Today I was dealing with variety of issues across the divisions.
CLANKING DRAINS on Sicklesmere Rd (opposite Governors Mews) causing a MASSIVE racket and forcing at least one resident of Bury Park Drive to be seriously considering putting his house on the market.
DODGY FOOTPATHS (again) at Rembrandt Way. Hardwick Division seems to have the worst pavements in the country from what I have seen! Hardly anywhere has nice ones. All I can do is get damage patched. It isn't what people want to hear - they understandably want replacement - but the County Council only re-tarmacs a handful a year.
PARKING ON THE GREENS near the Hospital. This is a big inconvenience for the people up there. Visitors avoid car parking fees by leaving their cars on the Greens, often blocking people in and generally disrupting this quiet area. Residents only signs would make a real difference I feel, like they have in London.
SPEED ON HARDWICK LANE. This road is now busier and faster than ever. People don't feel safe crossing without refuges I am finding. One resident at Stonebridge Avenue wants a refuge and I am going to get our activists to check demand in the area as these things are hard to finance.
CROSSING AT HARDWICK LANE/BARONS RD. We have about 150 signatures for this now and need at least the same again. This road is now very fast due to widening and people feel decreasingly safe there. I think there is a good chance we can get this in the next year or two. Not a moment too soon, either.
TOWN GREEN AT LONGMEADOW. A group of residents is seeking to secure land near Longmeadow as a Village Green. This is very much in the hands of the lawyers as it is a legal matter over which Councillors have little power. But I feel sympathetic overall to the preservation of common land as such if it is generally used and valued by the local population in a built-up area such as this.
GUN-NOISE IN HARDWICK. One lady in Hardwick Park Gardens is complaining that the guns from the nearby farms are causing a nuisance to local residents who tire of the extreme noise. I am going to ask for the police's views on this matter.
GREAT FEEDBACK from my leaflet to all houses in the division. Really good to hear from so many people.
I AM NOW OUT OF THE OFFICE TILL AUGUST 10TH. EVEN COUNCILLORS HAVE TO TAKE A BIT OF TIME OUT.
I AM BACK ON THE STREETS THEN AND WILL BE SEEING PEOPLE ON FRIDAY 14TH AUG IF YOU WISH TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT JUST EMAIL ME ON CRAIG.DEARDEN-PHILLIPS@SUFFOLK.GOV.UK
Friday, July 24, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Friday 17th July 09
Day started at the Fire Station with St Edmundsbury Commander Ali Mosely. He showed me around the place and we discussed the particular fire-challenges facing people in Hardwick. The area is mainly residential and has a lot older citizens so a big challenge is basic safety around the home - not overloading plug sockets, turning off rings, general awareness. There are also a lot of young people and work takes place in all our schools educating teens about the risks and consequences of road traffic accidents. Rescue is a big part of the Fire and Rescue Teams' work and RTAs involving youngsters are a big problem in St Edmundsbury.
Then off to Priory School to meet the excellent Head there Roger Mackenzie. Roger has been at the school not far off 20 years and became head about five years ago. Priory is a lovely school which caters for children with special educational needs. The atmosphere and environment are fantastic and a credit to the staff there.
In the afternoon I tour the Nowton estate with our local Police Community Safety officer. She knows the area extremely well and is well respected by locals, as evidenced by our hour-long walkabout. Police-presence is deeply valued by the commu nity, particularly foot-patrols.
Then off on visits. I see a young woman who is organising a petition for a crossing near Hardwick Lane/Wilks Road. Then a lady who feels intimidated by speeding cars on Hardwick Lane. Then a man who wishes to create a Town Green in the Longmeadow area and has been dealing with SCC for some time on the matter. He wants my support and he has it.
Finally get home to see my letter on the high court's view that the West Suffolk option must also get full consideration in the local government review has been printed. Also come home to a large pile of mail from constituents following my letter to all 3500 houses this week. Good end to a busy day!
Then off to Priory School to meet the excellent Head there Roger Mackenzie. Roger has been at the school not far off 20 years and became head about five years ago. Priory is a lovely school which caters for children with special educational needs. The atmosphere and environment are fantastic and a credit to the staff there.
