LEICESTER MAYOR PETER SOULSBY GIVES HIS DECISION IN THURNBY LODGE SCOUT HUT ROW

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Leicester mayor Peter Soulsby gives his decision in Thurnby Lodge scout hut row

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has resolved a bitter dispute over the future of a disused Scout hut.

Demonstrations – some involving hundreds of people and a heavy police presence – have been taking place in Thurnby Lodge, Leicester, for the past six months over plans by a Muslim charity to turn the hut into a community centre.

But yesterday, Sir Peter announced a plan which appears to have satisfied both sides in the dispute. The protesters, who have formed a group called the Forgotten Estates Committee, will be given the lease on the Scout hut for two and a half years rent-free.

The group has told Leicester City Council it will develop it as a community centre.

The Muslim charity, the As-Salaam Trust, has been told it can have the lease to another city council-owned building, the Raven Centre, which is next to the Thurnby Lodge Community Centre, where the charity has been meeting for prayers for the past three years.

Sir Peter said a "small number" of groups which use the Raven Centre will transfer to Thurnby Lodge Community Centre, or other local council buildings.

Mohamed Lockhat, As-Salaam Trust's imam, said: "We are happy a solution has been found. Some people have felt very passionately about the Scout hut, but everyone will be able to work together for the good of the community."

Maxine Williams, licensee of the estate's Stirrup Cup pub and a founding member of the Forgotten Estates Committee, said: "Everybody I have spoken to so far about Peter Soulsby's decision has been ecstatic.

"When we first heard that As-Salaam wanted the Scout hut we knew it was the wrong place because of problems with traffic and noise.

"The Raven Centre is in the community centre complex, so car parking is available for As-Salaam's members."

The Forgotten Estates Committee has collected thousands of pounds for its plan to turn the Scout hut into a community centre.

It followed a public consultation in which questionnaires were sent to 7,000 households in Thurnby Lodge and neighbouring Netherhall.

Some 1,400 responses were returned to the council – a turnout of about 20 per cent.

Most backed the plan unveiled by Sir Peter yesterday, which was one of two options on the questionnaire.

"This option meets everyone's needs, and I am therefore offering both groups the opportunity to make this happen," said Sir Peter. "I think both groups recognise we have worked very hard with them to find a solution which meets everyone's hopes and needs. Both recognise there is a need to move forward in a constructive way and I've been encouraged by the responses both have given.''

The protests began in August and were held outside Thurnby Lodge Community Centre when As-Salaam members met for prayers.

A police operation was launched to make sure the protests remained peaceful after complaints that worshippers felt intimidated.

Two months after the protests started, the Mercury reported the cost of policing them had reached £200,000.

The final total is unknown.

On Boxing Day, a pig's head was found outside the centre.

A 23-year-old man has been charged in connection with the incident and is due to appear in court later this month.

THIS WEEK'S VISITORS (1,707)

Regular update on the number of pageviews received from different parts of the world in the week just ending.

1. United States 439
2. United Kingdom 438
3. Russia 310
4. France 145
5. Spain 109
6. Poland 94
7. India 80
8. Germany 38
9. Sweden 28
10. Ukraine 26

This week's total: 1,707 (last week: 1,459). These are aggregates of figures from the top ten countries only. Blogger's analytics doesn't show the numbers of pageviews below the tenth-ranking country and they don’t show the cumulative total including those additional countries, which is undoubtedly larger than the number shown above.

The world map at the top of this post is the graphic that I see on the stats page. The darker the green, the more pageviews from that country. I can see different versions of that map for "now" (i.e. in the last two hours), "today", "this week", "this month" and "all time". They're updated each time I look at them.

VIEWS ON WOMEN IN INDIA MUST ALTER

This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Views on women in India must alter

An open letter to Dr J Bhagwati, high commissioner of India

Your excellency, we are deeply saddened to learn of the brutal assault and death of the young medical student attacked on a bus in Delhi and on behalf of the people of Leicester, we wish to convey our deepest sympathies to her family, relatives and friends.
On Sunday 30 December 2012, a vigil was held at Leicester Cathedral which was attended by representatives of all faiths and none, to stand in solidarity for the victim and her family at this difficult time. During my own reflections on the event, I proposed that a letter of condolence be sent to convey the sympathies of the people of Leicester.

