Spooner Row Message Board

Post Info TOPIC: Moles
Anonymous

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Moles
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Any chance the Community Council is going to sort out the moles on the playing field? 

They seem to have been left to their own devices and have almost completely ruined it! Wouldn’t now, whilst no school, be an opportune time to sort the problem please?

 



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Anonymous

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I had also noticed the damage being caused to the playing field by moles.  The amount of mole hills is much higher than last year.

....(edited)..... Also, the grass needs cutting and the fenced off children’s play area is looking unloved.



-- Edited by webstation on Friday 17th of April 2020 06:39:06 PM



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Anonymous

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We are all in lockdown and many community fields will be looking a bit shabby? I think you need to be a bit more tolerant rather than having a go at one individual on the council in these unusual circumstances.

I hope the moles are humanely removed when the field is in use again which probably won't be for some while.



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julian Halls

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No one councillor is responsible for any ALLEGED failures. Moles are a consequence of living in the countryside and whose activity is linked usually to the water table. It is not possible to remove them humanely and do we really want to engage in traps and poisoning at precept payers expense with all the associated risks to dog and field users. The usual approach is simply to mow flat .

We have been having difficulty is getting a contractor to mow the field but are on the case but would welcome any bids/help with this and of course are prepared to pay 

The Play areas as you know have been locked off to prevent social gathering , which was occurring , and a safety report is being carried out sometime this week which will enable the council to carry out any necessary work identified , assuming that we can get a contractor or volunteers to do so BUT of course safely. Not easy to do and maintain social distancing in the current clime.

Whilst adverse comments and critiscisms are to be expected to a certain extent , personal attacks are not acceptable and I will be asking Admin to remove any that occur in future unless you are prepared to do so openly which enables us to respond to you directly.

I am posting this as Chair of the community council    



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Anonymous

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Lockdown can not be blamed as the moles have been an issue on the field for well over a year! The school children and after school clubs having to negotiate them every day.

I know there are current restrictions due to the world pandemic but the field and play area have been neglected since the change over and require attention when allowed to do so.



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julian Halls

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Treating Moles on public land is basically a 'do not go there' scenario. Professional companies will not touch them with a bargepole because the green lobby violently protest against the use of traps and poisons and risks from their use, which encourages sabotage and claims from dog walkers for poisoned animals. 

Progress on a cut has been made and we hope will happen shortly



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Anonymous

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Good point. Nobody wants animal traps or poison used in a public place. The playing field was more neglected before the changeover than now.



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Anonymous

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Interesting to see that this thread has been reopened.

So, as Chairman of the Council, you appear to be advocating a “no action” policy with regard to the damage caused by the moles?  This seems much the same policy as you not cutting the grass, ignoring the hedges and not cleaning the childrens play area.



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Julian Halls

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I will be brief as last post attempted I lost

 

We had a mole catcher dog in years past but he has removed his services because he has seen destruction of bird nesting habitats allegedly by the Forest school in their area of use. As there was no charge for this that is entirely his choice

Commercially we cannot get anyone to treat the moles for reasons as outlined previously

The grass will be cut very soon and that will damp the mole activity down. Our previous contractors have decided that they no longer wished to carry out this service.

The hedges cannot be trimmed as we require a DEFRA licence to do so after the first March. It will NOT be granted

The cleaning of the children’s play area which as you know is currently locked and therefore not in use ,will take place before it is opened for re use BUT I suspect this will have be done obeying social distancing rules.

Finally may I point out that this is not my personal choice , as you seem to implying it is the collective choice , given our current circumstances

 

 -- Edited by webstation on Tuesday 5th of May 2020 12:06:52 AM



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Anonymous

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I know quite a few people as suffering with cabin fever but surely there are more important worries than moles on the playing field. They were there before any of us. Get a bit of reality.



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Anonymous

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It's not just the mole damage on the playing field but more the overall neglect I wanted to comment on. 

