Answers to my questions to Cllr Mark Wilson, new county councillor for East Ward

Why Mark? He is the councillor for the area of the 'South Lakes' with the highest concentration of people using the Citizen's Advice Bureau. At Christmas time he reassured us that there would be no problem in providing a CAB Centre here in Ulverston when the centre in Theatre St closed. I assume therefore that he will be most concerned that the CAB is still not up and running with a face-to-face drop in centre here in the centre of Ulverston.

I also copied in Cllr John Clough who also showed concern for the CAB issue when it was raised by Roger Lindsay last November and reassured me that I could always get information from him by email. . . . He ran for the North County Council Ward against James Airey in the recent election. James Airey was returned as the county councillor.

I received no reply from either of the two Labour Councillors to my email sent a week ago on Sunday 23rd June. Here is a copy:


Mark,


Could you give me an update on when the CAB is likely to open here in Ulverston?

I called in to talk to Jayne Kendall yesterday to find that that she understood that the process is being held up by the signing of a lease to reuse the premises that were used previously.

Why is this process taking so long?

I put it to her that if a business was held up by the signing of a lease, it would be fixed within a week. She agreed with me and  was only able to make what appeared to be a feeble response.

She is hoping that the CAB is operating  in "four to six weeks". What will she say in six weeks time? - The same? She said something similar when I asked the last time. was it six weeks ago?

In the mean time, how is Cumbria Rural coping with the flood of new calls? My experience has been that it took six calls within their stated office hours before the phone was answered. I'm about to try again to check. Have you tried recently to find out what the situation is really like?

You will have many people in your ward that have cases in process. How are they coping? Do they understand how they should proceed in the mean time?

How many people do you have in your ward that have ongoing cases at this very minute?

Do we have a councillor in Ulverston that is keeping close contact with the situation and helping resolve problems that may occur? How much help are Cumbria Rural being helped to resolve their problems?

It is now three months since the Ulverston Centre closed. Couldn't there be a more informative notice placed on the window of the former premises to help people that by the nature of their plight are not good at taking care of themselves?

Don't you feel that this statement doesn't ring true and is hollow?

An article in the Westmorland Gazette on June 6th page 15 - middle bottom reassures us that ""We will soon have appointments in Kendal and Ulverston. Check our website for details  www.cumbriaruralcab.org.uk/  When you do this you get the following http://www.cumbriaruralcab.org.uk/Cumbria_Rural_CAB/Cumbria_Rural_CAB.html

Going here I get no details at all , do you?

Are we really a caring society in Ulverston?

My enquiry regarding provision for the homeless demonstrates that there is no longer any help available in Ulverston - you have to go to Barrow. (Source Sgt Rupert Johnston)  (The previous provision by the granary and Impact Housing has apparently closed.)This may be OK while the weather is warm but what will happen in five month's time. What resources will we have then?

It's hard times needing good co-ordination of resources  and caring people to pull out the stops. What a previously concerned people like Roger Lindsay doing? What am I doing?

I shall be revisiting you for some answers at the end of the week.

Geoff

If you want to see what I'm up to

See the BUGs on Facebook where we're talking to SLDC Royalty - so to speak.

No sense of URGENCY

The Ulverston CAB closed completely unexpectedly from the viewpoint of those using it.
Those being helped with cases arrived at the office in Benson Street expecting further help in their urgent case - they were about to loose their home through not being able to handle their debt - something the CAB had been very effective in the past at solving - only to find the office closed with an impersonal notice in the window. " We deeply regret - - -blah,blah,blah.

Roger Lindsay had alerted us all to the likelihood of the office closing in November. John Dersley the then director of the CAB in Ulverston had decided back in July last year that the Ulverston office had to close. Yet what has happened since the closing three months ago has been extremely badly planned and carried out. Some of the former volunteers have become so disillusioned by the way the closing was handled that they refuse to re-engage. Promises of an immediate reopening of the Ulverston base were made yet three months later Jayne Kendall told me yesterday that this could happen in four to six week's time. Brilliantly designed and equipped offices stand empty adjacent to the town hall.

I am trying to contact a councillor who is 'on the case' but there isn't one. Even Mark Wilson, the town, district and now county councillor who stated back in January that 'everything would be alright' has to take time to find out what the current situation is with a phone call when asked and then the answer received is superficial.

Apparently the previous office is to be taken over again. The situation is apparently waiting for a lease to be signed.