We hope that the perpetrators are brought to account and that the full weight of the law is brought to bear on these individuals for the heinous crime that they have committed and for it to be a lesson to others.

This tragic incident has sparked worldwide outrage at the savage brutality committed by the perpetrators but also concern over the general conditions and treatment of women in India. India is a proud nation with a strong moral compass and proud culture, values and beliefs systems. However, in instances of sexual intimidation, domestic violence and general violence there is a need for a significant change in perceptions of women as well as changes to the law which grant women the full and proper protection that they have a right to. We need to remind ourselves that our mothers, sisters and daughters play a vital role in society and this is something we should all seek to cherish and nurture.

Leicester comprises a significant population who can trace their roots back to the Indian sub-continent, some directly and others via Africa. The recent census results indicate that over 120,000 people in Leicester and Leicestershire are of British Indian ethnicity and this represents the largest concentration in the UK. Leicester is a diverse city and a model for the multicultural UK and so there are so many people who feel affected by developments in their homeland. The intervention of the UN Secretary-General has highlighted how this incident has damaged India's international reputation.

You may be aware that in Leicester, I and several colleagues have led the way on matters of equality and justice, certainly in relation to bridging the gap of confidence and trust between the Police, Judiciary and Government on one hand and the public on the other. If you feel that our experience could be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

The recent advancement of India as one of the economic and industrial powerhouses in the world is something that the people of Leicester follow with pride. We are sure the government and authorities in India will be doing their utmost to ensure that incidents such as this do not happen again and will be seeking to address the issues over women’s rights, gender attitudes and changes to the law on rape and violence against women.

We are sure you will agree that it is essential that the perception of women is changed, to ensure that the modern India take its rightful place at the table of the leading nations of the World.

Our thoughts are with the victim, her family, relatives and friends as well as all women who have been victims of mindless rape and violence.

Suleman Nagdi MBE, Leicester

DIPAK'S OBE IS RICHLY DESERVED

This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Dipak's OBE is richly deserved

I was delighted to see in the New Year Honours an OBE awarded to Dipak Kumar Fakey for his service to education and community cohesion in Leicester.

Hundreds of children and young people have benefited from attending his Good Values Club run at Abbey Primary on Saturday mornings. They gain a valuable insight into the positive role they can play in their local community.

Mr Fakey's award is richly deserved and a fitting tribute to the life-changing work he undertakes.

Tim Foster, Head teacher, Abbey Primary Community School, Leicester

HONOUR IS CAUSE FOR CELEBERATION

This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Honour is cause for celebration

The New Year Honours gave us special reason to celebrate the new year with a renewed sense of hope and optimism.

For among the many worthy local recipients was Riaz Ravat, deputy director of the St Philip's Centre, who has worked tirelessly to combat faith prejudice, sectarianism and bigotry.

He is one of the few Muslim community figures who has reached out to our community and made efforts to tear down the barriers and counter misinformation about Ahmadiyya Muslims. Our group has been ostracized by some of the faith communities for decades and his efforts have given us all hope for the future.

The battle against extremism, ignorance and prejudice is a long and hard one, but with people like Riaz, and the work of the St Philips's Centre, the new year gives us all cause for celebration.

Dr Habib Akram, President, Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, Leicester

VIGIL FOR RAPED INDIAN

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Vigil for raped Indian

Hundreds of people attended a vigil following the death of a woman who was raped in India.

Prayers were read and candles were lit at the special service held at Leicester Cathedral to pay tribute to a woman who died after she was attacked by a gang on a bus in Delhi, on December 16.

Acting dean Canon Barry Naylor said: "The event went very well. There were more than 200 people there and there was contributions from people of different faiths.

"I think we just felt we ought to do something to show our solidarity."

Police in India said the 23-year-old victim was beaten with iron bars before she was thrown out of the vehicle. She died of her injuries in a hospital in Singapore.

According to national news reports, six people are due to be charged in connection with the murder this week.

MUSLIMS IN CITY PARADE

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Muslims in city parade

Hundreds of Muslims joined a procession through Leicester yesterday to mourn the murder of relatives of the Prophet Mohammed.

Worshippers gathered at the Majid-al-Husayn mosque in Duxbury Street, Spinney Hills, and walked around nearby streets while praying and commemorating The Prophet's grandson Imam Husayn, who was slain in the year 680.

