Well if the Tories do win the General Election you will hear about him a lot more.  He’s the shadow environment spokesman for the Conservatives, so it’s a good chance he’ll become a minister if the Tories get in.

When I heard that he was coming down to help Ben Gummer I lobbied the Ipswich Tories to get him down to the docks to get him to talk to some people from the Noise Action Group and the Wherstead Road Residents’ Association about the way in which the port was operating.

The Noise Action Group then got the chance to tell the man who could be the next Environment Minister about how the port can be dismissive of its neighbours, and that engaging people who want a working port that’s a good neighbour will be better than in three years time trying to engage people who don’t want a working port as any sort of neighbour.

Hopefully ABP will at some point see sense and engage with those who wish it well.

Nick Herbert also became a fan of the Steamboat Tavern, which is as it should be.

A photo of Ben Gummer in this blog that he won't object to. Ben Gummer takes Nick Herbert to the Steamboat Tavern to meet the Noise Action Group and the Wherstead Road Residents Association

*I actually had heard of Nick Herbert, but I’m a political anorak on the sly.

Related posts:

1. It’s not just Gordon: Nick Clegg’s pomposity shows why politics is failing
2. Port Noise Report from the Port Focus Group
3. Photos of Bridge – The Three Angels in Bath Street

1.  Southern Cement have fitted on a silencer.  The Council Officers have all claimed that this reduces the noise considerably.

2.  The dust is going to be monitored partly by access to Southern Cement’s close circuit TV cameras

3.  The point was made by many of the councillors and residents that Southern Cement actually hurt their cause and made life more difficult for themselves by refusing to talk to the residents, and councillors.

4.  The Noise Action Group stated that while a silencer was welcome it was too early to declare victory on the noise and the real test will be in spring and early summer when conditions change.

5.  The port focus group leads into the port liaison group.  Yes, it is too bureaucratic but that’s what comes of not talking to residents.  Any way, we’ve elected Peter Evans, one of the founders of the Noise Action Group and by far the most radical of the prominent activists to the Port Liaison Group.

There are other issues which will be addressed later.

Related posts:

1. Port Focus Group
2. Port Focus Group minutes
3. The cement ship is in port

I’m digesting them now, but here’s something that caught my eye:

The following trials have been carried out:

Now the obvious question is why isn’t Southern Cement letting people know?  If it did that it wouldn’t be so unpopular.  And surely ABP Ipswich, who are going to suffer from this unpopularity and distrust for years to come, could be telling people.

Related posts:

1. Port Noise Report from the Port Focus Group
2. The Port Noise Must Stop
3. Evening Star hits on the Port Noise

You don’t have long left to complain about the Southern cement environmental waiver.  The address is:

Related posts:

1. Southern Cement – Complain now before it’s too late
2. Southern Cement: The Clock is ticking
3. Southern Cement – it’s cool to complain

The Noise Action Group would like to run a walkabout of the area the next time the cement ship comes, so please let me know if you would like to help.

Related posts:

1. Southern Cement does it again – misery, misery, misery
2. The cement ship is in port
3. The Cement Ship Shriek – What are Southern Cement playing at?

I’ve transcribed the announcement below:

Evening Star, Thursday, July 30, 2009

Southern Cement Ltd (No 1 Shed, Cliff Quay, Port of Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 0BS)

Southern Cement Ltd has applied to Ipswich Borough Council to vary their Environmental Permit for the blending, packing, loading, unloading and use of bulk cement.  Southern Cement Ltd has proposed to construct a 35m high 16m diameter silo of 6599 metric tonne capacity at their existing location to increase their current storage space.  The application may be inspected at the Ipswich Borough Council offices, Grafton House, 15-17 Russell Road, Ipswich, IP1 2DE.  Members of the public have a right to inspect the register free of charge.  Any written representations concerning the application may be made at the Council offices within 28 days from the publication of this notice.

————–

More will be following.

Related posts:

1. Breaking News: Public Meeting on Port Noise
2. Southern Cement – Complain now before it’s too late
3. Southern Cement: The Clock is ticking

The ludicrously easy to meet request from the group for a direct meeting with Southern Cement is also going to be backed by all both the Conservative and Labour councillors. 

Yet Southern Cement still won’t meet with us.  The Noise Action Group does not want a single job to go with Southern Cement, but there’s one exception.  Their Public Relations consultant is clearly not up to the job.

Related posts:

1. The Southern Cement meeting – It’s back on
2. Southern Cement: Report from the Council Executive
3. Southern Cement – the media take an interest

I knew something was odd this morning as they were cleaning the quay side with their mechanical sweeper lorry. It might be a new one.

Anyway as I write 8.45 they are getting the Kovak into place. That means about 11 the ship will arrive and by 12 they should be pumping.

If this is the case then all we have to keep the noise down is heavy weather, or perhaps if they are held up by the heavy weather, then they will have to pump at full tilt as I think weather will be against them. So noise levels will be interesting.

Here are some tips on how to complain:

1.  If the noise is happening outside normal office hours, phone up the emergency noise number on 433444. If the noise is happening in office hours the number is 433115.
2.  Give your name and address and state how it is bothering you
3.  State whether you will be willing to allow environment officers in the room where you are suffering the noise.  Please note that they will not measure noise from your garden or another room.  It usually takes ninety minutes from you complaining to them leaving your house.
4.  Log every instance.
5.  If the noise is still occurring wait for another four hours before complaining again.

Related posts:

1. Southern Cement – it’s cool to complain
2. Southern Cement – Complain now before it’s too late
3. The Cement Ship Shriek – What are Southern Cement playing at?

There will also be a meeting between Southern Cement and councillors.  Of course what would be best for both sides would be to meet directly, Southern Cement and the Noise Action Group.

So Uniland / Southern Cement, if you want to meet us then you can reach us at james@bridgeward.org.uk or through your usual channels of communication.  Email us, even if you’re not ready yet, even if you want to explain us why you’re not ready yet.

We’re quite nice really, especially when we’ve had a night’s sleep.

Related posts:

1. Southern Cement, some support from the council – at last
2. Southern Cement – the media take an interest
3. Southern Cement: Report from the Council Executive

It’s not the refusal of a couple of council officials to meet us that rankles, councillors from both parties are keeping us up to date and the Council Officials will have to meet with residents soon in some form. What rankles is the refusal of Uniland/Southern Cement’s Ipswich manager, Barry Neale, to even talk to us.

This seems more like commercial suicide than anything else.  Who would want to deal with a company that is constantly at risk of being shut down by a private court action, council enforcement or public protest?

What better way to calm down angry residents than meeting them?

Related posts:

1. The Southern Cement meeting – It’s back on
2. Southern Cement chaos
3. Southern Cement: What they think of your welfare