"James Airey and Peter Hornby,
In view of the cold spell forecast for this next week, the above subject has come up again, on my blog.
It would make a really good impression on everyone if at least the boxes all over town are again replenished this next Monday!
It was good to see the NHS Health Centre Car Park being gritted all over today!
Geoff Dellow"
Email just sent out to our county councillors.
Reply received straight back from James Airey:
"Hi Geoff
I think your right, I will make some calls and hopefully get them filled up.
Happy New Year.
Regards James Airey
Campaign Manager
Westmorland & Lonsdale Conservative Association
Office: 01539721010
Mobile: 07734265963"
Let's see what that produces!
17 comments:
I'm glad you mentioned the health centre because last week it was a skating rink. People could not walk up to the doors in safety. It seems to be nobody's job to grit this place and to my mind it should be high priority along with the station and bus stands. Pretty obvious isn't it ? But the council ,even with all their strategic partners/agencies bullshit can't do the simple things. One of the reasons may be that they don't have the manpower because so many tasks are done/not done by disinterested contractors. e.g.gritting and gully-emptying.
Our side road hardly ever gets gritted. We have a patch of slippery ice on both road and footpaths that cannot be avoided if I want to walk into town. I have not ventured out today. The snow is as hard and slippery as the solid ice.
I have just heard where there might be a gritting box (somewhere near the Health Centre?). My son is going to look for it tomorrow. He rang the council the other day but nothing has happened here.
On the last two occasions I slipped over, I ended up with hospital treatment lasting quite a while - hence my reluctance to venture forth.
Has James Airey had his head in the snow the past couple of weeks, he needs to look to Tim Farron who been onto the council daily and posting updates online
why do we never see district/county councilors doing anything?
Jane,
Where are you getting your information about Tim Farron?
No mention on his web site.
Is this through his Twitter feed?
Is he getting any results?
As for councillors doing something, as you will know, I'm generally very disappointed.
Tim Farron MP and possibly new Jane Carson SLDC councillor (she's making a good start) are the only two I have respect for.
Tim Farron does a fantastic job - unfortunately not for Ulverston - wish he was our MP. He shows what can be done by someone who treats his job seriously.
Having spoken to some of our local councillors the impression I get is that ,try as they might ,they can't get past the council officers. Are the councillors being forceful enough ?
His updates are mainly on his Facebook page with people replying on their problems, his last twitter up was last week
Thanks Jane.
I'm not a Facebook or Twitter fan - should I be?
A.R.
Who knows whether our councillors are forceful enough.
Who's boss? The officer or the councillor? We elect the latter to get the former to be 'civil servants'.
My own view is that the councillors like to use inaction as an excuse as though they've tried to do something, when they've done very little.
At the bottom line it's how good you are at motivating people to work well.
I'm gradually developing relationships with a number of officers who in my view deliver the goods ie they try hard to provide a good service.
This requires working closely with them, praising them when they do a good job and being straight with them and being critical when they do a poor job.
Being appreciated is more important to people than anything else.
At present I tend to regard the councillors as hopeless and go direct where I can direct to the officer. This of course does not make me popular with the councillor.
I few of them I respect a little and will involve them if possible.
Not sure what value you would get from Facebook but would recommend using Twitter even if it's just to make locals aware of your blog.
Start of my looking at Tim's list of followers and follow anyone that interests you - recommend @NorthernJim (has a good blog), @cragchris
Post at least once a day with something interesting that you've done, read etc... and over time people will start following you
You can add your twitter feed to your blog page
Thanks for the advice, Jane.
I don't understand fully but it gives me something new to learn.
Will have to investigate how Twitter works!
And thanks for the "@NorthernJim and @cragchris" suggestions.
So now it's snowing and are the grit boxes filled up?
Not here they're not.
Yet they were gritting the centre of town pavements - Why could they fill the boxes up at the same time.
Drives you mad if you expect any different.
If you were running a good hotel you'd make sure your guests were taken care of.
Not with the council.
We'll just see how long it takes for these boxes to get filled up.
But then what - will anyone do anything?
Ideas please.
Roll giant snow balls and dump them at the Town Hall and block the entrance.
Ditto and cover up the Laurel statue outside the Coro.
There's got to be something!
Put salt in James's coffee next time I get the chance.
Spell it out and I'm with you!
Seems like inaction is the order of the day. Tonight the A590 is covered with snow in places and obviously not been gritted . The councils of Cumbria/SLDC whoever is responsible ,are pathetic .
I appreciate that they have a difficult problem and perfection is not to be expected but enabling us to help ourselves should surely rate highly.
The guy at the end of the Highways Hotline does not inspire confidence. . . . .
Just how hard is it to send a wagon out full off grit and shovel a bit into the boxes,i'm looking for work and i'd gladly do it
Just been up on to maple ave to spread some salt for the oap's that live on the hill and guess what the salt bins still empty
just been up to the health center and it's a skating rink when did they salt it
I saw them salting the Health Centre last Sunday but it was a light dusting. Snow just gobbles up salt to get it to melt completely.
To be effective a vast lot more is needed.
To be effective the snow needs to be removed as much as possible before it is compacted. Then if salted this melts the remaining water from freezing.
Sprinkling coarse sand works well on already compacted snow . . . . until it snows again!
I believe most people's expectations are unrealistic.
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