Extension plans on shaky foundations

THE FRIDAY THING: YOU can understand Communities Secretary Eric Pickles championing the right of householders to build 26ft extensions in the back garden - he probably needs the space so that he can turn round. But what will the neighbours think?

A pretty little porch at the front door is one thing but a 26ft extension on the back of your bijou semi is an altogether different eyesore.

In the main, local councils are against the extension strategy and that makes supporting it somehow quite attractive, but no matter how cleverly the extension is built and even what materials are used, it will not prevent it being a blight for neighbours and neighbourhoods.

It is worth recalling that there have been some pretty disastrous results from council planning departments actually having a say on what is and what is not acceptable. But even the most enthusiastic planner would not give carte-blanche approval to a 26ft extension, simply because of the impact it would have on neighbouring properties.

And if tit-for-tat rules applied and everyone built 26ft extensions, what would happen to the gardens of which millions of people are so proud?

The idea behind the extension plan is to get Britain building again, and to get us all buying new furniture and fancy lamps, cushions and elaborate rugs to boost the economy.

But where will the money come from for all this? And what will it mean for council tax rates?

One thing is for sure, they won’t come down. So think carefully before you start mapping out your 26ft extension and invest in a greenhouse instead.



TEACHERS are revolting again but, rather quaintly, describe their potential action as “pupil and parent friendly”.

Part of the staffroom angst is caused by Sir Michael Wilshaw, head of Ofsted, who says teachers should stay on after school if they want a pay rise - a sort of detention with rewards.

He further rubs salt into an already gaping wound by adding that inspectors would mark-down schools that gave increases to teachers who were “out of the gate at three o’clock”.

And Sir Michael gives the already seething cauldron of staffroom anger another vigorous stir by saying that pay rises are awarded to teachers on the basis of length of service rather than their performance and commitment to pupils.

“In last year’s annual report we said that 40 per cent of lessons overall were not good enough and yet everyone is getting a pay rise. Something is wrong with the system.”

He probably won’t be getting many Christmas cards from teachers this year.



FINAL WORD: In our continuing quest to bring you the most important stories of our time, this week’s mind-blowing revelation is that 10 million socks go missing in the UK every 12 months.

As a result, a survey tells us, men whose socks go missing are forced to wear odd socks which, apparently, can ruin a man’s love life or damage his chances of landing a job.

My mate Bill has the answer. He has only one pair of socks which he washes every night and hangs over a radiator to dry. When one of the socks develops a hole he throws them both out and buys a new pair. Needless to say, he is not married.

What all this makes of the former colleague who came to work in odd shoes I just cannot begin to imagine.