Government Idiocy

How does it make any sense to make savings by closing down Furness Enterprise?


I read in the Westmorland Gazette that after 21 years of successful operation in helping thousands of people to find work in this area by assisting small businesses to set up in this area . . . .

At a time when we are all struggling to get to find jobs, the very organisation that we need to help small businesses stand up on their feet . . . . .

One that has worked so well in the past  . . . . .

The Furness Enterprise is to . . . .

Be helped to work even harder?

No it is to  . . . . . close.

No wonder Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock said: “This is bad news for the many local businesses Furness Enterprise supports, and is a terrible sign of the way the out-of-touch Conservative-led government is turning its back on areas like this.”

There's an e-petition to sign if you wish

Dave Whitehead, in the comments below, points us to an alternative view on the action being taken above.

It would be good to get people's views on the performance of Furness Enterprise. This is where a good councillor who is familiar with this organisation and we could trust could advise us. Alternatively some good investigative journalism by a local reporter. - I'm all for emplying one.

What do you think?

Putting your life on the line for a matter of principle

In Britain, this is a rare concept.

It was true in the past but there are few who will make a stand in the cold light of day to put their lives at risk.

One of the values of discussing philosophy with others in Ulverston is that it has helped me work out more clearly what my actions in every day life will be.

This is one of them.

If there is something I feel strongly about I am ready to die for it.

This could happen in the street with a gang of youths or as a result of upsetting powerful people.

Both at the moment are very unlikely scenarios but if the time comes and until then, I am ready to put myself at a disadvantage by speaking out here on this blog and elsewhere.

Below we have an example of someone who is clearly taking extreme risks for the ultimate benefit of those around him.

I believe he is worth supporting now:

Ai Weiwei is the most famous artist in China, best known for his iconic "Bird's Nest" stadium that was the focal point of the Beijing Olympics.

Ai has always pushed the envelope, both with his internationally-acclaimed art and with his outspoken criticism of the Chinese government.

But these past weeks have brought Beijing's harshest crackdown on dissidents in more than a decade. And on April 3rd, government agents arrested Ai at the Beijing airport and seized papers and computers from his studio.

We don't know where Ai is now. The Chinese government is holding him on flimsy charges of "economic crimes" -- an allegation often used to silence dissenters.

Twelve leading figures in the international arts world, including the directors of the Guggenheim, Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, and Tate Museum, have started a petition on Change.org demanding that the Chinese government free Ai Weiwei.

The regime in Beijing has proven largely resistant to pressure from foreign governments. But they've made a huge push to raise China's profile in the arts -- the government just finished building the world's largest art museum. Widespread condemnation, led by the arts community, may be our best chance to save his life.

Please sign the petition to free Ai Weiwei as soon as possible:


http://www.change.org/petitions/call-for-the-release-of-ai-weiwei

Thanks for taking action,

- Weldon and the Change.org team

Postman under pressure

While I'm all for postmen (and women) being monitored to check things are running smoothly, my hackles rise when I hear of our postie being criticised.

Who are these inspectors? They seem to have picked on the wrong guy this time and the management at Ulverston are now the people under scrutiny.

Surely one has to take the operation of a postman in context. This is not the inner city with pilferers of mail at every street corner. This was Sun St for God's sake - an area where you could leave your door wide open and get no intruder other than an inquisitive cat. If a guy slips up in a small way then the situation needs to be taken into account.

I'll be round tomorrow morning to remonstrate and I know that up-the-lane-Simon is furious even though he's smiling. Andy too was most unhappy so that's three out of three that are NOT pleased with the way Royal Mail are dealing with our postie who has been suspended.

Join us in telling the managers to get their surveillance tactics into line!

More on this tomorrow morning!

Back to County Hall with a petition for the third time

Those that have noticed the rapid deterioration of these white lines - done less than three months ago - outside the Oxfam building have decided to take action against the County Council again.

This was featured here a fortnight ago when passers-by were interviewed

This time with a lot more facts to support them.

It is clear that the contractors paint the lines so thinly in several parts of Ulverston that they wear out almost immediately.

Come and sign the petition, this and the next two Saturday and Thursday mornings, to get our County Councillors to take strong action to make the Highways Department perform their work responsibly and stop allowing their contractors to do such a poor job.

We shall be at the Market Square Cross or next to the Oxfam building from 10 till 1 pm depending on the weather.

Town Mess Clear Up

Congratulations to Andrew, as reported in the Evening Mail, for having the energy to campaign about dog mess. It's great to have people in our town who will get up and actually do something rather than just moan.

However Cllrs Brenda Marr and Colin Hodgson will know that their statements are just hot air and will achieve absolutely nothing.

It's no use relying on SLDC to catch the bad dog owners (and they are very much in the minority - a few dogs can create a lot of mess). The officers go around in bright yellow jackets and can be seen a mile off!

What will change things in my view are two things:

Speak out ourselves whenever we see someone leaving a mess - hand them a bag and ask them to pick it up if necessary. Second - not so pleasant - pick it up ourselves.

As someone who enjoys walking other people's dogs, I regularly do both! If I'm picking up my mess, then I pick someone else's at the same time.

If Brenda and Colin are really genuine then let them join me on a Town Mess Clear Up. I'll give £100 to charity of their choice if they do - and they can wear bright yellow coats so that everyone will notice them (as they did in Kendal) if they please!

