Don't bother supporting your local shops. There is no point. If you drive and support your local shops, all you're doing is lining the pockets of Mid Sussex District Council.
MSDC and other organisations are behind a campaign willing local residents to support local traders by spending their money locally. MSDC control the local car parks, you have to pay lots of money to park. Why bother paying a lot of money to park locally for a small number of shops when Crawley is just off the A23 and has a HUGE selection of shops where the parking isn't actually that much more.
MSDC do not deserve to have us spending our money locally. They rip us off with the price of parking. If they really care for the survival of local traders, then they would offer very low rates of parking. They won't though. The district council are so careless with public funds that they need to make as much money from the car parks to replenish money from failed events like the Big Culture Show that lost in excess of £250,000 (probably nearer £350k!)
How much did MSDC care about the local traders in December when it took them a whole week to clear ther car parks of snow? December is the busiest time of the year for the retail sector, but how can they make money when people are unable to park?
It really was a shambolic situation as MSDC themselves were losing revenue from the unusable car parks. Back in the Autumn they were already reporting an expected shortfall of £500k from the car parks, so why didn't they do everything they could to make sure they are usable at all times?
Mid Sussex District Council are failing the local traders, the public, and themselves.
Do not be fooled, it's not a campaign to support the local traders, its a campaign to support Mid Sussex District council and the local car parks.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
New Burgess Hill special school approved!
I don't know this for a fact, but don't be surprised if the proposed special school for Burgess Hill, planned to be built on the Oakmeeds School field is granted planning permission.
Who is possibly going to contest it?
The surrounding area is all residential, no big company owners with deep pockets to fund a serious objection.
West Sussex County Council already own the land, why would they need to aquire another site?
They don't care about the history, they don't care for the beauty and memories held of the school field by former pupils.
They don't care that the Oakmeeds Students will have drastically smaller area for outdoor activites.
They don't care that there will be no room for an athletics track.
They don't care that nearly 1000 pupils will have a 50% smaller school field on which to enjoy their break times during the summer.
They don't care that traffic in the surrounding area will be a knightmare.
They don't care that the residents will be inconvenienced.
Guess what, they just don't care!
They want to build a new school on their land, so they will build a new school.
Who is possibly going to contest it?
The surrounding area is all residential, no big company owners with deep pockets to fund a serious objection.
West Sussex County Council already own the land, why would they need to aquire another site?
They don't care about the history, they don't care for the beauty and memories held of the school field by former pupils.
They don't care that the Oakmeeds Students will have drastically smaller area for outdoor activites.
They don't care that there will be no room for an athletics track.
They don't care that nearly 1000 pupils will have a 50% smaller school field on which to enjoy their break times during the summer.
They don't care that traffic in the surrounding area will be a knightmare.
They don't care that the residents will be inconvenienced.
Guess what, they just don't care!
They want to build a new school on their land, so they will build a new school.
Lib Dems Publicity FAIL!
Last week, the faux newspaper 'The Mid Sussex Messenger' was posted through the BHU office letterbox. It's a publication produced by the Liberal Democrats.
One of the stories they covered was the proposed building of a Homebase store on some land next to the Triangle Leisure Centre.
Please look at the following picture, and decide, are the Lib Dems in favour, or against the construction?
The headline to go with the picture was "Triangle site decision soon"
If you're like me, then you would assume from the picture that the local Lib Dems are in FAVOUR of a Homebase store, considering that they were pictured with items that you can find for sale in Homebase.
It wasn't until reading the story that you discover that they are actually AGAINST the building.
For those of you that don't know, in Burgess Hill and Mid Sussex, the Conservatives are essentially in power. It is any surprise when the Lib Dems are making silly mistakes like this misleading photo?
What they should of done was to have composed a picture where the councillors are holding signs telling Homebase to p*ss off! That would have grabbed the attention of the readers, not caused any confusion, and actually given them credibility among the voters under the age of 30 who I would imagine are the age group that can't be arsed to vote!
I'd like to make Lib Dem councillors aware that I am available as a consultant with regards to your publicity campaigns!
