May Meeting

The May meeting will be at Norton Village Hall at 7pm on the 14th May 2010

February 2010 Meeting

The next meeting has been booked for 7pm at Norton Village Hall on Friday 5th Feb

Regards

Justin

Meeting 8th Jan cancelled

The meeting booked for the 8th Jan has been cancelled because of the weather conditions. We will arrange the next meeting when we have managed to book the hall.

Cheers

Justin

Next Meeting - Change of Date

The next meeting is now booked for Friday 8th Jan 2010 at Norton Village Hall and not 4th December as previously arranged (please can you try and ensure everybody knows about the changed date)

New Council quiet for awhile

Assuming the new Shropshire Council remains quiet on the sewage saga, our next meeting is Friday September 11th 2009 at 7pm in Norton Village Hall. If anyone receives communication from the council in the meantime please alert someone from the group and if necessary a meeting will be arranged.

Meeting 20th Feb 2009 7pm

Next Meeting in the village hall at Norton on Friday 20th Feb 2009 at 7pm

Update

Just a quick note to say that things still going strong. Latest information is sent by email to those registered to receive that information (please contact the representative from your village who attends meetings for more information).

Next meeting 20th June at Norton village hall - 7pm

Bills for Major Works

I understand from Neen Savage that they have received their bills for the major works done on the plants 2006/7 at the value approximately as forecast last year.

Advice from BSAG is

DO NOT PAY

but attend the meeting on the 1st February at 7pm at Norton Village Hall (behind Hundred House Hotel)

AGM - 1st Feb 2008

The Annual General Meeting for BSAG will be held at 7pm on the 1st February at Norton Village Hall.

The Chair, Secretary and Treasurer posts are all up for election and nominations are invited for these posts, please contact either myself or John Glover, the secretary, if you wish to discuss this. Nominations may be made at the start of the AGM and voting is a straight majority of members present.

Justin White
Outgoing Chair

Jan 11th 2008 meeting - Norton Village Hall

The next meeting of BSAG will be January 11th at 7pm at Norton Village Hall.

Meeting 21st Dec 7pm at Norton Village Hall (NB: Change of venue)

We have found another venue for the meeting - Norton Village Hall.

Directions from Bridgnorth:-

• Take A442 from Bridgnorth towards Telford for 4.9 miles
  
• In Norton village, just past Hundred House Hotel turn left into Cheswardine Lane
  

http://maps.live.com/?v=2&sp=Point.ss02rbgszr5h_Untitled%20item___&encType=1

See everyone there I hope.

Regards
Justin

Chetton hall not available 21st dec

The Chetton Village Hall is NOT available for the proposed next meeting on 21st december, therefore looking for an alternative venue and/or date. Any suggestions?

Next Meeting - Fri 19th Oct 2007 - 7pm

Next Meeting - Fri 19th Oct 2007 - 7pm at Chetton Village Hall. After that I have reserved the hall for the 16th November assuming that the meeting decides that is OK.

Annual Bills have arrived

I am assuming that I am not the only person to receive a bill for BDC sewage 2007/8 in the post this morning.

The advice from BSAG is

DO NOT PAY

without first discussing the matter at the next BSAG meeting on the 21st September at 7pm at Chetton Village Hall.

In the meantime I suggest you write to BDC and ask for…

• a full detailed breakdown of actual labour costs including copies of operatives time sheets.
• Copies of invoices paid for discharging effluent
• Details of the costs of vehicles, plant and materials including invoices plus explanation of method of calculation and details of operative hours that have been taken into account within the calculation
• Copies of electricity bills and any repairs that have been required.
• Full details of miscellaneous costs including invoices for environment/consent to discharge
  

There is further advice from the solicitors that I do not wish to publish on an open forum such as this but we will discuss on the 21st.

The next meeting of BSAG is at Chetton Village Hall at 7pm on the 21st September where we will discuss the bills and what action to take.

Full General Meeting - 20th July 7pm

A full General Meeting of Bridgnorth Sewage Action Group (BSAG) will take place at 7pm on Friday 20th July 2007 at Chetton Village Hall.

We have been advised by Bridgnorth District Council that they will send out the annual maintenance invoices for sewage in the first week of July. BSAG has sought legal advice regarding these invoices and also the expected invoices for the capital replacement program and this advice will be made available at this meeting. In the meantime...