I ask myself if this was an office offering financial services to the wealthy on say how to invest their stocks and shares would there be more than a day's delay yet in this case we have waited a hundred days. You get the feeling that because we're dealing with people that can't cope with this kind of thing then there is no urgency. Even by contrast if their house had collapsed around them we would insist that they get rescued instantly.

This is not an instant death but a death by depression and frustration, a death by severe anger and injustice, a death inflicted by callous evil people who seek to make money out of others that don't understand how to handle the system. People who sadly believed there used to be people to help them as they had helped others.

Is Ulverston in fact a caring town?

I've written to Mark Wilson and fellow Cllr Clough who showed a CAB concern three months ago, to find out.

I shall report back at the weekend with the answers they give.

I fear that the answer will be more of "We don't know but the system is coping and the office may be open in six weeks time"

But then it may not. Welcome to caring Ulverston.

Come pick sweet peas

Where - Mill Dam of course:

Ulverston in Bloom's Open Houses today

You'd be forgiven for missing this :  is it that there have been too many alternative activities recently?

 Brenda Caton's house at 46 Soutergate is truly exceptional - she's been preparing for this weekend for months. She even spent two whole days in the full sun, a week ago, scrubbing her slate crazy paving are in readiness.

 She has an amazing collection of succulents of every description, some never seen in the UK - brought from Italy - cascading down the wall. Some exquisite dark plants, honestly - this is not to be missed - easy access from her alleyway. Last day today - otherwise you'll have to wait 'til next year . . . . .

Remember the amazing Choirmaster

Gareth Malone see his present activities - Join a choir

Homelessness in Ulverston

There are people sleeping rough here in Ulverston.

One guy is sleeping at the bottom of one of my friend back Gardens.

When confronted with this reality - I feel a chill down my spine. I know at least one person who sleeps rough but never stopped to think the he has a mate who is sleeping rough - NOW.

What am I going to do?

Is there any agency to refer him to?

Is there any official that I can get to take an interest?

I looked immediately on the Internet with a search on Google "Homeless Ulverston" and I couldn't find any help anywhere that is still in existence. One of the links referred people to the Citizen's Advice Bureau. At the moment there isn't one. Perhaps I need to do a more thorough search but what if there really isn't anywhere.

If it was at the bottom of your back garden - What would you do?

Looking out the window and seeing rain, cold wind and even hail and sleet -  Do we go to our warm bed after a good meal - how do we go to sleep? In fact the weather isn't that cold it's only 9 deg C tonight which is still cold for most of us. However realistically there will be a day soon  - maybe in six months (19th December looking forward to Christmas by the fire) when the temperature will drop well below zero when there will be homeless people still needing shelter.

Will we in Ulverston have a solution - isn't it our problem if no agency is in place to cope. What do we do - take them to a phone, to call CAB in Windermere to have a chat - with no real solution on offer?

Perhaps someone is aware that in fact there is help here in Ulverston.

Please tell me here.

Even if there is a solution somewhere if you look hard enough - Isn't it likely - with the way people's finances are going - that very soon the reality that we will have a community living under some bridges with no homes to turn to.

Thanks

Communication

As you will see here , I find it increasingly unsatisfactory to attempt to communicate while sat at this bloody computer.

I leave a very busy and for the most part very satisfying life. I enjoy face-to-face communication and my own activities with those with other people too much  to give priority to most computer generated communication. This certainly applies to Twitter, Facebook, Google and the other forms of remote, superficial communication.

Every minute spent here is a minute that could be spent actually talking directly to other people, playing my clarinet, working in Mill Dam Park, working at the allotment, walking over Hoad. Next would come the use of the telephone.

When I have all these rich and enjoyable activities the use of the computer must come at the bottom of the list.

This thought comes from attempting to communicate by Facebook when there are so many alternatives.

Here are my preferred means of communication - in this order:

Face-to-face

Telephone talking

Email

Text

Then I have to think very carefully what I use! The alternatives can be very time consuming, addictive with very unsatisfactory results.

The main result is a waste of gas, another burnt out kettle and the consequent telling off as is about to happen now as I attempt to make myself a coffee and say to myself -

"Oh, I'll just check my emails"

Persimmons at Union Lane

Here is a copy of the conditions that have been agreed by Persimmons regarding the building of houses at the end of Union Lane. These cover the physical building work.

