18 November (Part 1) - Lights out in Bexley
Bexley Council is keeping BiB’s new
Index of Press Releases
busy, they have issued another one today.
It says that the Council will only accept reports of failed street lights online in future. This
is going down the path adopted by Newham Council which has left my 96 year old
aunt without Council services. She can’t get the full range of rubbish
collection services, she can’t order parking permits and until recently when
they agreed to set up a direct debit she couldn’t pay for the Emergency Link service.
It’s no good telling her to go to the library or get a friend
to go on line for her, the only friend she has left doesn’t have a computer
either. Councils pretend to care but some don’t. Bexley appears to be joining that club.
Those of you reading this will of course have net access and probably will be
able to report street light failures without too much trouble but putting parking
services wholly on line is massively inconvenient.
When I come home and find someone parked across my drive it means leaving the
car in the middle of the road while I come in to use the computer. I am far from
being alone in not having net access away from home.
Bexley Council: Working for you. Dream on.
Click image above for Press Release (PDF)
Note: I have had to install broadband at my aunt’s address
and buy a laptop PC to keep there to get around the many restrictions.
There is no telephone access to any Newham Council service.