, so that when they are ready to buy, they think of us before our competition. This view is reinforced by evidence that shows that brand recognition significantly increases conversion rates.

Choosing your online and print directories

It is not effective to just “spam” your business into every directory you can get your hand on. You still need to ensure you are choosing ones that will give you the biggest ROI, in line with your budget and business aims.

Top consideration should go to directories in your niche markets, where your potential customers will start their search for your services. It’s important to find the right mix of directories for your business.

Can online directory listings increase my web traffic?

Listing your company and company URL on online websites not only helps your ROI, but can also help your website appear higher in search results for certain terms. The more quality web pages that you can get your site listed or mentioned in, the more authoritative Google will begin to think your website is. When Google chooses where your webpage will appear in search results, Page Rank (the authority of the webpage) is one of the factors that can significantly increase your chances or being ranked first, or at least on the first page, for a particular search term or phrase.

What does my business need to do now?

Directory listings should form part of on-going marketing plans. First, look at your directory options based on your business niche and region. Look up your competitors to see where they are advertising and consider whether or not it makes sense for your business to have a presence in these directories too. Aim to stay front-of-mind to your customers as much as possible, but without appearing “spammy.”

It may take time to find the right mix of directories to advertise your business in. Putting in place an analytics or tracking system to see which directories are giving you the best return, either in click thrus to your site, in direct revenue, or in call volume is important in tracing activity. This could include using special tracking campaign links for online directories, or a unique phone numbers or URLs for print ads. Over time, by being consistent in monitoring activity, you will be able to find the best mix of print and online directories that perform well for your business.

Finally, it’s important to keep in mind that listing your company in a directory is not just a one-off project. It needs to be maintained, and your strategies adjusted based on what your competitors are doing, and based on your changing business goals. The best way to achieve this is to maintain regular communication with your key contact person within the company listing you in their directory. If they don’t know what you and your company want to achieve how can they help you in the most effective, timely way, within your budget? 

In summary, maintaining business directory listings as part of your marketing plan is a proven profitable business strategy for your business.

Advertising Your Business

Advertising your business to a specific targeted audience has many advantages. It provides the opportunity to brand build and enhance your business to the next level. Whilst there are several ways to advertise your business locally, one of the most effective is through an online directory. This method of advertising your business effective and gives a good ROI. It is important when considering your online directory presence that your business is listed in a top directory with direct access to your key markets.

Develop Brand Image
All successful business take advantage of brand management and image making. All markets have recently faced tough competition. Your competitors will be trying hard to make their company image the ‘go to’ brand for the products and services they offer. Why lag behind? Listing your company on an online directory, with direct links to your company name, address, photos, videos and news updates will keeping you at the forefront of your customer’s minds. The association with MJ, a trusted, reliable, market leader, will also reinforce your brand image, so that you can win the trust of your potential customers.

Enhance Your Business
Staying one step ahead of your competitors is vital in such a challenging business environment. 70% of the population now prefer online search channels for a particular service or product. The benefit of being listed in a directory is that you are able to select the key search criteria to suit your business and each your target audience. If you aren’t out there, how will they know where to find you? With a directory listing, many more potential clients can be exposed to your business when you take advantage of being listed under key categories, according to your company’s speciality. This makes your directory listing more accurate and targeted. One of the key benefits of listing your company with MJ is the excellent opportunity this gives for search engine optimization via a direct link with your own website. This strengthens your presence and the possibility of increasing the number of visits to your website.

Cost Effective Advertising Publicity
There are several local advertising sources available to choose from, but among them online directory advertising has proven to be the most cost effective, especially for those with a small budget. Maintenance is minimal and long lasting support is provided whilst your entry is active.