Lets see our Councillors be seen to DO SOMETHING !

The only one who I imagine would take up such a challenge would be Cllr Colin Williams - he knows how to get his hands dirty when necessary.

How about it Cllr Col ?

That would impress me - not hot air coming out of ineffective poodles - but fire coming out of dragons that bite.

Message sent to our two County Councillors

These are Pauline Halfpenny and Wendy Kolbe.

They will both be at the Meeting of County Councillors in Kendal, where I will be speaking later today at 10.30 am.

It will be interesting to see if they speak up on behalf of the 200 hundred Ulverstonians that signed the petition!

The following email was sent to them some days ago:

"Below is the question that I have submitted to the Committee:

* * * * * * *
My Question to the County Council Committee meeting which will accompany the petition is the following:

As a substantial number of the road markings in Ulverston still remain extremely faint and in some cases illegible and

As it is so important to Ulverston people to get these markings repainted in the next month, and the County is unable to do the work, is there any alternative to Ulverstonians doing the painting themselves?


The wording of the petition is:

Repainting the Road Markings in Ulverston

The situation has got so bad that over 50% of the white markings in the town including Halt, Roundabout and in particular the Zebra Crossing at the top of Brewery Street are extremely faint. We request that the County deal with this problem within the next few weeks as it can be quite dangerous in some cases.

* * * * * * *

I realise that you will and are both concerned about this matter.

I shall focus on three aspects of this situation:

First - the safety aspect which I know is of concern to the police even though they cannot officially comment (but I am told, do, unofficially)

Two - the effect it has on the people in the town who notice, because they feel no one is able to get things done. This leads to a feeling of frustration, depression and feeling that 'nobody cares' - even if they do. Many may not even notice but register subconsciously that the town is drab. When you walk down the newly surfaced and marked out New Market Street for example, you almost feel your shoulders go back as you start to walk tall after years of putting up with a mess

Three - the effect on tourists visiting the town. I hadn't realised just how many of these there are and that many come once a year at least sometimes more. People I have spoken to agree that there is a decline in the town which cannot be good for business.

I believe that something dramatic needs to be done and have come to realise that it would take a lot less energy and would be far more satisfying to do it ourselves.

We could have the satisfaction that we had made Ulverston look good ourselves if we did it.

Having been in touch with many other parish and town councils it is clear others feel the same though it is said that many are too 'scared' to complain.

I trust that some of this makes sense to you.

I shall be very interested to find out your reactions and whether you feel strongly enough to speak out, supporting me in some way.

Geoff Dellow"

Petitions

The following petitions are circulating in Ulverston and will be presented to the County Council at their meeting in Kendal on September 25th. Contact Geoff Dellow at gd at tygh.co.uk (written this way to avoid SPAM). Alternatively at the Rose and Crown at 11:00 any Saturday when Geoff looks forward to meeting proactive people!

Repair of Cobbles in Market St, Ulverston
We urge the County Council to review their duty to make contractors accountable for shoddy workmanship resulting in dangerous road conditions after work to install their services. We request an undertaking to repair the length of the street by March 2009 otherwise we will pursue legal action against the county.

Repainting the Road Markings in Ulverston
The situation has got so bad that over 50% of the white markings in the town including Halt, Roundabout and in particular the Zebra Crossing at the top of Brewery Street are extremely faint. We request that the County deal with this problem within the next few weeks as it can be dangerous in some cases.

Need for a Roundabout at A590 / North Lonsdale Junction .
It has become obvious that the present solution is both dangerous and restrictive to the flow of traffic at an important junction that will have increasing demands placed on it as both industrial use increases because commercial sites are developed and as the number of residents of South Ulverston having cars increases. We request that drastic measures such as compulsory land purchase are pursued with the Highways Agency as soon as possible.

20 mph Speed limit for North Lonsdale Road
To reduce the speed limit of heavy industrial vehicles and workers’ cars along this straight narrow road as they move through a residential area of some 600 adults and children.

Reducing the risk of Flooding of South Ulverston.
To have work done on the bed of the river so that Dragley Beck is less likely to burst its banks. We recommend work at Low Mill Bridge

Double yellow lines in the region of Kennedy Street/North Lonsdale Road
To increase visibility by preventing parking close to dangerous intersections. This will greatly reduce the risk of serious accidents between vehicles and pedestrians as they emerge from the likes of Kennedy Street and the speeding vehicles along North Lonsdale Road.

I'm off to Kendal to make a fuss

This isn't Kendal of course - far grander - but it gives you the idea!


One of the reasons I decided to have a go at this politics lark was because of the way that the County Council treats Ulverston.

I heard them say at the Town Council Meeting that they couldn't do a thing about the way the County ignored their requests for road repairs and thought "How dare they be so defeatist!"

So I'm off to the County to tell them what I think about how they have been behaving.

I've chosen to speak to the local area committee of County Councillors on 25th September as a resident of Cumbria - something anyone can do, and because I get five minutes per petition I will have at least six - that will give me a full half hour ! !( I can't see them allowing this if they can avoid it - after all they have important business to plough through! - it may provide them with a change however- you never know until you've tried)

How does this work you may ask - here's a scan of the leaflet that I received from the county office. - I trust that you can read it!

Anyone else want to join in?