| When Alan Brind was elected as a district councillor in 1976 his wife Merlyn started a cuttings book. Unfortunately she didn't record the name of the publication or the dates, but it is near certain that most of the cuttings come from the Welwyn Times and similar titles. By the time the cuttings were scanned (about 35 years later in 2012), they were the worse for wear. There may be mistakes but you should be able to make sense of them. |
| 'Workers unite!' says Tory
A PLAN to set up an association for Conservative trade unionists in the district was slammed by a life-long union member this week. The plan was announced by Prospective Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Welwyn Hatfield, Christopher Murphy, who said: "The views of the moderate majority in trades unions are not being heard. "This is why I hope that many trades unionists and members of staff associations will come forward to join the local branch of the Conservative Trades Unionists so that the role of the moderate in union affairs can be enhanced substantially." In his campaigning visits around Hatfield, WGC and Welwyn, said Mr Murphy, he had met a great number of trades unionists who had expressed concern that union leaders' views did not represent the majority opinion of union members. He added: "The aim is to encourage all trades unionists in Welwyn and Hatfield who believe trades unions should be effective, representative and responsible, to Join the Conservative Trades Unionists so that their voices are heard at all levels of the movement." A local branch of the Conservative Trades Unionists would be formed as soon as enough people in the district had expressed an interest, said Mr Murphy. But Welwyn Hatfield Labour councillor Alan Brind, a member of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers' district committee and former union works convenor has called the new association back-to-front thinking. Mr Brind, an AUEW -member since he was 16, said: "I can't see it getting any response-it's Just silly. "All people have got to do to get their voice heard is to turn up to branch meetings where all members are very welcome. This association can only tell people to attend their branch meetings, which they can do anyway-it's back-to-front thinking." However, Mr Brind added that Mr Murphy would be welcome to come along to a meeting of the local AUEW branch to talk about the Conservative Trades Unionists association-an invitation the Tory candidate was quick to accept. Mr Murphy said: "I'm always prepared to go anywhere and talk to anyone about Conservatism." |
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COUNCILLOR Alan Brind was elected to represent Hollybush Ward in November 1976. He is a member of the District Council's Environmental Health Committee and is the Labour Party spokesman on the Highways and Public Works Committee. He is a member of Welwyn Garden City Road Safety Committee and of the Council's working party on local bus services. Cllr. Brind, who is an active trade unionist, has held office in a number of capacities in the A.U.E.W. He has worked at Nabisco, Welwyn Garden City, for the past 12 years. |
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| He and his wife, Merlyn, who live at 107 Haldens, Welwyn Garden City, have been married for 27 years and have five children and a two-month-old grandson.
Councillor Brind says that in his very limited spare time his hobby is family caravan outings and he is a life-long conservationist and ecologist. |
| Axe falls on that chain saw massacre
THE film Texas Chain Saw Massacre will not be shown on local cinema screens-by order of Welwyn Hatfield Council. The decision to ban the film, which has already been refused a certificate by the British Board of Film Censors, was taken by the council's health and welfare committee on Tuesday night. Councillor Alan Brind, who had seen the film in a private viewing with four other committee members, described its plot as the story of a group of redundant abattoir workers who decided to practise their skills on passers-by. JUDGEMENT Mr Brind added: "It must have cost a fortune in tomato ketchup -- it was a very badly made film, a complete bore, and not worth going to see, "But I don't see any reason for banning it." The committee heard that Dacorum Council, which covers the Hemel Hempstead area, had given the film. an X certificate, but that Watford Council had refused to grant it a licence. Councillor Dr Dennis Lewis told the committee that it would be quite arrogant for them to stand in judgement on the film by banning it, and the safest thing to do would be to grant it an X certificate. ' But Councillor Ernest Clear Hill said:"Giving this film any kind of certificate is tantamount to saying that we approve of it. I would come down very heavily against giving it a certificate." The committee voted six to four in favour of banning the film. |
| Massacre film may be banned