DO NOT PAY

... without first getting this advice.

A map for the meeting (aerial photograph) can be found by clicking here, or here, or here.

Next Meeting THURSDAY 10th May

The next meeting will be THURSDAY 10th May at 7pm in Chetton Village Hall. (Please note this is Thursday evening not our usual Friday evening).

Meeting with local councillors - April 27th

The following councillors were invited, a week ago, to meet us on the 27th April to discuss the issues surrounding the charges for sewage and here are their replies to date:-

• Councillor Shineton - Says that if she turns up she cannot later speak on our behalf at meetings. However offering to attend.
• Councillor Yeomans - "Due to other commitments I may not be able to attend, but will do my very best."
• Cllr. D M J Gibbon - "I will try to be at Chetton Village Hall on Friday"
• Councillor Whiteman - Regret unable to attend
• Philip Dunne MP - Unable to attend that date but offering 1st June
• Councillor Tindall - No reply
• Councillor Pate - No reply
• Councillor Wood - No reply
• Councillor Murray - No reply
• Mathew Green (prospective candidate for MP) - No reply

As it looks as if at least two of the local councillors will join us on that day, may I ask that you spread the word as this is an opportunity for people affected to discuss their views with people who can make a difference.

The meeting is at Chetton Village Hall at 7pm on Friday April 27th.

To get to the village hall, from the top of the Bridgnorth bypass...

• At roundabout turn onto B4364 (signposted Ludlow, Ditton Priors) for 3 miles
• Go past the Punch Bowl Pub (about half a mile from roundabout)
• Go past the Down Pub (about 2 and a half miles from roundabout)
• Just over half a mile later at the bottom of a small valley on a left hand bend, turn right signposted CHETTON ONLY
• The village hall is the first entrance on the right.

Justin

Next meeting - 27th April 2007

The next meeting is confirmed as 27th April 2007 at 7pm in Chetton Village Hall.

Please note that the meeting that would usually be on the 11th May cannot be in Chetton Village Hall because of a prior booking and will therefore either be a different day or a different venue. Please check the website http://www.bsag.co.uk for update nearer the time.

Reply from David Parish DBC

The reply received from Bridgnorth District Council dated 26th Feb 2007 is available from the following web address as a PDF file http://tinyurl.com/23ta48.

A copy of the letter sent to Chief Executive of Bridgnorth District Council available at http://tinyurl.com/ywaheu (you will need this to link the answers to the questions).

Please note the statement in paragraph 17c:-

... we have no intention of subjecting the matter to an agreement with you, your technical consultant representative or any other third party.

This seems in direct contradiction to many of the contracts that residents have which state that in the event of a dispute an independent adjudicator should be brought in.

Next Meetings 16th March, 30th March, 13th April

The next three meetings for the group have been set as 16th March, 30th March and 13th April. All at 7pm at Chetton Village Hall.

To get to the village hall, from the top of the Bridgnorth bypass...

* At roundabout turn onto B4364 signposted Ludlow, Ditton Priors for 3 miles
* Go past the Punch Bowl Pub (about half a mile from roundabout)
* Go past the Down Pub (about 2 and a half miles from roundabout)
* Just over half a mile later at the bottom of a small valley on a left hand bend, turn right signposted CHETTON ONLY
* The village hall is the first entrance on the right.

A aerial photograph can be found by clicking here, or a street map here, or Multimap here.

Regards
Justin

Open Reply to John Harmeston (email 23/2/07)

Dear Mr Harmeston,

Thank you for your letter of the 19th January, saying that David Parish would look into our concerns.

I have to say I was somewhat surprised to see Tom Clark quoted in the Shropshire Star yesterday saying "We need to proceed with the work to ensure all the plants are compliant with the requirements of the Environment Agency" as this seems to disregard the result of the meeting you had with your surveyors at Brick Kiln Lane where the proposed work was agreed to be unnecessary. It also effectively says that the current state of the works does not meet the requirements of the Environment Agency which is contrary to the terms of the contracts you have with the residents. I have to assume that Tom Clark has been mis-quoted and that you are considering our objections and that the plants do meet legal requirements.

