eshott development

Debbie, as I'm sure you are aware one of the village residents requested that a salt/grit box be provided by the council last week. This was duly delivered. I'm astounded to be told that the box was removed by EHE shortly afterwards, is this true ?
The obvious questions include :
Why was it removed ?
Where is it now ?
When is it being returned ?
What authority do you have to remove council property ?
Road conditions this morning are again treacherous, if you really want a salt/grit box then contact the council and ask for your own…
Regards Andy Godward

For the attention of Mr TNH Sanderson
Judging by you're response it would seem that you have mis-understood the role of Eshott Hall Estate in this matter. In case clarity is required please note that the salt box is provided for safety reasons, for use by the general public and must be positioned to allow ease of access and use over the winter months
As a member of the general public you have no more authority to dictate it's position than I have, and I'm astonished that you feel in a position to "…agree a more discrete location" with the council. In this matter you are a simple local resident 
Perhaps I'm missing something but what relevance does sixty years have to this situation ?
Please return the salt box to a position by the highway. As the box was requested by an ERA member I suggest you contact the ERA committee and agree a suitable location that is both safe and convenient for residents and thro' traffic alike
Regards, Andy Godward

Debbie, It is unfortunate that after the efforts of Eric and Shaun to clear our drains and wash down the patio last weekend, that we have another stoppage. I was able to witness this one so have the remnants of the material that caused the stoppage. The village residents will be reminded once more.
What we also saw floating around was sweet paper wrapper and plastic spoons. With visitors to the village, children and their friends and contract cleaners I am surprised we do not have the problem more often.
We will do our best to reduce the risk but several points became apparent.
a) The village residents become aware of the problem first, when it is too late. The flashing pump light is not being responded too.
b) The system has not got enough storage capacity to hold sewage over say the weekend when presumably a cheaper service visit would be possible. It only took a few (say 3-5) hours for the tank to become full. Any 'early warning system' will have to give a pretty fast response. We cannot use any appliance or even wash in our house once the tank has filled without overflow.
c) Just how little material can stop the pumps. A filter system would seem the only solution. I am sure this would have paid for itself well before now had one been fitted initially. Can this solution be researched please?
Your e-mail of Thursday 6th November said that you would be discussing alternative methods, early warning systems or further investment in plant and have asked your contractors to provide proposals for the above together with costing's.  I await you report.
The sewage system is used by the village residents almost exclusively. The more appropriate body to discuss this problem is the Eshott Residents Association and not the ECG. Indeed, residents are of the opinion that these matters are a private concern between the village and Eshott Estates and could take offence at this being discussed by a third party, an unelected body in which we have no representation.
Doug Green - Mill House

Please read the attached guidance notes which have been sent previously and use your best endeavours to ensure foreign objects to not enter the foul water system. 
Expensive repairs have been necessary yet again this week as a result of inappropriate materials

Debbie, can you tell me what materials caused the problem this time please so I can discuss with the Residents Association?  Does you e-mail message reach everybody in the village?  John Secker

Thank you for your e-mail.  The cause of the problem was the same as last time ie rags etc. The message was e-mailed to everyone we have an address for and delivered to all others. Debbie Houston

Debbie, FYI I don't know what went wrong but at the ERA meeting last night some people said they had received your e-mail but the other people attending who didn't receive an e-mail said they had not received a letter from Eshott Hall Estate in regard to this issue either.  John

Debbie, there is a long standing issue with the village sewerage system that needs to be addressed.  The sewerage pumps in Stable Drive fail regularly.  By comparison the ones in Bainbridge Lane are very reliable.
The consequence of the failure of the Stable Drive sewerage pumps over the past weekend is that Mr and Mrs Green have raw sewerage flooding their garden again and Mr and Mrs Thompson have sewerage coming up in their shower room.  Letters have again been written to the Environmental Health Department at Castle Morpeth Borough Council complaining about this unresolved situation.
There are two pumps in the pumping station.  The normal control methodology is that if the pump that is running fails then the second one should automatically take over until the first one can be repaired.  However this does require that the control panel indicates via the flashing light on the top of the box that a pump has failed providing sufficient time to repair the broken pump.
Can you please check with Hutchinson Drainage that the control system does operate in this fashion?  Unfortunately, for reasons of minimising cost, the warning light is often simply switched by a high level float in the chamber.  This only happens of course if both pumps have failed and by then there is virtually no time for anybody to respond to the failure.
Also can you tell me what arrangements are in place to operate a breakdown 'Call Out'?  This latest incident started with a failure on Saturday night and was only resolved today.  Are Hutchinson Drainage contracted to provide an out of hours call-out service and how should we contact them?
Kind regards, John Secker, secretary - Eshott Residents Association