A FILM in which screaming victims are massacred may be banned by a council. Members of Welwyn Hatfield's environmental health committee decided that the American-made film. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was too much to stomach. They made their recommendation after hearing that Watford Council had also decided to ban the film, though Dacorum Council had given it an X certificate. They were also told the film had not been passed by the British Board of Film Censors. Their decision will now have to be ratified by the full council. One member told the committee: "If we give this film any certificate it is tantamount to giving it some form of commendation. It would be an indication in some measure of our approval." Councillor Charles Munson one of the committee members who saw a private viewing of the film at Berkhamsted earlier this month, said: "The only thing I could say at the end was 'thank goodness I didn't have to pay to see it." He said he was concerned that granting an X certificate would attract people to go who would otherwise not have bothered. Councillor Alan Brind, who also saw the film, said it was about a group of psychologically-disturbed people who had been made redundant from their work at a slaughter house and decided to practise their skills on various victims. But he said it was not worth banning. Councillor Ernest Clear Hill said unless the film could be proved to be corrupting it should be given an X certificate. "It would be quite arrogant for the council to ban the film,"he said. |
| TORIES FACE 'PARTY BEFORE LIVES' ROW
CONSERVATIVE councillors have been accused of voting on party political lines over an issue which could cost lives. The accusation was made by Labour councillor Alan Brind at a meeting of WGC Road Safety Committee last week. Mr Brind told members of the problems in getting a pedestrian crossing in busy Howlands, WGC, near the spot where a seven-year-old girl died last year and where several people have been injured. | He said: "A lot of people approached me. about having a pedestrian crossing in Howlands, so I raised the question at a meeting of the highways committee but they threw it out "On the indication of their leader John Green all the Conservatives voted against reconsidering it. It was obviously party politics-- and I don't think issues like this should be. It's an appalling situation when you are talking about the lives of the many schoolchildren who cross Howlands every day."I will ask for the question to be put on the agenda of the next highways committee meeting to see if something can be done." Councillor John Green said: "It's my view that CouncillorBrind made this into a party political issue when he brought it up at the full council meeting. "He could have just asked for it to be put on the agenda of the next highways committee meeting-there was no need to raise thequestion at full council." Letters : Page 10 ** Earlier this month Tory Councillor Brian Cooke resigned because he, claimedhe was expected to be a "yes man" and vote along with the party leadership on most issues. |
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| 'LET'S CROSS HERE' PLEA BY GROUP
AT their meeting last week WGC Road Safety Committee discussed the possible need for a pedestrian crossing in Howlands, WGC. It was generally felt that if the traffic flow created a need for a roundabout there would also be a need for a crossing, especially with bus stops and the hospital in the area. Councillor Alan Brind said he had asked for a census to be taken with a view to having a zebra crossing. "It seems ludicrous" he said, "that as you walk to the hospital you are taking your life in your hands." |
| Worst idea yet
SIR, - There has been great deal written in your paper concerning the experiments in traffic control in Welwyn. May I please explain the motives of the Labour councillors on the highways committee in consistently voting against any radical changes? From the time I attended the first public meeting it became clear that the various proposals were dividing the village, bothphysically and mentally, and since the community spirit is of much greater importance in our view than the possible advantages of aLondon-type traffic plan, we proposed a series of minor improvements that would not have inconvenienced anyone and would have resulted in modest improvement. I think that the proposed merry-go-round is probably the worst idea yet and could prove disastrous for the village. COUN. ALAN BRIND, Haldens, Welwyn Garden City. |
| DANGEROUS CROSSING IN HOWLANDS
SIR, - I share Mr Bray's anxiety (Letters, April 7) about the safety of people attempting to cross Howlands, particularly patients and visitors to the hospital, who may not be very active. There is also, as Mr Bray says, a great number of schoolchildren using Howlands. I have brought the need for a zebra crossing to the attention of the highways committee, when it was refused, and raised it again atthe last council meeting when the voting was 16 Labour votes in favour and 20 Tory votes against. It seems the people of Howlands willhave to wait for a Labour council to get their much needed crossing. COUN ALAN BRIND, Haldens, Welwyn Garden City. |