I was also very concerned to hear that only two days after receipt of my last letter you started work at the Neenton plant; riding roughshod over the the wishes of local residents. I do not believe that any of our members want to take legal action, all want a fair and reasonable settlement; however the actions of your officers show that this is not also the objective of the Council.

The Bridgnorth Sewage Action Group has 55 members on the following sewage plants: Boningale, Chetton, Eudon George, Kinlet, Sutton Maddock (Vicarage Lane, Brook View and Brick Kiln Lane) , Bourton, Weston, Neen Savage, Neenton, and Shipton. According to the list BDC sent me on the 15th June these plants have 58 private properties whih means we have the support of about 95% of the people affected in those schemes.

Yours Sincerely
Justin White
Chair
Bridgnorth Sewage Action Group

Reply from John Harmeston 20/2/07

Dear Mr White

SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS

I acknowledge receipt of your letter, hand delivered on 19 February 2007. My first impression is that many of the matters you have raised have been addressed in previous correspondence or meetings with my officers.

I will, however, have the points you raised investigated by Mr David Parish, Director of Community Services, and you will receive a reply within 10 working days from the date of this letter. Should a meeting seem appropriate as a result of these enquiries, then one will be arranged.

I note some of your members are planning to commence proceedings to instigate an injunction.

To assist with the investigation, would you let me know how many members are in the Action Group and which sewage treatment plants are causing concern. A telephone call or email to my Personal Assistant will suffice (Jacqueline Reading on the above telephone number or email cexec@bridgnorth-dc.gov.uk).

Yours sincerely

John Harmeston
Chief Executive

Press Release 19th February 2007

The following press release has been issued, embargo until 7am 19th February 2007. Copy may be downloaded at : http://tinyurl.com/23kpg6

Bridgnorth Sewage Action Group
www.bsag.co.uk

PRESS RELEASE
19th February 2007
EMBARGO 7AM 19 Feb 2007

---- BEGINS ----

Following a meeting of the Bridgnorth Sewage Action Group on the 16th February, they have written to the Chief Executive of Bridgnorth District Council demanding they stop further work on their sewage plants.

At a site meeting last week a BSAG member, a technical consultant employed BSAG, Bridgnorth District Council, and Telford & Wrekin (the consultants employed by BDC); the work that was being proposed was ridiculed and at the end of the meeting the Telford representative was asked by BDC to completely re-write the specification taking the work for one site from £14,000 to an estimate of £500 from the technical consultant – about 3% of the original cost.

Given that this meeting showed that the standard of work from the consultants employed by BDC had not been acceptable; BSAG demand that

1. Bridgnorth District Council immediately halt all work pending further investigation
2. That a BSAG technical consultant is given access to all the other plants before any further work is carried out to carry out a survey of each plant.
3. That when this survey is complete a meeting is held between BSAG, their technical consultant and Bridgnorth District Council to agree the work that is required.

---- ENDS ----

---- Notes to editor ----

Copy of letter sent to Chief Executive of Bridgnorth District Council available at http://tinyurl.com/ywaheu.

Bridgnorth Sewage Action Group is a local campaign organisation whose aims are to fight the proposals by Bridgnorth District Council to charge local residents for the backlog of work on the sewage systems BDC own and manage. In addition to recharging capital costs, they are also proposing to increase annual usage charges by about 260% taking it to four times the cost of plants adopted by Severn Trent.

---- Contact Information ----
Further information available from the campaign website : http://www.bsag.co.uk
Contact information:

• Chairman: Justin White 07970 080156;
• Treasurer: Su Cadwallader 01746 789396

Letter to Chief Exec of BDC

A letter will be hand delivered to John Harmeston the Chief Exec of Bridgnorth District Council on Monday 19th February demanding that Bridgnorth halt work on their sewage systems.

Download of the letter in PDF format available at : http://tinyurl.com/ywaheu

Next Meeting - Fri 2nd March 7pm

The next meeting of the Bridgnorth Sewage Action Group is confirmed for Friday 2nd March at 7pm at Chetton Village Hall.

Letter to Local Government Ombudsman 16th Feb

At our meeting on the 2nd February it was agreed that we would write to the Local Government Ombudsman as a group to ask them to intervene in the way in which Bridgnorth have handled this matter.

