Tony Haynes, co-Founder of Grand Union Orchestra, has made a unique contribution to the music of this country. He is 80 today, 10 July 2021. We invited friends, colleagues and fans to celebrate the day by wishing him a very happy birthday:
Tony Haynes at Trinity Buoy Wharf in May 2019. Photo courtesy of Trinity Buoy Wharf.
Brian Abrahams: Dear Tony, words cannot describe your incredible and visionary contribution to music in the UK and world music. You have given immeasurable scope and opportunities to so many musicians from all over the world to perform with the monumental Grand Union Orchestra to celebrate the goodness of making music together, in all its genres and diversity. Your creative compositions and orchestrations, and your lifelong quest to tell the truth about historical world events through music is second to none. May you be blessed with many more wonderful years ahead my dear friend. Happy Birthday
CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a homeless shelter in the middle of a quiet residential area will be a test for three new councillors, it has been warned. The ward of Brookvale & Kings Furlong elected three new public representatives after the town went to the polls last week - Conservatives Arun Mummalaneni and Sam Jeans and Labour’s Michael Howard-Sorrell. The trio replace long-standing councillors Jack Cousens and Mike Westbrook, both formerly of Labour, who quit the party in 2019 before forming the Basingstoke & Deane Independents Group. Residents previously expressed their concerns about anti-social behaviour, drugs and litter resulting from the site.
Strong showing for Conservatives in County Council elections Basingstoke s Conservatives are celebrating after a strong showing in county council elections that saw them make inroads into opposition seats. The party retained all seven divisions of Basingstoke s Hampshire County Council seats they held after the 2017 elections, but decreased the Labour majorities in Basingstoke North and Central. There were just 116 votes separating the Labour and Conservative candidates in the Central division, with Labour candidate Kim Taylor picking up the ward formerly held by Mike Westbrook. And the Conservatives managed to edge out Labour in Basingstoke North West, meaning the party s Basingstoke leader Andy McCormick could not get on the county council.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council offices (Photo: Sean Dillow) Residents across the borough are preparing to go to the polls in all out borough council elections. Unlike usual elections in Basingstoke, all 60 councillors will be resigning their seats, with most going back to the polls seeking re-election. This is because of a number of changes, which include shifts in the boundaries of the individual wards, and the reduction in the number of councillors from 60 to 54. This will mean familiar faces will be saying goodbye to the council chamber come the first meeting in May. In total, 17 serving councillors have decided to stand down in May, with several decades of experience between them.