Originally published at: https://hornseacommunitynews.uk/news/issue-42/
Welcome to Issue 42
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Beach Clean
It was heart warming to see such a fantastic turn out for the Spring Beach Clean this month. One can only hope that the obvious concern of so many people for their environment will translate into effective action to tackle the causes of our deepening planetary crisis.This implies a wide range of measures, including radical changes to our current lifestyles. Not only do we need to reconsider how we package our food and reduce waste but we must also take a long hard look at the type of food we choose to eat, where it comes from and how it is produced. Industrial agriculture and the distribution of food worldwide together form the greatest cause of ecological devastation. To reverse this trend we urgently need to start consuming local food, produced naturally without chemicals and to drastically reduce our meat and dairy consumption.
We must then consider how and how far we travel. In terms of climate change the worst thing we can do by far is to fly. The impact of flying is so great that any other measures we might take as individuals pale into insignificance in comparison. In terms of pollution, cars are among the worst culprits so we need to look at holidaying closer to home and adopting walking, cycling and public transport to get us around. There is a whole range of measures that we can take to reduce our energy usage and to burn fewer fossil fuels. The list goes on…
The point I am trying to make is that although the Plastic Free Hornsea initiative has already generated a huge amount of goodwill and brought the community together for a common cause, this is, hopefully, only the beginning of the huge transformations we must all make to our lives if our children and grandchildren are to have a future.
Elections
Whatever the pros and cons of the proposed plans for the Leisure Centre, it appears that one positive outcome has already materialised - democracy has broken out! The decision of the Town Council to reject the plans and the subsequent resignation of Councillor Lee Walton in protest, has aroused such passions that we now have 3 candidates for the vacant seat instead of the usual struggle to find someone to fill it. It is perhaps ironic that the issue of concern is one over which the Town Council has very little control. The general consensus is that the East Riding Council will overrule the Town Council and go ahead with the plans anyway.Perhaps the lack of power that our Town Council holds has been a major contributor to the apathy that has been a feature of our local elections in recent times. Would more people be inclined to stand and to vote if they felt that there was an opportunity to make a real difference? I certainly believe that our democracy would be enriched if far greater powers were handed down to the local level. It could be argued that Brexit is a step in this direction, since we will be removing a whole layer of government from
afar, but we could go much further in transferring powers from national to regional level and from regional to local level.
But I digress. Congratulations to all 3 candidates for having the courage to stand up and be counted and the motivation to serve their community without financial reward. May the best man win!
Other good news
Congratulations must also go to all those who are contributing to the town’s bid for ‘Best Dressed Town’ in the Tour de Yorkshire (see back page) and especially to the schools who have put their hearts and souls into it. The same goes for all the volunteers who are revamping the Recreation Ground.Finally the AGM of the Floral Hall on Monday 16 th April reported a healthy balance sheet and demonstrated how extremely well managed and run it is. The Floral Hall is an epic success story, a shining example and the envy of many a coastal town. This has all been achieved by the incredibly hard work of a fantastic team of volunteers and cafe staff. To all involved we salute you and thank you for giving Hornsea something to be proud of.
It is great to welcome in the spring with so much positive news after the dark winter months. Let’s hope it stays that way!
Ed