News - August 2008

August 2008

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TOWN’S NEW GREEN AGENDA
Caldicot town council has supported a proposal by Councillor Anthony Perrett to begin the process of becoming a “Transition Town”. The project involves investigating ways of minimising the community’s use of energy and resources. A meeting has been called for 7 p.m. on 17 September at the Choir Hall.

TOWN FESTIVAL CANCELLED AFTER POP EVENT
Several thousand rock fans braved pouring rain to attend a rock festival in Caldicot Castle Country Park headlined by tribute band Australian Pink Floyd. The two-day festival also included sets by 12 local bands. However, the ground in the park was so badly churned up that, following further wet weather, it was in an unfit state for the town festival due to be held on Bank Holiday Monday. The cancellation of the festival follows the cancellation of the carnival due to bad weather in May.

COMPLAINT AGAINST MAYOR
Plaid Cymru town councillor David Ashwin has made a formal complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman over a decision to limit the number of letters each councillor could raise to two per meeting. Councillor Ashwin claimed the decision was made unilaterally by the mayor, Councillor David Evans, without a vote in council and that it restricted councillors’ ability to adequately represent their constituents. Councillor Evans has rejected the complaint, stating that the matter was voted upon and that it was necessary for the efficient conduct of the council’s business.

REDUNDANCIES AT TELECOM COMPANY
Newport Networks, the telecom equipment company partly owned by Sir Terry Matthews, has announced that it is reducing its staff from 35 to 8, making 27 employees redundant at its Caldicot site. The company is attempting to sell off the firm after it made a $4.3 million loss in the first half of 2008.

AWARD FOR INN
The Castle Inn, Caldicot, has reached the finals of the best family pub in Britain after winning the award for the best family pub in Wales.

SCHOOL OVERSUBSCRIBED
A number of Caldicot children have been refused entry to Castle Park Primary School because the school, which replaced St Mary’s Junior and Sandy Lane Infants, is oversubscribed.

WETHERSPOONS FOR CALDICOT?
Pub chain Wetherspoons has confirmed that it is looking for a “fairly central” site in Caldicot.

HOUSE PRICE WATCH
The cheapest house advertised in the local press for sale in Caldicot at the end of August 2008 was a one bedroom end-link property in Stafford Road at £124,950. As in July, the most expensive was a “superbly renovated and refurbished barn conversion” with four bedrooms (all en-suite) at the old Church Farm at £525,000. According to the Halifax Building Society the average house price in Caldicot in June 2008 was £178,705, compared to 186,970 in June 2007.