| NEW AMBULANCE HQ 'IS DANGER THREAT'
AMBULANCES rushing to accidents and emergencies from WGC's new ambulance station may themselves be a major safety hazard, says the town's road safety committee. For the massive £3/4m complex, which will house several ambulances and be the new county headquarters, is being built just off the narrow and winding Ascots Lane-and there are no plans to either widen or straighten the lane which runs between Howlands and Chequers. Work on the new station, which will also house an ambulance training school and have parking spaces for 76 cars, is due to start later this year and it is expected to be open in 1980. But the committee wants to see action taken to get rid of the danger threat before the station becomes operational. The committee is also concerned about growing traffic problems in Howlands and feels that a council planned mini-roundabout at the junction with Ascots Lane will not ease the situation. Councillor Alan Brind, a member of the committee, said: "This is bureaucracy gone mad - the people who decide about where the station is built aren't those whobuild the roads. "This plan frightens me -it's going to generate a lot more traffic in both Ascots Lane and Howlands and could lead to an alarming situation. "Having a small roundabout at the end of Ascots Lane won't help, as it tends. to make traffic flow steadily. I would like to see a larger one built there, giving thehospital its own entrance and exit. "The ambulance station is going to be built - it's past the planning stage - yet no proposals have been made for improving or widening Ascots Lane." |
| Footpath cut backs a 'false economy'
SIR,-I read with interest the letter from Mr Driscoll in last week's Midweek Advertiser/Times concerning the state of roads and pavements in Welwyn Garden City. I can assure him that councillors should know only too well the false economy involved in minimal maintenance to both. I have told them often enough, the saving of relatively small sums of money now will eventually lead to vast expenditure at a later date, and the ratepayers will be called upon to foot the bill. The minority group on the highways committee, of which I am the spokesman, has repeatedly pointed out the dangers of continuing lower standards, but it seems that the Tories in the majority are concerned with the level of rates to the exclusion of all else. A. BRIND, 107 Haldens, Welwyn Garden City. |
| Bid for crossing
A PEDESTRIAN crossing is needed at the accident spot in WGCs Howlands near Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, a councillor claimed last week. Councillor Alan Brind told Welwyn Hatfield Council that a man who lived opposite the hospital spent his time helping people on crutches across the road. He put them in his car because that was the only way he could get them across the road. The situation would get worse after the building of a large ambulance station complex in Ascots Lane, he claimed. Highways committee chairman Councillor Tony McNamara said that in the last three years there had only been three injury accidents. Two of these had been associated with buses and could not have been avoided by the provision of a crossing. But the situation at Howlands was being constantly kept under review. |
| Takeaway special-- litter
A COUNCILLOR this week appealed to, customers of takeaway restaurants in the WGC and Hatfield district to take away an "extra"- their litter. Councillor Alan Brind told Welwyn Hatfield Council on Tuesday that the increasing amount at litter was "totally unacceptable." He said the litter problem around take-away shops was particularly bad andhe urged customers: "Take your litter home." Litter bins did not have the capacity to hold that kind of rubbish. The station precinct area of WGC was an "absolute disgrace." Councillor Frank Clayton said people had complained had complained about the condition of Hatfield town centre because of litter. But the present bins were useless for retaining litter. Councillor John Green said: "The solution lies with the citizens- don't drop litter put it in a bin. And if you know it blows away, take it home." |
| Rail death petition says 'Open this bridge'
