You’ll need photo ID to vote at polling stations from 4th May

FROM 4TH MAY 2023, voters in England will need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in some elections.

This will apply to:

• Local elections

• Police and Crime Commissioner elections

• UK parliamentary by-elections

• Recall petitions

From October 2023 it will also apply to UK General elections.

If you don‘t have accepted photo ID, you can apply for a free voter ID document, which is known as a Voter Authority Certificate.

The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate for the local elections in England on 4 May 2023 is 5pm on Tuesday 25th April 2023.

You need to be registered to vote before you apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

When you register to vote, you’ll be asked whether you have photo ID or if you want to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

Apply for photo ID to vote

It’s free to apply. You’ll need:

• a recent, digital photo of yourself

• your National Insurance number

You can still apply if you do not have a National Insurance number.

You’ll need to provide other documents to prove your identity, for example a birth certificate, bank statement and utility bill.

Voting by post

YOU DON’T NEED PHOTO ID TO VOTE BY POST, so you don’t need to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate if you choose to vote this way.

I could do great things if I weren’t so busy doing little things.

Borough Councillor

Andy Furlong’s

READERS MAY recall that one of my first scribblings on these pages described a behind-the-scenes tour of the Cliffe Hill quarry complex operated by Midland Quarry Products (MQP).

This was back in October 2019. Having reread my article, I note that a decision on the planning application to extend the quarry towards Markfield was expected by the end of 2020.

That was two years ago. Naturally, residents have been wondering what’s going on, particularly because the Department of Transport has opened a consultation on the proposed closure and rerouting of Cliff Hill Lane, with notices landing on the door mats of local residents shortly after Christmas. Armed with a list of questions, I attended last month’s Quarry Liaison Committee meeting to hear a progress report.

Community support?

First off, why the slippage? You’ll win no prizes for guessing that the COVID-19 emergency threw a spanner in the works. The pandemic, combined with the dire state of the UK economy due to Brexit, derailed MQP’s plans. Nonetheless, the project remains alive and under active consideration by Heidelberg, MQP’s German parent company. A formal application to extend the quarry was lodged with Leicestershire County Council in July 2022. This was validated in August, triggering a public consultation which resulted in four written objections from local residents. At the same time, a range of comments and suggestions were received from the ‘statutory consultees’ - bodies like Markfield Parish Council - with no fundamental objections raised. As things stand, there appears to be community support in principle for the continuation of an industrial activity that has been going on in and around Markfield and Stanton for over a century.

Community compensation

In 2019, along with Cllr Matthew Lay, I called for establishing a community fund, paid for by MQP, to compensate for the increased inconvenience caused by moving extraction closer to Markfield. This would be in addition to the usual ‘planning gain’ windfalls associated with a successful planning application. Such a fund could be used to support local community projects. MQP are dragging their feet, but we’ll keep pressing.

Road rerouting

Coming back to the closure and rerouting of Cliffe Hill Lane, I received assurances that the new road will be completed before the existing one is closed. Steps will be taken to ensure that access for those affected by the construction work will not be compromised.

This week I contacted the Minerals Planning Team at County Hall to get an update on the application’s progress. At the time of writing, no date has been set for the application to come before Leicestershire County Council. As ever, the wheels of progress turn slowly, and the application remains stuck in the planning queue, pending answers to many pressing questions.

Unanswered questions

I have seen a letter from the County Council to MQP’s agent SLR Consulting dated 14 December. Concerns have been raised around several issues, including:

• Weaknesses in the Ecological Impact Assessment and a failure of the application to demonstrate a significant net gain in biodiversity

• Doubts as to the effectiveness of the proposed screening earthworks in hiding the new working from the view of residents living on the western side of Markfield.

• Worries around road safety and traffic issues relating to the proposed diversion of Cliffe Hill Lane.

There is a lack of clarity on many other matters, including tree removal, the impact on groundwater, the fossil record, and the archaeology of the National Forest.

After all this time, you might have imagined that the paperwork would be sorted out, but it seems not! It is said that time is money, but given that Heidelberg turned over more than £3 billion a year last time I looked, I guess they have deep pockets. Still, their loss is ultimately Markfield’s gain, and residents will be spared the inevitable disruption that goes with a project on this scale for a while. In any case, construction work is unlikely to commence until 2026. If MQP gets the go-ahead, quarrying could continue until 2042 with all of the attendant noise, vibration, dust and traffic problems that local people are familiar with.

Report bad driving

One particular bugbear is the poor behaviour of drivers in MQP-branded trucks travelling to and from the quarry site. The company was at pains to point out that the drivers are generally contracted, but this does not let them off the hook.

MQP is legally responsible for the health and safety of its operation, whether the culprits are directly employed or not. As such, action can be taken against dangerous or inconsiderate driving, but we need details of the incident, date, time and the vehicle’s registration number. Please send your reports directly to the MQP MD, Mr Rick Green, via annette.mabe@ mqp.co.uk, remembering to copy me in. It’s tough at the top, but if he wants a quiet life, then he needs to do a better job of keeping his drivers in line.

And finally

I FINISH on a sad note. Thank you to all those who have offered condolences following my mum’s death on 13th January.

She passed away peacefully in a nursing home in Pembroke at 87. Now that I’m living a lot closer, I was able to spend more time with her in her final days. Rest in peace, mum.

Andy Furlong

Keep in touch on 07881 922293 or via andy.furlong@hinckley-bosworth. gov.uk

Services at Trinity Methodist Church Markfield

www.markfieldmethodistchurch.org

FB: Markfield Methodist Church

Sunday 12th February

10.30 a.m. Morning worship

Sunday 19th February CTiM United Service

10.30 a.m. Morning worship at St. Michael’s Parish Church

Sunday 26th February

10.30 a.m. Morning worship with Holy Communion 6.00 p.m. Taize Prayer

Sunday 5th March

10.30 a.m. Morning worship

Sunday 12th March

10.30 a.m. Morning worship

Music Cafe

Thursday 23rd February, 9th March & 23rd March 2.00 - 4.00 p.m.

Don’t be on your own - join us for a music-based afternoon of friendship & fun on the 2nd & 4th Thursdays of the month. For more information please contact Linda on 01530 242607.

“Come for a Cuppa”

Every Wednesday 10.00 - 12.00

We welcome you to come to our “Warm Space” on Wednesday mornings. There is no charge for the refreshments and you can “swap a book”. Just come through the main church building and you’ll find us in the back room.

“Bistro Francais”

Saturday, 25th February at 4.00 p.m.

You are cordially invited to join us & enjoy a “French Bistro”- style evening with entertainment to celebrate Spring. There will be a 3-course meal with drinks.

Tickets are priced at £10 and are available from Ian Barrs who can also provide more information about the menu. Please contact him on 01530 243811.