It was agreed that we would attempt to get as many signatures of involved residents and owners as possible against one letter rather than send a mountain of letters and the following letter is therefore planned to be sent on the 16th February. Please download this letter and ask people to sign the second page - this should then be brought to the next meeting on the 16th, or faxed to me on 0870 913 2453 or posted to me at the address indicated in the letter to arrive no later than the 16th February 2007.

The letter can be downloaded from:

http://tinyurl.com/2d35tk

Next Meeting - Fri 16th Feb 2007 - 7pm

The next meeting of the Bridgnorth Sewage Action Group is confirmed for Friday 16th February at 7pm at Chetton Village Hall.

Minutes from meeting 19th Jan

I have published some notes from the meeting on Friday 19th in a private section of this website at http://www.bdc-sewage2.blogspot.com. To gain access please email me (I will need to do some verification unless I already know you, so may be a delay in gaining access).

Justin

Meeting called for all villages - 2nd February 2007

A third meeting has been arranged to co-ordinate a response to Bridgnorth District Council's decision to charge villagers for major repairs to the sewage systems and to double their annual charges.

The meeting is to take place at 7.00pm on Friday 2nd February 2007 at Chetton Village Hall and organisers are asking that villagers from the following places who are affected by the proposals arrange for at least two spokespersons to attend.

Boningale, Chetton, Eudon George, Honeypot, Kinlet, Monkhopton, Neen Savage, Neenton, Shipton, Sutton Maddock, Highley, Bourton, Norton and Weston.

Directions available from http://www.bdc-sewage.blogspot.com

We do not have contact names nor email addresses for many people so please can you pass the word onto anyone you know who is affected. We would appreciate an idea of numbers and would be grateful if you could email bdc.sewage@googlemail.com if you, or someone you know, plan to attend (please also tell us which village you live in).

Meeting called for all villages - 19th January 2007

A followup meeting has been arranged to co-ordinate a response to Bridgnorth District Council's decision to charge villagers for major repairs to the sewage systems and to double their annual charges.

The meeting is to take place at 7.00pm on Friday 19th January 2007 at Chetton Village Hall and organisers are asking that villagers from the following places who are affected by the proposals arrange for at least two spokespersons to attend.

Boningale, Chetton, Eudon George, Honeypot, Kinlet, Monkhopton, Neen Savage, Neenton, Shipton, Sutton Maddock, Highley, Bourton, Norton and Weston.

To get to the village hall, from the top of the Bridgnorth bypass...

• At roundabout turn onto B4364 signposted Ludlow, Ditton Priors for 3 miles
• Go past the Punch Bowl Pub (about half a mile from roundabout)
• Go past the Down Pub (about 2 and a half miles from roundabout)
• Just over half a mile later at the bottom of a small valley on a left hand bend, turn right signposted CHETTON ONLY
• The village hall is the first entrance on the right.

A map (aerial photograph) can be found by clicking here, or here, or here.

We do not have contact names nor email addresses for many people so please can you pass the word onto anyone you know who is affected. We would appreciate an idea of numbers and would be grateful if you could email bdc.sewage@googlemail.com if you, or someone you know, plan to attend (please also tell us which village you live in).

Meeting called for all villagers - 24/11/06

A meeting has been arranged to co-ordinate a response to Bridgnorth District Council's decision to charge villagers for major repairs to the sewage systems and to double their annual charges.

The meeting is to take place at 7.30pm on Friday 24th November 2006 at Chetton Village Hall and organisers are asking that villagers from the following places who are affected by the proposals arrange for at least two spokespersons to attend.

Boningale, Chetton, Eudon George, Honeypot, Kinlet, Monkhopton, Neen Savage, Neenton, Shipton, Sutton Maddock, Highley, Bourton, Norton and Weston.

The Chetton residents, who have arranged the meeting on the 24th, have already got together and considered four options on how to proceed; these were (1) to refuse to pay anything, (2) to pay the lump sum but fight the unfair contract, (3) find an alternative supplier or take over the system themselves and (4) to agree to the demands of BDC. At this meeting one course of action was decided upon but most importantly it was agreed that support from other villages should be sought; together we are strong.