Another agreement covers other things like the provision of Affordable Housing and the payment to SLDC of £8,000 to improve the neighbouring park at Mill Dam which will be used by the new residents of the proposed new development.

We are very please with the work of the contractors -Irvings - that are doing the preparatory work - Road improvements and site preparation. They appear to be doing superb work and are a highly reputable company using local craftsmen wherever possible.

However Persimmons Builders are at present not conforming to a very strict condition - Condition 11 below. SLDC are seeking to change this ammendment so that the wall that has already been built by Persimmons is acceptable.

We are also concerned about Note 1 at the bottom regarding Bats and Owls.

With this attitude and the weak enforcement from SLDC, how can we be sure that the agreements regarding Affordable Housing will be adhered to ?

We in Ulverston have already experienced the combined behaviour of Persimmons  and Cumbria County Council regarding the Lund Farm Estate when an essential roundabout providing access from the A590 was not built, alledgedly because there was not room. This has left a death trap for any car travelling from the Estate towards Kendal when two busy lanes of traffic have to be crossed.

We in Ulverston need tight control of this powerful big business- one with the largest number of complaints in the UK doing a search on Google "hate Persimmons" will reveal the amount of frustration and hurt these builders have caused elsewhere in the country.

We need to demonstrate our determination to get good value for money. Sadly our District Councillor, Helen Irving is avoiding all approaches to her to get involved even though this is happening on her doorstep. Thankfully our local Town Cllr Colin Pickthall has visited the site but as yet not advised us what he is doing about the situation. Cllr Janet Jenkinson also needs to show responsibility in that she was our representative at the original planning meeting when the permission was given, we expect her to be monitoring the present situation closely on behalf of Ulverston. It was Cllr Jenkinson that spoke in favour of the application because it would provide Affordable Housing for local people. With the present behaviour of Persimmons - Will it?

Oaklands Union Lane SL/2010/0806

Condition (1) The development hereby permitted shall begin not later than three years from the date of this decision. Reason: To comply with the requirements of Section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended by Section 51 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Condition (2) The development hereby permitted shall be carried out in accordance with the following approved plans: drawing numbers 2316-100 rev.I; 2316-105; 2316-120; 2316-109; 2316-106; 2316-110; 2316-119 and 118; 2316-108A; 2316-112A; 2316-104A; 2316-116A; and 2316-114A. Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and in the interests of proper planning.

Condition (3) No development shall take place until full details of both hard and soft landscape works have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority and those works shall be carried out as approved. The details shall include:- a) proposed finished levels or contours; b) means of enclosure; c) car parking layouts; d) other vehicle and pedestrian access and circulation areas; e) hard surfacing materials; f) retained landscape features such as trees together with details of how they will be protected during construction. Soft landscape works shall include planting plans, written specifications (including cultivation and other operations associated with plant and grass establishment), schedules of plants, noting species, plant sizes and proposed numbers/densities; and an implementation programme. Any trees/shrubs which are removed, die, become severely damaged or diseased within five years of their planting shall be replaced in the next planting season with trees/shrubs of similar size and species to those originally required to be planted unless the Local Planning Authority gives written consent to any variation. Reason: To safeguard and enhance the character of the area and secure high quality landscaping in accordance with Saved Policy S3 of the South Lakeland Local Plan.

Condition (4) No development shall take place until there has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority a plan indicating the positions, height, design, materials and type of boundary treatment(s) to be erected. The boundary treatment(s) shall be completed as approved before the development is occupied, or in accordance with a timetable agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority. Reason: To safeguard and enhance the character of the area and secure high quality landscaping in accordance with Saved Policy S3 of the South Lakeland Local Plan.

Condition (5) No site clearance, preparatory work or development shall take place until a scheme for the protection of the retained trees (the tree protection plan) and the appropriate working methods (the arboricultural method statement) in accordance with Clause 7 of British Standard BS5837 - Trees in Relation to Construction - Recommendations has been agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority. These measures shall be carried out as described and approved. Reason: To ensure the protection and retention of important landscape features in accordance with Policy CS8.1 of the adopted South Lakeland Core Strategy.