One of the stories they covered was the proposed building of a Homebase store on some land next to the Triangle Leisure Centre.
Please look at the following picture, and decide, are the Lib Dems in favour, or against the construction?
The headline to go with the picture was "Triangle site decision soon"
If you're like me, then you would assume from the picture that the local Lib Dems are in FAVOUR of a Homebase store, considering that they were pictured with items that you can find for sale in Homebase.
It wasn't until reading the story that you discover that they are actually AGAINST the building.
For those of you that don't know, in Burgess Hill and Mid Sussex, the Conservatives are essentially in power. It is any surprise when the Lib Dems are making silly mistakes like this misleading photo?
What they should of done was to have composed a picture where the councillors are holding signs telling Homebase to p*ss off! That would have grabbed the attention of the readers, not caused any confusion, and actually given them credibility among the voters under the age of 30 who I would imagine are the age group that can't be arsed to vote!
I'd like to make Lib Dem councillors aware that I am available as a consultant with regards to your publicity campaigns!
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Burgess Hill Refuse and Recycling Collection???
The Burgess Hill Uncovered Offices are located on the west side of town.
A recycling collection has not been made since Tueday Decemeber 8th.
A refuse collection has not been made since Tuesday 15th December.
That is over a month since the recycling has been collected, and three and a half weeks for a refuse collection.
We had snowfall on the evening of Thursday 17th of December and another major downfall on the evening of Tuesday 5th January.
The first bout of snow had cleared by Tuesday 22nd December. That gave the recycling collectors at least 8 clear days to work as usual. Logically they should visit the homes that have been without a collection for weeks as apposed to carrying on with their usual timetable. I have used the word 'Logically' a word that by now we should all realise isn't one that Mid Sussex District Council understand. MSDC pay SERCO to carry out the collections, so I'm sure MSDC have the power to tell them what to do.
An employee of SERCO has revealed to us that his crew worked overtime and during a Bank Holiday to make up for the collections not made due to the snow the week before.
Quite clearly this is a shocking revelation, why have one crew managed to catch up, but those serving the west of Burgess Hill have not?
With the extra household waste caused by Christmas, bins are overflowing, the BHU offices are having to keep much of our recyclable items inside as there just isn't any room in the bin.
With temperatures not set to rise above freezing until Wednesday 13th January, many of the minor roads will be classed as too treacherous for the workers to carry out their collections.
If the roads are too dangerous to make collections, then why aren't these workers being handed shovels instead and being told to clear the roads. Currently MSDC are paying SERCO (the contractor) but not getting a service in return.
Alot of the problem is the whole Health and Safety issue. With the sueing culture growing in this country thanks to America, even a burley refuse collector has to be wrapped in cotton wool.
It's pathetic, but then what else should we have expected!
Is anyone else still awaiting a long overdue collection? Please leave a comment below.
A recycling collection has not been made since Tueday Decemeber 8th.
A refuse collection has not been made since Tuesday 15th December.
That is over a month since the recycling has been collected, and three and a half weeks for a refuse collection.
We had snowfall on the evening of Thursday 17th of December and another major downfall on the evening of Tuesday 5th January.
The first bout of snow had cleared by Tuesday 22nd December. That gave the recycling collectors at least 8 clear days to work as usual. Logically they should visit the homes that have been without a collection for weeks as apposed to carrying on with their usual timetable. I have used the word 'Logically' a word that by now we should all realise isn't one that Mid Sussex District Council understand. MSDC pay SERCO to carry out the collections, so I'm sure MSDC have the power to tell them what to do. An employee of SERCO has revealed to us that his crew worked overtime and during a Bank Holiday to make up for the collections not made due to the snow the week before.
Quite clearly this is a shocking revelation, why have one crew managed to catch up, but those serving the west of Burgess Hill have not?
With the extra household waste caused by Christmas, bins are overflowing, the BHU offices are having to keep much of our recyclable items inside as there just isn't any room in the bin.
