It has been a while since I've blogged on what we've been up to as a Labour group, working for the residents of Warwick West.
In the last few weeks, we've had a flurry of complaints from residents about road safety, both within the town centre and in Chase Meadow. As town councillors, we don't sit on a council that has any control over the roads but what we can do is help residents lobby for road safety measures.
In Chase Meadow, the road in question is the main road through the estate and current parking arrangements mean that residents are having difficulty in crossing the road safely, as parked vehicles are impossible to see through. In the morning school children compete with the traffic and quite a few people have remarked that double yellow lines and a pedestrian crossing would make this road a lot safer for everyone. We've contacted the Highways team and have started to lobby hard for this. I am very glad that the Chase Meadow Residents Association are in agreement with this, and hopefully we will be able to report an update on this soon.
I've also had contact with the District Council about the grass cutting, weeds and other maintenance issues around the Chase Meadow estate. The officer agreed to talk a walk around with me and we identified quite a few problems that need addressing, including overhanging branches, faulty streetlights and unadopted roads. He wrote it all down and promised to work with the County Council to resolve these issues.
It doesn't really matter that some of these things are County or District functions. Personally, I am happy to take up any issue that is concerning residents and find a way through to a resolution, and I know that this view is shared by my Labour Party colleagues in Warwick.
Friday 15 July 2011
Saturday 9 July 2011
virtual Rhyme Time
Oh, and I thought this deserved a post all of it's own. The report states that people want to access services in their own homes, and that people want to "participate in Rhyme Time in their homes and nurseries."
Thud.
Rhyme Time is great. I've been to loads of them with my children over the years. It is a chance for parents, caters and children to learn new songs, sing them, have a chat with others and get out of the house. It is the kind of service that becomes a lifeline for parents and caters of young children, not to mention the added bonus of getting young children into the library habit at a young age.
WCC don't specify how they will deliver this in homes but if they are thinking that this is the sort of thing that could be done effectively through the Internet they are wrong. Children don't need more screen time, they need less. My optician is always going on about the rising numbers of children with eye problems, which he blames on TV and computers. No. We should be doing all we can to encourage parents and carers of young children get out of the house and into libraries and childrens centres.
Once again, families and young children are the victims of the Tory cuts.
Thud.
Rhyme Time is great. I've been to loads of them with my children over the years. It is a chance for parents, caters and children to learn new songs, sing them, have a chat with others and get out of the house. It is the kind of service that becomes a lifeline for parents and caters of young children, not to mention the added bonus of getting young children into the library habit at a young age.
WCC don't specify how they will deliver this in homes but if they are thinking that this is the sort of thing that could be done effectively through the Internet they are wrong. Children don't need more screen time, they need less. My optician is always going on about the rising numbers of children with eye problems, which he blames on TV and computers. No. We should be doing all we can to encourage parents and carers of young children get out of the house and into libraries and childrens centres.
Once again, families and young children are the victims of the Tory cuts.
Libraries in Warwickshire
I'm sure that by now, you've all devoured all 326 pages of the Warwickshire County Council report outlining the future for libraries in Warwickshire? I know a few people will have done so already, in preparation for Overview and Scrutiny on Monday, but I suspect most people have their attention on the current hacking scandal.
Firstly, many sympathies to the WCC employees who are now at risk of redundancy. I worked for Warwickshire Libraries for quite a few years as a HR Manager, so I know at first hand how hard-working, committed and skilled library staff are. They've also been through significant change over the last few years: the introduction of RFID and one-stop-shops have impacted negatively on morale and have reduced the number of qualified librarians in our libraries. I hope that suitable alternative employment is found for the displaced libaries staff, but I suspect that this will prove impossible. I wonder what the combined costs of the redundancy and pension fund will be, against the anticipated savings? It is a question that should be asked.
I feel very sorry for the communities who will lose their libraries. The report states that some groups have come forward to take over the library for the benefits of their communities. I have grave concerns about the ability of volunteers to run an efficient and effective library service. Who decides when it will open? Will volunteers seek to exclude users, either accidentally, or by design? What if a volunteer can't be bothered to get out of bed one day? Who checks on the quality of the service, and who is accountable for the things that happen there?
WCC states that these groups will be able to rent the current library building at a peppercorn rent for up to 5 years. How will these libraries continue past this magic 5 year point? I fail to see how a volunter group will be able to sustain the service beyond 5 years, given th need to maintain IT, pay for utiliies, insurance, and all the other things that local authorities are able to pay for more effectively through economies of scale.
