I'll tell you why it's so frustrating trying to get things done. Today I noticed that the new flags around the seating area outside the post office had been badly stained. This is perhaps due to people who sit on that nice stone bench and spill drinks which have caused the flagstones to become a bit of a mess.
I phoned SLDC street cleaning to see if they could come and clean them but the number I had wasn't responding. I got through to a catch all number who said she would pass on my complaint and she gave me an email address. I mailed that address then went down to the SLDC yard in North Lonsdale road but the boss man Bruce was on Holiday and the man that was in the office didn't know anything. He had been drafted in from Kendal to cover for Bruce. I asked about a steam cleaner but drew a blank, I would have to wait till Bruce came back off holiday.
There was also damage to one of the small metal bits on the seat that is there to stop the skaters grinding on the seats. I phoned our clerks office to find out if we owned the seats but our town clerk was on holiday and his secretary was busy with an allotments committee, and could I call back later, later I forgot to phone so I'll try again tomorrow.
Why can't I just get through to one person who says yep, no problem we'll sort it tomorrow. I just don't know if this is a town council job, an SLDC job or a county council job. It may even be a central government job, but it's not my job. I would quite happily do the job if I had a steam cleaner, and as it's my ward I feel sort of responsible, but at least I made a few calls and tried, and I don't get paid to do this trying. Just thought I would put that in so you know.
9.28.2010
9.21.2010
A giant step for U.T.C.
Last night I introduced an item onto the councils agenda, communication via email. This all came about from my blog musings a week or so ago titled Too much Information. I had thought that this idea of us receiving papers and minutes via this new fangled email thing would have been a dead duck but no. Janette Jenkinson proposed an amendment to my proposal which allowed members to opt for hard copies, by post if they wanted them.
As our deputy mayor had only just bought her first computer, which I believe was still in the box she will opt for hard copies until she gets up to speed. Brenda Marr was another who is reluctant to use her new computer as it would mean paying for a broadband connection. I personally don't see the point of a computer without it being connected to the net. Although of course you don't need broadband to get email, we've been doing it on 56k modems for the last 20 years haven't we. Ah well.
Then we've got Norman Bishop Rowe who wants to jot down his notes on the documents, and didn't seem to want the expense of buying a ream of A4, and going to the trouble of printing the document off to scribble on it. Ah well.
But at the vote they all agreed to pass my motion, so from now the council will save a few pennies on paper and quite a bit more on not having to pay postage on a giant pile of papers every two weeks that then go to the recycling centre. A giant step for UTC.
As our deputy mayor had only just bought her first computer, which I believe was still in the box she will opt for hard copies until she gets up to speed. Brenda Marr was another who is reluctant to use her new computer as it would mean paying for a broadband connection. I personally don't see the point of a computer without it being connected to the net. Although of course you don't need broadband to get email, we've been doing it on 56k modems for the last 20 years haven't we. Ah well.
Then we've got Norman Bishop Rowe who wants to jot down his notes on the documents, and didn't seem to want the expense of buying a ream of A4, and going to the trouble of printing the document off to scribble on it. Ah well.
But at the vote they all agreed to pass my motion, so from now the council will save a few pennies on paper and quite a bit more on not having to pay postage on a giant pile of papers every two weeks that then go to the recycling centre. A giant step for UTC.
9.07.2010
Too much Information
I have been having a trawl through the bulk of papers that I received from our town clerk last week that came along with my copy of the latest agenda.
Here's a list of what I was supposed to read through, and understand.
The minutes of the Allotments committee from a meeting they held on 23rd of August.
It covered; discounts for allotment holders, an allotments newsletter, a side access door for Hill Fall, preventative work on a wall, Bee keeping, an entrance at Dragley beck,Bonfires, hard standing at Poplar grove, security, United Utilities work on a sewer near Ellers allotments, phase 2 of work at Dragley beck, The waiting list, plus at any other business erosion at Dragley beck, banking collapse at Tank field, where ever that is, drainage at Hill Fall, stuff about Sandside, and yellow Ragwort at dragley beck and finally neglected plots.
A letter from a man in Dalton about a song he had written about Hoad Monument with a copy of the 5 verses, plus an explanation of the lyric. attached was a copy of the sheet music.
The Minutes of a meeting of Ulverston Community Partnership, this was the executive committee from Aug. 11th.
