February 24th 2009
The recent cliff falls at Sidmouth should have now driven the
message home that something has to be done sooner rather than
putting it off till later in first of all carrying out some
Emergency measures which have the blessing of the EA and then to
look at a permanent solution to the problem. It looks as though the
Hangar path will soon have to be closed as the cliff gets even
closer to it. I have now called for both the District and County to
get their heads together and look at diverting the path away from
this section. It should be achievable but its no good sitting back
and just thinking about it.
February
15th 2009
Is there any road in Devon that is pot hole free?
I've never seen so many and what really doesn't make sense is why
the Liberal Democrat administration at County Hall can't see fit to
put more money into sorting the problem.....this year there is a
£3m shortfall in the highway maintenance budget line. Some of the
potholes are like craters even on the A roads and for motor cyclists
they are fatal. It is also the time that it takes to repair them
that worries me, gone are the days of report a pothole and it was
temporary filled within hours, now a stack of paperwork has to be
raised. Roll on June 4th when hopefully common sense will prevail.
February 14th 2009
Happy Valentines Day....... I just wonder why anyone
would want to spend a day at County Hall Exeter..... how sad is
that?
February 13th 2009
I was reading in one of the local papers that
Valentines Day appears to be a no no this year as they haven't
received a single advertisment..... surely they must realise that
the advertising rates are too high you only have to look at those
publications who charge less as that is where the young/middle/old
lovers are placing their adverts. No matter how we feel about it the
recession is here and everybody is shopping around for the cheapest
bargain and that I'm afraid includes advertising.
I wonder if this particular publication has given consideration to
the fact that perhaps those lovers would far prefer a face to face
contact with someone to place their advertisement ?? Remember the
old saying out of sight out of mind?? Very true.
February 12th 2009
Was a true privilege to attend the political speed dating event with
other members of the District Council at Sidmouth College yesterday
and to chat, answer questions and listen to the views of our young
people.... votes for 16's was one of the most asked questions and
how did I feel about it? Well my roots were of course with David
Sutch's Raving Loony Party and as most people know he campaigned for
votes for 18's and was laughed at, however we now have votes for
18's..... and yes I firmly believe that the voting age should be set
at 16 after all you can fight for your country at 16 so why not be
able to vote and stand for election to council's?
January 11th 2009
With the empty
shell of the former Woolworths store on the east side of High Street and
the long empty SES opposite it looks as though the heart has been plucked
out of Sidmouth as these two shops are as near to the centre of the
primary shopping area as you can get. We need to do everything we can to
at least encourage a business to take over the Woolworth's site, my
preferred option would be Wilkinsons who have a chain of stores
throughout the westcountry with Taunton and Torquay being the nearest to
Sidmouth. This chain certainly remind me of how Woolies used to be. It may
well be on the cards for Tesco to move from the top of town and to upgrade
from an Express to a Metro which would see them selling CD's and DVD's......
as for the vacant SES some pressure needs to be applied to at least put a
display in the shops windows the whitewash looks
terrible.
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