Author: simon
What’s Wrong With This Council?
Tuesday, 29th April, 2008 at 4:45 pm, Isle of Wight
It’s with absolute open-mouthed astonishment that we read the latest press release from the council today about the Ventnor Skate Park.
The last paragraph carries the following sentence,
“Any other groups or individuals who are interested in taking on the licence can still get in contact with the council if they have their own proposals for the park.”
A better illustration of what is so wrong with the current administration sitting at County Hall couldn’t be more clearly shown.
The council is very well aware of the huge effort that volunteers have put in to saving Ventnor Skate Park — so it begs the question — what are they doing fishing around for other groups to come forward when so much has been done by the group already setup?
Those involved have been forced to drop other things in their already busy lives and concentrate their time and attention on bringing together the many strands of a plan.
Let’s not forget that this frantic activity was all forced by the brutish actions of the council swaggering around saying, “we’re going to demolish the skate park,” with close to no notice.
It shows a sadly increasingly typical disregard for the people of the Island. A disregard for the same people who pay the council tax that funds the activities of the council.
Why is it up to the council to solicit the involvement from other parties in the Ventnor Skate Park? This is a park built and refurbished by members of the community for the community. The only involvement of the council is that they leased the land back in 2001.
Along with this comes a feeling that we’re being told that black is white. The council says, “The council is keen to see facilities maintained instead of having to be dismantled.” We think the truth of this is completely opposite from their words - we thought that it was the council’s Property Services department that were all so keen to try and have the skate park demolished.
No signs given
What sticks in the throat, is that the council issue this press release, despite a highly productive meeting on Friday afternoon between the Ventnor Skate Park Group, Ventnor Community Projects and a council official, where the representative from Property Services said, “We will support you as much as possible,” concluding the meeting with “If you’re happy, we’re happy.”
What the hell has changed between Friday afternoon and Tuesday morning?
Slippery actions like these only go to harden people’s feelings and questioning the councils apparent desire to play god with people’s lives.
Just like the schools
The parallels between their attitude toward the skate park and the sickening spectacle of the schools ‘reorganisation’ — encouraging one school to fight against neighbouring school, getting them to justify why one should exist and another should die — are stark.
Roll on May 2009 elections when we’ve got a chance of getting these people away from governing the Island. It can’t come soon enough.
[image courtesy of Ventnor skater, Mez]
Ventnor Skate Park, Ventnor, Skating
Email This Story To A Friend
April 29th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
if the council are “delighted a group has contacted us expressing an interest in taking on the licence to run Ventnor Skate Park” then why are they asking for others to come forward and tread on the toes of those who have worked hard to pull something together in such a short space of time. you’re damn right on this one simon - as far as i can see, it’s pretty insulting.
April 29th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
i agree - if the bloke in the council said “if your happy we’re happy” then why would they ask if anyone else wanted to come forward? doesn’t make sense to me - but what do i know?
April 29th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Just heard on the news that the budget for the communications dept is being scrutinised at County Hall tonight. Will you be finding out the result and letting us know VentnorBloggers?
April 29th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Just a thought, is the earmarked for use in the Cheetah Marine project.
April 29th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
While I agree with most of what Simon has said, I think it is worth mentioning that it is usually the executive officers who make the decisions.
I post below a small part of an email that I sent to a Councillor on another subject:
“Given that the decision has been usurped by officers, I would seriously question whether elected Councillors have any place in the decision making process.”
No doubt a few of you will know to what subject I refer.
What concerns me is the almost total contempt in which the electorate/council tax payers are held by the executive officers.
In my experience the whole process has to be monitored by those of us who are able to do so.
This latest press release smacks of auctioneering.
But make no mistake, the hammer will come down on them eventually.
They are beyond the pale!
Margaret, the SC is going to advise the Comms goes in-house and about time too. Paying old Duckies ex -employers £750,000. What a joke!
April 29th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Not being a Ventnorian, my knowledge of the skate park is based mostly on what I’ve read here, but the parallel with the council’s attitude towards the schools seems spot-on.
I’ve little doubt that property and land values are at the bottom of it (in both cases) and that the statement: “we will support you as much as possible” sounds rather like the phrase: “every assistance short of actual help”, which a friend of mine who worked for Hampshire County Council assures me he overheard!
April 29th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
It’s a good time to ring Jason Doughty 821000 extn 3467 or Michael Chatfield 823893, to clarify what they mean by this.
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Bring in Ryde theatre for more council brilliance of decision making. The paralells between communities is being realised very quickly. Undercliff, Ryde interchange, no head of tourism etc..i thought this would be a great time for some positive change but alas the wheel keeps on turnin the same way. Even Joe Duckworth has had enough and leaves the end of the week.
Damage limitation should be a department all of it’s own the way things keep carrying on. Wonder how much that would cost to run? heheheh
June 14th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
[…] response to the article about the closure of the Ventnor Skate park, Claire Robertson, head of the press office told us, “I have a fundamental problem with it […]