Council get something right!! - Page 12

park381 · 08-03-2005, 08:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

Somebody else could probably have put that much better than I have.

No I don't think so wtw, that was an excellent reply.

Acrylic-bob · 08-03-2005, 08:55

>>I would question the planting and erosion. Horses and access rights have come under a big spotlight as well and most of the top of coppice is plantation free and Arden Hall is a natural and varied ecosystem. And the paths there are abysmal. The cost of maintenance of the historic plantation road is beyond the council and at meetings we hold, people want some investment and it saving.<<

On the question of maintenance, or rather the lack of it, neither party, in my opinion, has anything to crow about. The current state of dereliction in our parks and open spaces is the legacy of decades of underfunding and neglect for which the labour group is equally as responsible as the conservative group.

There is however, a largley untapped resource that might be turned to the benefit of our green areas. The Magistrature appear to be only too willing to hand out Community Service Orders to offenders, could some of these not be directed at reversing the effects of the council's neglect? The costs would be a good deal less than having that well known oxymoron Hyndburn Works doing it. After all, how much does a brush and shovel cost?

I am sure that it would go some way to inculcating a sense of pride, achievement and ownership in the people who worked on such projects and it would also be more healthier for them than sorting filthy clothes in charity shops.

I also think more of an attempt to involve youth groups in reclamation projects would be helpful in countering the "I smashed it because I was bored" mentality prevalent in so many young people. Could there be any objection to nominating parcels of public open space to schools as an area for which their pupils have some of the responsibility for maintenance, in the manner of sponsorship or stewardship. It strikes me that a lot of the problem with vandalism in these areas is because they are not seen by young people as belonging to anyone in particular.

WillowTheWhisp · 08-03-2005, 09:27

Why can I hear little voices in my head saying "risk assessment"?

Acrylic-bob · 08-03-2005, 09:42

That's because the country is too damn soft!

Graham Jones · 08-03-2005, 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

That's because the country is too damn soft!

great bob. your signed up. we have an agreement for young offenders to work in Arden hall but we are working on so many things it is good to have another willing volunteer. The committee have welcomed a probabtion services offer last year, so when can you help us bob? They are ready and waiting and you have the support of all the commitee. Thats a serious offer.

As for politicians and open spaces, Labour ones. I hope I am not cast in the same light having not had an opportunity to change anything!

As for kids. I think we are the only group that has engaged schools in the area. Yes, gone through risk assessment and still got kids on site. We have more activities planned for summer with all 4 primary schools [helped by MPA actually!]. We are just tendering for a £50,000 contract [external funding got by us] for improvements. We have worked as hard as we can.

WillowTheWhisp · 08-03-2005, 15:18

Now that has cheered me up no end. No, not the bit about getting A-b involved but the information that risk assessment has been carried out and that some projects are in the pipeline.

Graham Jones · 08-03-2005, 15:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

I wouldn't describe inhabitants of Accrington who are interested in their surroundings as having a screwed perspective. Simply because some of us have a point of view regarding the Panopticons doesn't mean we don't have a point of view on other subjects also. But it's beginning to look like it doesn't really matter what the local people think because it isn't even the council who make the decisions, it's a small section of that council. This doesn't sound like democracy.

Now I'm getting confused. You say the people of Peel ward elected you to put forward their priorities. Just as I vote for my local councillor based on what he tells me he will do once elected. But from what you've said earlier regarding what goes on in the Council then the individual councillors have very little effect at all.
I still don't see how abstaining from voting on the Panopticons issue solves any other problem. I'm sure quite a few of the people of Hyndburn feel their views are hijacked when a decision is made to have something on top of the Coppice which the majority of people who voted on the issue have said they would rather not have.
It's none too brilliant here in the Scaitcliffe area either. My main complaint as many of the AccyWeb members will know because they are probably fed up of hearing about it by now, is the rubbish in the streets. It's worse than Whinny Hill tip up here and it starts every bin day when at least one sack ends up emtying its contents down Willows Lane and Ormerod Street. The resulting mess is not cleaned up and then settles in corners and in people's gardens. There is one unmade back not a million miles from Scaitcliffe House where I wouldn't be surprised to see rats and often the smell is appalling. That can't be blamed on residents because that rubbish blows down Ormerod Street, round the corner and lodges in the grass and weeds where it proceeds to rot.

Each time someone puts up for the council they say that rubbish on the streets will be a priority. In my naive little way I believed them at first and voted for whoever made the most promises regarding improving the state of the area. Now I no longer need to wonder why none of the promises have ever been kept because if I've understood you correctly once elected there is very little they can actually do on the council.

This leaves me wondering what on earth we are voting for.

However, although rubbish is my main concern personally and it affects me personally I am also interested in wider issues and I have an opinion on other things. If I were told that a concrete cow on the Coppice would solve my rubbish problems, apart from the fact that I'd query how, I don't think I would be all that willing to accept a concrete cow because apart from not enjoying living on a rubbish dump I also actually do enjoy the wider environment and don't want to see it spoiled by something which would be tasteless and tacky and not in keeping with the area.

