Welcome Sandyford and Goldenhill Residents Association (S.A.G.E.)
Welcome to our website
A residents association uniting the two villages of Sandyford and Goldenhill since 1999
An organisation that aims to improve the environment and lifestyle for all its residents who live in our community
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Friends of Basildon Golf Course in Essex are sharing some of their experiences like us in Goldenhill of having to deal with Jack Barker and the landfill issues at golf courses.
The following article makes very good reading along with the web links for more information.
In 2006 the municipal golf course at Basildon in Essex was leased by the Council to Jack Barker Golf. The 146 acre 18 hole course is on green belt land within walking distance of the centre of the New Town. As part of the leasing arrangements there was to be a new clubhouse and a driving range.
In 2007 local residents were horrified to find out that the ‘improvements’ were to be financed by the importation of landfill – 180,000 tonnes in the first phase and a total of 468,000 tonnes over 3 years. In spite of their objections, planning permission was granted – and since Basildon District Council was working in partnership with Jack Barker Golf, the Council was giving itself planning permission.
To fight these proposals, local residents formed ‘Friends of Basildon Golf Course’. Legal advice was that the only way of stopping the development was to get the planning permission quashed at a Judicial Review. The Friends were unsuccessful at the initial review but new information then came to light which the Council had withheld from the Court. This new information was considered at the Appeal, and the Lord Justices found that the ‘Screening Opinion’ (part of the planning process) was legally defective in four respects and quashed the planning permission. An account of the case can be found using the following link:
http://www.ftb.eu.com/2009-news/court-of-appeal-quashes-planning-permission-for-deposit-of-large-quantity-of-waste-on-golf-course.asp
As part of their campaign, the Friends had been researching information about other Jack Barker Courses and thus learned of the continued dumping at Goldenhill. Through our MP Mrs Joan Walley, contact was recently established, and the Friends learned that our City Council was about to re-posses the lease because of unpaid rent and unauthorised dumping.
No rent has ever been paid at Basildon. In addition the Council there has made ‘wet weather payments’ and has loaned money for an access road for the planned importation of waste. Together the monies involved are around £200,000. In view of our experiences with Jack Barker Golf, the Friends are now hoping that Basildon District Council will terminate their lease with the ‘Jack Barker Golf’ company running the course at Basildon.
As part of their campaign the following article appeared in their local newspaper, The Echo.
http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/local_news/basildon/8847755.Golf_tenants_kicked_off_course_in_Stoke/?ref=ec
Those interested in the Friends’ campaign and information about what has been happening at other Jack Barker sites might like to visit their website at www.basildongolfcourselp.com
Do you enjoy the art of photography? Stretch your legs while taking stunning photographs in the company of friends and family on our local free walks. You wouldn’t believe what’s on your doorstep! Meet at 2pm this Saturday at Westport Lake Cafe. Cameras will be available, as well as expert advice on getting the most our of your shots and information about local camera clubs. All photos will be entered into Urban Vision North Staffordshire’s 6th annual photographic competition. Winning entries will be exhibited at the Burslem School of Art.
Bring a friend who is new to our walks and they will receive £50 vouchers for ASDA, Weightwatchers, and JJB sports (they have to be spent this weekend).
If you can’t make it this Saturday you can also join us at Westport Lake, Tues 8th Feb, or Wed 9th Feb at 11am at Tunstall Park Cafe, or Sat 12th Feb at Burslem Park Pavillion. On any of these walks, bring a friend who is new to our walking groups, and both you and your friend will receive a free hot drink after the walk.
Our website has been updated with our February- March timetable, there is a walk every day of the week all over the city. We look forward to seeing you soon.
For further information you can contact Closer to home, Circular Walks’ on Mob 07580314300 – Tel 01782 831900 or you can visit the website
www.closertohomewalks.org.uk
Friends of Basildon Golf Course in Essex has contacted Sandyford & Goldenhill Residents Association due to their same involvement with Jack Barker, whose real name is Ron Maydon in respect to landfill issues at golf courses across the country.
To give praise to the Friends of Basildon Golf Course people, at least they have succeeded where we didn’t by them stopping Mr Maydon (Jack Barker) from ruining their landscape.
Friends of Basildon Golf Course have fought Mr Maydon through the courts and to date some three and a half years later they have kept him off the land. Well done!
At least the gates have now been locked by the City Council at Goldenhill Golf Course but where does that leave residents, who will pay to put the land right because Stoke on Trent City Council has to make savings in the next financial year of 40 million pounds.
