9th September 2011

SHE walks in beauty, like the night 
Of cloudless climes and starry skies,
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meets in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which Heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every auburn tress
Or softly lightens o'er her face,
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek and o'er that brow
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,—
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent.

Elaine's would have been 25 on the 9th of September 2011.

Demoted

Valerie Letheren is still a Bucks County Council Cabinet Member but she has been demoted to Cabinet Member for Children's Services. I hope she makes a better job of this area than she did for Transport.
   
Peter Hardy is now Cabinet Member for Planning and Transportation. He lives on West Common in Gerrards Cross so perhaps he will pay greater attention to the problems of the A413 especially as people are still dying on the A413.

Remember: A good reputation goes before you but a bad reputation sticks with you even until judgement day!


Judgement day is coming . . .

Memorial Garden

We recently went to Elaine's school Viking Primary to ope a Memory Garden dedicated to her. It was wonderful to see  the children enjoying the sunshine and all the staff. They all made us most welcome and we had a wonderful time.

The garden has a theme of "Elephants" which where Elaine's favourite animal because "Elephants never forget."
Sue Townson, the headteacher, persuaded us to wear her elephant hat for the photos. You can see them and the rest of the photos on this is the web link to the schools website that covers the event.
http://webfronter.com/ealing/viking/ff_files/00_Home/Internal_Pages/Memorial_Garden.html
and
http://webfronter.com/ealing/viking/

kneeler

The congregation at St Mary's Church Denham each year, at Christmas, donate a kneeler in memory of a member of the congregation. Last Christmas Elaine's was chosen. The kneeler was made by Gerald and Beverly Miller and has now been blessed and placed in the church. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all at St Mary's for all the love, prayers and support they have given us during the past year. Gerald and Beverly kindly stitched an Elaineybow into the side of the kneeler because she like rainbows.

Good News at Last

We have just had a letter from the Transplant Co-ordinator telling us that all of the recipients of Elaine's organ donations are doing well. They also told us that a small lobe of Elaine's liver was transplanted into a 16 month old baby. The baby has survived, is doing well and is now about two and a half years old. 
If you like us still feel pain and sadness at the loss of Elaine, just think of the joy the parents and family of this young baby must feel having their child given a new lease of life. Elaine would be thrilled that she has been able to produce so much joy and happiness out of her misfortune.

The Crown Prosecution Society

On the CPS website is says. . . Fair, fearless, effective: The Crown Prosecution Service is responsible for prosecuting criminal cases investigated by the police.. . 

What it does not say is that it also prevents the Police from taking cases to court thereby preventing Judges and Juries from exercising their right to make judgements based on the evidence presented.

Definitions: Crown Prosecution Service, CPS.

1.     A department of crown solicitors who take cases to court so that justice can be administered after consideration by a Judge and Jury.

2.     An organisation that wastes police time and aids the guilty by preventing the police from taking to court those cases the police believe should be prosecuted.

3.     Chicken Persecution Society:  a group of solicitors who persecute chickens and ignore the vultures preying on society

4.     An abbreviation for Cases Please "Simples"

Well it's what I think  . . . .

The Police versus the CPS

The Police have been superb. They have fully investigated Elaine's case, kept us fully informed and supported me and my family throughout this difficult time. The whole team attended the inquest and have done an excellent job.. We extend to them all our deepest gratitude for their kindness, sympathy and support.

The Police investigated the circumstances surrounding Elaine's death and sent the file to the CPS with a view to charging and prosecuting those responsible. The CPS decided not to prosecute. After a meeting with the CPS, the police officer in charge of the case and ourselves it was decided that further investigations should take place. The file was resubmitted to the CPS for  review along with a request for advice on any further evidence that might be required to strengthen the case against the guilty parties. The CPS decided once again not to prosecute and declined to advise on what further evidence was required.

Strange this when you know that two members of the CPS and others involved in this case have told us that we will succeed if we take out a private prosecution. Yet the CPS decline to assist the police in advising them what further evidence is required. It appears that the weight of evidence required is less in a civil case. 

One year on!

It has been a hard year but somehow we have managed to get  through it with the help and prayers of all our friends who we thank from the bottom of our hearts. Coping with someone's death is bad enough but having also to deal with probate, insurance companies, solicitors, inquests, the police enquiries and the CPS makes it especially difficult.  In the next few postings I am going to try to bring you up to date with the events of the past few weeks.

Road still flooding despite spate of deaths

From the Bucks Advertiser written by Jack Abell on Jan 27

A ROAD which has become an accident black spot is still suffering from serious flooding despite this issue playing a major part in a fatal crash last year.
The A413 between Chalfont St Peter and Denham has long suffered from flooding during and after rainfall, and last year an inquest heard that it was a contributing factor into the death of Elaine Stacey, 23, whose car collided with another which had lost control after hitting a huge patch of water on the road.
This week, following rainfall, reader John Hatton of Chalfont St Peter parish council, took some pictures and sent them to us, which show that the problem is still very much in evidence along the road.
In a letter to the Advertiser he said: "Despite the fatal accident that resulted in the sad death of Elaine Stacey, the A413 is still flooding in quite moderate rain.
"Last Monday I went out to see what the situation was and was amazed that the flooding was still so much in evidence.
"In the dark and without lighting, there is another serious accident waiting to happen.
"I immediately took photographs of the flooded sections and sent them to Bucks County Council Transport for Buckinghamshire.
"I had a rapid response that as a result of my letter they had cleared the drains and would be looking in to the cause of the flooding where the drainage was inadequate.
"What I do wonder at, though, is why the combination of well-known and regular flooding, the lights being turned controversially off, and a fatal accident had not caused an immediate action to review the drainage infrastructure without the necessity for photographs to be provided."

Well said John Hatton and Jack Abell. 

Perhaps Valerie Letheren who is a  Bucks County Councillor responsible for Transport  would like to comment.

The truth will out

A resident who lives on the A413 close to the crash site sent me a copy of a letter she recently sent to the relevant people and organisations. It concerns an activity which we knew had happened in the past but had no documentary evidence to prove.

"I have lived on this road for almost 3 years and lived in the local area for 17 years.  Living on the A413 it has made me aware just how dangerous this stretch of road is - being so dark, with constant flooding and some drivers using it as a race track!

I am writing again because I found a Gully Cleaner from Flowline EMPTYING his lorry all over the road right in front of my house (4.30pm last Thursday 20^th January)!  Why on earth would he pour all of the filthy water and other muck he has spent all day collecting back onto a road that still floods!!  I thought the idea of gully cleaning was to prevent flooding. Why are we paying rates for this service if the companies that are employed to carry out the job do not dispose of the waste in the appropriate designated areas?  The smell outside of my house was awful.

The driver was so surprised to see me that he jumped into his lorry and drove off with the cap still off the outlet and spewing the waste all over the road.  He then joined the A413, crossed the dual carriageway, pulled into another lay-by across the road and carried on emptying.  I followed him to get his registration number, company name and phone number and reported it. . . . ."

It now transpires that Flowline are not employed by Bucks County Council.
Is this an example of Gross Negligence. . . . . . .