With temperatures not set to rise above freezing until Wednesday 13th January, many of the minor roads will be classed as too treacherous for the workers to carry out their collections.
If the roads are too dangerous to make collections, then why aren't these workers being handed shovels instead and being told to clear the roads. Currently MSDC are paying SERCO (the contractor) but not getting a service in return.
Alot of the problem is the whole Health and Safety issue. With the sueing culture growing in this country thanks to America, even a burley refuse collector has to be wrapped in cotton wool.
It's pathetic, but then what else should we have expected!
Is anyone else still awaiting a long overdue collection? Please leave a comment below.
Friday, January 08, 2010
Snow Prevention in Haywards Heath *Video*
When it snowed the week before Christmas, the local authority car parks were covered in snow for days and it took over 5 days in some cases for the council to get their arses into gear and make them safe for use again, this was despite the claims from a Mid Sussex District councillor that white grit is laid in the car parks when they know that snow is on the way.
This Tuesday evening, I had the great misfortune of finding myself snowed in at Haywards Heath. With not a great deal that I could do about my predicament, I took the opportunity to check out the Church Road Car Park that serves The Orchards shopping centre in Haywards Heath to see if the white grit was doing it's job of disolving the snow as it hit the ground. I assumed I would be finding white grit in the car park, given that the Met Office had given prior warning of the expected downfall.
Here are my findings in the form of a multimedia video presentation......
Once again it appears that Mid Sussex District Council failed to take preventative measures against the snow. Well done to them!
This Tuesday evening, I had the great misfortune of finding myself snowed in at Haywards Heath. With not a great deal that I could do about my predicament, I took the opportunity to check out the Church Road Car Park that serves The Orchards shopping centre in Haywards Heath to see if the white grit was doing it's job of disolving the snow as it hit the ground. I assumed I would be finding white grit in the car park, given that the Met Office had given prior warning of the expected downfall.
Here are my findings in the form of a multimedia video presentation......
Once again it appears that Mid Sussex District Council failed to take preventative measures against the snow. Well done to them!
Thursday, January 07, 2010
MSDC leader Garry Wall passes the buck
Typical form from Mid Sussex District Council.
Their new leader Garry Wall is blaming West Sussex County Council for not being able to cope with the snow. He pointed out that it is WSCC's responsibility to clear our roads and not MSDC.
Mr Wall is quoted in the Mid Sussex Times as saying "Council employees and sub-contractors have also worked very hard, many working over the bank holiday, to assist wherever, and in whatever way they can"
Notice how our great leader doesn't actually state what exactly the MSDC staff have been doing to help. As I understand it, the refuse collectors have been at home putting their feet up, and the leisure centres have been closed. In theory, as they can't carry our their usual jobs, they should be out on the roads with their shovels helping to clear the roads.
It shouldn't matter if it's West Sussex County Council's prime responsibility, MSDC should have shown lots of initiative and helped to get the district back to normal as soon as possible. However, when you think of how it took them a week to clear their own car parks of snow, yes, thats right, their own car parks that make the council money, then you really do have to question if MSDC have gone beyond the call of duty.
Their new leader Garry Wall is blaming West Sussex County Council for not being able to cope with the snow. He pointed out that it is WSCC's responsibility to clear our roads and not MSDC.
Mr Wall is quoted in the Mid Sussex Times as saying "Council employees and sub-contractors have also worked very hard, many working over the bank holiday, to assist wherever, and in whatever way they can"
Notice how our great leader doesn't actually state what exactly the MSDC staff have been doing to help. As I understand it, the refuse collectors have been at home putting their feet up, and the leisure centres have been closed. In theory, as they can't carry our their usual jobs, they should be out on the roads with their shovels helping to clear the roads.
It shouldn't matter if it's West Sussex County Council's prime responsibility, MSDC should have shown lots of initiative and helped to get the district back to normal as soon as possible. However, when you think of how it took them a week to clear their own car parks of snow, yes, thats right, their own car parks that make the council money, then you really do have to question if MSDC have gone beyond the call of duty.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)