Most of it is a report on the RDPE project bid. That stands for Rural Development Project Europe, I think. Any way that covered both sides of an A4 sheet.
Next The Minutes of the Albert association, Matters arising, Treasurers report, Other reports, Future visits,, then any other business.
Then it's onto The Minutes of Ulverston in bloom.
Matters arising, sponsership, Daltongate, Planting, High Level Hanging baskets, Charter gardening competition, AFC tree planting scheme, squirrel seats, Dog fouling,Box lettering shrubs, trees at tank square, Co-option of other members, UIB plans for the future, Corresponence about ground maintenance,flower beds in town, Cumbria in bloom awards, a budget update, any other business. 4 pages in all.
A Report from St Johns Ambulance that runs to a full page of A4, by Norman Bishop Rowe
A Report about 2223 squadron that runs to a full page of A4, by Norman Bishop Rowe
A Report from the Dickensian committee which runs to a page of A4 by N.B.R, 3 pages of A4
A letter from Croftlands community safety group about a need for road markings on Central drive that runs to one page of A4.
A directive from SLDC regarding a review of statement of licensing policy 2011-13 which is just over a page long
Now we get a page from the UTC grants and finance on grants to GSK football club. We gave them 500 quid although why we give dosh to GSK is a mystery but hey. a grant for someone to volunteer in Tanzania, and something about the councils grant policy.
There is now the minutes of a town council meeting on Aug.9th which runs to 3 pages.
A page of minutes from a closed session of UTC on Aug. 9th
And it goes on;
A notice of a review of polling stations and polling places from SLDC that is two pages long
And last but not least is the agenda for the meeting of Ulverston Town Council that actually took place last night. that is 3 pages long.
And that's it folks.
To me this is far too much information, and I don't get paid to do this job. I think that it's time to cut down on all this paper, time to put all this onto email and save the council a lot of money in waste paper. You see being swamped with so much stuff I simply ignore most of it. I know I should read it all take it in and bring comment to the council chamber but I don't have the time or inclination to. Maybe if this was a paid post I would, or would I as so much of it is just reams and reams of waffle, important to someone but not to me. It hardly relates to how we run our town, it's simply bureaucracy for its own sake. I just thought I would share it with you, and you have only got the headings, imagine how much stuff we're suppose to take in and understand, and have an opinion on. My brain can't deal with it all and why should it, as I said we don't get paid, we're here as volunteers, and I want an end to this avalanche before I suffocate from too much information.
Here's a list of what I was supposed to read through, and understand.
The minutes of the Allotments committee from a meeting they held on 23rd of August.
It covered; discounts for allotment holders, an allotments newsletter, a side access door for Hill Fall, preventative work on a wall, Bee keeping, an entrance at Dragley beck,Bonfires, hard standing at Poplar grove, security, United Utilities work on a sewer near Ellers allotments, phase 2 of work at Dragley beck, The waiting list, plus at any other business erosion at Dragley beck, banking collapse at Tank field, where ever that is, drainage at Hill Fall, stuff about Sandside, and yellow Ragwort at dragley beck and finally neglected plots.
A letter from a man in Dalton about a song he had written about Hoad Monument with a copy of the 5 verses, plus an explanation of the lyric. attached was a copy of the sheet music.
The Minutes of a meeting of Ulverston Community Partnership, this was the executive committee from Aug. 11th.
Most of it is a report on the RDPE project bid. That stands for Rural Development Project Europe, I think. Any way that covered both sides of an A4 sheet.
Next The Minutes of the Albert association, Matters arising, Treasurers report, Other reports, Future visits,, then any other business.
Then it's onto The Minutes of Ulverston in bloom.
Matters arising, sponsership, Daltongate, Planting, High Level Hanging baskets, Charter gardening competition, AFC tree planting scheme, squirrel seats, Dog fouling,Box lettering shrubs, trees at tank square, Co-option of other members, UIB plans for the future, Corresponence about ground maintenance,flower beds in town, Cumbria in bloom awards, a budget update, any other business. 4 pages in all.
A Report from St Johns Ambulance that runs to a full page of A4, by Norman Bishop Rowe
A Report about 2223 squadron that runs to a full page of A4, by Norman Bishop Rowe
A Report from the Dickensian committee which runs to a page of A4 by N.B.R, 3 pages of A4
A letter from Croftlands community safety group about a need for road markings on Central drive that runs to one page of A4.