In order to make the meeting manageable it is hoped that each village will be able to discuss these and other options in advance and elect two spokespersons to attend the district meeting on the 24th; however the meeting is open to anyone affected by the BDC proposals.

To get to the village hall, from the top of the Bridgnorth bypass...

• At roundabout turn onto B4364 signposted Ludlow, Ditton Priors for 3 miles
• Go past the Punch Bowl Pub (about half a mile from roundabout)
• Go past the Down Pub (about 2 and a half miles from roundabout)
• Just over half a mile later at the bottom of a small valley on a left hand bend, turn right signposted CHETTON ONLY
• The village hall is the first entrance on the right.

A map (aerial photograph) can be found by clicking here, or here, or here.

We do not have contact names nor email addresses for many people so please can you pass the word onto anyone you know who is affected. We would appreciate an idea of numbers and would be grateful if you could email bdc.sewage@googlemail.comif you, or someone you know, plan to attend (please also tell us which village you live in).

Chetton Villagers meeting on Monday

Chetton villagers are planning to meet on Monday to try and agree as a village on the next step in the sewage saga.

BDC Housing & Environment Committee Meeting 16/10/06

I have this morning emailed members of the Housing & Environment Committee the following:-

Dear Councillor

At the special committee meeting on Monday 16th October you will be presented with a report from Bridgnorth District Council regarding the position with the Sewage systems which they manage. This report has a few errors and statements which I believe should not go unchallenged and therefore I write to draw you attention to these issues.

The main issues identified are:-

• Last year expenditure roughly equalled income if it is calculated properly
• Residents requested a 15 year plan for the schemes - this has not been mentioned in the report and has not been provided.
• Figures issued up-to-now have not taken one scheme into account let alone got the correct number of properties against each scheme.
• The way in which the issue has been handled leaves much to be desired and does not meet the standard expected from a professional service.
• BDC have failed to provide information under the Freedom of Information Act, and have hence failed in their legal duty.
• The price for the work has reduced but so has the work being done. What guarantee has been given that further costs will not be charged next year, the year after and onwards. A 15 year plan is essential before costs of this nature can be authorised.
• The data that BDC say they do not have (job labour costs for work prior to January 2006) shows a failure to properly manage a direct labour force.

I would ask that the committee...

• Request that a full 15 year plan is drawn up and submitted to residents and committee members before this work is carried out or the charging regime is changed; that a full life cycle costing plan drawn up for all components within the scheme; and that a planned preventative maintenance programme is drawn up for consultation with residents and members.
• That BDC officers offer every help to residents to assess the position including providing data to back up statements that have been made
• That BDC bring the systems up to an acceptable standard before changes are made to the charging regime.

I have requested some background information from Bridgnorth District Council under the Freedom of Information Act such as details of work carried out on my local sewage system over the years, so that I can assess the accuracy of some of the statements that have been made. Despite their being a legal deadline of 20 working days to provide this data, the request was made 30 working days ago, I have not been sent the information and therefore this email cannot be written from an informed base.

Paragraph 3.1 - Background: 17 sewage plants
This states there are 17 schemes, however Tom Clark confirmed by email to me on 11th September that in fact the costs include Severn Cliff - therefore the costs should be spread over 18 schemes.

Paragraph 3.3 - 2005/6 Expenditure = £52,520, Income = £20,145
Despite requesting confirmation from Tom Clark on 16th Sept that this figure includes income that should have been received from properties connected to scheme but missed off the June spreadsheet which was compiled by the “revenues� section AND that it includes notional income from the council properties; I have received no answer. If assume both answers NO then this makes income of £35,314 which is a shortfall of £16,246.

On the 11th September Tom Clark confirmed that the statement of 40% of expenditure raised in income (£20,145 of £52,560) did include the Bridgnorth sheltered scheme Severn Cliff. If the notional income from these 20 properties is added to the £35,314 it gives £53,278 which is £700 more than expenditure.