I also dislike the latest "improvements" to the town centre - I feel the building which houses JJB sports and Wilkinsons is out of proportion to the rest of the area and that the market isn't half as good now it is so cramped.

Surely we are entitled to our opinions on the town as a whole even if they will be largely ignored.

It's not only the people of Peel who have problems but wouldn't it have been a simple matter to vote one way or the other and then move onto other issues? All of these things affect the residents of Hyndburn some affect a small minority and some affect the majority but all are valid.

I think it was Tealeaf who brought up the subject of the deferred meeting for the sake of a football match. That seems to have taken up rather more time than a vote for or against the Panopticon would have done.

It's not that we feel the Panopticon is more important than other issues, it's just that we have opinions on the subject and would like to think that the council we elected might take some interest in our opinions.

Somebody else could probably have put that much better than I have.

I take on board your point and your view and I agree with what you said. All of it.

PB used it as a tool to control the budget debate, to try and expose Labour as some local trendy lefty art loving daft loonies. With an election coming up PB couldnt afford to take any flak so for once he took a cabinet decision to full council 'for a show of hands'. Clever politics. He ran Labours budget out of town, exposed us a bunch of loony lefties and got a council mandate for tricky cabinet decision. The panopticons was a tough hurdle to jump but he cleared without touching the frame.

The reality is this item has come up several times, we have had 8 council meetings since the debate began at least. Members of the public will now not know that Labour proposed 2.9% council tax and the Tories 5%. Or that under Labour 24 wardens will employed straight away or all the hard work we have put in over 3 months for this meeting.

Like the thread says 'Council get something right at last'. PB played it perfectly to the electorate and the chap that started the thread probably thinks better of PB now this decision has made. One of the items not debated was the sacking of the only two bus station inspectors just so we could have a panopticons debate. Is that good governance?

I am an honest person and want the best for Hyndburn. I agree with the chap above that issues should be dealt with in a responsible way.

Acrylic-bob · 08-03-2005, 16:28

>>Thats a serious offer. <<

I'm not going to say yes, now. But I'm not going to say no either. I will need to know an awfull lot more about this before I make a decision.

WillowTheWhisp · 08-03-2005, 16:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham Jones

IMembers of the public will now not know that Labour proposed 2.9% council tax and the Tories 5%. Or that under Labour 24 wardens will employed straight away or all the hard work we have put in over 3 months for this meeting.

One of the items not debated was the sacking of the only two bus station inspectors just so we could have a panopticons debate. Is that good governance?

But coming on here and telling us is what we need. You'll be surprised how many people read this message board apart from those who post on it and it's good that you can come here and let us know what goes on.

Graham Jones · 08-03-2005, 17:02

Well thanks for all the comments. Its been very interesting. We will keep going, Panopticon or no panopticon. I did like the whistling wall and I could put up with the stone slabs.

And to Bob. Well, we'll keep working on. You know where to find us if you think you can help. Friends of Arden Hall or The Peel Park Bowlers Association. Thanks.

Apologies for the political rant BTW. Sometimes passion comes from the heart.

WillowTheWhisp · 08-03-2005, 17:22

Don't need to apologise as far as I'm concerned Graham. It's been a very enlightening discussion and anytime you can pop back and keep us informed of current events I'm sure I'm not the only one who will be pleased to hear from you.

Meanwhile why not just stay and have fun on the rest of the site, or pop over to Jambutty for something completely different.

park381 · 08-03-2005, 17:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

Don't need to apologise as far as I'm concerned Graham. It's been a very enlightening discussion and anytime you can pop back and keep us informed of current events I'm sure I'm not the only one who will be pleased to hear from you.

Meanwhile why not just stay and have fun on the rest of the site, or pop over to Jambutty for something completely different.

Will agree with your comments wtw, as you say most enlightening, look forward to the next one
Thank you Graham.

Uncle Mick · 08-03-2005, 17:42

"The chap that started this thread probably thinks better of PB now"
No!
Thanks for your many comments, Graham. As this thread was originally only about the panopticon but has diversified somewhat, I think that it`s no surprise that we agree with you on many of the issues posted but they will be on other threads.
I agree with a-b about getting some people on community service to help repair the Coppice paths and I think this was done a few years ago, though a friend of mine has worked with a group of them and said they were late arriving on site ( by two hours ) and bone idle.
If councillors are issued with free laptops and i`ve seen Tim O kane carting his around, why don`t more come and visit us on this site or do they spend there time on Hyndburnlite?

WillowTheWhisp · 08-03-2005, 18:32

If they do they don't say much.

park381 · 08-03-2005, 18:47

Are Cllr's issued with "free laptops"

if so why