Community Yearbook 17012019

JANUARY

£2m parking surplus WEST Berkshire Council W:286.501mm H:0.353mm ISSUEDATE_ID 2_3 Newbury Weekly News

Thursday, 17 January, 2019

Diver locates Tigris AN amateur diver believed he had located the wreck- He said : “They are all resting on the sea floor of what had been a naval mine barrage. “There could be more

age of a submarine lost during the Second World War, more than 75 years after it was adopted by Newbury. HMS Tigris was sunk off the Isle of Capri, in the Mediter - ranean Sea, on its way to Algiers in 1943, with the loss of 63 crew. But a 78-year-old Belgium man, Jean-Pierre Misson, thought he had found it, along with six other vessels. Mr Misson was car ying out sonar scans of the seabed between Tabarka and Cap Negro, off the coast of Tunisia, when he made the discovery.

made a surplus of £2m from parking charges and fines in 2017, figures revealed. The sum for the 2016/17 finan- cial year was the largest yet recorded by the cash-strapped local authority and came amid a series of parking price hikes by the council. West Berkshire Council’s total income from its parking oper- ations was £3,513,421 and, after subtracting running costs, it ended the year with a £2m surplus – again the highest recorded. However, by law, the council has to reinvest all this money back into traffic services. The figures included funds generated from all parking activities, including off-street and on-street ticket sales, penalty charge notices (PCNs) and permits. The total amount paid by motorists increased from £3,049,776 in 2015/16, while the

wrecks, I have not sonar- explored the whole area. “But to find the real identity of every submarine a visual approach is needed, which I don’t have the ability to do at my age and at that depth.” By measuring the size and shape of the wrecks, Mr Misson said he compared the results to details of the boats that are believed to have sunk in that area. He concluded that HMS Tigris was there and that the under- water graveyard could be the resting place of 250 British submariners.

McFadzen breaks PB in Medley final NEWBURY swimmer James McFadzen scooped three medals to steal the show on the final night of the Ontario Junior Inter- national in Toronto, Canada. The Loughborough University swimmer was representing GB and had already landed bronze medals in the 100m breaststroke and 100m backstroke. But the 18-year-old was a class apart in the 200m Individual Medley, winning both heats and final. McFadzen was fastest in the prelims with a time of 2:00.82 before breaking the two-minute barrier for the first time to land gold in a personal best time of 1:58.55. McFadzen returned to the pool for the final of the 200m Backstroke, again setting a PB as he clinched the silver medal in 1:57.14. Warrick steps down NIGEL WARRICK stepped down at Hunger- ford Town. The former chairman had been at the club for 12 years, in which time they have risen from the Hellenic League to the National League South. But increased family commitments and the growth of his company NJW Ltd means that he can no longer devote all his time to the club. He said: “If I do something, then I give it 110 per cent and at the moment I cannot do that. The club is in a great place. We have a good commit- tee, it is debt-free and in a good financial posi- tion.” Warrick has been a constant support, both financially and on the operational side of the club, for more than a decade.

were paid, bringing in a total of £225,440 for the council. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of PCNs issued to drivers in West Berkshire were for parking or traffic offences in Newbury (6,391). West Berkshire Council said it would not be reducing car parking charges in Newbury, despite widespread concerns that rising costs are driving people away from the town.

council’s parking operations surplus increased by more than £500,000, up from £1,497,830, compared to the previous year. Despite the rise in income, the amount paid in fines has reduced since 2015/16, with a total of 7,996 PCNs issued in 2016/17 – 955 fewer than the previous year. Seventy seven per cent of outstanding fines in 2016/17

Mystery camera fools drivers A MYSTERY mum is the toast of Great Shefford for making and installing this fake speed camera. have had some help.” The fake device appeared on private land off Wantage

Road. Residents, supported by the parish council, have long campaigned for real traffic calming measures – so far in vain. Mr Ackrill said:“Without doubt there’s a problem with speeding. The last time West Berkshire Council did a survey was over five days in February 2016. “That showed an average of 1,800 vehicles per day coming past there. Almost 48 per cent of them were exceeding the speed limit and, of those, a third were travelling at more than 35mph.”

The device, which bears a remarkable resemblance to the real thing, has already had a beneficial efect on traf- fic, according to some locals. Owner of The Village Shop opposite, Roy Plowman, said: “I’ve no idea who put it there, but if it slows traffic down and enables people to cross the road safely, then that’ s got to be a good thing.” The chairman of Great Shef- ford Parish Council, Steve Ackrill, was coy about the identity of the perpetrator, but said: “I expect she will

Meet is a lot of hot air COLOURFUL hot air balloons brightened up the

Club (BBAC) once again took on the organisation of the iconic event. There was a three-course dinner and design engineer and technical manager of Cameron Balloons Dave Boxall entertained guests with a presentation on Fedor Konyukhov’s recent record- breaking around-the-world balloon flight.

skies above Newbury. Balloonists of all ages gathered for the 46th international Icicle balloon meet. This year’s event, called Icicle Refrozen, took place at Donnington Grove Country Club. The 3.4.40 Region of the British Balloon and Airship

The fake speed camera in Great Shefford

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