A leisurely negligence?

"Since October 2002 destruction in this area has rocketed. Many of the obligations that the local Council has in this area have not been fulfilled. Council offices concerned with the areas shown have habitually not returned calls. This is easily evidenced by the long-term build-up of refuse when recourse for removal is available under existing structures."

"Much of the destruction is caused by youth. Much of their anger arises from a frustration with the circumstances in which they live. It can often be associated with a rebuttal of what is considered to be demeaning treatment from professionals."

"The area can be considered to be a difficult one in which to work, but it is often felt that difficulties can arise when often obvious issues are ignored or even maintained."

"Last year a public meeting was attended. It was held by a council officer who outlined severally and separately that promises made by the council had not been fulfilled. The term "this hasn't happened" occurred frequently. The impression was of a thoroughly disillusioned and unnecessarily apologetic individual. Regrettably it might be said, empathy was indicated by those listening, including members of the public, since experience has shown that there does indeed exist the "land where nothing happens" and "promises are broken".

Take a local centre, for example;

a foreign exchange arrived at the airport to find no one to meet them. Nothing, for the entire exchange had been booked or even arranged,

there has been no fire drill for in excess of two years,

a man with a broken arm in a sling was left to climb a flimsy and thoroughly broken step-ladder to cover a hole in a ceiling unaided in a room with boys kicking a football,

the attached picture (ratsnest) shows refuse that has been in situ for some eight months, this area being cleared a year or so ago,

chairs and equipment deemed fit only for replacement more than two years ago are still in use,

promises of training have not been fulfilled.

Having taken just a few elements, perhaps it is safe to summarise with two more; a recent trip to an amusement park resulted firstly in the coach arriving an hour late. One child, upon returning, described the day as awful and asked why said "the staff were all into going to Oakwood, the only problem was that they'd forgotten all about the kids". Or, a drama group were promised for a public performance an immense stage, sound system, etc but arrived after a lot of hard work to find a tiny stage and no sound-track."

"Much magnificent work has been done by local people, part-timers, etc, without whom many projects would simply disappear. It is a shame then to see inefficiencies built into these projects that serve only to demean and disillusion both the workforce and clientele served, almost on a daily or weekly basis."

"People will respond well when presented with a minimum reasonable standard. They will, however, react negatively to a poor situation."

"An interest in the following could be considered;

the removal of all rubbish from the woods and the periphery of the estate,

remedial work on areas affected by arson, eg; where cars have been burnt, cutting down of trees which are 'hanging by a thread', etc,

the institution of a fire safety and rubbish removal regimen at all centres, together with the replacement of all broken chairs and old equipment."

"Some feel that the Council has had a direct role in the creation of the citys Southern Arc by a leisurely negligence. I feel that I am beginning to concur."

"The builders refuse, from the beginning of the year, remains in the front garden. So does the garden refuse at the rear that was to be collected at about the same time. As is the habit in this area, another house in the road has been shuttered and its contents dumped in the front garden, to rot for however long it will take."

"One can perhaps understand that if even simple functions are unachievable by an administration, what reasonable expectation can one then have for more complex arrangements and aspirations?"

"No reply has been received to my two previous e-mails. From where arises the policy of non-reply to residents concerns?"

"Is it fair to conclude that rather than the council existing to serve the city, the city exists merely to serve the council?"

"... report that the builders refuse (the subject of earlier correspondence) was removed at about 10:30am last Friday morning. Regrettably, however, no attempt was made to remove the other items for collection at the rear. The remaining mess in the front garden that would cause damage to the lawn-mower will be photographed before it is cleared. With respect to the items at the rear, these will be treated and packaged before deposition on the pavement. A reasonable sum will be charged for this work which will then be passed to your office for payment..."

"Since the refuse in the front garden of ... still remains it is concluded that the other matters brought to your attention have been similarly neglected."

"As a Labour voter, I am concerned whether my vote will be wasted since what I wish to see is improvement, rather than the bolstering of a seemingly inert status quo."

You can find a condensate of local election results here - PK