• £20,145 divided by 76 owner occupiers = £265.07 average per household
• £265.07 multiplied by 93 owner occupiers gives total of £24,651.12 which should have been invoiced
• £265.07 multiplied by (93 owners + 44 council properties) = £36,314.01 which should have been income if include the Council tenants
• £265.07 multiplied by (93+44+20 for Severn Cliff) = £53,278.22 which exceeds expenditure if include Severn Cliff

Paragraph 4.1 - Letters have been issued
The way in which this was handled left much to be desired. Figures detailing expected costs were sent three months after the initial letter demanding people sign a new contract. Many occupants initially told they were not affected but late August told they would be. Owners advised by Tom Clark at the Sutton Maddock meeting not to sign the contracts he had previously asked them to sign. Owners advised that equity in their properties could be used to pay for the costs. Failure to identify number of properties using the system no only means failure to collect income for many years but also inflated the estimates residents were given.

Paragraph 4.2 - Some owners written to in June giving detailed estimates, others in August
The “explanatory letter� sent in August did not detail any of the commitments made at the meetings, figures were not adjusted for properties missing nor was a note added to this affect.

Paragraph 5.1 - A full record of public meetings is available
The minutes are not a full record of the meetings and exclude some of the commitments made. No opportunity has been given to the “public� to correct these minutes therefore they should be described as “Notes�.

Paragraph 5.2 - Meetings held to answer questions
Many of the matters raised at the meetings and in previous/subsequent letters have not been answered. I am still waiting for answers to questions posed in June.

Paragraph 5.2.1 - Revenue section did not know how many properties connected to system, since updated
Taking Chetton as an example the current total from BDC is 10 whilst I know of 11 households attached to the system.

Paragraph 5.2.2 - Alternative systems rejected on grounds of cost and practicality
Why should planning approval be a barrier to changing the system, this would not be known until approval had been sought. Each system should be assessed individually and quotes sought from suppliers, initial advise from one supplier is that systems can be installed cheaply with very low maintenance costs on existing sites without altering existing pipe runs.

Paragraph 5.2.3 - Some residents want to install their own systems, put a deadline on this
Whilst obviously BDC need to resolve this possibility quickly, until they provide people with accurate figures for the current repairs, annual charges and most importantly details of predicted costs over the next 15 years, people cannot be expected to make an informed decision.

Paragraph 5.2.4 - Negligant in maintenance of systems, not used income generated on systems
I have requested details of work over the last 30 years so I can assess whether or not this is a justified response. These details have not been provided within the statutory 20 working days and are still outstanding. If this information is not available then it is also not possible for BDC to argue that the plants have been maintained. In view of the fact that the Telford reports from 2004 required work to be done to bring the plants to an “acceptable standard� by definition they are not currently at an “acceptable standard� and therefore have not been maintained properly.

At the Sutton Maddock meeting one resident specifically asked that the following comment be made to the committee:- “Can you clarify will go to meeting and make the point overcharging me hugely for the past 12 years and these points are put to Committee.� The minutes show he didn’t get an answer.

Paragraph 5.2.5 - Standing charge avoids effort of keeping proper records
In order to manage a labour force it is necessary to keep time and cost records for all work carried out and to benchmark these against industry standard costs and local contractor charges. If this information has not been collected the service has not been managed properly. To say that collecting this information is “unproductive� shows a failure to understand the requirement to control costs and to work to a best value regime.

Paragraph 5.2 - Details of Meetings
The following additional points were raised at the meetings:

