There was a lively and passionate debate at the Green Party Conference on 'Greens in Local Government' in which a position that Green Councils should propose budgets that do not entails cuts, and another recognising that the reputational damage to an anti-cuts party of Green Councils carrying out cuts on behalf of central government, may outweigh the benefits of trying to make cuts in a 'caring and consultative manner', were defeated.
Despite this setback a Green Left fringe meeting attended by some Brighton and Hove councillors carried on the debate, demonstrating that this issue remains live. The recent undermining of local government through financial cuts and the unexpectedly large cuts that will take place next year make this a genuine issue for all local councils of whatever political complexion. Are we content to be the Coalition's bailiffs?
These videos are a record of that fringe meeting:
Despite this setback a Green Left fringe meeting attended by some Brighton and Hove councillors carried on the debate, demonstrating that this issue remains live. The recent undermining of local government through financial cuts and the unexpectedly large cuts that will take place next year make this a genuine issue for all local councils of whatever political complexion. Are we content to be the Coalition's bailiffs?
These videos are a record of that fringe meeting:
Martin,
ReplyDeleteIf you Took a walk along Chalk hill road today and as you reach the Junction opposite the block of flats you would surely be saddened to say the least to see a dustbin (which has been there for ages actually)
its a green type one and a fair amount of it's contents as been tipped out onto the pavement and has been there since I first saw it on friday morning.
not a thing appears to have been picked up and it looks really disgusting.
and actually it upsets me deeply because this is where I live and I want the area I live in to be kept as clean as possible.
but that seems to be difficult these days?
what do I and everyone else pay council tax for?
I have been told that the council are responsible for litter collection on the pavements and green areas?
but they don't seem to be taking that responsibility seriously?
but I bet you if I decided to test them and not pay my dues regarding council tax
it wouldn't be long before I start receiving reminders and warnings and eventually a summons to appear in court for non payment of council tax.
fair enough...but what about the way the council carries out it's duties?
is it fair and just that they should be allowed to drag their feet but we the tax payers are expected to pay on time all the time?
Hi Trevor,
DeleteI have passed on your comments to Michael Pavey, one of our ward councillors to see if he can get some action. I agree the state of the streets affects how one feels about an area significantly.
in fact martin
DeleteI would like you to come over to chalk hill road please so you can see for yourself what I described in my previous post.
so you can see for yourself just how bad conditions are around here.
and if you can come please bring a camera and please take some photo's and post it on this site so that people can see the reality of street sweeping on chalk hill road.
when rubbish is allowed to be left on pavements for days on end, no way can the payment of council tax be justified
especially when part of the tax is used for street cleaning etc.
also street drains are allowed to be left blocked solid for ages despite the fact that we pay tax which is meant to be used to pay for services such as street drain clearing.
I remember a few years ago talking to two men who work as street drain clearers and I asked them why many drain are left blocked solid?
and I was shocked when they both responded by saying oh it's because there are too many drains in this borough and it is impossible to keep them cleared on a regular basis.
I accept to a certain extent that yes there are many street drains but to use that as a convenient excuse for allowing many to remain blocked solid in many cases is not acceptable in my opinion.
martin something must be done to deal with this because it cannot and should not be allowed to continue.
we pay for services, therefore the work MUST BE CARRIED OUT AND TO A HIGH STANDARD ON A REGULAR BASIS.
that is not an unreasonable request.
after all bread makers for example make our daily bread which we buy and eat and enjoy and rarely have cause for complaint because they work to a certain standard which is accepted by the public.
but the council takes our money and gives us back a unacceptable return and that must stop.
if the money we pay in terms of council tax was fake and we deliberately and knowingly gave fake money
the council would be quick to complain and for good reason.
well I Think that we the tax payers have many valid causes for complaint due to the insulting returns we get.
and yet amazingly our cries are ignored.
but when we do wrong and the council cries out they have the law to back them but when we cry out where are the laws to back us up?
Thank you very much Martin
DeleteI really appreciate your assistance.
I just so want to see standards be raised as high as possible in this area and borough.
because it is our home and we should take care of it.
imagine martin that for example we were told that her majesty the queen was due to visit chalk hill road Tomorrow, I think it is safe to say that the rubbish that has been left on the pavement on Chalk hill road would have been removed without doubt
and why?
because the queen would be visiting and we would not want her to come and see that we have low standards in this area.
also you can be sure that the media would be here to film it and take photographs etc etc and we would not want people to see our pavements covered in litter etc
because that is disgraceful and embarrassing to say the least.
and yet sadly the truth is we would only clean up just for that day and once its over you can be sure the standards would go back to normal again.
it should not take the presence of royalty to inspire us to clean up the area we live in.
martin
Deletejust to update you on the litter situation.
yesterday Evening as I walked along chalk hill road the rubbish was still scattered along the pavement and the bin had been turned upside down along side it.
and further down the road another green bin and it's contents had been emptied onto the pavement and the bin also turned upside down along side it.
this is not acceptable and It makes me wonder what I and everyone else is paying council tax for?
the standard of litter collection along chalk hill road is not good enough in my opinion.
rubbish is regularly left in bushes for example, so it seems as if we are paying full council tax and getting back a half hearted service in return!
what is going on?
I was there this morning and the main rubbish seemed to have been cleared. There was still quite a lot of litter along the road so I don't think there had been a normal street sweep. The area behind the bookies at the junction of Chalkhill Road and Bridge Road remains disgusting but I think that is the responsibility of the tenants,
Deletethanks for your response martin.
DeleteI wish that the people responsible for dropping litter on a regular basis could be inspired to change their habit and start thinking about the reality of what they do?
naturally the less litter that is dropped the cleaner the pavements and green areas will become.
I don't no know of course why people choose to be careless and drop waste?
it does not take much effort to look for a bin to dispose of waste properly.
and if a bin cannot be found nearby then carry it back to where they live and dispose of the
waste in their dustbins.
OK that will take time and effort but the benefits are the environment goes from resembling one big new style dustbin
to a nice looking clean place which is how it should be of course
but it's sadly not because people responsible for the mess are not willing to make the effort.
something must be down to change this martin.
this is our home and we should take better care of it.
but effort will need to be made on the part of those of us that are willing to make the effort of disposing of waste properly in order to inspire those that are currently unwilling to be responsible.