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So, what happened in Holly Road, Wainscott?

By Alan W Collins on Sunday 13th January 2008 13:49 / 5 comments

Last week, I made reference to the fact that I have already campaigned for residents in Holly Road, Wainscott. After a couple of questions, I have decided to explain what happened.

In May, I subtly learnt of a problem that my Grandparents, and other residents of their road, were facing. So, on May 23, 2007, I sent an email to the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Enforcement. Trimmed down, this is what it said:

The pavement running alongside the road is raised by about 50-75 cms, with a steep sloping grass bank separating the two. This is too dangerous to walk up, particularly when wet, and considering the majority of residents in the road are fairly older people.

So at intervals along the road (until the path levels with the road further along both ways) there are sets of steps from the road to the path, so that people can get up to the path safely. One particular resident began to have problems getting up the steps, so the Council installed a hand rail for the steps outside my Grandparent’s house.

However, there are people who quite often park directly in front of the steps, rendering them inaccessible in most cases. There are no signs or markings, so this is not illegal, but it makes life a lot more difficult for the residents who need to use the steps, particularly those who have difficulty walking in the first place.

Email to Cllr Rehman Chishti, May 23, 2007

The email was forwarded to Keith Hanshaw, Head of Traffic Management on May 24, and on May 29, a reply was sent to Cllr Chishti, which said that a “traffic management engineer has visited this site, and the steps referred to in Alan’s email of 23rd May now have a white T bar access bar marking. It now appears that vehicles are not parking in front of the steps.”

This, of course, was fantastic news. Or at least it would have been if the correct Holly Road had received the white T bar markings. So, undeterred, I replied once again.

Although I applaud the Council on their quick work in attempting to solve this problem, I have been in contact with my grandparents, who have informed me that no such white line exists in front of their house.

In the hope that this matter can be resolved as quickly as possible, I have decided to try and be a bit more descriptive and have also included a map and aerial photograph with arrows pointing directly at the steps in question.

[Site description removed]

I hope that this issue can be resolved so that the inconvenience caused to the elderly residents who depend on these steps by inconsiderate parking may be resolved.

Email to Cllr Rehman Chishti, June 12, 2007

This attempt was more successful. The next time I went to visit my Grandparents, the white T bar markings were not only present in front of the steps in question, but also in front of all sets of steps in the road.

On her blog last Tuesday, Tracey Crouch said that “It’s the small things that matter“, referring to the fact that the erection of something as simple as a set of barriers can be invaluable in improving the quality of life of residents.

It is my firm belief that it’s not necessarily the big ideas or gimmicks that change the world and make a difference, it’s the little things, which is why my number one aim is “to change the world, one act of random kindness at a time”.

That is a truly powerful aim, and I can only pray that God will help me, and those who share in that aim, to achieve it.

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5 Comments

idiot tory says:

Sunday 13th January 2008 at 18:47

I suppose it helps if you are friends with the Cllr in question. I know it is a big word but maybe you should look up nepotism. Same old Tories same old story!
Rob says:

Sunday 13th January 2008 at 19:21

This is what people remember though. If they ask for somethign liek this and they get it the people will go “Oh yeah, they did that for us” and vote for them. As you said, its the simple little things that make the difference.

When I went to the residents’ meeting a few months ago, I was impressed with the fact that Mr Chishti said he would send letter ’round to people, and lo and hehold letters were sent round. I didn’t go to that meeting (The Football was on tele, shows my priorities haha), but I expect similar thigns happened.

As you, and I said, people remember things that happen to them much more than other stuff. Paint the railings, put up road markings, people (especially OAPs) remember this stuff and it all helps.
Rob says:

Sunday 13th January 2008 at 19:29

Just to claify, the meeting I didn’t go to was the second one, of whcih the details were given on the letter that he said would be sent.

And by the way, I don’t know him, and have only met him once (and that was at the first meeting, he spoke to me, and suggested I joined the Resident’s Comittee. I grinned embaressingly).
Alan Collins says:

Sunday 13th January 2008 at 19:31

idiot tory – I can accept your comments, but please don’t try and patronise me. And I hope I’m not insulting your intelligence by pointing out that, in life, it’s rarely what you know, it’s who you know. And, at the end of the day, if you have the contacts to improve the quality of people’s lives, then you would just be plain stupid not to use them.

As I have pointed out to people before, I will always campaign for what people want, no matter what their ideology may be.

Rob – you’re right. People will always remember when you have made their quality of life that little bit better. Although in this instance the residents (apart from my Grandparents), as far as I’m aware, don’t know that the lines were painted because of my emails, and it’s not likely to win me many votes.

That notwithstanding, I can be happy because I know that their lives have been made just that little bit better for something so simple as a white line.
Cllr John Ward says:

Sunday 13th January 2008 at 20:22

I fully agree that it is what is done “on the ground” that really counts to most ordinary folk, and this tends to be reflected in voting patterns.

One of the biggest reasons why my ward is so solidly Conservative (after a huge swing from the LibDems who had held the ward from 1991 to May 2000) was because I and my then ward colleague had demonstrated that we really did “do stuff” that was of genuine benefit to the people-at-large.

We still do, of course, as our ward newsletters show, including during the past year. There is no resting on our laurels here!

It obviously does help to know your local councillor(s) personally, but that is only because so many who do not know them/us tend not to make contact, and then complain when their problem (whatever it might be) isn’t solved. I do a lot of pro-active stuff, by regularly patrolling as much of my “patch” as I can, noting (and photographing) any issues I discover and dealing with them. The only drawback is that no-one ever realises that it was I who had it fixed! It’s all on file here, though…

The most important factor is “keep it local”: we are all part of a community, and communities form wards. It’s worth getting to know your ward councillors, and being known by them.

The majority of us are decent folk with a genuine wish to make things better. Yes, there are exceptions, but thankfully not too many of ‘em, and they tend to be weeded out after one or two four-year terms. Again, there are exceptions to that happening, but even fewer. Overall, it’s not a bad set-up, though obviously not perfect.