Condition (6) No fires shall be lit within 10 metres of the nearest point of the canopy of any retained tree, no equipment, machinery or structure shall be attached to or supported by a retained tree, no trenches shall be excavated or services installed in the root protection area and no mixing of cement or use of other contaminating materials or substances shall take place within, or close enough to, a root protection area that seepage or displacement could cause them to enter a root protection area. Reason: To ensure the protection and retention of important landscape features in accordance with Policy CS8.1 of the adopted South Lakeland Core Strategy.

Condition (7) No site clearance, preparatory work or development shall take place until a detailed scheme for the pruning of the sycamore trees on the northern boundary of the site (T1 and T2) as identified in the submitted Arboricultural Implications Assessment, has been submitted and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The work shall thereafter be carried out in accordance with the approved scheme. Reason: To ensure that the existing protected trees are not adversely affected by reason of the proposed development hereby permitted.

Condition (8) No site clearance, preparatory work or development shall take place until a detailed scheme for the proposed highway improvements to Union Lane have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Authority. This scheme shall include the full engineering details of the widened carriageway and footway, including surface finishes, drainage, lighting, parking restrictions and any provision for residents parking, and shall be designed and constructed to a standard suitable for adoption. Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

Condition (9) The development hereby permitted, including site clearance and demolition, shall not commence until the highway improvement works and construction of the repositioned boundary wall as detailed in conditions 8 and 11 have been completed, unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority. Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

Condition (10) The new estate road including carriageway and footways shall be designed, constructed, drained and lit to a standard suitable for adoption and in this respect further details, including longitudinal cross sections shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority before work commences on site. These details shall be in accordance with the standards laid down in the current Cumbria Design Guide. Any works so approved shall be constructed before the development is complete. Reason: In the interests of highway safety.

Condition (11) No development shall be commenced until the precise construction details of the new boundary wall along Union Lane have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. For the avoidance of doubt, the wall shall be constructed to match the form, height and appearance of the existing wall, incorporating as much of the original stonework as practicable. Reason: To protect the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.

Condition (12) No development shall begin unless and until details of the finished floor levels of the dwellings hereby permitted have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority, and the development shall not be carried out otherwise than in full accordance with such approved details. Reason: To protect the amenity of the area and adjacent residents and for the avoidance of doubt.

Condition (13) No superstructure shall be erected until samples and details of the materials to be used in the construction of the external surfaces of the development hereby approved have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Local Planning Authority. Reason: To ensure the development is of a high quality design in accordance with Policy CS8.10 of the adopted South Lakeland Core Strategy and Saved Policy S2 of the South Lakeland Local Plan.

Condition (14) The roof shall be covered in tiles, a sample of which shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The tiles shall be flat and shall match the appearance, colour and texture of natural Cumbrian slates. Reason: To ensure the development is of a high quality design in accordance with Policy CS8.10 of the adopted South Lakeland Core Strategy and Saved Policy S2 of the South Lakeland Local Plan.

Condition (15) No site clearance, preparatory work or development shall take place until a detailed scheme for surface water management and the disposal of sewage to serve the development hereby permitted have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved works shall be fully implemented prior to the occupation of any of the dwellings and retained as such thereafter. Reason: To ensure adequate provision is made for the management of surface water and sewerage disposal in accordance with Saved Policy S26 of the South Lakeland Local Plan.

Condition (16) No site clearance, preparatory work or development shall take place until an ecology report has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. This report shall detail the presence of any protected species within the site and include a mitigation strategy which shall be subsequently implemented in full. Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and to prevent harm to protected species in accordance with Policy CS8.4 of the adopted South Lakeland Core Strategy.

Condition (17) Notwithstanding the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (or any order revoking and re-enacting that Order with or without modification), express planning consent shall be obtained for any development falling within Classes A, B, C and E of Part 1 Schedule 2 of that order. Reason: To ensure that garages, extensions, outbuildings and other such development permitted by the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1995, will not detract from the appearance of the development or the amenity of neighbouring residents.

Condition (18) No development shall take place until a site investigation of the nature and extent of contamination has been carried out in accordance with a methodology which has previously been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The results of the site investigation shall be made available to the Local Planning Authority before any development begins. If any contamination is found during the site investigation, a report specifying the measures to be taken to remediate the site to render it suitable for the development hereby permitted shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The site shall be remediated in accordance with the approved measures before development begins. If, during the course of development, any contamination is found which has not been identified in the site investigation, additional measures for the remediation of this source of contamination shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The remediation of the site shall incorporate the approved additional measures. Reason: To prevent harm to human health and the environment in accordance with Policy EM2 of the Regional Spatial Strategy for the North West.

