So - what next ?

Ulverston - 'Let people take control of assets'

NW Evening Mail
“What this shows is that this issue is really cut and dry for people – the clear majority want control of these assets returned back to Ulverston."

Many of us will want to ask : What took you so long?

This result could have been obtained nearly ten years ago when the cracks  began to appear in our position within the SLDC. Certainly seven years ago we started to complain about the disastrous Car Park charging policy and it's effect on our Market - now the latter has nearly gone - we wake up. Furthermore the initiative for "Getting our Assets back" started way back :  Our Car Parks - the money makers - handled these so badly by the amateur SLDC who have been shown a bit of business sense that reducing the car park charge actually generates more money" A request for information about the running of the hardly used Stockbridge Lane Car Park to the full council by a member of the public  five years ago secured an earth shattering compulsory response of: "The matter is under review". Where up the matter was dropped until the then Cllr Jack Rice prised information out ofSLDC using Freedom of information and published the damning information in his report. Since then Everyone and his goat has claimed the credit: John Clough in true councillor style, secured a photo-opportunity in the Evening Mail.

Even the present movement has come about through behind the scenes action from a diplomatic councillor who isn't even on the SLDC. One who was sickened about the squabbling amongst the two main parties that resulted in - total inaction. Isn't it time our councillors stood up to be counted and worked together and put in some hard graft. Even now you should ask -which councillors are leading the fight for us at the SLDC?

With leadership like this - what next:

• Low Furness : James Airey :e - j.airey@southlakeland.gov.uk - trying to do to much at County Council as well?
• Mid Furness : Caroline Airey, James' wife: e - c.airey@southlakeland.gov.uk attendance 33% what does she do?
• Ulverston Central: Bharath Rajan: e - b.rajan@southlakeland.gov.uk
• Ulverston East : Mark Wilson : e - mark.wilson@southlakeland.gov.uk another like James doing too much?
• Ulverston North: Helen Irving : e - h.irving@southlakeland.gov.uk  60% attendances future
Our future mayor!
• Ulverston South: Amanda Rigg :e - a.rigg@southlakeland.gov.uk What  - attendances last year 33%
• Ulverston Town: John Clough : e - j.clough@southlakeland.gov.uk attendances 29%
• Ulverston West: Janet Jenkinson :e - j.jenkinson@southlakeland.gov.uk the only one that I'm aware of that speaks up well for Ulverston and even then she could be better informed of what here electorate are really saying and when she speaks to put forward a more cogent argument.

Check them out on google with their name like this: "Joe Bloggs" SLDC and see how active they've been. There attendances at SLDC are there.

 You're more likely to get somewhere with

Mid Furness: Janet Willis : e - j.willis@southlakeland.gov.uk she's Deputy leader of the Council and fights hard for Greenodd

Grange South : Tom Harvey : e - t.harvey@southlakeland.gov.uk he's the leader of the opposition - a real fighter for Grange.

If we're going to go down the Local Government route then isn't it time to team up with all the other councillors outside Kendal - Sedbergh, Grange, Coniston Windermere, Broughton, Holker : support them and get their backing something Phil Lister stated publicly could never work. Something immediately disproved by Cllrs from Sedbergh.

If change is going to happen we could realise it won't come from the Cllrs but there's no harm spending a few minutes to prod them like cattle and they will run.

However what does work is the hard graft put in by Stan Walmsley who worked steadily in Dalton, 3-5 hours per week for 15 years (and he's still at it) heading a team of fund raisers to build and run Dalton Leisure centre with its Swimming Pool and now superb equipment packed park in front . Stan could tell us all a thing or two if we could be bothered to listen - ( but most of us can't). Wake up Ulverston we all need to get real. If we want something done forget Cllrs.  "We don't borrow money" states Stan and he states he's ready to help others with his vision of how to get things done on a secure footing.

Come on: get writing a few emails  - you can even use copy and paste - it be done in less than five minutes : pick your target they can't tell where you're from. They will all be wanting control over their car parks.

Just a brief message  "Please keep me informed on your progress in getting our Car Parks back from SLDC - they're extremely important to us"  could set the ball rolling and see what reply you get! Write to them all individually and judge for yourself who you would back at the next election by their response. Play them all off against each other. Let's play their game for a change! I'll have a few copies of your replies to print here, please!

Also worth checking out is the amount councillors spend on their local people. They all have £1,000 to allocate - - but do they seek out to support them and spend it?

(Councillors at South Lakeland District Council have been allocated £1000 a year to support community projects in their local areas. Councillors can use the funding to:

• support community groups in their wards
• help purchase equipment, hold events, or
• run services that will benefit local residents.)

Some of the above councillors spent the full amount but James and Caroline Airey, MarkWilson, Helen Irving and Amanda Rigg could find nothing to support their local people.

The Ulverston Food Festival some Cllrs allocated money to sounds interesting - allegedly it will attract thousands- do we support them or could we have spent it better supporting our regular market?

Now you've spent a few minutes putting a few rockets up a few backsides, the next really hard bit : Listen to Stan Walmsley's videos - listen to them again, realise there are NO EASY FIXES like GETTING THEM  TO DO IT. Set a long term target over several years moving a little at a time - keep going back to Stan below for guidance and study how he does it and DO IT OURSELVES. It's not easy as I well know, but it is immensely satisfying.

You will know what does work is the hard graft  as put in by Stan Walmsley who worked steadily in Dalton, 3-5 hours per week for 15 years (and he's still at it) heading a team of fund raisers to build and run Dalton Leisure centre with its Swimming Pool and now superb equipment packed park in front . Stan could tell us all a thing or two if we could be bothered to listen - ( but most of us can't). Wake up Ulverston we all need to get real. If we want something done forget Cllrs.  "We don't borrow money" states Stan and he states he's ready to help others with his vision of how to get things done on a secure footing.

There are individuals that have learnt this for themselves like Sarah Williamson with a steadily growing business at this very minute. We in Ulverston need to grab that spirit and change our attitude and work together knowing it will be hard - and very satisfying. It's a bit like shifting a twenty ton pile of gravel with a spade and a wheel barrow. Slowly spade by spade and an hour later or maybe two and the job is done "Wasn't that great".