In the afternoon I tour the Nowton estate with our local Police Community Safety officer. She knows the area extremely well and is well respected by locals, as evidenced by our hour-long walkabout. Police-presence is deeply valued by the commu nity, particularly foot-patrols.
Then off on visits. I see a young woman who is organising a petition for a crossing near Hardwick Lane/Wilks Road. Then a lady who feels intimidated by speeding cars on Hardwick Lane. Then a man who wishes to create a Town Green in the Longmeadow area and has been dealing with SCC for some time on the matter. He wants my support and he has it.
Finally get home to see my letter on the high court's view that the West Suffolk option must also get full consideration in the local government review has been printed. Also come home to a large pile of mail from constituents following my letter to all 3500 houses this week. Good end to a busy day!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Meeting the Minister - and more
Not a Government one, the Minister in question being Peter Gibson who is vicar of Southgate Community Church. SGC is a vibrant congregation of 150 which worships in the Community Centre. Peter is new to the area and deeply committed to outreach work helping the community. We agree to work together where we can. Churches are key players in our communities and, as I have in the past, I sense I can work with this particular church.
Then met BSE Youth Council. All very bright young people, many of whom were entrepreneurs of various sorts. If only all SCC Councillors had so much going on. They give me a list of things they feel are important for SCC to know about in Bury, most notably how poor the main Connexions-run youth facility `46' is in the Town. I promise to raise it.
Finally met residents of Byefield Way who feel encroached upon by the garden centre which is seeking to increase its opening hours. The centre's gradual expansion over the years has added more traffic and people to this residential area and the people living there are a bit worried that St Eds is taking too soft a line. I agree to ensure a united front with my Borough Colleagues.
Three new bits of casework this week.
1. Crossing on Wilks Rd/Hardwick Lane near Hardwick Primary School. Residents want a zebra crossing where the refuge currently is. Traffic flows and usage make this a reasonable proposition but this is currently not in the pipeline. Have advised residents to start a petition that if they can start our activists will complete using door to door.
2. Traffic in Vale Lane. Lorries and cars use this road as a car-park which causes danger and inconvenience to residents of Byefield Way. Agreed to raise this with Police and Council (who seem to think this is the others' responsibility!)
3. Policing. There is strong feeling from many residents that there just isn't a particularly strong police presence/response in the town. My Green colleague Mark Ereira has expressed this view and I will hopefully join him soon in a formal meeting with the town's police.
Then met BSE Youth Council. All very bright young people, many of whom were entrepreneurs of various sorts. If only all SCC Councillors had so much going on. They give me a list of things they feel are important for SCC to know about in Bury, most notably how poor the main Connexions-run youth facility `46' is in the Town. I promise to raise it.
Finally met residents of Byefield Way who feel encroached upon by the garden centre which is seeking to increase its opening hours. The centre's gradual expansion over the years has added more traffic and people to this residential area and the people living there are a bit worried that St Eds is taking too soft a line. I agree to ensure a united front with my Borough Colleagues.
Three new bits of casework this week.
1. Crossing on Wilks Rd/Hardwick Lane near Hardwick Primary School. Residents want a zebra crossing where the refuge currently is. Traffic flows and usage make this a reasonable proposition but this is currently not in the pipeline. Have advised residents to start a petition that if they can start our activists will complete using door to door.
2. Traffic in Vale Lane. Lorries and cars use this road as a car-park which causes danger and inconvenience to residents of Byefield Way. Agreed to raise this with Police and Council (who seem to think this is the others' responsibility!)
3. Policing. There is strong feeling from many residents that there just isn't a particularly strong police presence/response in the town. My Green colleague Mark Ereira has expressed this view and I will hopefully join him soon in a formal meeting with the town's police.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Small Gains
Came off the phone just now to Steve Boor, St Eds roads and highways man.
He has agreed:
1. To drop a kerb outside Hardwick Primary
2. To repair unsafe pavements outside the school.
3. To do jet-clean of the pavements outside Hardwick shops
4. To do a sweep-clean of the pavements at 1 Constable Rd.
All within a few weeks. Nice to get something done.