Condition (19) Demolition, dismantling or construction works shall not take place outside 08:00 hours to 18:00 hours Monday to Friday, and 08:00 hours to 13:00 hours on Saturdays and at no time on Sundays or Bank Holidays. Reason: To safeguard the amenity of neighbouring occupiers.

Condition (20) No development shall take place, including any works of demolition, until a Construction Method Statement has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. The approved Statement shall be adhered to throughout the construction period. The Statement shall provide for: i. the parking of vehicles of site operatives and visitors; ii. loading and unloading of plant and materials; iii. storage of plant and materials used in constructing the development; iv. the erection and maintenance of security hoarding including decorative displays and facilities for public viewing, where appropriate; v. wheel washing facilities; vi. measures to control the emission of dust and dirt during construction; vii. a scheme for recycling/disposing of waste resulting from demolition and construction works; and viii. measures to control noise and vibration. Reason: To safeguard the amenity of neighbouring occupiers.

Condition (21) No building shall be occupied until the amenity area shown on the plan attached hereto has been laid out in accordance with the approved landscaping scheme, and that area shall not thereafter be used for any purpose other than as communal open space. Reason: For the avoidance of doubt and to ensure that proper provision is made for an amenity area.

NOTE (1) ON THE EFFECT OF PLANNING PERMISSION (Bats and Barn Owls): All British bats and their roosts and barn owls are protected by law under the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and they should therefore always be taken into account when any work is being done on buildings which are known to be used by bats or owls or have potential as bat roosts. Having regard to this a copy of the guidelines provided by Natural England for barn conversion work to reduce the risk of damage to bats or owls and their roosts can be obtained from: Natural England at Juniper House, Murley Moss, Oxenholme Road, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 7RL.

NOTE (2) ON THE EFFECT OF PLANNING PERMISSION (Section 106): This Decision Notice is to be read alongside the legal agreement made pursuant to Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as amended.

REASON FOR GRANTING PLANNING PERMISSION The proposal is in accordance with material considerations set out in the Planning System: General Principles and national and local policies as set out in Planning Policy Statements 1 and 3, Policies CS1.2, CS6.3 and CS8.10 of the adopted South Lakeland Core Strategy and Saved Policies S2, H2 and H8 of the South Lakeland Local Plan. There are no material considerations that indicate against the proposal.

What do you do when you're down?

Sadly for me I'm a risk taker.

This has great highs when you succeed and real lows when you fail.

My first strategy is to feel good about myself.

The next is not to mope - which can be difficult.

The next is to do something that you're reasonably good at so that you can succeed.

Next is to find something to do that will cheer someone else up.

It also helps me to think that once I've got through this patch, I'll be a lot stronger.

Lastly I remind myself what truly hard things some of you guys are going through - all with a lovely smile and giving encouragement and awareness of other people's difficulties.

Assurances from the SLDC Planning

Kate Lawson wrote the following this last Monday:

Geoff,

Apologies for not getting back to you sooner. Just to clarify, Graham Darlington has not agreed to a reduction in the height of the replacement wall with Persimmon. As far as the Council is concerned, you are quite correct in that there remains a requirement to comply with the condition attached to the planning permission as it stands.

As such, the matter will need to be resolved through the proper procedures.

For information, the Group Manager is Mark Shipman and the Council's Solicitor is Matthew Neal.

I hope this is of assistance.

Regards

Kate

Kate Lawson
Principal Planning Officer
Development Management
South Lakeland District Council
Direct Line: 01539 797560 But what does it mean?

The statement "the matter will need to be resolved through the proper procedures." means very little until the Distrct Council actually does something.
From Persimmons point of view it has had no effect whatsoever here on the ground. The low wall continues to be built as before.

Why hasn't the building been stopped instantly?

Is the councill actually going to enforce the law?

So what action are they taking and when?

Sadly government officers have a habit and great skill the making statements that could mean anything - unlike the rest of us who would like something that we can see is being carried out.

Are Persimmons breaking the law?

Here in Ulverston, one gets the impression, though no one will admit it , that Big business in the form of the nationally known Persimmons, new homes builders, are taking all steps possible to get one of the stringent conditions placed on the planning permission changed. One awarded to them for  development at the end of Union Lane, against fierce local opposition. The reasons that Persimmons Homes won this planning application was that eight of the twenty eight new homes would be 'Affordable Housing'. I am deeply concerned that these will actually be provided for local people.

