Nice to know where the money goes

[klondike]

Got a flyer from the local Community Council. An additional line on the rates bill that appeared fairly recently in addition to the Parish Town and County councils already there.



It does mention one item I think is long overdue which is an update to the children's play area on the Recreation ground over the road. That has been a disgrace for many years, The item that I found less than amusing though was the pictured metal bench. I doubt any Community Councilors know the history or they could have saved by not bothering.

Years back there was a bus stop 100 yards south from me set in the middle of a wide road junction. It was a good sized building with seats. That was taken down and the land presumably sold to a Co-Op or at least most of it is now a small car park for the Co-Op. There remained a smaller bus stop maybe 100 yards north of me outside the churh. It had a sign and a bench. Then a crossing was put in and the bus stop moved to 40 yards south of me. The bench remained.

Over the decades the bench languished outside the church where it slowly rusted away. You never saw anybody sit on it but some must at night as there was often a collection of tinnies. A year or so back the council or local scrappie more like eventually took it away - no big deal as only one leg wasn't rusted through and that one was probably paper thin.

I noticed that a new heavy duty bench had appeared. It serves no purpose. Nobody ever sits on it that I've seen and even the drunks haven't bothered to return unless they now take their empties away with them.

I have no idea what this useless item cost. Somebody will be disposing of it in the years to come unless the scrappy has it first - just four nuts to take off and it is just a lifting job.  They'd have done a lot better adding it to the ones the new play are will get. That way no poor drunken Voi scooter rider will collide with it when speeding along the footpath.

[Ashy]

Councils do like to spend our money on hare-brained projects, especially at this time of year when they have to get rid of the budget. Ours is busily tiling over the ends of side roads so that you may not realise, whilst walking along, that you are crossing a road, or even at a junction. I can see no possible benefit to man nor beast in any of this, and it must cost millions of pounds, and only creates a dangerous environment. I think surcharging should be brought back.