To let signs in Southampton

Lib Dem initiative on the “Blight” of Southampton

Written by Abbie Chapman

The increasing number of too let signs in Southampton has become an issue for some of the people of Southampton, even causing the local Lib Dem Council members to stir. However Southampton is not the first city to be bothered by the same thing, Brighton and Leeds have already passed regulations under the Town and Country Planning Act that limit the use of signs.

Southampton as a City is largely populated by students, therefore there is a lot of moving about, and a lot of competition for different estate agents to advertise their houses. Especially when people are using all different estate agents on the same road, and classically one of the main ways of advertising if a house if for sale, is to put a huge “unsightly” sign in the front garden, or in the window... Or wherever you can find on the house that you can tie it up too. 

Because of the vicious nature of advertising, you’re not going to get any notice if your signs are dull and boring. So this require the brightest of colours to be used, mainly your primary colours. To make it stand out. This combination of things and the sheer amount of them that are in Southampton has caused people to take notice. There is no doubt that when you walk through a residential area in Southampton, especially areas popular with students, that there are shocking amount compared with other places in the country. Nearly one on every property.  Because of the the Liberal Democrats proposed an initiative that would be put into place in order to cut down the amount of to let signs that a real estate agency is aloud to use in order to advertise their properties. Which obviously they were not happy about, as it is one of their main forms of advertising. 

The motion was moved by Portswood Lib Dem Councilor Adrian Vinson, seconded by Swaythling Lib Dem councilor Maureen Turner.  They called for firmer action against what they call “the forest of to let, let by, for sale, sold by boards and window posters” the reasons they used to back up there notion, in addition to the most obvious reason that it makes the city “unsightly and reduces the attractiveness of our neighborhood” there were some more serious issues brought up that brought the safety of residents into play as well.  Lib Dem councillor Adrian Vinson said 

“They [the signs] can be a signal to burglars of vulnerable properties and exert pressure on students in particular to sign up to possibly inferior tenancies far earlier than they need. In some cases boards are displayed as early as October, when students have been in the city for only a month. There should be a period during which no 'student let' signs can be displayed.”

The amount of support and backing that this notion has had a huge impact on the way this is going to go. At the moment Adrian has a lot of support from all different types of people. From individual residents, residents association and students. 

I contacted Councilor Adrian Vinson and Maureen Turner and asked them what there viewpoint was on the fact that this is taking away one of the estate agents means of advertising. Councilor Maureen Turner had this to say on the matter:

“In the age of the internet, these boards are no longer a principal means of advertising properties to let or for sale. For the most part they are free advertising for lettings agencies rather than the properties themselves.”

Especially bearing in mind that some new students wouldn’t have even have visited the city before, let alone the residential areas so basically what they’re saying is that it is now becoming an unnecessary form of advertisement, because most people look directly through letting agents, or can just go on the internet and find a list of houses! It’s becoming a lot easier to find places without the signs. 

Despite the fact that the letting agencies are al obviously annoyed about the fact they have had one of there sources of advertising taken away for a few months of the year it, it seems that the large majority of people are happy to hear about this news. The unsightly signs will no longer be bothering the residents of Southampton all year round, well not in such vast numbers. 

Peaches Geldof

Peaches Geldof Dead, aged 25

Written by Abbie Chapman

There are often events that occur that shock, sadden and shake the world. The untimely death of Peaches Geldof, the second daughter of musician Bob Geldof and Paula Yates . The young Mother, model, writer and social elite was found in her home in Wrotham on April 7, 2014. 

The new was definitely a shock for everyone, with Peaches only a few days previously described how she had the “Perfect life” The young Mum said she had never been happier. She was a columnist for the Mother & Baby magazine, and she used her last column to describe how being a mother is “bliss” and she was very adamant that “Right now, life is good” Her death is currently being treated as “unexplained but non-suspicious circumstances”

Suspicion arose about the mental state of Peaches, due to the fact that the night before she had posted a photograph on Instagram of her as a toddler and her mother Paula Yates, who died of an overdose when Peaches was 11. Doubt has now been cast on these rumors after her closest friends insisting that she was happy and that being a Mother was deeply fulfilling and that she was an extremely devoted Mother. 

Sir Bob Geldof said “We are beyond pain” over the loss of his Daughter, a Mother and Sister.  The model, writer and mother was married to musician Thomas Cohen, who she had two sons with, Astala and Phaedra. Who are both only 1 and younger. Her husband said in a statement “My beloved wife Peaches was adored by myself and her two sons”, “I shall bring them up with their mother in their hearts everyday we shall love her forever”

The toxicology report for Peaches was inconclusive, which is leading the investigation to be ongoing. 

Southampton Park at night 

Student safety in Southampton

Written by Jess Hemson and Abbie Chapman

The disappearance of York University student leads Southampton to up safety measures

Southampton park at night

After the disappearance of York University student, Megan Roberts aged 20, students are being urged more than ever to stay safe on nights out in Southampton.