A directive from SLDC regarding a review of statement of licensing policy 2011-13 which is just over a page long
Now we get a page from the UTC grants and finance on grants to GSK football club. We gave them 500 quid although why we give dosh to GSK is a mystery but hey. a grant for someone to volunteer in Tanzania, and something about the councils grant policy.
There is now the minutes of a town council meeting on Aug.9th which runs to 3 pages.
A page of minutes from a closed session of UTC on Aug. 9th
And it goes on;
A notice of a review of polling stations and polling places from SLDC that is two pages long
And last but not least is the agenda for the meeting of Ulverston Town Council that actually took place last night. that is 3 pages long.
And that's it folks.
To me this is far too much information, and I don't get paid to do this job. I think that it's time to cut down on all this paper, time to put all this onto email and save the council a lot of money in waste paper. You see being swamped with so much stuff I simply ignore most of it. I know I should read it all take it in and bring comment to the council chamber but I don't have the time or inclination to. Maybe if this was a paid post I would, or would I as so much of it is just reams and reams of waffle, important to someone but not to me. It hardly relates to how we run our town, it's simply bureaucracy for its own sake. I just thought I would share it with you, and you have only got the headings, imagine how much stuff we're suppose to take in and understand, and have an opinion on. My brain can't deal with it all and why should it, as I said we don't get paid, we're here as volunteers, and I want an end to this avalanche before I suffocate from too much information.
9.06.2010
Do we need the TIC
Quite a showing in the public gallery tonight, most there to listen to the debate which was due to be brought up by James Airey (conservative SLDC, UTC.)
Geoff Dellow led the charge at the public for 15 minutes, brandishing a double sided sheet of A4 with various proposals of how we could save our TIC.
Phil Lister, our leader,mayor, had to inform Mr Dellow on a few points, especially the idea of raising money by an increase in the precept, which for you and me is the rates we all pay which is levied by the council. Anyway once we got into the agenda proper our leader brought forward the item to be introduced by Mr Airey on the TIC.
He was all in favour of us retaining the TIC and this was supported by a few councillors who decided to chip in. We suspended standing orders so that Paul Jarvis could speak on behalf of the Ulverston Community Partnership,he's the chairman of this town council quango. He laid out the progress that his committee had made, which seemed to suggest that it wasn't going to be easy to continue with the present provision but they were still exploring options. This is a euphemism for it's not going to happen, I thought.
I was the voice in the wilderness that asked the dumb question, what is the TIC for, what does it do. In the age of the internet, when people can find out where to stay and what to see via the net why do we need a building with staff to tell us stuff we can find out online. Nobody seemed to back me on this, and the debate wound up with some fluffy proposal that we would go with whatever the Ulverston community Partnership came up with, or their plan B. whatever that may be.
After the meeting finished I was approached by Janet Jenkinson who agreed with me that the TIC was all but redundant. Why she never joined me in the debate I don't know.
The thing is that I had a conversation with Colin Hodgeson about an entirely different matter, and in that conversation he said that he only used the net for email, he never used it for finding things out. So that's the problem in a nutshell, all the unconnected want the TIC, but the now generation recognise that it's much easier to get information on line, and as our councillors are a pretty out of touch bunch they were bound to side with the need for a physical TIC office. I don't know why Geoff Dellow wants a TIC, I think he is right about the website, that's the way to go, let's concentrate on that, it would be much more cost effective.
Geoff Dellow led the charge at the public for 15 minutes, brandishing a double sided sheet of A4 with various proposals of how we could save our TIC.
Phil Lister, our leader,mayor, had to inform Mr Dellow on a few points, especially the idea of raising money by an increase in the precept, which for you and me is the rates we all pay which is levied by the council. Anyway once we got into the agenda proper our leader brought forward the item to be introduced by Mr Airey on the TIC.
He was all in favour of us retaining the TIC and this was supported by a few councillors who decided to chip in. We suspended standing orders so that Paul Jarvis could speak on behalf of the Ulverston Community Partnership,he's the chairman of this town council quango. He laid out the progress that his committee had made, which seemed to suggest that it wasn't going to be easy to continue with the present provision but they were still exploring options. This is a euphemism for it's not going to happen, I thought.
