I
would like to thank everyone in Oswestry who gave me support and
encouragement in the South Oswestry election. The Green party doesn’t
get funding from unions or big business but what we lack in resources
we certainly make up for in passion and hard work. That may go some
way to explaining why nearly half of all voters supported the call
for change by going Green. But elections are not just about voting,
on the doorsteps of South Oswestry local residents used the campaign
to raise many issues that had been bugging them so I thought I'd
share a few of these with you and explain what I intend to do.
Mr
“A” has lived in Roft Street for many years and his wife is now
in poor health and needs frequent trips to the Doctors and hospital.
With few car-parking spaces available in the area he'd like to pay
for a permit to use Central Car Park overnight. I not only supported
his request I'd go further. Why I asked at last Town Council meeting
do residents have to pay to park in Oswestry in the evening and night
when in Shrewsbury the car parks are free? Unfortunately neither of
these suggestions found favour with enough Councillors to win the
day, indeed by a single vote the Town Council even refused to
investigate the issue, but rest assured I won't let it drop. If you
agree with Mr A maybe you would like to ask your own Town Councillor
which way they voted, and why.
The
“B” family had another traffic issue. They live on Edward Street
which is often a rat run for cars racing to beat the lights on the
Church St junction. Drivers may be saving seconds but children going
to school would be much safer, and healthier if Shropshire Council
yield to resident demands for 20mph speed limits on all our town
centre residential roads. Research across the country has shown that
“20s plenty” in areas where people live doesn't just avoid
accidents it actually improves the economy of a town and encourages
walking and cycling. For motorists it might add a few seconds to
journey times but it would mean the removal of those speed bumps.
Mrs
“C” continues to be concerned about members of the public no
longer being able to use the playing fields of Oswestry school
without paying a charge. You may have seen this featured in the Tizer
recently. She agrees that banning dogs from playing fields is a
necessity because of the genuine risk of disease, but feels it is a
pity for residents without dogs to lose a benefit they have enjoyed
for years. I agree and have contacted the Headmaster on her behalf to
see if we can secure a compromise.
Mrs
“D” is not as young as she used to be and has been intimidated by
a group of youngsters who throw stones and kick balls near the window
of her flat. She lives near the Centre in Oak St which used to employ
outreach youth workers who were pro-active at seeking out young
people such as these and diverting them from anti-social behaviour.
However theses are the sort of youth services which we are losing
leaving our overstretched police to respond.
That
brings me to the latest news from the new Leader of Shropshire
Council who has painted a very grim picture of the future for
everyone in Shropshire with the Council ending all spending
not only on youth services but also on parks, leisure, community
development and tourism whilst cutting libraries and highways as well
in a bid to save £77M. By going cap in hand to the Government he
secured an extra £8.5M over 4 years far short of the £20M he says
he needed. When Cllr Barrow was the Leader I asked the Council what
the impact of his zero Council tax increase policy had been. The
reply said that if Council Tax had been pegged to the inflation rate
then the Council would have an extra £15M this year alone. So where
has this money gone?, In effect in a subsidy disproportionately
favouring those in the very largest properties who have saved many
hundreds of pounds in Council tax bills.
By
pursuing a political dogma, Shropshire Council is now on the edge of
a financial disaster that will return our communities to a
pre-Victorian era where there are no parks or leisure facilities,
something that not even two world wars or a world depression could
achieve. It will take a lot of work to turn it round but although I
have only been a member for a week, I've already seen enough
tax-payers money wasted on refreshments and Councillor comforts to
know that savings can be made.
Five
years ago the Government advised Council that the best way to save
money was to share back-office services like accountancy, legal and
benefit administration. It was calculated that this policy would save
the country £2Bn. At the time Shropshire Council said it was
considering it and five years later it is still pondering. Before one
park, leisure centre or library is shut I want to be shown that we
have secured all the efficiency gains possible from sharing back
office functions as well as axing the failed IP+E company that the
Council has loaned £500,000 to. Before cutting front-line services
that residents rely on the Council must take a long hard look at its
own performance.
You
can call all of these Green Polices or you might recognise them as
simple common sense coupled with a passion and commitment to do the
very best for our communities. It's the same spirit we saw this
weekend with hundreds of people hugging our Hill fort and members of
Chalk delivering a lorry load of donated clothing and camping
equipment to the refugees in Calais. All those “huggers” and all
those materials were donated by local people. I know because the
donations filled Hermon Chapel Arts Centre from the floor to the
balcony resulting in a cancelled show! Don't let anyone tell you that
the people of Oswestry do not care. We have barrel loads of
creativity, imagination and commitment. Hopefully we will start
seeing those in leadership positions doing their bit to turn our good
town into a great one.
Take
care and have hope,
Cllr
Duncan Kerr
