The constant reference to councillors and their lack of support and action may bemuse or even offend some people but the truth of the matter is that it is councillors that hold the key. This has been expressed by MPs, and confirmed by the Government Office for Yorkshire and Humberside, 'that is what councillors are there for' we were told. Full support and concern has been expressed at key times, usually pre-election, but we have seen one councillor respond (those were the days) negatively to one of our requests, as a Leeds City Council employee - "We at Leeds City Council etc etc.........", and not as someone elected to SERVE the community.
The following first appeared as a post in July 2009 but is just as valid today -
The locally elected councillors have a key role to play in campaigns such as ours, the following is an extract from the Leeds City Council web page Councillors' roles and responsibilities -
Why are councillors important?
Leeds councillors provide a voice to the people living in the ward that they represent. They are aware of the needs of their community and are in touch with the issues that local people face.
As well as influencing council decisions on funding and development, they work with other organisations, such as the police, local schools and health services to help bring about improvements to services and the environment for their community.
Worth reading more than once!
The email contact details for our councillors are:
Stewart Golton - stewart.golton@leeds.gov.uk
Steve Smith - steve.cllr.smith@leeds.gov.uk
Don Wilson - donald.wilson@leeds.gov.uk
or they can be contacted on your behalf through Lawrrag.
To find out what's 'hot' and what the councillors are doing for the community check out their web sites - Stewart Golton Steve Smith Don Wilson
Thursday 20 January 2011
Communication breakdown?
The following is the text from an email sent on 22 December 2010 to Alec Shelbrooke MP, and copied to Councillor Golton -
We have been asked to write a piece for the Rothwell and District Record by way of an update …
But as 2010 draws to a close, the only thing I have to say is that exactly 6 years after Brian and Walker met with ‘senior’ council officers, where they confirmed that there actually was a problem with speeding along the A642/A639 (WOW it only took them a year to work it out!), we now have a greater volume of high speed traffic and greater numbers of speeding night-time HGV vehicles than we did when the problem was ‘serious’, and nobody elected to serve the community gives a damn!
Yes we have flashing ‘slow down’ signs (what a waste of money), and we have the occasional mobile speed camera, which will no doubt be one of the first things to go in the ludicrous cuts, but
.. we now have a greater volume of high speed traffic and greater numbers of speeding night-time HGV vehicles than we did when the problem was ‘serious’.
I can add that the mobile speed camera does result on a reduction in speed, some of it just in time, but the lack of joined up thinking continues to baffle sensible thinking folk –
- As the van is only there occasionally does that mean that it Is OK to speed 99% of the time?
- If a mobile speed camera results in a reduction in speeding, why not stick a speed camera up? Or even simpler, just park an empty ‘marked-up’ van there!
It would be nice not to have to dwell on the ignorance, contempt, and arrogance shown by those in the council with regard to such matters as Planning, Highways, and Environmental directives already in place to protect communities, and to be able to include something positive.
if a reply is ever received it will be posted!
We have been asked to write a piece for the Rothwell and District Record by way of an update …
But as 2010 draws to a close, the only thing I have to say is that exactly 6 years after Brian and Walker met with ‘senior’ council officers, where they confirmed that there actually was a problem with speeding along the A642/A639 (WOW it only took them a year to work it out!), we now have a greater volume of high speed traffic and greater numbers of speeding night-time HGV vehicles than we did when the problem was ‘serious’, and nobody elected to serve the community gives a damn!
Yes we have flashing ‘slow down’ signs (what a waste of money), and we have the occasional mobile speed camera, which will no doubt be one of the first things to go in the ludicrous cuts, but
.. we now have a greater volume of high speed traffic and greater numbers of speeding night-time HGV vehicles than we did when the problem was ‘serious’.
I can add that the mobile speed camera does result on a reduction in speed, some of it just in time, but the lack of joined up thinking continues to baffle sensible thinking folk –
- As the van is only there occasionally does that mean that it Is OK to speed 99% of the time?
- If a mobile speed camera results in a reduction in speeding, why not stick a speed camera up? Or even simpler, just park an empty ‘marked-up’ van there!
It would be nice not to have to dwell on the ignorance, contempt, and arrogance shown by those in the council with regard to such matters as Planning, Highways, and Environmental directives already in place to protect communities, and to be able to include something positive.
if a reply is ever received it will be posted!
