With 'flu slowly taking over and slight temperature developing my energies have been lowish to deal with the things that this week has thrown up:
Anger with the Town Council over their total lack of concern over the continued absence of an Ulverston web site that tries to reach potential tourists, with the North East reaping the benefit of an influx coming because of the weaker pound.
Sudden death of a neighbour.
Two New projects for youngsters.
Back to 'normal' soon with the following topics bubbling to the surface:
War in Afghanistan, allotment cheats, G20 Summit, ongoing dialogue with the County Highways Dept, new community Groups, the rape issue and the malfunctioning Sapphire police support, women's uncelebrated successes in Cricket, Football and Tennis
11 comments:
How do you get an ongoing dialogue with the highways dept ? I can't get a reply from Nick Raymond despite a very polite reminder. When I worked for County Hoghways we had the manners to send an acknowledgement if a full reply could be given within 10 days. I now intend to write to his superiors.
By dogged persistence is my answer!
My first contact with him last August was by phone, discussing the possibility of a bypass for Ulverston.
Everything , I thought, went well. However a followup call to 'this helpful guy' was blocked repeatedly by a secretary.
I then switched to email and I got a curt reply that all communications should come through the County Councillor for the area I was enquiring about. The area was South Ulverston and the Councillor, Wendy Kolbe. Her reply was that she didn't take kindly to interference from people outside her area (particularly 'the opposition' and that I should leave them to do there own inquiring from her.
In September, I was attending the big County Bun Fight at County Hall Kendal at the invitation of the Penrith Independent C. Cllr ,Colin Nineham - http://geoffdellow.blogspot.com/2008/09/visit-to-seat-of-power.html
I was invited to have lunch with the nobility and through Nineham I was put in touch with the chair of a committee that regulated officer behaviour. He told me that he would have a word with Nick Raymond . . who would be instructed to respond to my emails.
Since then we have ongoing exchanges. Knowing his deep reluctance to answer me I keep my emails for special occasions.
I can also raise issues with him via another officer who is super polite and helpful.
My last exchange was the unusual step of asking why he was sending the linemarking lorry up Union Lane where I live. Why didn't he send it somewhere useful in the centre of the town. Miraculously the lorry has never returned and we continue to be marked out with what will be known, I hope, as, Geoff's protest antique roadmarkings!
So yes we have a dialogue that is used for special occasions when I have something 'very important' to say - as you can imagine, I always have . . . .
Nick Raymond's boss is Jim Smith email - jim.smith@cumbriacc.gov.uk who is Head of Highways for the whole of Cumbria. I'm sure it will so some good if he gets peppered with some rational but firm no-nonsense emails. The kind I try to send ! !
Best wishes - let's all start to write to the officers - I get more response from them than the Cllrs; it really is like 'Yes Minister'. They are the ones with the power and the Cllrs are just manipulated like performing poodles .
Thanks for the info Geoff.
Re the possibility of an Ulverston bypass ,that ship has sailed. The opportunity came in the 1960's . I was just a kid but I recall an alternative scheme to the present Ulverston Diversion as it was known. This plan would have bypassed Three Bridges ,Beehive and the town and come out somewhere near Newlands Garage. The business people of the town wee agin it because they feared a loss of trade. However ,such a bypass would have made Ulverston into amore attractive place to stop than it is now.
Ulverston bypass - thanks for the background.
My approach is to never say "Never".
Even if it's only going to happen in twenty five year's time then let's go for it now.
By slowly plugging away we'll get it if this still makes sense then.
Better to try.
As I see it the reasons for are:
1. A lot of industrial land will become available when Glaxo leave.
2. They already have their own separate sewage treatment plant which will be attractive to certain industries.
3. If this area is well designed and well serviced (with energy saving systems - heat pumps that save 70% of fuel costs)it will attract top notch industry.
4. We have some very capable people with entrepreneurial as well as trade skills in this area. Others will want to move to this highly desirable environment.