Don’t reply (this mistakenly sent to ERA by TNH Sanderson, assumed intended as internal to DH)

Debbie, I assume Mr Sanderson intended to send this to you.
John Secker, Secretary - Eshott Residents Association

Dear Debbie, thank you for circulating information about the Harvest Festival, Body Balancing and the Eshott Community Group meeting. Unfortunately I have been away, hence my late reply.
I am puzzled about the recent rash of events advertised to take place in the chapel, as my understanding from the outline plans published on Mr TNH Sanderson's website, is that the chapel will become 'Chapel House'. I would be very interested to find out the intended fate of the chapel as a place of worship. Therefore I find myself unable to support activities, and in particular religious services, in a building which as far as I am able to ascertain, is anticipated to have but a short life as such.
Maybe I am being overly cynical, but I see this as part of Mr TNH Sanderson's campaign to demonstrate 'community engagement/sustainability' in support of his forthcoming planning application. Perhaps you would be able to clarify for me whether the chapel is intended to become a house, and also when Mr TNH Sanderson is intending to resubmit his planning application.
My concerns relate to all activities which are advertised to take place in the chapel. Under normal circumstances I would be happy to support activities such as the Body Balancing class. However, I shall not be attending for the reasons outlined above

Dear Ms Clarke, thank you for your e-mail and your kind invitation. Your comments have been noted.We hope that the Chapel will continue to be a successful place for Services but would anticipate that the community may outgrow the building in time.
Many activities in the Chapel are organised by individual members of the community as opposed to the Estate, however, the Estate will support these activities to its best ability.
We have had several, successful initiatives in the past including wildlife talks from our Conservationist Lorraine Weeks and various children's activities such as building nesting boxes. If you have any suggestions for such community initiatives, please contact me. Debbie Houston

Dear Ms Houston
Further to your message below (16th October), I remained puzzled about the fate of the chapel, as your reply does not answer my question. I asked whether Mr TNH Sanderson intends the chapel to become a house. His presentation (30.7.08) calling it 'Chapel House' certainly suggests this. I am also puzzled by the 'many activities' you cite as taking place there. As far as I am aware, since February 2008 there have been 2 squirrel talks; and since the planning application was submitted, monthly services since September, weekly Body Balancing classes since 3rd October, and an ECG meeting. I may have missed one or two - but hardly 'many'.
I am also interested in when the the nesting box building took place. I have lived here for 4 1/2 years and I am not aware of this. The only one I am aware of took place in 1999. I wonder what other children's activities have taken place in the chapel, as you refer to 'various activities'.
The size of the chapel as a venue seems of little relevance, as the few activities that currently take place there have only a small number of attendees. Certainly not sufficient to threaten its capacity, and hardly sufficient to justify the building of a 'community centre' as Mr TNH Sanderson has put into his plans - which I assume your comment is intended to seek to justify.
I am confused about what constitutes a member of 'the community', as you say that 'many of the activities' are organised by such people, as opposed to the estate. As far as I am aware, the only activity not organised by the estate (you refer to Lorraine Weeks as 'our' wildlife advisor), is the Body Balancing class. Of course, I may have missed these 'many activities', but no-one else I have spoken to in the village has organised anything, or can recall them either.
I also asked whether there is an anticipated date for Mr TNH Sanderson to re-submit his planning application.
Regards. Dr Lesley Clarke

Dear Dr Clarke
Thank you very much for your interest in the Estate's plans, your letter will be discussed at the next ECG meeting and we will revert thereafter. Debbie Houston

