This forum has become a real asset to Whaley Bridge and many thanks must go to TrustedIT and all the volunteers who make it possible.
It is used by people from all walks of life and differing ages, I would think anyway.
We can find out about new shops opening, pubs closing down, incidents, awful neighbours, history, shared photos and just about anything that concerns this fair Town.
Just now we are suffering from the worst weather since the last worst weather and people are highlighting kind, charitable and philanthropic deeds done by the good people of Whaley, others are giving out traffic and weather reports. Some are even going out and checking which roads are open or what state they are in before we venture out. They are a credit to themselves and the Town.
Yes it is truly a brilliant forum; and everyone who contributes to whatever degree is extremely valued.
But. Yes there is a but. And it’s a big but.
Eleven people do not contribute sadly and rather strangely and quite coincidentally they all have one thing in common.
Yes they are your very own Town Councillors.
Stand up and take a bow ladies and gentlemen.
What is wrong with them? Can’t they read? Do they think this forum is beneath them? Are they afraid that their written word may expose them as semi literates? Are they unable to debate beyond the confines of The Mechanics. Do they need to be sitting upon an Oak chair? Well whatever it is they are never visible on here: one of the best forms of communication in Town. Is there a policy that they must not get involved with people via the forum? Are they stupid in fact these shadowy figures?
It is no use saying that en-masse they do not read the forum because I don’t believe it; and if they don’t they damn well ought to.
OK we have been told one particular Councillor does not have internet access or indeed a TV set.
Well if he wants to live in the 1940/50’s that’s his business but not much use as a politician in 2010 I would have thought.
Jake showed the way and Jon has taken the baton from him.
We know what Jon has been doing, apart from having a go at Fedup; he has been checking up on anything asked of him. He has been trying to make kids aware of the dangers of iced over ponds; he has been to lock the gate at Brookfield Pond.
Praise be to Jon.
What are the rest of them doing?
No, I don’t know either.
Doesn’t any one of the Whaley Eleven want to converse with any one of us? If only to tell us the snowplough is out or watch out for your elderly neighbours. It does not seem so.
I see that the proposals for bridge 42 appear to have fallen through. Good.
We have 3 of our Councillors who are also HPBC members, one a member of the Development Control Committee; have we heard anything about it from them? No! Of course not.
They may as well not exist as far as we are concerned. And we may as well not exist as far as they are concerned.
Toy Town Politicians to a man.
But let anything affect their life and you will see that if strings need to be pulled then pulled they will be; and pulled mighty hard. Forget about all that nonsense of Declarations of Interest.
Reading the Town Council minutes for November Cllr Lomax’s apparently only contribution was this:
“Cllr Lomax reported that access only roads, Old Road and Bings Road, were being abused and requested police monitoring.”
Oh really.
Just how he knows that they are being abused I have no idea.
I wonder where he lives then??
Ah ah, Bings Road eh? Hmm.
Still wouldn’t do to disturb the good Councillor’s sleep I suppose.
Yes call out the Constabulary.
So look after yourselves, fine fellow forum friends and anybody else who needs your help but don’t think our Councillors will offer anything in way of support.
They won’t. Not via this splendid forum anyway.
We won’t even hear from any of them apart from Jon.
Maybe we will now.
R. S-S
Wait for it, Fedup.