28 October - Time for a root and branch clear-out?
You
may not believe it but three months ago we were gripped by a prolonged hot
and dry spell and the young trees in Lesnes Abbey Park which had been protected
from youthful vandals over several years were left to die. I reported on the
apparent neglect and waste of money on 7th August.
Soon after that an amateur arborologist told me that the trees had most likely
gone into a self-protect mode and had dropped their leaves to save themselves.
I only half believed it as the leaves hadn’t actually fallen off but gone
brittle and brown. But the prospect of me having to eat humble pie next Spring
has disappeared because Bexley council has replaced the affected trees and
encased them in nice new wire mesh. Wasting tax-payers money is the local
authority norm.
Council Leader Teresa O’Neill keeps warning residents of the forthcoming cuts
and asking our opinion on where the axe should fall. She was at it again in this
week’s News Shopper. All very laudable to those who have forgotten
that Bexley council usually ignores suggestions. I made a money saving one when the
Conservatives took over four years ago but my local councillor Davey said that
whilst he agreed with me his colleagues wouldn’t. He went on to be similarly
two faced over the ruination of Abbey Road.
I conclude he is untrustworthy; but back to the point. Councillor O’Neill needs
to look long and hard at how the council is run if savings are to be made. How can it
cost £250 to issue a resident’s parking permit for example?
When I was manager of a factory employing 1,300 people, quite a long time ago, I
went to the Union Rep. and said “Ray, I think I could lose a third of the staff
and have no real impact on the running of this place”. Ray, who was not from the
usual union mould replied, “Malcolm, if you let me choose
who should go we can lose two thirds of the staff and still run the place properly”.
And over a period of some years that is exactly what we did. I bet Bexley council is no
better and probably worse. When did you last see any of them act in a way that would
be applauded in private sector employment?
The council will be meeting next Wednesday evening to discuss cuts. The papers up for discussion are
available for download on the council’s website.