Why do we put up with it?

Every Sunday morning when I am in town I see the mess left behind by the previous nights partying.

Unlike some public figures I don’t really blame the staff of the District Council who are ’supposed’ to clean the streets.  They have a difficult enough job without me making political capital out of them.  Their bosses the Tory Councillors who run Ebley Mill are another matter…

No. You can send millions on Street Cleaning but the real problem lies with the throw away culture of modern Britain.  we drink too much alcohol (yes I used to do that) We buy to much ‘junk’ food, with too much packaging, and then throw half of it away uneaten (along with the packaging) justifying it all on the fact that ‘We were drunk!’

I am not going to say that we have too much in the way of fast food outlets or that Alcohol is too cheap and readily available.  I don’t need to say it because it is self evident…

But that aside we need to take more responsibility for our environment and the relationship we have with it and with each other.  We can’t keep throwing our lives away into the gutter. 

And it would be nice to have the streets a little cleaner on Sunday mornings…

Recycling of carboard came up at the ‘Annual Town Meeting’ on 22nd May this year.

 Much was made of the fact that the Cardboard Banks had been moved from Cheapside to Cainscross.  The District Council claim that ‘traders’ had been dumping their waste and it cost too much to keep clearing it up…

I also liked the idea, expressed at the meeting, about residential kerbside collection.  Why not?

Stroud District Council says it costs too much (are we detecting a pattern here?) but it that case it comes down to priorities.  And thats where you come in…. Let me know what you think?

The Conservative Administration at Ebley Mill has gone and done it again…

Yes I’m talking about the Number 37 Bus service between Kings Street and Cashes Green.  Its so popular the Council won’t cough up the extra £57,000 needed to keep it going.

I guess our ‘Tory friends’ will blame Stagecoach for the reduction in service (they haven’t phased it out completely I should add) but the Bus Company isn’t a charity.  They have to make money somehow and with the Bus pass scheme being so successful it has to be paid for by someone… or services will be cut back. 

Given the conservatives new found conversion to environmentalism this behaviour seems a little strange.  (I must not be sarcastic…)

Having some involvement with the campaign to save Uplands Sub Post Office I have found it increasingly puzzling (and shocking…) the way that Post Office Limited has gone about its so called Consulation.

Post Office Llimited is a front for the Government.  Vital services are being slashed because of years of, at best, neglect and worse than that (I believe) deliberate sabotage…

Many of the Sub Post Offices in question are profitable… Even according to the Post Offices own warped criteria.  But that won’t save them…

I don’t want to put all the blame on the Labour Party.  There are many members of the Labour movement who share our Lib Dem objective of salvaging as much as possible of the network.  Tory governments were just as bad!

What is the answer?… Apart from not voting Labour / Tory… well If enough locals want to keep their brach open then maybe a rival ‘Community based’ postal service should be set up?… We would need to be inovative and flexible… Local Authorities could play their part by making available to the ‘Community Shops’ services and administrative support… Maybe even subsidy in the short term…

The post office is doomed only if we let it be so… Lets take it back off the Government and create a public service run for, and by, the public.

I started in Politics at 16

But age shouldn’t be an issue. If you care about your community then take action.

In 1989 the Berlin Wall came down and it was about that time that there was a number of ‘freak weather events’… I became radicalised by that.

There is no ‘End of History’ and the world today is  very much in need of people of all ages, genders and creeds, who ‘get involved’…

Go for it!

So some local traders are worried that the A46 Canal Bridge will put them out of business…

The construction of the crossing may well mean challenges for traffic management, but there are plenty of ways of mitigating the disruption.  Opening Russell Street and London Road to two way traffic is on the cards anyway with the “Public Realm Strategy” currently undergoing consulation.  

The benefits to the Town and District of opening a waterway between the severn and Thames far out way a few months of adjustment.  Stroud will boom!

Lets not lose sight of that…

Just a vacation…. If my project manager approves it!… yup I’m off to ’smell the hagis’  as you do… get away from Stroud….

 Just hope the UK doesn’t break up before I get there.  Scottish Labour seem more keen on independence than the SNP…. And the Scottish Green party has jumped on the bandwagon too….

What is wrong with being British? 

Last nights ‘barking of the Black Dog’ has passed away and I am actually ‘looking forward’ to Full Council tonight.

I have served on Recreation & Finance and Grants in the past year.  I would like to stick with them for another year at least.  We shall see what ruling Green group does…

Not much more to add other than I want to be more active in my ward, but I also want to balance my life a little bit better this time. 

That’s it for this morning folks…

Stroud Politics sometimes seems like that.

Sometimes it the people who agree the closest, fight against each the hardest.

I wonder what the point it all is?  Do the Greens actually thing they can run Stroud District Council let alone get an MP?… Why is David Drew a member of the Labour Party? Why do I bother?

The answer to the last question is in previous posts…

 I am sure that politics in Stroud (and maybe everywhere else for that matter…) is no place for an idealist… At least not unless the ‘idealist’ has a Kelver plated skin… A sad truth.

So when I bother, when i do ‘get involved’it feels like I’m trying to more the world on my own back.

 I am rapidly becoming as cynical as the opposition. (Labour, Tory and the Greens…) God save me from that fate….

This evening I watched ‘The Guy from Galifrey’ do it again… Saving another entire civilization and fathering a grown up daughter in the process (don’t ask!…) … Quick Reality Check please!… Ok it was David Tenent acting and it is Fiction…

All the same it is very moral and fun.