By Marcus Pennell THE tragic deaths of two young men under the wheels of a late night express at Welwyn Garden City station has sparked a storm of protest. The youths died as they cut across the tracks- unable to use a British Rail toll footbridge which is shut every evening at 10pm. Now Welwyn Hatfield MP Helene Hayman, local union leaders and district councillors have joined together in a campaign to get the toll charge removed and the bridge opened at night. A petition sponsored by WGC trades council is going round the town and local factories, and already hundreds of people have signed, pledging their support to the parents of the youths, 19-year-old Paul o'Flaherty and 20-year-old Robert Setchell. They were killed on Saturday, May 13, as they tried to cross the line to get to the town centre. Helene Hayman has written to the chairman of British Rail, Peter Parker, asking him to investigate if the bridge can be kept open at night and the toll removed. And on Tuesday night the new chairman of Welwyn Hatfield council, Dr Gordon Ayerst, signed a letter from, the council making the same request. Paul's father, John O'Flaherty, spoke to the Review this week at his Knightsfield home about the campaign to remove the 10pm curfew on the BR owned footbridge, which is locked on the Nabisco factory side of the lines. He said: "British Rail claim they lock the footbridge because they don't want to lose revenue from people crossing without paying after the ticket collector leaves, but that argument just doesn't stand." "Local people are fiddling BR at the station all the time. They buy late evening tickets in London for the first station out, then travel on to WGC knowing there will be nobody there to check the tickets. BR must lose hundreds of pounds that way, yet all they seem to be interested in is a few people crossing the footbridge without paying a 4p toll. "Their fears about vandalism don't ring true either. The station entrance to the town centre is open well into the early hours for people coming off trains, so why shouldn't the factory end be open as well?" He went on: "I want them to do away with 10pm closing and then the toll, because that is another incentive for people, especially youngsters, to cross the line rather than use the bridge." District councillors Alan Brind and Bill O'Neil, both members of the highways and public works committee, are to raise the controversy at their next meeting on June 22. A year ago it was suggested the council take a lease on the bridge and make it free to residents and last week's tragedy will revive support for the scheme. A BR spokesman said , turn to back page |
| 'Cherry' parking problem
PATRONS of the Cherry Tree public house in WGC are causing taxi drivers to create a hazard on the roundabout just outside the building. Cars parked in the lay-by outside the main entrance make it necessary for taxis picking up and putting down passengers at the pub to have to stop in the road and on the roundabout. This was stated at the WGC Road Safety Organisation meeting on Wednesday when Councillor Alan Brind said: "There is a great big car park behind the pub where I would have thought cars would have been a lot safer than the front. "There is no need for the pub users to park in the lay-by." Members thought that the lay-by was originally for a bus stop and not as additional space for taxi or car parking. Sergeant Roger Shelford said he would look into the problem. |
| How YOU voted in the district election
THE RESULTS of the Welwyn Hatfield District Council elections on Thursday were: BROOKMANS PARK AND LITTLE HEATH: Major Hugo Trim (Con) 2,010 elected; Alf Appleby(Lab) 208; Con majority-1,802; 52 per cent poll. HALDENS: Jack Emmerson (Lab)* 1,756 elected; Joe Evans (Con) 1,030; John Blackburn (Lib) 190; Lab majority-726; 55.9 per cent poll. HANDSIDE: James Coldrey (Con) 1,724 elected; Tony Grice (Lab) 782; Mrs Penelope Cunningham (Lib) 289; Con majority-942; 57 per-cent poll. HATFIELD CENTRAL: Paul Turner (Lab)* 1,586 elected; Jack Metcaife (Con) 1,085; Lab majority-501; 54,6 per cent poll. HATFIELD EAST: (TWO VACANCIES): Ken Hutchinson (Con) 1,639 elected; Dennis Westbeech (Con)* 1,587 elected; Gerald Gulliver (Lab) 1,002; Mrs Sue Jones (Lab) 998; Con majority-585; 53.4 per cent polL HATFIELD N0RTH: George Wenham (Lab) 1,330 elected; Keith Pieri (Con) 1,290; Lab majority-40; 58.6 per cent poll. HATFIELD SOUTH: Mrs Iris Baker (Lab)* 1,430 elected; Peter Youde (Con) 1,231; Mrs Joan Monro (Lib) 219; Lab majority 199; 55 per cent poll per cent poll. HOLLYBUSH: Alan Brind (Lab)* 1,819 elected; John Sargeant (Con) 805; Lab majority-1,014; 57 per cent poll. HOWLANDS: Stan Atkinson (Lab) 1,725 elected; Stuart Jackson (Con)* 1,096; Malcolm Cowan (Lib) 184; Lab majority- 629; 60.8 per cent poll. NORTHAW: Charles Munson (Con)* 1,441 elected; Mrs Joyce Totman (Lib) 282; Ted Shelton (Lab) 223; Con majority- 1.219; 46.7 per cent poll. PEARTREE: (TWO VACANCIES): Jack Howells (Lab)* 1,457 elected Mrs Una Bennett (Lab)1,422 elected; Peter Clarke (Con) 565; Martin Leadbetter (Con) 551; Lab majority-857; 47 per cent poll. SHERRARDS: Mrs Audrey Hewson (Con)* 1,646 elected; Bernard Barker (Lab) 1,321; Con majority - 325; 61.7 per cent poll. WELHAM GREEN AND REDHALL: Jack Westwood (Lab) 1,643 elected; Bill Storey (Con)* 1,346; Lab majority-297; 57.9 per cent poll. WELWYN EAST: John Petty (Con)* 1,356 elected; Mrs Barbara Emmerson (Lab) 426; Con majority- 930; 49 per cent polL |
Above story from Midweek Advertiser/Times May 9, 1978, a newspaper circulating in Welwyn Garden City, Herts.