• According to the Boningale Minutes when they asked for the report they were refused as it was “exemptâ€?. The reports however have been released under the Freedom of Information act by Telford & Wrekin so why were Boningale residents told this?
• Boningale Minutes: question was asked “You failed in the past and now you are asking us to pay?â€? and the answer was “That question will get back to committee Mrs Pate will be there and Mr Murray will be able to speak on the matter.â€? I cannot see any mention of this question specifically in this report.
• The Kinlet meeting argued that as owners and operators of the systems to costs for major repair and replacement if necessary was the responsibility of the owner who would then be entitled to recoup the cost over the expected life of the provision. Therefore these major works should be added to the charges for the expected life of the work.
• The Kinlet meeting asked if the council had taken note of the recent Government White paper on rural services and protection against high charges – the answer given was that they did not know of this paper.
• Much of the work in the 2004 reports was down to Health and Safety matters and this was the responsibility of the employer not the users of the system.
• There were a number of comments that rural householders do not get a fair share of Council Tax expenditure to which Councillor Shineton agreed.
• A gentleman from a local Housing Association suggested at Kinlet, according to the minutes, that the “if the Council accepts that the plants are in their ownership it would fairer for the cost of that upgrading to be paid by the Council and for there to be a sinking fund in future for them to recoup the money over the next few years, this would be a better way forward.â€? It was agreed that this would “be put to the Committee for them to look at at their meeting.â€? The gentleman actually said that the Council should pay for the works, a 15 year plan be created to maintain and repair the plants and that this should be funded using a sinking fund. It was generally agreed by residents that this was a sensible approach.
• At Kinlet it was said that Bridgnorth District Council have new plants in other places the home owners have had to pay nothing, they are brand new plants and they have been taken over by Severn Trent at Shifnal and Beckbury. None of the Officers were aware of any plants in Shifnal and Beckbury or any plants being taken over by Severn Trent. Councillor Shineton said Officers would be asked to find out. There is no mention of this in the report.
• It was accepted by BDC staff at the meetings that things were “not right in the pastâ€?, “Cannot justify distant past. We are trying to put the position right.â€? It was asked should the Council not put things to “an acceptable standard and then residents pay thereafterâ€? and one person from BDC said “As an individual can identify with what you are saying.â€?
• There was a lot of concern that council workmen do not always work as efficiently as they could and examples of time wasting were given (Kinlet and Sutton Maddock). It was confirmed that staff would be monitored.
• Many residents made the point that they were unable to put their own system in because of the size or layout of their properties, they were therefore being bullied by a monopoly supplier with no alternative.
• Many residents are pensioners who are being asked for a 300% increase in annual charges and on top of that thousands of pounds for the repair work. How are they supposed to fund these bills.
• Residents asked what was the life expectancy of the plants but were told “Don’t know sorry at this moment in timeâ€?.

Paragraph 6.1 - Only economic solution
It is not necessary to implement the same solution at all the plants.

I have asked for the costs of the alternative solutions considered but over than being told work to have the system adopted would cost 5 times the money this has not been forthcoming. Given this vague statement I estimate that it would take 13 years to recoup this extra expenditure simply by the saving in annual maintenance charge it would obviously be less when further repairs are factored in.

Without a detailed plan for the repair and maintenance of these schemes for the next 15 or more years it is not possible to show that this is the most economic solution in the long term.

Paragraph 6.2 - Public Consultation raised no issues, BDC can make decision to go ahead
It has been stated that BDC have the right to decide the solution put in place for schemes as they have a “substantial interest� – in the Chetton scheme it is 10% of the total so why should their view take precedence over any other owner.

Paragraph 6.4 - Tenders are within budget
One reason it is within budget may be that not all the work identified in the 2004 reports has found its way to the tender. Whilst it may be that the work has already been done (without the details requested I cannot tell) there is an alternative possibility that it has been put off for now. Without seeing a plan for the repairs and maintenance over the next 15 or more years we cannot tell what the position is.

Paragraph 7.5 - Estimated costs in Light Green Appendix
The current estimate spreadsheet has a number of issues which prevent the end figures being used as much of a basis for estimating the actual charges. For instance Severn Cliff is missing, the plant, material and admin costs are apportioned evenly across schemes which is unlikely to reflect the actual costs when they are produced; the effluent disposal costs seem to be charged twice (in Admin and in the tanker costs) etc.

Paragraph 7.6 - Sinking Fund
I do not understand why having to pay for work before it is recharged affects whether a sinking fund is agreed with the owners. However it would be very helpful if BDC do advise the expected costs of similar repairs over the next 30 years as this is the future maintenance and repair plan that has been requested.

Paragraph 7.7 - Installments
I don’t think there are many people who can afford thousands of pounds in addition to a three fold increase in the annual charge. These “long-term instalments� (as indicated in Tom Clarks letter of 11th September) should be offered to everyone equally.

Paragraph 8.1 - £83,000 to be recharged to owners
There is no column which adds up to £83,000 on the report but if you exclude the costs as recommended in 8.3 and 8.4 below this does come to £88,766

Paragraph 8.3 - Health and Safety work already been done
The details of all work have been requested under the Freedom of Information Act so this statement can be verified but has not been forthcoming.



Many thanks for taking the not inconsiderable time to read this email. I hope that it will prove useful in your meeting on Monday and that some progress can be made towards meeting my concerns.




Justin White
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