I was the voice in the wilderness that asked the dumb question, what is the TIC for, what does it do. In the age of the internet, when people can find out where to stay and what to see via the net why do we need a building with staff to tell us stuff we can find out online. Nobody seemed to back me on this, and the debate wound up with some fluffy proposal that we would go with whatever the Ulverston community Partnership came up with, or their plan B. whatever that may be.
After the meeting finished I was approached by Janet Jenkinson who agreed with me that the TIC was all but redundant. Why she never joined me in the debate I don't know.
The thing is that I had a conversation with Colin Hodgeson about an entirely different matter, and in that conversation he said that he only used the net for email, he never used it for finding things out. So that's the problem in a nutshell, all the unconnected want the TIC, but the now generation recognise that it's much easier to get information on line, and as our councillors are a pretty out of touch bunch they were bound to side with the need for a physical TIC office. I don't know why Geoff Dellow wants a TIC, I think he is right about the website, that's the way to go, let's concentrate on that, it would be much more cost effective.
9.05.2010
Gig in the Garden
I am absolutely knackered but buzzing from todays' Gig in the Garden at Ford Park. The day started at 9 o'clock getting the stage up and setting up the PA and the back line. Lots of wires to plug in and make work, which went surprisingly smoothly. In the meantime the rest of the volunteers got out all the food and drink stalls, and dressed the site with flags and bunting.
Jean and a couple of younger volunteers dressed the stage with colourful bits of material which later strained under the gusts of wind, and eventually some had to be taken down.
I had a bit of struggle with the running order, but in the end I think I got it bang on. WE started at about half one with indie band Stellar Caprice, then came Isolhate. I was a bit nervous about a death metal band, but they're good and they went down really well, surprisingly. Crane do all instrumental stuff, a bit in the vain of yes, another hit with the crowd of about 300. The Mooncats brought the afternoon back down to earth with their take on Barrow life. Next up Bad transmission with singer James getting a happy birthday to you from the crowd and then went about wowing the audience witht their eight piece ska/reggae set. All a little worse for ware due to the fact they had been celebrating all afternoon. But their self effacing style drew loud applause and by now the crowd were ready to party. Enter Streams of whiskey, back from a three year stint at uni, to tear the place apart with a stream of break neck speed Irish tinged tunes. With the crowd in the palm of there hands, lots dancing with much abandon the Gig in the Garden now was well and truly alight. Without doubt one of the best gigs we've put on for many years, and although it often threatened rain it gave no more than a few spots.
This event is one of our best fund-raisers, and one that takes a lot of volunteers to put on and today they did an absolutely fantastic job.
The last band left the stage at 6-15 and by 7. 45 we had cleared the site and you wouldn't have known the event had taken place, all litter picked, all stuff cleared and locked away, and a fantastic day had by all.
We sat and had a fag by the pond, Jackie told us the only incident was a complaint from some couple who had been on hoad hill who had heard nothing but profanities all afternoon. Funny, no one here at the gig heard any such thing, Tom said that if they were listening they should have been asked to pay the five pound entry fee, we all agreed that would have been the correct response.
Jean and a couple of younger volunteers dressed the stage with colourful bits of material which later strained under the gusts of wind, and eventually some had to be taken down.
I had a bit of struggle with the running order, but in the end I think I got it bang on. WE started at about half one with indie band Stellar Caprice, then came Isolhate. I was a bit nervous about a death metal band, but they're good and they went down really well, surprisingly. Crane do all instrumental stuff, a bit in the vain of yes, another hit with the crowd of about 300. The Mooncats brought the afternoon back down to earth with their take on Barrow life. Next up Bad transmission with singer James getting a happy birthday to you from the crowd and then went about wowing the audience witht their eight piece ska/reggae set. All a little worse for ware due to the fact they had been celebrating all afternoon. But their self effacing style drew loud applause and by now the crowd were ready to party. Enter Streams of whiskey, back from a three year stint at uni, to tear the place apart with a stream of break neck speed Irish tinged tunes. With the crowd in the palm of there hands, lots dancing with much abandon the Gig in the Garden now was well and truly alight. Without doubt one of the best gigs we've put on for many years, and although it often threatened rain it gave no more than a few spots.
This event is one of our best fund-raisers, and one that takes a lot of volunteers to put on and today they did an absolutely fantastic job.
