Untidy Hyndburn - Please Post Your Pictures

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

How you fixed Sunday afternoon?

I will get back to you, we have Pleasure Beach tickets ( thanks to Tesco vouchers ) and have been trying to go for the last 3 or 4 weekends.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Neil

Its not always easy finding people who want to be involved, its even harder finding people who actually want to do anything about the problems they see and raise.

Lots of people like to talk the talk but not get dirty hands, we are fast becoming, if we are not already there, a nation of people who expect everything to be done for us by the council and then moan when the council want money of them.

Often the council help to set up these groups but they struggle to give them the support they need to get started and to write funding bids, create drawings and costings etc.

The Big Society where the people will do everything and we don't need council officers is not possible in my opinion. The officers are the experts in their field and the two working together to a common goal is the way forward in my opinion.

Agreed. You do need a hard core of people, who are literally going to get their hands dirty, and attend umpteen meetings, as well as those who just support the concept of a Friends group in principle.

It's true about Brighton. You have to wait for someone to die to have a chance of getting on the committee of the Friends, and in the leafier parts of London, at the Friends of parks and commons groups, you do see a high percentage of middle class people, loathed though I am to use that label, who are the backbones of these groups.

However, I've seen similar groups doing amazing work in some of the more deprived areas of Glasgow, and they were being run fantastically, by people who'd be mortally offended to be described as middle class because they were running successful community groups.

It is just a matter of finding the right people.

Perhaps the councillors who have parks in their wards, without Friends groups, should be looking for those people right now, in order to rectify this anomaly.

Can't you and Gayle have some babies, and send 'em off to other Hyndburn parks?

I of course mean via a test tube, rather than a more enjoyable way.

[cmonstanley]

was there not a group called prospect who helped tidy parks up i think it was/is these people Welcome to the PROSPECTS Website - Prospects Foundation

[Neil]

Originally Posted by garinda

Perhaps the councillors who have parks in their wards, without Friends groups, should be looking for those people right now, in order to rectify this anomaly.

Did I mention that our constitution does not allow Councillors or Council Officers to be members or have voting rights. Both come to our meetings but only as guests.

Originally Posted by garinda

Can't you and Gayle have some babies, and send 'em off to other Hyndburn parks?

I of course mean via a test tube, rather than a more enjoyable way.

Hopefully we will be having babies around the 16th of July and we are doing it a very enjoyable way. We have 11 Polish Bantam eggs in an incubator. If we are lucky enough to hatch any chicks I will post pictures

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Neil

Did I mention that our constitution does not allow Councillors or Council Officers to be members or have voting rights. Both come to our meetings but only as guests.

I think that's probably a wise idea.

However, nothing to stop councillors from finding willing people to help found the groups, if they have a park in their ward that would benefit.

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by Neil

We have 11 Polish chicks I will post pictures

That'd get people (well blokes at least) down the park ! So while they're there all frothing & eager shove a broom or a rake in their hands, no graft ... no chicks

[Neil]

Originally Posted by garinda

I think that's probably a wise idea.

However, nothing to stop councillors from finding willing people to help found the groups, if they have a park in their ward that would benefit.

We were formed by councillors to be a non political group and I think we manage that very well.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Neil

Hopefully we will be having babies around the 16th of July and we are doing it a very enjoyable way. We have 11 Polish Bantam eggs in an incubator. If we are lucky enough to hatch any chicks I will post pictures

Were these conceived naturally?

Or did you have to man-handle, and stimulate the cock yourself?

[katex]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

Not at all, just greater awareness and possibly longer response times. Site inspections are now done on a fortnightly basis rather than before as they came in due to cutbacks but I've been to see the heads of department and we think there's a viable way to free up staff so I'm looking into it with Cllr Wells.

There's usually a simple way to make things better, sometimes it just takes a fresh set of eyes.

Don't know how you have the arrogance to say this. I am sure the staff already are aware of the problems of not enough money to clear up all the litter strewn areas of our borough. They do live on the premises, so to speak.

Still, yes, perhaps some amateur in this field can come up with the perfect solution. Not meant nastily, by the way..

Seems we have digressed into Parks .. different department is it not ?

Thought was about litter generally on our streets.

Just to say though, re. Prospects/HBC/Children of Clayton, The Woodlands in Clayton is now looking absolutely fantastic ... well done all concerned there.

[Margaret Pilkington]

When we stayed in Oz, the communities would have 'clean up' weekends.
The authorities would provide the litter grabbers and bags for the rubbish and people from the local community would turn out and tackle the grot in their own area.
The children used to be keen to pick up the drinks cans as thet had a five cent levy on them....they got cash when they were taken to the depot and weighed.

I wouldn't want to take jobs from people who do this for a living, but surely it is something that could be encouraged on a small scale.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by katex

Don't know how you have the arrogance to say this. I am sure the staff already are aware of the problems of not enough money to clear up all the litter strewn areas of our borough. They do live on the premises, so to speak.

I did not read it as arrogant at all.
The new set of eyes is a good problem solving technique but I prefer root cause analysis personally. Its not always just lack on money, maybe resources are being used to tick someones tick sheet when the same resource could be made better use of.

Maybe instead of sweeping all the streets every week or fortnight the generally cleaner areas could be done less often and the dirtier areas more often. Same cost better result. Who knows how things can be improved? That's why we vote councillors in and employ officers to do the thinking for us while we spend our time on here moaning

Originally Posted by katex

Seems we have digressed into Parks .. different department is it not ?

Thought was about litter generally on our streets

The parks are what I know more about so that is my fault but I did post some non park pictures. The park pictures were for something else when this thread popped into my head.

[Ken Moss]

Originally Posted by katex

Don't know how you have the arrogance to say this. I am sure the staff already are aware of the problems of not enough money to clear up all the litter strewn areas of our borough. They do live on the premises, so to speak.

Don't be so quick to see the worst in what people say. I have complete faith in the whole Environmental Department, they certainly don't need my eyes to improve what they do as I thought I'd made clear.

I was referring to the way the council itself operates and spends its money.

I've been accused of many things but arrogance is a new one.

[katex]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

Don't be so quick to see the worst in what people say. I have complete faith in the whole Environmental Department, they certainly don't need my eyes to improve what they do as I thought I'd made clear.

I was referring to the way the council itself operates and spends its money.

I've been accused of many things but arrogance is a new one.

I never see the worst in what people say (you are judging me now) .. am constantly being reminded that I am too naive and always see the best in people.. just to put the record straight.

It did come across, however, that you and Cllr.Wells were going to put forward some new innovative ideas on how to spend the low budget they have to tousle with and be the second coming ..

In the meantime, I have reported our street sign on Barnes Square .. had no response as yet from the 'Land and Property Data Officer.' Know lots of street signs need replacing, but think this is a priority .. damaged and now says 'Barnes Sq'...LOL. Spoiling, what I think, is quite a decent looking area of Clayton.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by katex

I never see the worst in what people say...

Unless people happen to say they've paid £16.00 for a lunch for two. After admitting they'd over ordered. Not knowing how substantial the dishes were.

Then you see that 'Some people appear to have too much disposable income', and label a still hard working pensioner, and her disabled child as having "More money than sense".

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...y-46638-2.html

[Wynonie Harris]

Been up for a quick visit to the Holy City today. Very enjoyable apart from the low lives sat in front of the market hall shouting, swearing and making life unpleasant for everyone. But sadly, nothing's going to change as long as the councillors of the ruling party keep their heads stuck firmly in the sand...

The more things change, the more they stay the same.