News - September 2006

September 2006

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COUNCIL REJECTS PLANS FOR DEMOLITION OF FRANCESCA’S
Monmouthshire County Council’s planning committee has rejected a plan to demolish Francesca’s Restaurant in Newport Road and replace it with retirement properties. The committee received a 550 name petition calling for the “beautiful” building to be saved. Councillors expressed concern over the loss of such a building in addition to worries over the design of the new buildings and traffic problems.

SURGERY “COULD HAVE SOLD DETAILS”
Concerns were raised that Caldicot’s Grayhill Surgery may have sold patients addresses for use by junk mail company. The company claimed to have bought the addresses from the surgery after being contacted by the son of a deceased lady who had been sent junk mail. The suggestion was denied by Dr Andrew Gray, who stressed that patient’s details were “safe and secure” although, according to the Chepstow and Caldicot Free Press, a spokesman for the surgery had admitted that “GPs were possibly selling on information for themselves”.

PARENTS EXPRESS FRESH CONCERNS
Parents from Sandy Lane Infants School who are opposing its closure have also expressed their concern that building work to prepare for the site to be taken over by Ysgol y Ffin could take place during school hours.

FREE PARKING TO STAY
Monmouthshire County Council has agreed to continue its policy of free parking in Caldicot. Earlier proposals to introduce charges in Caldicot and elsewhere had been withdrawn following protests.

CASTLE DEFENCES STRENGTHENED
Caldicot town Council has given the go ahead to proposals to improve the defences of Caldicot Castle against barbarian invaders. In an attempt to stop youths congregating in the castle car park in the evenings, a barrier is to be erected to prevent vehicle access after 5 p.m. Pedestrian access will not be affected.

NEW BUS SCHEME HITS AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Caldicot Comprehensive School’s new bus service, using vehicles owned by Monmouthshire County Council, has created a problem for pupils wanting to use school transport to get home following after-school activities. Stagecoach, who used to run the service and accept ‘late’ passes, no longer accepts such passes, meaning that pupils have to pay. The school is seeking a solution to the problem.

HOUSE PRICE WATCH
The cheapest property advertised in the local press for sale in Caldicot at the end of September 2006 was a three-bedroom semi-detached property in Newport Road at £122,950. The most expensive was a six-bedroom detached house in Deepweir Drive at £349,950.