Dear Ms Houston
I am now more puzzled than ever. I fail to see what relevance the ECG would have to the queries I have made, now on two occasions. Will the ECG be able to throw light on Mr TNH Sanderson's plans for the chapel, or when he plans to re-submit his planning application? Surely you must know what activities have taken place in the chapel and who has organised them.
I wrote to you, and must say that I expected a reply from you and not from the ECG. Had I wished to correspond with the ECG I would have said so. I can only interpret this as a strategy to avoid answering my queries, and this is duly noted. Regards  Dr Lesley Clarke

Dear Dr Clarke
The Eshott Community Group was established by independent facilitators as a forum for gathering ideas and initiatives from the community and establishing ways of delivery. You may have misunderstood my intentions, which was to provide a constructive answer following discussions within that forum.
Queries from individuals, such as yourself, provide valuable input but we are unable to answer frequent questions without giving due consideration to other people's thoughts. Our limited resource determine that we prefer to respond to queries such as your own, on a periodic basis, after having first gathered the views of others.
Numbers of events held in the recent past, and going forward to the future, are on the agenda for discussion at the next ECG meeting. We will advise of the results in due course.
Debbie Houston

Dear Lydia, sorry to write you two e-mails this morning but I was going through the notes from our meeting last night and found another item I was asked to write to you about. 
The arrangements for the Squirrel Supper were very strange.
A series of different people said last night that they had e-mailed back and accepted the invitation as asked only to get an 'Uninvite letter' posted through their doors on the Friday, the day of the event, saying that they were no longer invited to attend because the supper was oversubscribed.
The two people from the village who were not 'uninvited' and attended said that there were only about 30 people there which must have been really disappointing for Lord Redesdale and his organisation.
What in heavens name was going on?
Very very odd

To whom it may concern (Lydia, I suspect it's not you…)
Following Friday's advertised "Squirrel Supper" I would like to congratulate both yourself and you're team. Whoever had the bright idea of sending out such a condescending letter on the same day as the event (thus not being read until arrival home that evening) is an example of how well you're public relations department is running. Letters were even posted to households' who had attempted to respond some time ago, perhaps we are not you're target audience ?
Despite you're letter 'insisting' that we don't attend as you can't accommodate us I understand that room was in fact plentiful, and the welcome from other quarters was pleasing
Once again you're attitude and conduct is unprofessional and discourteous. I will look forward to seeing future events posted in the Eshott Hall Estate notice board, these will hopefully be held with a little more grace and humility