If only we had a Timelord to save our World… I am afraid it is down to us to secure the happy ending.  That is why I am in public life.  Well one reason.  And despite all the things going on in our world I still beleive in a ‘Happy Ending’…

Lets have one…

I’m interested in the proposals to restrict traffic flow in George Street and opening up London Road and Russell Street to 2 way… Let see how the experts think that one works. 

I don’t like the idea of opening up the top of the High street but could be convinced.  Moving on-street parking is another interesting idea.  What I think is essential is linking the Town Centre to the Canal Corridor. 

One thing that struck me is that Stroud has a tradition of ‘Public Consultations’ and then the ‘Powers that be’ go and do what ever they like anyway!… So The Liberal Democrats will (or I shall reign fire and brimstone down on them) campaign for accountabilty in this Public Realm strategy process.

But why not tell us directly what you think?

Maybe.

A win in North Carolina and a narrow defeat in Indiana more or less seal it for Barack Obama.

Hilary is running out of support, money and time…

So if the Democrats have any sense they would urge her to drop out gracefully. 

We may have to wait a bit longer to see the first woman President of America, but there is a real chance now to end the Conservative grip on the White House, with the first Black President.  We need a world leader who can lead the fight against climate change, help to end world poverty and the war on terror…

Obama is that man

55% of Labour supporters want the Prime Minister to resign.

Has Gordon lost his Flash?

With the closures of local Post Offices after a typcially New Labour Sham Consultation feelings are running high here in Stroud.

Its not just that the Labour Government is appearing to be incompetent, they are acting with incredible malice…

Stroud is a marginal seat Mr Brown.  Why not Go before you are sacked…

I went to Hawkwood College yesterday.

Very interesting it was.  I liked the idea of processing sewage via reed beds etc… I also liked idea of a ‘community farm’… although not sure how scalable it would be…

Stroud is well known for its ‘Alternative’ Culture.  I am a bit of a ‘green’ at heart too!… but not a all a ‘Green’ if you understand me?… Lib Dems, Socialists and even Tories are starting to ‘implement’ (not just talk about…) ‘green’ ideas…

I said it before but if we wait for the Green Party to come to power before we tackle ‘Global Climate Change’ then we are all doomed.  It will take to long… yes get involved with politics, but be realistic (and pragmatic) in choosing the ‘political vehicle’

I would argue that the Greenish of the 3 main parties is the Liberal Democrats…

I am looking forward to beginning another ‘political year’ with tempered enthusiasm.

I will try and learn from the recent past but not dwell upon it… It is time to move on.  Got to sort out a ‘Post Box’ in my ward…yep that’s the issue of the day!… but not quite sure of the details and I would not broadcast them if I did know. 

Bit of change from dog smellies!

Back to work Tuesday.. boo!… well I do like my job.  I seem to be good at it…?!… But politics and perhaps writing are my first and second ‘loves’… Earning money is a essential part of life though. 

I enjoyed a quiet evening worship at my local church and then a not so quiet beer festival at the Prince Albert tonight!.. well I only drink non-alcoholic drinks but I was concerned about the CO2 emissions from my lemonade… nuff said!

Tomorrow I want to take my parents out to the Hawkwood College Open Day.  I am interested in large vegetables…(don’t ask!) but should be fun.  ‘Very Stroud’…

 Politically where do I stand?  Still mulling it all over really. I am a Town Councillor and I will continue to do that job to the best of my ability.  I need to think carefully (and prayfully) about my next move.  Fortunately I’m only 33 years old and it that sense, time is on my side… So as they say in the movies, ‘The world shall see me again… ha ha ha!…’ (Oh dear what did they put in that lemonade?!)

To go into politics one has to have a thick skin, but also a ‘Great Heart’… I hope and pray I have both… 

In the last two months I have started a hectic Test analyst position and fought an extremly tough target seat (Rodborough District Ward)  I have coped with personal problems as well and I have succed beyond a lot of peoples expectations.

So ‘what makes me tick?’ 

I am not a great extrovert.  I quake every time I have to speak to a group of more than 5 or 6 people.  I get ‘nerves’ in new social situations.  I can’t remember faces or names or anecdotes… So why do I put myself through it all?

I will tell you.  I have experienced such ‘Darkness’ in my life … I have seen and been in situations which I would term ‘My personal Hell’… I know of people who still in that state of mind / being…

I do Politics because I can… If I don’t stand up for the weak and suffering who will?  Who else understands as well as me? What would be the point of my life if I took the easy route? 

All very dramatic.  I hope not sounding melodramatic… I love my life, my liberty, my family and friends and I have very strong faith.  And I want everyone to have the same Freedom.

 That is enough.    

well I came within 51 votes of winning… 2nd place aint so bad… Sob!

 The results in Rodborough were 516 Tory, 465 Lib Dem (me), 446 Green and 172 Labour… We didn’t get our postal vote campaign sorted and we didn’t squeeze the Greens… But there is always next time.

I did enjoy the campaign.  I love meeting people and sorting out their problems.  What do I do next? Well I don’t believe in mopeing around so will be back in action very shortly!  The fact that I have started an extremley hectic day job and ran a target seat campaign bodes well for the future…

As I said in my speach at the Count, “I’ll be Back!…“