Roadworks spoil Farmers’ Market
It was great to see hundreds of local people at the Farmers’ Market in Prestwich on Sunday.
It was another great success, but sadly it was spoiled for many by ill-timed roadworks nearby. It makes me wonder why the Council scheduled noisy roadworks which caused traffic problems right next to the market on what was a very busy day?
On a normal Sunday the area would have been quiet, but obviously not on a Farmers’ Market day. Since the Farmer’s Market was a Council-run event, I’d have thought the Council would have used some brains and not decided to close and dig up the road. Could they not have waited a week?
Sadly they didn’t seem to be aware of the likely problems, and certainly didn’t ask ward Councillors, residents or the Local Area Manager before digging up the road. Another example of poor management of the Council by the Conservatives running it.
Rick
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August 24th, 2010 at 9:31 am
‘Another example of poor management of the Council by the Conservatives running it’
A lot of people are going to start saying this about the country.
And slightly off topic I note that Nick Clegg has said, about the planned vote on AV, that ‘It’s not my referendum’. Is he already beginning to distance himself from a ‘no’ result I wonder.
August 24th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
I think you’re right. There will be a lot of upset people when it comes to the cuts.
I think upset is unavoidable, but it’s the government’s job to try and minimise it (whereas the opposition will, I guess, continue to try to maximise it!).
The way to do this is to involve as many people as possible in deciding what gets cut, which is what the government are trying to do nationally and what I am advocating locally.
It’s also to make cuts in a way which can be justified as fair (fairness is subjective so what’s fair for the coalition may not be fair in Labour’s eyes, and vice versa).
And it’s also to remember why the cuts are being made, which is to take down the deficit and debt and make the country stronger. The cuts, remember, would have to be made regardless of who runs the country. The difference is mainly in the timing. It may also be in the targets of the cuts, but since Labour haven’t said what they would have cut, it’s not clear.
It’s going to be a difficult time, and I suspect I’ll disagree with some of the cuts when they sink in, as will lots of other people. We’ll see. But unless there’s a realistic alternative that I come up with, I can’t be completely opposed to them because that’s not realistic.
On the referendum, Nick Clegg’s right, it isn’t his referendum. It’s a Tory referendum. Lib Dems have always been clear that they prefer PR in general, STV in particular. AV is neither, but it’s a step away from First Past The Post, and was what the Tories offered in terms of electoral reform in the coalition deal. It’ll be interesting to see what the result is, but I’ll be voting yes. AV isn’t a perfect system, but it will show that reforming the system is possible, and give far more people the chance to have their opinions heard than FPTP which, remember, has recently given parties thumping majorities on less than 40% support.