He has agreed:
1. To drop a kerb outside Hardwick Primary
2. To repair unsafe pavements outside the school.
3. To do jet-clean of the pavements outside Hardwick shops
4. To do a sweep-clean of the pavements at 1 Constable Rd.
All within a few weeks. Nice to get something done.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Why we need to save our schools
Spent time this week with Tony Ballard of HC3 Community Church. HC3 meet at Horringer Court School and would like to build shared facilities on the site for use of the wider community. There is no community centre in that part of the Division, unlike in Southgate. And it shows. There is less going on, particularly for the young and the very old. B
Both Tony and the Head know this and aspire to develop the school into a hub for community action. However, the ongoing uncertainty around the Middle Schools is stalling anything major happening. At the moment, we don't know if the site will be adapted as a primary, an annexe to an Upper School or sold for development.
Of these three options, the last is the least palatable. For take away the school and you remove the only significant community resource in the area. The shops will close (they are already struggling) and the area will be simply a suburb.
This would be OK if it was an area without needs. But it isn't. Many old people live there, many not at all well off and often isolated. Young people have very little to do. Every area, and particularly those where there are social needs, needs institutions that are supported by the whole community. This is one such area.
So I am supporting HC3 and Horringer Court Middle School to fight for a future. A future in which, hopefully, there will be a Middle School on the site, or, failing that, a permanent school or community resource.
Both Tony and the Head know this and aspire to develop the school into a hub for community action. However, the ongoing uncertainty around the Middle Schools is stalling anything major happening. At the moment, we don't know if the site will be adapted as a primary, an annexe to an Upper School or sold for development.
Of these three options, the last is the least palatable. For take away the school and you remove the only significant community resource in the area. The shops will close (they are already struggling) and the area will be simply a suburb.
This would be OK if it was an area without needs. But it isn't. Many old people live there, many not at all well off and often isolated. Young people have very little to do. Every area, and particularly those where there are social needs, needs institutions that are supported by the whole community. This is one such area.
So I am supporting HC3 and Horringer Court Middle School to fight for a future. A future in which, hopefully, there will be a Middle School on the site, or, failing that, a permanent school or community resource.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Pavements outside Hardwick Primary
Visited 85 year old Doreen Roberts today who lives near Hardwick Primary. She uses an electric scooter to get around and had called me to see if I could help improve the terrible pavements just outside the school.
And what an awful state they were in too. Plus a big need for a dropped kerb for wheelchair / scooter users. SCC has a budget for hazards and I hope to tap into this.
Promised to come back to Mrs Roberts week after next. Turns out she is a former Lib Dem activist who recalls the days when we first won the ward in the early 70s.
I really like the area around there. It feels like a proper community. Kids play out. Old people walk round unmolested. No sense of threat. At its heart is a school, a church, a community centre and local shops. Take any of these out and the place would be diminished. As it is, it is a vibrant area which residents really like.
And what an awful state they were in too. Plus a big need for a dropped kerb for wheelchair / scooter users. SCC has a budget for hazards and I hope to tap into this.
Promised to come back to Mrs Roberts week after next. Turns out she is a former Lib Dem activist who recalls the days when we first won the ward in the early 70s.
I really like the area around there. It feels like a proper community. Kids play out. Old people walk round unmolested. No sense of threat. At its heart is a school, a church, a community centre and local shops. Take any of these out and the place would be diminished. As it is, it is a vibrant area which residents really like.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Pavements and Weeds - The Dirty Dozen
My letter in the Bury Free Press certainly did the trick!
I asked people send in photos of dodgy pavements and roads and I have had quite a few people get in touch.
Not quite a Dirty Dozen yet but well on my way!
Mrs M of Long Meadow sent in 20 pics of weed-infested pavements there.
And I have just had Mr R of Constable Rd asking me to go along and see pavements not replaceed in 42 years!
He tells me the old folk are terrified of falling and injuring themselves.
Will see if I can get the Free Press interested in this story. Will do a few pics and see if I can get the Council interested in sorting it out.
I asked people send in photos of dodgy pavements and roads and I have had quite a few people get in touch.
Not quite a Dirty Dozen yet but well on my way!
Mrs M of Long Meadow sent in 20 pics of weed-infested pavements there.
And I have just had Mr R of Constable Rd asking me to go along and see pavements not replaceed in 42 years!
He tells me the old folk are terrified of falling and injuring themselves.
Will see if I can get the Free Press interested in this story. Will do a few pics and see if I can get the Council interested in sorting it out.
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