Monday, January 29, 2018

TALA NEWSLETTER - February 2018



Tala newsletter                               February 2018 

THANK YOU
Firstly, a very big thank you to the Anglican Church of Paphos and Stephanie Village Residents’ Association who donated 5 envelopes each containing €80 worth of Papantoniou grocery vouchers as Christmas gifts for needy families living in Tala.   Their very generous support is much appreciated not only by myself and members of Tala Council, but by the recipients themselves who otherwise would struggle to get by. 

Thank you too to all those who sent their good wishes as a result of my hospitalisation in November.  I have followed medical advice to the letter and I am now well on the road to recovery.  I would like to thank everyone for their support and help over the last few months and in particular several of the Council members who kept everything ticking over.

TALA SQUARE
Unfortunately due to the volume of tenders being handled by the relevant Government department in Paphos, there has been a delay in proceeding with the second phase of Tala Square.   I have been assured that the Tala Square works will be included in the next batch of tender documents prepared and that works will then be started as soon as feasible once this process has been completed.  To remind you, the second phase will deal with the roads around the nucleus of the village and the square, provision of some extra car parking spaces and disabled parking and will mean that the present uneven surfaces will be levelled out.

Those who attended the J & J Xmas Square Affair before Christmas enjoyed entertainment by a fire dancer, carol singing by the Zingers and then seasonal music from a new group, Breeze.  The event was co-ordinated by Joep and Johanna from J & J Art Gallery.  The sum of €355.85 was collected on the night by the Zingers on behalf of Cancer Patients Support Paphos.  Well done to all those involved in what was a very successful evening.  It was wonderful to see a square packed with people having a very enjoyable evening.

It is hoped that there will be other similar events in the square over the course of the year.

TALA WATER RATES
Please note that following the reduction in the subsidy from the Water Board to cover the cost of electricity to pump water, Tala Council had no option but to increase the water rates slightly and these were included in the bills issued for the third period of 2017 to those on Tala water.

First 20 tonnes                           €0.92 per tonne
21-50  tonnes                             €1.07 per tonne
51 to 70 tonnes                          €1.77 per tonne
71 tonnes and over                    €2.07 per tonne

The standing charge of  €7 remains unaltered.

In addition to the increases shown above, please note that as a result of an EU Directive, a 5% levy for ‘environment cost' [based on consumption] plus VAT has been included on the bills.  Until the necessary programming work has been completed, please note that this tax is only mentioned in Greek [Περιβαλλοντικο τελος εντος κυβερνητικων υδατικων εργων: 0.05* [consumption] = [amount]].  This is shown in the box Consumption Breakdown underneath the Total.   Once the necessary programming work has been completed the Environment Tax will be mentioned in this box, and then under Transactions of Accounts [the box below] there will be shown Total, Environment tax amount, and VAT [all in Greek and English] plus the final amount payable.   

TALA NEWSLETTER
As information is provided to residents on a regular basis on www.talanews.blogspot.com, this will be the last Tala Newsletter as feedback suggests that the Newsletter is no longer needed given the information and updates provided on the blog.

RECYCLING
You may be interested to see the volume in kilogrammes of recycling materials collected from Tala in the period January to September 2017:


PMD
GLASS
PAPER/CARD
Jan
1,560
2,730
2,480
Feb
1,810
2,680
1,940
Mar
2,210
4,040
2,940
Apr
3,850
1,730
2,920
May
2,160
4,629
2,300
June
4,040
3,620
3,480
July
9,360
3,449
3,580
Aug
9,070
5,190
3,340
Sept
6,480
5,050
1,780
TOTAL
40,540
33,118
24,760
TARGET
25,980
43,857
21,800

Cyprus has gone from no participation in sorting at source in 2007 to participation by 55% of the population in 2016.   In ten years, Green Dot have recycled 330,000 tons of packaging waste – saving 1087,000 m3 of landfill space which is equivalent to 435 Olympic sized swimming pools.   Given that Cyprus as an island is under pressure to reduce the volume of waste going into landfill sites, all materials sent for recycling by Green Dot leave the island, with the exception of some glass which is ground down and goes into the production of cement and other building materials.