Dear Andy, thank you for your e-mail regarding the "Squirrel Supper"
Your communication raised several points which I have discussed with the organizer and I'd like to address your concerns
First, the event was a private meeting and not organised as such by Eshott Hall. We provided the venue and office support
Second, all Eshott households received an invitation (sent out on the 8^th August) and residents had the opportunity to respond by either accepting or declining the invitation. Furthermore, Eshott residents received the first opportunity to respond to the invitation a few days prior to general invitations being sent out. Anyone from Eshott who responded and accepted the invitation was accommodated. You are correct in that we are aware that during the previous event organizer’s sick-leave, certain telephone messages were not logged. Any individuals raising this as a result of our subsequent communications with them have been assured that any previous acceptances would be honoured
Third, the response to the general invitations was overwhelming and the event was completely oversubscribed. Following Bank Holiday Monday 25th August, over 40 people who wished to attend and replied that week, were informed on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, that the event was oversubscribed and could not accommodate any further attendees. This list included representatives of various Defra funded organisations and these groups and individuals accepted the reasons for not being able to be accommodated on this occasion. In simple terms, the event was "fully-booked."
Fourth, the outside caterers who supplied the buffet had to be informed of the expected numbers of attendees. I understand there was also a number limitation and a limitation budget for the buffet. The available guest number was exceeded by Friday 22nd August.
Fifth, in order to comply with Health and Safety Regulations various measures and procedures were put in place. A full list of attendees was required.
Sixth, a member of Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service was present at the event. The representative visited Eshott Hall in July and the organisers followed his recommendations on Health and Safety procedures, guest numbers, parking and action in event of emergency. These procedures were publicly mentioned prior to opening the meeting.
Seventh, the marquee for the event had to accommodate the buffet, drinks reception, speakers as well as guests. The number of available seats was therefore restricted due to the size of the marquee. The event was fortunate to have good weather and two of the side panels were opened out at 6.45pm. This allowed greater opportunity for guests to move freely on the adjoining lawn and stand at the side for presentations. All seats within the tent were fully occupied and this included two attendees with wheelchair access. The weather has been recently inclement and had that been the case on Friday evening, the two side panels could not have been removed and everyone would have been restricted to the available space within the marquee. The fact that a number of people were standing on the open sides of the marquee, and all the available seats were occupied inside, fully supports that numbers at the event were at full capacity. 
Eighth, the decision to inform Eshott households by delivered letter on Thursday afternoon was taken in order to comply with the above mentioned Health and Safety procedures and agreed numbers of guests able to be accommodated in the marquee. This was not an "open meeting" and was in fact, an "invitation only" event. The meeting was therefore conducted on a similar basis as any other organised event at Eshott Hall, such as weddings, whereby, invited guests respond to the invitation and the numbers are accordingly accommodated. As I stated earlier, over 40 people who wished to attend could not be accommodated as original numbers envisaged had already been exceeded.
Ninth, private meetings staged at Eshott Hall are not and will not be posted on the Eshott Hall Estate notice board. This compromises individuals and organisations rights to privacy. The event was not "advertised" as your communication implies but was, as stated, a private "invitation only" meeting in which Eshott households were kindly given the first opportunity by the organisers to accept or decline.
Finally, the "Squirrel Supper" was an immense success and a second future event is now being considered. If you wish to attend, I'd be grateful if you would register your interest and we will add your details to the invitation list. At present, I do not know what the guest number is likely to be. The numbers could be more or could be less; that is the organisers prerogative. However, the organisers have already stated that if a second event is staged, guests who attended on the first occasion will be given the first opportunity to respond to the invitation. This will be followed by invitations to those who have registered an interest or, who wished to attend the first meeting but were unable to be accommodated owing to the event being fully subscribed.
I hope your concerns have been fully answered and if I can be of any further assistance, please make contact in due course 

Just to clarify:
The letter delivered to the villagers was posted sometime Friday (the day of the event) thus in many cases providing 1 or 2 hours notice
I did, as others, reply to the invite but received no confirmation thus assumed acceptance

Lydia, can you clarify one thing about Friday's (Squirrel Supper) meeting.  Is it a fund raising meeting and how will the fund raising be done please?  Many thanks

Lydia, does the arrival of Mr Jobson in the office mean that Helen Powell and Alcazar are no longer working for Eshott Hall Estate? 

Richard, unfortunately I (JS) was away in Italy when you gave the presentation on the 30th July 2008. 
I have some questions about the Wood Energy Slides that Mr Luker presented. 
1. Is it planned to use wood chips or wood pellets?  I note that wood chips are half the cost per kWh of pellets.
2. Which cost has been used in working out the District Heating running cost?
3. Where would these wood chips or wood pellets be sourced from?  I understand that there is insufficient woodland owned by Eshott Hall Estate to meet the need.  Also I understand that the wood chips need to be stored for some considerable time to reduce their moisture content to an usable level.
4. How much volume of wood chip would be stored at Eshott?
5. How big is the boiler plant?  What would be the annual consumption of wood chips?  
6. Has the capital cost of the boiler plant been based on the cost of two boilers each sized to meet the total demand from Eshott Hall and the usage of 69 houses in case of malfunction or breakdown?  If not what has it been based upon?
7. Is the plan to build 38 new houses?  I thought it stated to be 32.
8. Is it planned to dig up all the roads in the village to lay the hot water mains?
9.  What percentage reduction in heating cost will result from this system by comparison with LPG?
I look forward to receiving the replies

As we have different lawyers for different purposes (property/commercial/employment/planning/litigation, etc.) it would be helpful to know the reason behind the request so I can give you the information you need.

It is rather complicated which is why I wanted to be able to give you a more specific answer relating to the query.

I was out of the office on Friday so apologies for a later response than usual. The simplest thing might be to have any correspondence to lawyers sent to us at the office and we will pass on to the relevant professional.
I’m not personally aware of what you mean by the ‘TV aerial issue’ but, as above, any correspondence will be passed on to the most appropriate person