For more information, you can go to the website of Friends of Basildon Golf Course www.basildongolfcourselp.com or visit The Sentinel website www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk and use the search engine to find out more about Jack Barker’s Golf Course’s and landfill issues in our area.
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex is to officially open the new Sandyford Community Fire Station. The date of the Royal Visit is to take place on Tuesday 8th March.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service along with residents of Sandyford and Goldenhill are seeing the visit as a very special occasion to promote our area and for having a fire station that is a first for offering community facilities in Stoke on Trent.
For more information on Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and other Royal’s then go to the website at www.royal.gov.uk
The positives with antisocial behaviour are that it can and does bring communities together to fight the issues affecting them. The problems that S.A.G.E. has faced with antisocial behaviour are that some residents think that it is only them facing the problem. Through years of being the Secretary of S.A.G.E. I can assure everyone out there that 90% of the time you are not alone. Remember this website is for all residents in Sandyford and Goldenhill, so please use it to let us and the authorities know where the trouble is. Just to remind everyone that if you are witnessing or receiving antisocial behaviour in your area then in all cases please report it to either the police or the City Council.
Remember, you can always go to the Forum Page on the website under Police & Antisocial Behaviour to make your comments known.
Dave Potts, Neighbourhood Enforcement Officer from the City Council reported the following statistics at the S.A.G.E. resident’s public meeting 13.01.11 of antisocial behaviour in the area. The stats given were 61 acceptable behaviour contracts (ABCs) issued in the past twelve months with six current cases of antisocial behaviour and several asbos’s being dealt with at present. Mr Potts added at the meeting that residents need to make him aware of any antisocial activities that are happening in the area. After complaints from residents saying that complaining about antisocial activities doesn’t work, Mr Potts added that an asbo against a person or persons does because if antisocial behaviour occurs in Goldenhill or Sandyford then they would be excluded from the area.
PCSO Michael Frost also updated residents by saying antisocial behaviour has generally decreased in the area over the past couple of months and gave examples of this by saying there has been less burglaries and theft from vehicles.
Although statistics may prove on one hand that antisocial behaviour is down in the area, which was little comfort to those residents who anxiously shouted out their frustration at the meeting and saying antisocial behaviour is ruining our lives and we want something doing about it.
The Public Meeting attracted 82 residents and guests to the meeting, which proved to be very lively at times but the residents association can’t stress enough how important it is to be there on the night to show solidarity to address issues, which affect our daily lives.
If you are suffering from antisocial behaviour in any way then either contact us via the website or use the web page forum tab and go to Police & Antisocial Behaviour to make us aware and the authorities who view the site of the antisocial activities that are going on in your area.
At this time of year, you might not feel like walking in the cold, but it is more important than ever to keep moving. If you really can’t face the freeze, Closer to home, Circular Walks’ have a new indoor walking group in the Potteries Shopping Centre, meeting at Costa Coffee every Friday morning at 10am. The walk takes only 30 minutes round the various levels, before finishing for a cup of coffee or tea.
For further information you can contact the team on 01782 831900.
Landfill waste tipping at Goldenhill Golf Course has now stopped.
Councillors reported at the Sandyford and Goldenhill Residents Public Meeting last Thursday 13.01.11 that the City Council’s Legal Team has now closed the golf course at Goldenhill due to rent not being paid for the site.
Excessive landfill waste being tipped there with at least sixty lorries delivering it to the area every day, as always been an issue with local residents and seeing a stop to it is sure to please many people.
Councillor Ryan also reported at the meeting that she would be discussing the issue with S.A.G.E. in regards to what will be happening to the site in the future.
If you know anyone who has always wanted to get into computing but never known where to start, Closer to Home Circular Walks are starting a ‘first steps to computing course’ at Port Vale Football Club in Burslem, The first session starts Tuesday 18th January, meeting 9.15am at Burslem Park Pavillion for a short walk followed by the course. It will be held every week for 12 weeks- (finishing at 10:45)- for more information or to sign up call 01782 831900.
Come on all you people out there lets get sharing some of the old memories of Goldenhill and Sandyford.
Joe Smith, Chairman of S.A.G.E. found out that in Goldenhill in the thirteen hundreds that a man paid a penny a year to dig coal for a living “Historic Mining Village of Goldenhill”
So that we can talk and share these memories with each other then all you need to do is go to the forum tab and post your comments on the local memories section on the site.
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