Post by Bartonite on Apr 16, 2015 10:46:12 GMT
I've put off writing this, because there always seemed to be some excuse to do so, but halfway into the campaigning month, I can't put it off any more, so...
To my city councillors in Barton & Tredworth, Sajid Patel (up for re-election in May), Ahmed (or is it Said?) Handsdot, and Usman Bhaimia (jumped ship from the Lib Dems to Labour, with very little to show for it), I raise these questions, which I will email as well, via writetothem.com. If I receive no response by the end of April, I may have to make personal visits (unless they turn up on my doorstep, canvassing, which seems very unlikely). This is more about what has been done, or not done, by the last bunch of councillors, but other candidates are welcome to share their views, too. Likewise, if readers have other questions, feel free to add them to the thread.
1. Can you explain why the city council is unable to satisfy the wishes of residents living next to Napier Play Area, to have the Area locked up at night? Amey personnel have claimed they can't lock all three gates because of people still being in the park, but if the CCTV cameras at that location are working, this can't be news to the council or the police, so what do they have to say to residents, when this has been going on since the end of 2013 at least?
2. You have all, according to Gloucestershire County Council, approved of a proposal to extend the one way system on Charles St to the junction of Widden and Napier St, but refuse to tell me why you think this would be a good idea, when I am the only person who has raised the issue of the danger to cyclists approaching the Asda carpark from cars coming out of Charles Street, and I believe it will be no help whatsover. According to the proposal, cyclists will be exempt, so they will still be able to approach that corner, made more dangerous by the removal of double yellow lines over a year ago, so that two high-roofed transit vans can park right on the edge of it. If you won't tell me what is so good about this plan, will you tell me why you think it is better to spend thousands of pounds on altering the road layout than replacing those DYLs, or even just putting a sign of at the end of Charles Street warning drivers about cyclists approaching from the right?
3. You will all, no doubt, but especially Saj Patel, be claiming credit for the CCTV camera that was installed for a month or so at the end of 2014 on Millbrook Street, opposite Old Row, a notorious spot for fly-tipping. Gloucester Constabulary rejected a Freedom of Information request to ascertain what kind of offences, if any, were dealt with as a result of footage taken, on the grounds that it supposedly would take too long to retrieve the relevant data. Presumably, though, at least one of you will have asked, and been told if the camera accomplished anything at all, or was completely useless. So can you tell me if anyone was prosecuted for fly-tipping, or if motorists even received a ticket for parking under the camera, on DYLs, as dozens of motorists did?
4. Saj Patel has made the excuse that, being on the board of BTD Ltd, he can't help with the following matter. Can the rest of you then say why they have ignored the issue, raised with them by me, of BTD Ltd refusing to answer questions about the selling off of the Barton & Tredworth Community Trust's building (the 'Trust Centre') on Falkner Street, to discharge debts the BTCT trustees accrued by their bad management, and comment on the fact that BTD Ltd have now finally stated, belatedly, that the BTCT still exists, despite the Charity Commission being told otherwise two years ago? Will any councillor clarify the current situation with the BTCT for residents, who have been left totally in the dark?
5. Will any of you be attending the Barton & Tredworth Neighbourhood Partnership's open meeting, at the 'Trust Centre' on April 22nd, at 6:30pm? And are any of them aware of plans to turn the partnership into a charity, discussed months back, but still not shared with residents. We haven't seen a newsletter for four years now, and the person who was supposed to be responsible for that is the current candidate for the Lib Dems in Barton & Tredworth, Paul Harries (he may be small, but he's also inept)?
6. Do you acknowledge that, contrary to the opinion of the police, parking problems are as bad on the High Street, Tredworth, as they have ever been, with a steady stream of motorists continuing to park illegally to use the cash machine outside the post office (postmistress: Jasminder Gill, Labout county councillor), and the Toyota cruiser, reg P410 AHR, regularly parked on the pavement outside Pound Plus, its owners' shop, despite the council having been informed? More importantly, do you intend to do anything about the people who park their cars at the end of High Street, across from Tredworth Junior School, at around 3:10pm, on a long stretch of DYLs, and stand on the pavement chatting with each other while they wait fo their children? Apparently, no-one has been ticketed for this in years, so what message is being sent?
7. Hustings for parliamentary election candidates have become popular this year, but council candidates are almost never called to give an account of themselves, and why they deserve votes, in a similar fashion. Would candidates be willing to do this, going forward? If not this year, then how about next year, when all council seats are up for grabs?