I live in Suton and walk down to the playing field in Spooner Row from time to time to escape "cabin fever".  With all of us able to take a constitutional during lock down the amount of people walking in and around the villages has leapt.  There are the children of essential workers at the primary school who use the playing field and it only a matter of time before the schools go back more fully.

If the village hall can be spruced up and grass on their meadow at the back cut then why not the playing field?  Could those councillors who are also on the village hall committee not have stepped up and arranged for their contractor to take a look at the playing field?  

The hedges were not cut last year and missed again this year when everyone else was trimming.  When you come into the village the Spooner Row sign is now obscured and it all looks a bit shabby on the playing field side.  It looks worse because the developer on the other side of Station Road trimmed his hedge back last month.

And as an earlier poster mentioned, the young children’s play area does looks sad and unloved.  This fenced section might be locked up due to Covid19 but it would only take someone a couple of hours to wash down the play equipment and sweep up.  Ask the school to cut back their ivy and you could transform this play area ready for the children to return. 

When the current restrictions are relaxed I think people will flock to the playing field but what state will it be in?



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Anonymous

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I think you need to read the recent post above by Julian Halls. He says that the childrens play area is in lockdown and not in use, the grass will soon be cut by a new contractor which will also dampen the mole activity.

I am sure it will look neat again when things get back to normal and we all need to be a bit more tolerant in these unusual times. 

 



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julian halls

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RE: Moles and play area
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Small Play area:-  the stinging nettles have been removed and the area has been treated with round up with a view to it been swept tidied and cleaned prior to opening when we get the go ahead from the Government



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Anonymous

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RE: Moles
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Has the young children's play tower been washed down yet?  It was filthy when I walked the field on Saturday.  



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julian halls

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if you want to do this ANON  I have no issues as long as you maintain social distancing and it would be of service to the community when we do open



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julian halls

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Grass has been cut tonight and edges strimmed with a 1 metre rough edge area left for wildlife, but not on the bank next to the car park. All looks a great deal tidier



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Anonymous

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I haven't been out to see it, but it sounds very nice. I like the 1 metre rough edge that's been set aside for wildlife.



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Anonymous

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Much tidier - thank you on behalf of the residents



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Anonymous

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Yes, nice to see that the grass on the playing field has finally been cut but the car park could do with a little more attention next time.  Why did they not strim around the wooden posts and the mound in the corner is untouched?



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Anonymous

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Playing field looks great. 



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Anonymous

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I walked the field yesterday and whilst I wouldn't say that it looks great, it does look a sight better then it did.  Is there any reason why the rough edge left for wildlife has been reduced?  I seem to remember that the wildlife edges were far larger last year, 10 ft or so but now some areas are close to the edge of the ditch?  It would be nice to see a return to the larger areas left to wildlife if possible.  



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Jan

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As to the play equipment, I have used mould remover in the past on playground equipment, with a sponge scourer, and rinsed off with a water spray.   It does seem to enhance and clean the equipment.    Perhaps one or two people could get together to do this ?



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Stephen Ward

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Thanks Jan for your suggestion. The Community Council had discussed self-help just before lock down and we had a small group of Councillors who were about to clean up the area when the restrictions were put in place. Unfortunately, in the current lock down climate we cannot organise or be seen to encourage a gathering of people.  However, if people wish to volunteer to assist once restrictions ease that would be great.  If any one wishes to help, please either email the Council on clerk@spoonerrow.cc or phone us on 01953 304 401. I am sure those Councillors leading on the playing field maintenance would be grateful of any help and we wish to actively encourage community spirit, which this would be an excellent example of.

 

For interest, during the lockdown period we commissioned a safety survey on all of the playing field equipment. This does not seem to have been done for many years and we were not given any previous paperwork from Wymondham Town Council when we took over the field last year. The good news is that there were no significant safety issues reported. However, the Council is now in the process of working up a plan to refurbish equipment where required; for example repainting equipment and ensuring the latch on the small kids play area is adjusted so that the gate stays shut.



-- Edited by webstation on Monday 18th of May 2020 03:44:16 PM

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