I had a chat with the workers the other day:
Work is moving fast
The cobbles haven't been easy to remove - suggesting that they didn't really need to be removed all over.
Amey have not been given the contract which for me is a good sign because their attitude to work last year was poor (abominable?). The result was good but they took forever doing it and succeeded in upsetting most of our shop keepers with their casual attitude to getting the job done.
The present contractors, Colas, are travelling all the way from Newcastle: leaving at 5:30 am - two and a half hour journey to start work at 8 am then home again at 5pm with another two and half hour journey.
Sounds like the quality of work will be good in that an asphalt surface is first being laid with cobbles on top using the special cement - Ultracrete - that was used before with good result - this is the material recommended to me by Mr Rhodes, the Highways engineer responsible for work in Preston - a town that takes great pride in the way it lays and maintains its cobbles where it still has them.
It seems that Cumbria Highways still haven't entirely got their act together in that work on the Brogden Street/ Market Street intersection is being delayed because some work is still needing to access services under the road. They never-the-less seem to be taking the present work seriously. It seems that there has been a marked improvement in the Highways Management since Nick Raymond was diplomatically moved sideways away from our critical comments. This arrogant man was last heard to be working in Barrow.
The contractors stated that the work will most likely take longer than the promised four weeks however they stated that the road will be thoroughly usable for the Dickensian Weekend. I'm looking forward to some decent depth in the gutter on the left and not the very low 4 cm gutter in part, higher up, that we had last year.
Could it be that it pays to monitor carefully what local government gets up to and speak out by putting a few critical videos on Youtube and a private blog? Something anyone can do - perhaps even more effective than what a County Councillor can achieve especially when they spend their time being important on too many committees. One or two even attempt to represent us, not only on the County Council but the District and the Town Council - something James Airey attempted to do until recently - how can he possibly do a good job in all these posts. Even his wife Caroline, a lovely person maybe, gets a place on the SLDC - something she does very poorly in the view of Mr Willis of Greenodd ex Post Office. Could it be that some people are power mad? Why does the public blindly support this kind of person by simply voting for 'the party' - in this case the Conservatives?
Rant over - back to the clarinet!
5 comments:
James Airey's wife is NOT called Pauline her name is Caroline. In contrast to yourself she is a very nice person and would never badmouth a person she had never met, had no personal experience of and did not know their name.
Geoff Dellow you are a malicious, irritating and unlikable person.
Thanks Alan,
Yes I got her name wrong.
Yes she may well be a 'nice' person as is James her husband.
Yes she may well be someone who would never badmouth anybody she hadn't met.
Do you not agree that the above may be true but she could well be a very poor councillor. Don't we have too many 'nice' councillors that never get to grips with real issues and achieve very little except for themselves.
My information came from a reliable source - someone I do respect and would rely on his judgement.
But Alan, regarding badmouthing people, doesn't this apply to you?
You've never met me. Or in reverse - I've never met you. How about it?
I first met you when you lived at Beach Bank. Later, I was a neighbour and friend of your partner when you lived in the Gill. I have spoken with you many times. However, perhaps your overwhelming self interest precludes you from remembering those individuals that do not agree with your politics.
it would be too easy to let this tiff degenerate, to throw personal insults i.e "Power Mad"!
Politics are unimportant in the scheme of things, what is important is to consider the feelings of others.
If we praise the efforts of others it empowers them to deliver greater things, conversely if we criticise others it dis-empowers them.
Caroline may be a poor councillor, but she does what she can, without open criticism she may be capable of more.
Your contacts with me at Beech Bank are from 50 years ago - furthermore, I have never lived with a partner in The Gill.
I agree with your philosophy.
Encouragement is always a powerful force.
Wouldn't you agree that praise is even more powerful when it is accompanied by criticism.
It is important to do both and yes, I agree that praise is the more important.
In politics those elected have prevented others from doing the job.
In Caroline's case at the last election she put out of office a superb councillor, Jane Carson, who was working very hard and doing a very thorough job of representing the same area. Sadly at the time there was a national swing to the conservatives. . . . Now they are poorly represented and are saying so.
Do you not agree that politicians often are elected on the basis of promises they have little intention of fulfilling. It is also rare for a politician to admit they are making a mistake. Repeatedly they try to persuade us that the are performing well but scratch below the surface and one finds nothing but the rust of inaction.
Please explain to me how one person can do a good job of representing the electorate at three levels : Parish, District and County ? - And have a full time job?
Isn't the only way to pretend and avoid taking on any issues that demands hard work.
To James's credit he pursued the licensing of the Roxy ( could that be because I was deeply concerned) but in several other issues it would seem he has taken a back seat.
My experience is that politicians try to pursuade us that they are working well just because they have reported an issue to the relevent civil servant. They don't see the need to follow the matter up.
A case in point is the year long hold up in sorting out the access to New Market Street and Market Street by cars during market days. Only last month James Airey had to admit to the Ulverston Town Council that paperwork had been sitting on a Cumbria County official's desk for months gathering dust. He promised belatedly to follow the matter up.
Time and time again I have watched James take the soft option and yes I have praised his work on this blog several times. However he is up for election next May and I am convinced an alternative candidate like John Lawrence would do a far better job.
Politicians get treated in a similar way that they treat us - with disrespect. If someone isn't painting your house well, you say something don't you ?
Yes Alan you're right I blow my top sometimes but this is when I see total stupidity in action - for example the Car Park issue and Stockbridge Lane lying empty.
It's important to speak out . Saying a politician is doing a poor job is important if it's true. Never-the-less attacking them personally is unacceptable.
Yes Geoff, I accept your points, particularly concerning Jane Carson.
To correct you, Caroline didn't put Jane out of office, the electorate did.
With regard to John Lawrence, he would make a v-good councillor, assuming he still has the energy. Rest assured John does not take the soft option!
Perhaps it's a young mans game, but do young men have the wisdom?
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