In praise of a bit of danger

Have we gone overboard with our Health and Safety?

Bearing in mind our love of festivals here in Ulverston, it's reassuring to read of a revolt against political correctness in Spain:

Spain overturns EU law to keep fiesta fires alight

"Spain's passion for pyrotechnics has led the government to overrule European Union safety legislation that would have taken the fire out of some of the country's best-known fiestas.

One month before the start of the country's most fire-obsessed fiesta, the Las Fallas of Valencia, the socialist government has introduced a parliamentary bill scrapping EU safety requirements, arguing that the directive would damage the country's cultural heritage."

Here in Ulverston bureaucrats tell us that we can't do some things because it could be dangerous and it's ridiculous. Kids on Croftlands are being held back by the bureaucratic system that SLDC Richard Foster operates:

What is needed is an official group to represent Croftlands and its children. Then they would have to listen.

The kids could then, perhaps, put together, as planned, a simple flat area of paving stones close to the site of the proposed MUGA in the centre of the playing field.

They would raise the hundred odd pounds themselves to buy the 20 plain paving stones by doing community work and 'build' the flat area of 30 ft by 4ft under the guidance of a local builder to get the surface as flat as possible. This then would establish a need and the kids would have ownership of their project and be more involved with the community.

The kids are all set to do the work and remove it if it doesn't work. It would do them the world of good to be allowed to do something for themselves.

I applied on their behalf last August to Richard Foster and he is still putting us off without a broad public consultation. We were told it would be considered at the same time as the Muga consulation but it was conveniently forgotten by Simon Hughes at the meeting in January. Maybe there's hope yet with another consulation to be held as stated by Mayor Janette Jenkinson at the last Town Council meeting.

No wonder young people get frustrated with the behaviour of adults.

Meanwhile they are told off for skateboarding around the shops on Central Drive.

"Where are we supposed to go?" they ask.

"Be patient. We must make sure you are kept safe" they are told.

"We must go through the local government procedures."

Meanwhile their hair is beginning to turn grey . . .


Barrow are so lucky to have Richard Hennah who takes a few risks and got extensive Skateboarding facilities in place some time ago.


Let's live a little, with a bit of danger ( ? )