PLANNED ROAD RESURFACING WORKS 2018 & 2019
Subject to Government funding, we have applied for the following road re-surfacing works for 2018 and 2019:

2018:
  1. Chrysostomou Papadaniel  [part 1] From Vrasidas tavern to the new cemetery.  For this year we will do the part from the ravine (next to Verginas turning) down to the cross roads where there is the new development.  
  2. Aspalathou  - Kamares village
  3. Artemis  - Kamares village 
  4. Kosti Palama [turning by the CYTA substation] as you come from Tremithousa up to the Andrea Kalvou turning.
  5. Adamantiou Korai - Melissovounos - the first turn on the right on Mitropoleos [above the park].
  6. Kithreas  - Lofos - second turn on the right on Anexartisias Ave.
  7. Demokratias Ave  - Lofos - The lower half of the loop. 
It is also hoped that the District Office will resurface the road from the Monastery down to the Roundabout, and from the Roundabout to theTala/ Emba boundary in 2018.   This road is separate to the application Tala Council has submitted as it falls under the responsibility of the District Office and not Tala Council.

2019:
  1. Chrysostomou Papadaniel  [part II] from Vrasidas tavern back towards the village centre 
  2. Rododaphnis - From the betting shop across to Stephanie/Eleftherias Avenue
  3. Rebecca Demetriou  - From the round about towards Monastery the third turn on the right [by the water tank].
  4. Karmiou & Eleatou  - Kamares village
  5. Agiou Ermolaou  - Lofos - the first turn on the right just after the ‘Eiffel Tower’.
COMMUNITY/NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
Following on from the Police presentation, security information and any security updates can be found by going to the right hand corner ‘Categories’ and clicking on Security on www.talanews.blogspot.com.

Everyone is encouraged to sign up for the Neighbourhood Watch scheme.   This does not commit you to forming committees or patrols, but is an agreement to be the eyes and ears of the Police and report any suspicious activity or vehicles to them.   We have an undertaking from the Police to carry out regular vehicular patrols of the Tala area.   To maintain this service, as a community we need to show support to the Police and this can be done by signing up to the Neighbourhood Watch scheme.

To sign up you can either email your name, address, mobile number and email address to Cathi on toffee@primehome.com or call into the council office and provide this information to the staff there.  For the time being any security alerts will be by email.

On www.talanews.blogspot.com under Security there is a Get to Know Your Neighbour form.  This is available in English, Greek, Russian and Chinese.  If you are unable to print the form[s] from the blog, please email Cathi and she will send you the documents.   It is felt that by getting to know your neighbour, this will help make more people aware of the neighbourhood watch scheme, enable people to notice strangers in the area, or suspicious activity and thus reduce the number of thefts.   

There are also A5 stickers available for those who have signed up to the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme.  These can be obtained at Tala Council office at a cost of €1 for two stickers.   Proceeds will go to charity.
Suspicious activity should please be reported to the Police on 122.   Thereafter, it would be helpful if you could  let Cathi know what has happened by sending her a short email so she can liaise with the Police and/or alert the community if needed.

WHAT’S ON IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA

FEBRUARY
14                           Valentine’s Day event at the Kamares Club
23                           Blood Doning – Welfare Centre
23-9 March            It’s Me – Gabriel Dandan – J&J Artworks Gallery, Tala Square [Note closed                                         Sunday and Monday.  Otherwise open 10am to 5pm]
27- 3 March           Canterbury Tales – Stage One Theatre, Emba.

MARCH
7                              Presentation on  Brexit by Matthew Kidd & team – Kamares Club [PRE-                                              REGISTRATION ESSENTIAL]
7                              Johnny Dee in tribute to Neil Diamond – Acropolis Taverna, Tremithousa
16                           Spring Party with Whitemouse Duo at the Kamares Club
23                           JS Bach: Goldberg Variations with Nicos String Trio – Stage One Theatre, Emba

APRIL
17                           Johnny Cash Tribute by Stu Edwards – Vatouthkia Taverna

MAY
1-5                         Heroes – Stage One Theatre, Emba
11                           Little Eagle [tribute to The Eagles]– Kendall Events -  Vatouthkia Taverna, near                                   Tala
25                           Harmony Choir at Kamares Club              

Details of the above can be found on www.talanews.blogspot.com as information is released.

Events at Kamares Club must be booked direct with the Kamares Club Reception -  26 880576.

For Vatouthkia events, tickets can be booked via 96 818066, or at Vatouthkia Taverna, Carmine’s in Peyia, or Computer SOS in Chlorakas, or online www.kendallevents.com.

For Acropolis events, tickets can be booked via 96 818066, or at Acropolis Tavern, Carmine’s in Peyia or Computer SOS in Chlorakas, or online www.kendallevents.com.

For Stage One events, please book direct with Stage One Theatre in Emba.  Box office 99 967737, email: boxoffice@stageonetheatre.com.


Areti Pieridou