I've a lot on my plate at present.
I'm still sorting out my thinking on this issue. So far:
1. If the opportunity to use a Sainsburys Store presented itself in Ulverston - I'd use it. Superstores are a great convenience for people living full lives - they are a part of modern life and have many advantages.
This is not to say that we can't have and improvement on the Superstore model where the small business is promoted - a glorified and modern indoor market concept. Let's be ahead of the game for a change - not following a country trend.
2. No planning application has been submitted for this proposal - they are just testing the water.
3. The presention they have made is just gloss and meant to impress - it gives no information about important details. The most important for me is the Car Parking proposal.
a) It would appear that the phrase "underground car parking" is just a gimmic and in fact there is very little.
b) The existing Brewery St Car Park is being taken over . Something the SLDC may see as a source of funds. This would be disastrous for local shops.
The car parks in the town are not being used effectively because they are vastly overpriced. The town does need car parks that are cheap - this will help our Market on Thursday and Saturday.
What we desparately need is some leadership in tackling the issue of cars in Ulverston. The Ulverston Town Council need to take this on but we don't have any councillors with the determination to do so. The present situation is a mess and is assisting the trend of shops all over town closing.
We need councillors with balls not just load mouths.
What will happen at the elections next year - I suspect at least two new SLDC councillors will be needed : to replace Brian Wilkinson and now Colin Hodgson; both are suffering from poor health.
Good candidates please step forward. I'll do all I can to support you.
I doubt that my health will enable me to run and continue the projects I'm already involved in.
4 comments:
Sounds like the supermarket idea is a fishing expedition, in Kendal Sainsbury's did the same sort of thing trying to bully the local cricket club into moving by attempting to get the community against the club - but it back fired and the Sainsbury's have quietly gone to lick their wounds.
Those interested in running for council are presented with a great importunity to get themselves known with all the social tools available today and it's only takes 15mins per day. Tim Farron is an example on how a councilor should be working, knowing how to conduct themselves, when to be none political in language (ie most of the time), how to take on board everyone's differing views.
I read a piece Tim wrote this week in which he seems very worried that the LibDems are going to get a pasting at the next local elections and wants to change that worry by persuading representatives at local level to get more involved.
I think he's got an uphill struggle, last year when the Gazette reported that SLDC councilors attended an activity day where local students demonstrated the merits of social networking for keep people informed, councilors were saying what a great idea it was. I wrote to Tim saying he should on the back of the gazette report get the councilors to make use of these tools as he does. He agreed to promote it to them but confided it was a struggle getting them to practice it. Hence I can see his worry for the local elections.
To me it looks like local councilors are too happy to just go for the photo of them pointing at a pothole communication option.
So any councilors reading this, are you going to get social, setup a public twitter/facebook account, post a daily none political sentence on council/local issues/updates, seek views/opinions. Follow Tim's accounts to see how it's done, can you match or improve on it?
Well said Dave,
Can I repeat my offer to anyone interested that I will share with you all the information that I've picked up on the use of blogs, Facebook and Twitter.
This applies to ANYONE of what ever persuasion.
We only have one councillor who uses a blog : Colin Williams, Town Councillor. The link to him is on the right. I regret he doesn't say more.
We would then be better informed.
Now's your chance Tom Henderson : are you going to bite the bullet or just remain sniping from the side lines - which is fun but achieves little ?
Are you saying that you are not interested in coming forward yourself?
I would consider it only if a group of people were willing to work hard to get me in - and then undercertain conditions.
I ask myself "Do I really want to do a job I would hate only because others are doing it badly"
Do I really want to suffer an emotional roller coaster unless there was strong support?
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