Mosque spokesman Burket Ali Walji said: "The slaying of Husayn is the most tragic event in the history of Islam. He was an opponent of an oppressive, brutal caliph and represented tolerance, truth and justice.

"He was chased by the caliph's army into the deserts of Karbal in Iraq and murdered along with his own family and companions. His message is one that is inherently felt by all mankind regardless of their race or creed. That is why we mark his death every year."

CATHEDRAL GARDENS REVAMP CRITICISED BY HERITAGE GROUP

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Cathedral gardens revamp criticised by heritage group

English Heritage has raised concerns about £3 million plans to revamp the area outside Leicester Cathedral.

The heritage watchdog says it is unhappy with elements of the Cathedral Gardens project and has joined the Leicester Civic Society in voicing misgivings about the scheme.

Church leaders say they want to create a worthy setting for the 12th-century building, in St Martin's, and an attractive public space.

However, English Heritage has looked at details of the scheme and, though it supports the principle, it says it cannot support it in its current form.

In a letter to Leicester City Council planning officers, its historic building adviser, Helen Ensor, said: "Overall, we see the potential for intervention into this now tired-looking space and the opportunity to create a fitting and functional new forecourt to the cathedral.

"However, we cannot fully support the scheme at this stage and would welcome the opportunity to advise further.

English Heritage opposes the removal of listed railings along the boundary of St Martin's House and St Martin's Lane West as well as the use of Roman-style paving stones.

It has also objected to the removal of headstones.

Ms Ensor said: "Not only are they fine and interesting sculptural elements which point to the cathedral's past as a medieval parish church, but they also represent the life and death of the people who have worshipped here and must be considered as important to the social history of the church and city."

As previously reported in the Mercury, the civic society opposes plans to reduce the height of a grade II-listed Tudor wall, which dates back to 1519, and was part of the Wyggeston Hospital.

It also objects to the alterations to another grade II-listed wall from 1757 which will be reduced in height from eight feet to 16 inches and have an opening created to allow access to the cathedral visitor centre.

It says these will be a loss of historic fabric that has not been justified.

Civic society chairman Stuart Bailey did, however, say the designs for the area were generally of a high quality.

Nobody from the Diocese of Leicester was available for comment yesterday, but the Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Rev Tim Stevens, has previously said: "Work has been going on to develop proposals for a new Cathedral Gardens space, uniting the current cathedral precincts and St Martin's House grounds to provide not only a more fitting setting for our cathedral, but also a safe and beautiful garden space at the heart of our city for all its residents and visitors."

THREE ARRESTED IN LEICESTER AFTER PIG'S HEAD FOUND BY MUSLIM PRAYER GROUP

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Three arrested in Leicester after pig's head fond by Muslim prayer group

A woman and two men have been arrested after a pig's head was found on the doorstep of a community centre used by Muslim worshippers.

The severed head was discovered at the Thurnby Lodge Community Centre on Boxing Day by members of As Salaam - a Muslim group which uses the building for religious purposes.

It was found at about 7.30am when worshippers arrived at the centre, in Thurncourt Road, to open up for prayers.

Police said they are treating the incident as being religiously motivated.

The gesture could be seen as an insult as Muslims are forbidden from eating pork and many consider pigs to be unclean animals.

Earlier today, police arrested a 40-year-old woman and two men aged 37 and 46 in connection with the investigation.

It follows a recent row over As Salaam's desire to use a nearby former Scout hut for prayers.

Residents claim the disused building should be used for a wider range of community activities.

THIS WEEK'S VISITORS (1,459)

Regular update on the number of pageviews received from different parts of the world in the week just ending.

1. United States 585
2. United Kingdom 274
3. Russia 179
4. Ukraine 150
5. Poland 83
6. France 54
7. Sweden 44
8. Germany 39
9. India 39
10. Israel 32

This week's total: 1,459 (last week: 1,619). These are aggregates of figures from the top ten countries only. Blogger's analytics doesn't show the numbers of pageviews below the tenth-ranking country and they don’t show the cumulative total including those additional countries, which is undoubtedly larger than the number shown above.

The world map at the top of this post is the graphic that I see on the stats page. The darker the green, the more pageviews from that country. I can see different versions of that map for "now" (i.e. in the last two hours), "today", "this week", "this month" and "all time". They're updated each time I look at them.