To my city councillors in Barton & Tredworth, Sajid Patel (up for re-election in May), Ahmed (or is it Said?) Handsdot, and Usman Bhaimia (jumped ship from the Lib Dems to Labour, with very little to show for it), I raise these questions, which I will email as well, via writetothem.com. If I receive no response by the end of April, I may have to make personal visits (unless they turn up on my doorstep, canvassing, which seems very unlikely). This is more about what has been done, or not done, by the last bunch of councillors, but other candidates are welcome to share their views, too. Likewise, if readers have other questions, feel free to add them to the thread.
1. Can you explain why the city council is unable to satisfy the wishes of residents living next to Napier Play Area, to have the Area locked up at night? Amey personnel have claimed they can't lock all three gates because of people still being in the park, but if the CCTV cameras at that location are working, this can't be news to the council or the police, so what do they have to say to residents, when this has been going on since the end of 2013 at least?
2. You have all, according to Gloucestershire County Council, approved of a proposal to extend the one way system on Charles St to the junction of Widden and Napier St, but refuse to tell me why you think this would be a good idea, when I am the only person who has raised the issue of the danger to cyclists approaching the Asda carpark from cars coming out of Charles Street, and I believe it will be no help whatsover. According to the proposal, cyclists will be exempt, so they will still be able to approach that corner, made more dangerous by the removal of double yellow lines over a year ago, so that two high-roofed transit vans can park right on the edge of it. If you won't tell me what is so good about this plan, will you tell me why you think it is better to spend thousands of pounds on altering the road layout than replacing those DYLs, or even just putting a sign of at the end of Charles Street warning drivers about cyclists approaching from the right?
3. You will all, no doubt, but especially Saj Patel, be claiming credit for the CCTV camera that was installed for a month or so at the end of 2014 on Millbrook Street, opposite Old Row, a notorious spot for fly-tipping. Gloucester Constabulary rejected a Freedom of Information request to ascertain what kind of offences, if any, were dealt with as a result of footage taken, on the grounds that it supposedly would take too long to retrieve the relevant data. Presumably, though, at least one of you will have asked, and been told if the camera accomplished anything at all, or was completely useless. So can you tell me if anyone was prosecuted for fly-tipping, or if motorists even received a ticket for parking under the camera, on DYLs, as dozens of motorists did?
4. Saj Patel has made the excuse that, being on the board of BTD Ltd, he can't help with the following matter. Can the rest of you then say why they have ignored the issue, raised with them by me, of BTD Ltd refusing to answer questions about the selling off of the Barton & Tredworth Community Trust's building (the 'Trust Centre') on Falkner Street, to discharge debts the BTCT trustees accrued by their bad management, and comment on the fact that BTD Ltd have now finally stated, belatedly, that the BTCT still exists, despite the Charity Commission being told otherwise two years ago? Will any councillor clarify the current situation with the BTCT for residents, who have been left totally in the dark?
5. Will any of you be attending the Barton & Tredworth Neighbourhood Partnership's open meeting, at the 'Trust Centre' on April 22nd, at 6:30pm? And are any of them aware of plans to turn the partnership into a charity, discussed months back, but still not shared with residents. We haven't seen a newsletter for four years now, and the person who was supposed to be responsible for that is the current candidate for the Lib Dems in Barton & Tredworth, Paul Harries (he may be small, but he's also inept)?
6. Do you acknowledge that, contrary to the opinion of the police, parking problems are as bad on the High Street, Tredworth, as they have ever been, with a steady stream of motorists continuing to park illegally to use the cash machine outside the post office (postmistress: Jasminder Gill, Labout county councillor), and the Toyota cruiser, reg P410 AHR, regularly parked on the pavement outside Pound Plus, its owners' shop, despite the council having been informed? More importantly, do you intend to do anything about the people who park their cars at the end of High Street, across from Tredworth Junior School, at around 3:10pm, on a long stretch of DYLs, and stand on the pavement chatting with each other while they wait fo their children? Apparently, no-one has been ticketed for this in years, so what message is being sent?
7. Hustings for parliamentary election candidates have become popular this year, but council candidates are almost never called to give an account of themselves, and why they deserve votes, in a similar fashion. Would candidates be willing to do this, going forward? If not this year, then how about next year, when all council seats are up for grabs?