We are having to monitor, every inch of the way, to get Persimmons to fulfil their oblgations as set out in the conditions attached to the planning permission for the new development in Union Lane. SLDC Officers Wright and Maguire stated that we may never see the £8,100 they were originally supposed to have already paid them for new equipment in Mill Dam Park. This payment may at the best be delayed five years and even then, we were told, under new government legislation Persimmons may be able to plead that their business is not viable if they are made to pay this.

All across the country Persimmons leave a trail of misery which is clearly evident by the hundreds of stories if you use Google to search "Hate Persimmons". By contrast you will just find one or maybe  two stories if you search "Love Persimmons"

We in Ulverston still experience the misery and danger of trying to access the A590 from North Lonsdale Road. So dangerous is the turn towards Kendal that most people choose to turn in the opposite direct towards Barrow and go round the roundabout some quarter of a mile in the centre of Ulverston.

As many on the Lund Farm Estate know well, this problem arises from the fact that Persimmons did not build a roundabout at this junction which was a condition of the planning permission for the building of this estate. On that occasion Persimmons were able to save this considerable cost - now they appear to be at it again: avoiding in their responsibilities  at Union Lane and saving themselves the money of building the replacement wall to the correct height.

 Look at their website titled "Hoad View" - what a joke - who will actually be able to see Hoad?
They go on to state :
"The Development is located in the heart of Ulverston just off Stanley Street and just a 3 minute walk to the historical market town with its fascinating range of visitor attractions, pubs shops, restaurants ; boutiques as well as high street stores."

Apparently Ulverston is a " historical market town with its fascinating range of visitor attractions"; the very thing that at this moment is being lost - the remaining history of the town and its workhouse situated until very recently at the site of the Health Centre on Stanley Street at Union Lane.

Coming up in the next few days

Persimmonns, the new homes house builder, are back in Ulverston working up Union Lane and they are already breaking the planning law and SLDC are doing nothing about it. Is this because they haven't the money to take on this powerful and crooked business Giant?

When you scrape below the veneer of helpful builders that provide valuable work there's a mass of unhappiness and corruption. Looks like we're going to big trouble with these houses: a repeat of the trouble we had in the Lund Farm Estate , one many of us suffer from every day- the queues at the North Lonsdale / A590 junction because Persimmons tricked us into not paying for the roundabout that was laid down as a planning condition for the whole of this estate project then there was the problem with the drains on this estate not working.

Why do we have to have them coming back time and time again - Is it because they can work the weak/incompetent/corrupt (it difficult to find out which) local government system we have at both District and County level.

Because I was amazed at the complaints across the country with Persimmons I have created a new blog "Persimmons are cheats" ( and it's amazing how many hits I've received in only the few hours its been up). Have a look and ask yourself "would you buy one of their 'new' houses?" If you hear of anyone considering buying one of the Union Lane houses you might wish to warn them and tell them that they are already breaking the terms of the planning permission that was granted to them. Note there should be eight "affordable houses" provided and these have to sold first yet is there any mention of affordable house in their present advertising?

I'm preparing and in depth review of the present situation over the next few days but first lets look forward to the 100 plus people that are expected to come to Mill Dam Park tomorrow for some fun. These are just the people who will be grateful for being warned off the full price Persimmons homes even the 'Affordable' ones needed to be checked out thoroughly, something that I'm sure readers of this blog would be only too willing to assist potential buyers before they sign their hard earned cash away. Even 'Affordable' could easily become affordable and a financial trap if property prices where to fall - something highly likely in this financial situation. The Greeks have only to start removing their cash, invested in London property , at the top of  the house price pyramid for it to start to cave in. Buyer beware - Councillors Wilson and Clough get the CAB running again quickly for people to have access to good reliable information.

Primary School Parents coming together at Mill Dam Park

I'm focussing much of my energy on the event in Mill Dam Park, we've been to all the schools in Ulverston and many of the parents are coming with their children - see you there:-

Reflection

“All the people like us are we, and everyone else is they.”
― Rudyard Kipling

Impressive wordsmiths from the past 

It enriches us to reflect sometimes. On the other hand, one can spend too much time reflecting - a bit of action does one the power of good .

This one was written specially for Geoff Dellow  by "unknown"

Give me strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Have you a favorite?