5. A good road bypass would also improve the attractiveness of Barrow and even Millom - Morecambe, cutting journey times it would just be one more step in achieving an excellent A590.
6.It would remove a barrier between the two halves of our town making it a more attractive place to visit - perhaps half of the existing busy A590 could provide FREE car parking alongside a fairly narrow B road (let's really push the boat out)
Downsides:
1. South Ulverston would suffer the invasion of a motorway going over it's head. They would have to think carefully where it should go. They should also get recompense in the form of improved facilities so they get some benefit
2. Flooding as sea levels rise. A wall would have to created to protect the whole area whilst at the same time ensuring the flow to the sea of Dragley Beck by raising its river bed. Work that could surely be done with large earth moving equipment.
Come on now
Let's be creative problem solvers and think big and sell ourselves as an old town with creative genius.
We've got Marl International, Oxleys, Tronic, Chris Brammall and many others who forge a future for themselves, not to mention some very creative problem solvers who live nearby with units in Barrow - Roger Chapman . . . . .
Let's stop whingeing and grasp the nettle.
You guys who know better - please put me straight. I'm listening.
I would never say I know better than you or anyone else but I repeat ,a bypass will never happen -there is more chance of a cross bay bridge or barrage. Highways Agency currently have a scheme to relign the A590 through town. I wrote to Raymond with some queries but again no reply. In any case they take no notice of locals .not even councillors - are they saying anything ? No doubt they will all turn up for the opening of Plaza de Coro.
The A590 should have been dualled all the way to the M6 ,instead we get piecemeal improvements . The MP for Barrow ,Albert Booth ,was Minister of Transport and we still got nowt.
I'm new to this game and have found the following.
1. The County ignore the politician. Those on the Town Council stated that they could NOT get the cobbles repaired, however by bypassing (that word again)local government altogether and going direct to United Utilities through their employee Roz Harris an ex-Ulverstonian they have come back and repaired most of the holes they created and are currently waiting for the County to do the patch between New Market Street and Brogden Street (not too much of a task for them) in the new financial year when U.U. will pay for their share of the work.
Lesson learnt: Private Industry have a reputation to maintain whereas local government doesn't.
As far as the A590, my initial contact with the Highways Agency was favourable but I don't understand the ropes here and may be too easily impressed.
Tim Farron , I find far more of a go getter even though he isn't strictly our MP - but you only have to get to Greenodd and he is!
Unfortunely I don't think Rabone (Lib)for Barrow is in the same league!
I've been recommended to have a go at John Hutton if elected - alternatively you could get Colin Pickthall and Wendy Kolbe (Lab) to persuade him to act.
I take it you mean the crater next to the taxi rank ( clue ) in Cross St ? This is a collapsed reinstatement and will have to be repaired by highways and perhaps recharged to whoever dug it up in the firat place - perhaps UU are wearing 2 hats here ! In the old days highways had inspectors and area foremen who chased up these jobs but now it's all outsourced. Nobody knows who's responsible and it seems nobody cares.
You are right about pressure - it eventually pays off e.g. Greenodd jct.A590/A5092. Highways had ignored locals for years ,said there was no room for a roundabout etc. now suddenly there is room - are they going to build it out at sea ? Two major roads meeting should have had a roundabout 20 years ago but they will not listen to people who USE THE ROAD EVERY DAY .
Slightly off subject Geoff but someone on the Evening Mail Ulverston news section is advocating it is ok for owners to let their dogs foul pavements and the council should clean it up - can you believe it ? she even gives her name .Apparently it wasn't a problem in the 50s and 60s because we had street sweepers ! what a horrible job they had .She goes on to say the back streets etc.are dirty now and she may be right but it's the residents who make them so ,not the council .In the words of Victor Meldrew -I don't believe it !
On a positive note ,apparently the Cross St crater is to be repaired today or tomorrow .according to Hanson's men on the Plaza de Coro site.
That's good news indeed.
And was that off their own bat or did they need a nudge!
Reinstatement completed today at 12 noon !!!!!
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