Claudia Lawrence, who worked at York University as a cook, went missing around five years prior to the disappearance of Megan.

Investigators have recently reviewed the case in the hope of finding new evidence to help find her body.

The disappearance of students happens everywhere, for example, 17-year-old Adam Pickup went missing in Manchester during a night out in December 2013. His body was later discovered, when he died as a result of a fall during the night.

Southampton City Council has ensured that students are kept safe by implementing a number of schemes. The “Take a mate” poster campaign is probably one of the most recognisable schemes for Solent students. The idea is to reinforce and encourage people to always walk home in groups, or at least with one other person that you know.

Another scheme the Student Union has put into place is the “The knight bus”, a minibus service from the university library, to polygon and halls. It’s a free service run by students, to decrease the amount of people walking through the parks and town at night, and improving the safety of students.

If you have any enquiries or suggestions on how to make Southampton a safer city during the night, contact: 

community.safety@southampton.gov.uk 

or phone 023 8083 3988.

Russia and Ukraine

I can’t say I have a particularly in depth understanding of what is going on in Ukraine right now, or what Russia is planning on doing. However what I do know is that the likelihood that we are being told even half of the truth behind it is very small. It actually shocks me in a way that this huge world issue is being overshadowed by a trial involving a Parlympian shooting his girlfriend. Yeah obviously that’s distressing, but in my opinion the slight worry that World War Three might be on the verge of happening is far more distressing (and exciting) than some legless guy shooting his bird. I feel as though the way the media represents these issues are sometimes to complicated for a general audience. Hence the reason the general public find it a lot more easier to have an opinion and follow the Oscar Pistourious case. 

I really had to search for a clear outline of what is happening at the moment, and I’m still pretty adamant there is a lot of things that are not being revealed. For example, there is a lot of restrictions in the russian media and just like the UK, the main source of news is obviously connected with the Government, which in turn basically means everything you’re hearing from Russia is from Putin’s mouth, and honestly, how much good has ever come from one dictator running a country? If you think back seventy years, that’s pretty much all the good that comes from it. With one group of powerful people running the countries media and propaganda, it’s easy to sway opinions and control people. On March 2nd representatives from Ukraine’s biggest media group sent and open letter to russia saying;

“We ask you for open, balanced and objective coverage of events taking place today in Ukraine. We ask you to understand and support the position of all central Ukrainian TV channels and to consider responsibly every word.”

Then in response to that, Russia’s largest broadcaster responded in their own open letter with;

“Regarding objectivity and responsibility, we would like to make a similar appeal to you,”

So in all honesty, I believe that there is a lot of information being withheld and altered when it is coming out of Russia. So i’m not sure what to believe. I do believe however that something needs to be done about how much control Governments have over what is released in the media.  

Drugs, Debt and Education.

It was an ordinary night, the sound of bass boomed through the long hallway of my flat, perfectly masking the sound of anyone opening the front door. All of a sudden my friend Sophie bursts into the kitchen whilst we were mid-smoke “The Police are outside they’ve arrested Smithy!” me and my friends made a few gasps, then after few minutes of panic and hiding anything that might be incriminating, baccy, king skins, grinders, bongs and of course the main event itself, which was hidden down my bra in a very ladylike fashion. We sat down, relaxed and then it hit us, who were we supposed to get our weed of now? After five seconds off worry we realised there was no shortage of drug dealers around. Our main dealer had been arrested in a raid of our halls, we made some jokes, it was quite comical the way my friend described it; Two Riot vans and numerous amounts of police all to arrest one very stoned, harmless guy. His hands cuffed behind his back as he was carted into one of the two very spacious "Meat wagons", the same way you would a murderer, a rapist or a pedophile. It wasn’t really funny. Smithy was nice guy who was only selling to make up money for his rent, which thanks to his maintenance loan left him nearly a thousand pounds short every time that dreaded rent date came around. A very similar situation to a lot of others in halls, who have also had to resort to "other means" of paying their rent. 

In my opinion, the money grabbing people at the top who are making thousands of jobless students pay £120 a week, for a room that resembles a prison cell, are asking for trouble. The fact that the people who run these places are shocked that their residents would have to turn to drug dealing to pay for their own rent is even more ignorant than thinking that marijuana is deadly and can kill you. I'm not saying if you're in debt start being a drug dealer or to take a"Breaking Bad" approach … but still, for some people it is their only option. As students, we're here for a reason. We've made it this far in the Education system, we have to be doing something right. I am a firm believer that everyone has a right to an eduction, no matter where you come from, how much money you do or don't have, or what you believe in. I couldn't give a shit, if you want to work and make something of yourself then good for you, there's nothing stopping you. 

Oh! but if only that were true. There is something stopping thousands of potential students every year from coming to University and getting the education that they so rightfully deserve, but have that snatched away from them by the fear of debt. Which if you go to university in England, it is inevitable. They're setting us all up to fail, so maybe getting arrested is a better option, then I won't have to pay my rent.