The last band left the stage at 6-15 and by 7. 45 we had cleared the site and you wouldn't have known the event had taken place, all litter picked, all stuff cleared and locked away, and a fantastic day had by all.
We sat and had a fag by the pond, Jackie told us the only incident was a complaint from some couple who had been on hoad hill who had heard nothing but profanities all afternoon. Funny, no one here at the gig heard any such thing, Tom said that if they were listening they should have been asked to pay the five pound entry fee, we all agreed that would have been the correct response.
9.02.2010
Disappointed visitors to Hoad monument
Bound to happen, the day after I write about the pictures of the opening not being up on the town council site 4 appear today. And today Ford Park receive a note from Colin Hodgson thanking us for our efforts in putting on a successful gala on monument opening day, so better late than never.
On the monument; working at Ford Park we've seen lots of people, who look like tourists coming through Ford Park on their way to visit the monument. However, we have also had a lot of disappointed visitors on the way back because the monument was closed. Since being open for a full week after the opening ceremony it is now only open on Sundays, and only when the flag is flying.
I know all of us locals understand this signal, the flag flying, but I'm sure that visitors don't know and are making the long climb up hoad to be faced with a locked door. I know that the town council have organised and trained about a dozen keepers but they all do the job as volunteers, and when I visited last Saturday there were three staff on duty, although I would think it could be carried out with two. What amazed me was that there was no charge to visit, not even a donations box. I think that we should charge a fee to visit and perhaps an extra fee if you want to climb to the lantern. How much I don't know, maybe £2 and three to go to the top. Judging on the numbers going up the monument this week I would have thought that we could cover a wage for the keepers.
I expect paying people to do this throws up all sorts of complications, but I think the committee which will manage the monument need to have a serious look at the possibilities.
One idea that we at Ford Park had was that our volunteers could be used to take parties up there when the regular keepers were unavailable.
One way or another we, the town council, have to have some clear sign-age around the access points to point out that the monument is closed, except when the flag is flying, as this is just not fair to those who choose to make the climb only to find a locked door at the end of their slog.
We now have an iconic and beautifully restored tourist attraction that we can be justly proud of, but opening it one day a week on a Sunday, is something that will have to be addressed.
If you've got any thoughts on this then I'ld be happy to hear them and I'll take them to the council for discussion.
On the monument; working at Ford Park we've seen lots of people, who look like tourists coming through Ford Park on their way to visit the monument. However, we have also had a lot of disappointed visitors on the way back because the monument was closed. Since being open for a full week after the opening ceremony it is now only open on Sundays, and only when the flag is flying.
I know all of us locals understand this signal, the flag flying, but I'm sure that visitors don't know and are making the long climb up hoad to be faced with a locked door. I know that the town council have organised and trained about a dozen keepers but they all do the job as volunteers, and when I visited last Saturday there were three staff on duty, although I would think it could be carried out with two. What amazed me was that there was no charge to visit, not even a donations box. I think that we should charge a fee to visit and perhaps an extra fee if you want to climb to the lantern. How much I don't know, maybe £2 and three to go to the top. Judging on the numbers going up the monument this week I would have thought that we could cover a wage for the keepers.
I expect paying people to do this throws up all sorts of complications, but I think the committee which will manage the monument need to have a serious look at the possibilities.
One idea that we at Ford Park had was that our volunteers could be used to take parties up there when the regular keepers were unavailable.
One way or another we, the town council, have to have some clear sign-age around the access points to point out that the monument is closed, except when the flag is flying, as this is just not fair to those who choose to make the climb only to find a locked door at the end of their slog.
We now have an iconic and beautifully restored tourist attraction that we can be justly proud of, but opening it one day a week on a Sunday, is something that will have to be addressed.
If you've got any thoughts on this then I'ld be happy to hear them and I'll take them to the council for discussion.
9.01.2010
Website in the doldrums
I'm a bit disappointed with the councils website which should have been updated by now with some pictures from the re-opening of the Sir John Barrow Monument. It's now almost two weeks since the event and still has flagged up, the flyer for the event. It tells us when the contractors are going to start, when it's already finished.
We should be seeing pictures from the opening and lots more pictures of the finished monument.
We should be seeing pictures from the opening and lots more pictures of the finished monument.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)