Firstly, many sympathies to the WCC employees who are now at risk of redundancy. I worked for Warwickshire Libraries for quite a few years as a HR Manager, so I know at first hand how hard-working, committed and skilled library staff are. They've also been through significant change over the last few years: the introduction of RFID and one-stop-shops have impacted negatively on morale and have reduced the number of qualified librarians in our libraries. I hope that suitable alternative employment is found for the displaced libaries staff, but I suspect that this will prove impossible. I wonder what the combined costs of the redundancy and pension fund will be, against the anticipated savings? It is a question that should be asked.
I feel very sorry for the communities who will lose their libraries. The report states that some groups have come forward to take over the library for the benefits of their communities. I have grave concerns about the ability of volunteers to run an efficient and effective library service. Who decides when it will open? Will volunteers seek to exclude users, either accidentally, or by design? What if a volunteer can't be bothered to get out of bed one day? Who checks on the quality of the service, and who is accountable for the things that happen there?
WCC states that these groups will be able to rent the current library building at a peppercorn rent for up to 5 years. How will these libraries continue past this magic 5 year point? I fail to see how a volunter group will be able to sustain the service beyond 5 years, given th need to maintain IT, pay for utiliies, insurance, and all the other things that local authorities are able to pay for more effectively through economies of scale.
Sunday 3 July 2011
Sea Scouts HQ Myton Fields
Last Thursday night I was asked to attend a meeting of the Town Council, at which the 2nd Warwick Sea Scouts presented their vision for their new HQ at Myton Fields. It was clearly a meeting in which tensions were likely to run high; residents of Myton Road were invited and they have already been to the press with their concerns.
The current position of the Sea Scouts is one of uncertainty. They have a deteriorating clubhouse, situated at the far end of St Nick's Park. Their membership is full, and they have a 175-strong waiting list. Their current clubhouse is at the end of its life, and probably contravenes all sorts of modern-day building regulations. A purpose-built, modern clubhouse would allow them to reduce their waiting list and provide the sorts of facilities that a modern day scouting movement requires.
They outlined their plans for the clubhouse: a building on Myton Fields that is bigger than their current clubhouse and would allow them storage for their kit. From the drawings they presented, the building is no taller than the tallest house on that side of the road (and of course, Warwick School towers over them all) but it is clear that the residents are not happy with the proposed site, so to an extent, the size of the building is irrelevant.
So what is the problem with building on Myton Fields? Well, clearly for the residents in that area, flooding is a real, and very serious issue. The current building is in Flood Zone 1 and the proposed building is in Flood Zone 2. Now, I don't claim to understand the Flood Zones at all, but before the building commences, there will have to be a proper assessment of the risks involved. Needless to say, any building in this area will have an impact on the flood risks for the future, and that is worrying for everyone.
Secondly, parking was highlighted as a real concern for everyone. During the summer, Myton Fields is turned into an overflow car park for people using St Nick's and it is always full. During the winter, it is usually too muddy to use and is locked. The residents raised some very valid points about access to the new building, and at this stage there appear to be no real answers. Clearly, Warwick School looks like the most sensible solution, as they have adequate parking onsite and a drop-off area. If a negotiated solution with Warwick School could be agreed, then this might mitigate some of the impact. How possible this might be, I don't know.
One very interesting proposal emerged during the meeting: the possibility that the Sea Scouts might be able to demolish their existing building and re-build there. We'd understood that the landowner (Warwick District Council) had previously wanted this but Cllr Doody agreed to discuss this possibility with the Sea Scouts. Clearly, this was welcomed by the residents and it was finally agreed that all sides would sit down and discuss again.
Quite where this will leave the Sea Scouts is another matter. I very much hope that a solution is found. I don't think anyone would disagree that they need this new HQ. That a youth organisation is flourishing at this time, and has such great aspirations for its membership, should applauded and supported. I very much hope that a way can be found to make the HQ and its neighbours co-exist happily.
This meeting illustrates for me very clearly the very difficult decisions that planning committees have to make. I'm not a member of the WTC planning committee, and it is the Warwick District Council that will pass or reject the planning application, and I certainly don't envy those that will have to make the final decision. The Sea Scouts were not compelled to hold the meeting, and I think it is was sensible of them to reach out to their neighbours and seek their views.
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