The Weather!

[sizsells]

Can't quite believe I am going to do this but……..

I think we have to realise the constraints NCC are operating under. They have been shedding jobs and cutting service provision in an attempt to balance their budgets, which by and large up to now they have had foisted onto them by central Gov. Of course they have to prioritise and with regard to their legal requirements as well. In a county with such a large footprint no real surprise some areas feel as if they have been almost ignored as other areas take priority.

In this case I would say remote and isolated communities should take precedence because at the end of the day people living in the larger conurbations can at least walk to the shops and expect necessary continuation of essential supplies. There are a lot of smaller communities up and down our county who don't have that possibility and will be cut off.

Phew, getting back to normal service………

How many middle and top managers in NCC have been out with snow shovels? How many of our elected representatives have been out clearing snow in an attempt to stop our OAPs falling and breaking fragile bones? They are all getting paid to work for our county authority and aren't we all in this together?

While I fully understand the finances and the logistics of keeping our roads in a safe condition, with all due respect NO one can tell me the road past the golf club as an instance is anything other than unsafe and bloody dangerous, I fully appreciate the fact that estates are unfortunatly not a priority but at one time they were, so they have saved a lot of money by abandoning them, even the pavements at one time they were always doing them to help the townsfolk get up the street not now probably incase someone sues them due to the litigation society we find ourselves in ,again more money saved, the gritters themselves appear to be putting out less grit than they used to(WHEN YOU DO SEE ONE THAT IS) I think they are made to drive around with the lights flashing just to lure us in to thinking that grit is being laid or are those lights capable of melting ice? And I,m not having a go at the people who drive these gritters far from it, but in the event of an accident which there was on Saturday 27TH the Welwyn bridge was closed because it was ungritted and deemed to be unsafe within 20 mins there was a FLEET of council vehicles there to make it safe, but why wait until there was an accident if the job had been done properly in the first place it may not have occured.

The lost days off work by folks not getting there, the accidents that are caused by dangerous ungritted roads the damage to vehicles and god forbid lives too, the children not getting to school and the hassle that causes for working parents the cost to industry is immense.

I know you will fully understand my comments but I personally feel the cost should not be shouldered by industry and the NCC is passing the buck it annoys me when some bloke called Alan Armstrong from the cooncil says everything is ok and seems to believe what he says I would love to drag him down here and open his bloody eyes.... his rose tinted glasses are obviuosly a very dark colour..........prat

[Keith Scantlebury]

I would also hazard a guess as to one reason why the estates are not a priority anymore, speed humps. Could equipment or the humps themselves get damaged? We have not seen the speed humps or the kerbs on our estate since the middle of last week, [i know we aren't the only ones in Bedlington not to]

[Malcolm Robinson]

Sizsells,

I am not trying to promote excuses for NCC only pointing out what I think are relevant financial constraints. At the end of the day NCC decides where it spends its revenue and there are plenty of regular NCC 'lurkers' reading these boards who can and should be answering the questions! I really do think we are going to have to make difficult decisions in the near future as to what gets funded out of local taxes.

As for councillor Armstrong, his ward is at Cramlington so he should be well aware of the problems hereabouts! As a point of interest he is also the 'portfolio' holder who will be responsible for things like the introduction of parking charges here, when they come, so he is really popular anyway!

Keith,

Is it just me but doesn't all these dammed speed humps mean snow ploughs couldn't operate on the estate roads anyway?

[Claire]

How about those people on the dole who are nice and warm in their houses going out and clearing some of the snow for their money!

Or if everyone in their own street cleared outside their houses it would make things a bit better. Get some community spirit going.

[Keith Scantlebury]

Sizsells,

I am not trying to promote excuses for NCC only pointing out what I think are relevant financial constraints. At the end of the day NCC decides where it spends its revenue and there are plenty of regular NCC 'lurkers' reading these boards who can and should be answering the questions! I really do think we are going to have to make difficult decisions in the near future as to what gets funded out of local taxes.

As for councillor Armstrong, his ward is at Cramlington so he should be well aware of the problems hereabouts! As a point of interest he is also the 'portfolio' holder who will be responsible for things like the introduction of parking charges here, when they come, so he is really popular anyway!

Keith,

Is it just me but doesn't all these dammed speed humps mean snow ploughs couldn't operate on the estate roads anyway?

[/q

I would have thought they would make it very difficult for them to say the least,as with the chicane type traffic calmers.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Spoke too soon, small snowploughs just been through my estate!!!

Although it might have taken the top off the dammed speed hump right outside my house!

Couldn't agree more with your second point Claire.

[Keith Scantlebury]

How about those people on the dole who are nice and warm in their houses going out and clearing some of the snow for their money!

Or if everyone in their own street cleared outside their houses it would make things a bit better. Get some community spirit going.

The thing is Claire some people have had a bollicking for clearing up themselves. They apparrently throw the snow to the wrong place, someone might "fall over it" and make a claim for injuries recieived.

As for all of those people on the dole, I am one of them. I am out of work through no fault of my own and claiming benefits for the first time in almost 40 years. I am far from proud of that fact and I am doing my utmost to find work. So as far as "earning my dole money" is concerned, I feel that all of the contributions I have paid over the years could be helping me through a [ hopefully short] but difficult time. What I do object to is being put into the same categorie as those who make a carreer out of signing on every week [and seem to do well out of it]

[Keith Scantlebury]

Spoke too soon, small snowploughs just been through my estate!!!

Although it might have taken the top off the dammed speed hump right outside my house!

Couldn't agree more with your second point Claire.

Point him this way Malcolm, tell him to look for a fat git with a red fleece on [me] and dig him out

[Claire]

The thing is Claire some people have had a bollicking for clearing up themselves. They apparrently throw the snow to the wrong place, someone might "fall over it" and make a claim for injuries recieived.

As for all of those people on the dole, I am one of them. I am out of work through no fault of my own and claiming benefits for the first time in almost 40 years. I am far from proud of that fact and I am doing my utmost to find work. So as far as "earning my dole money" is concerned, I feel that all of the contributions I have paid over the years could be helping me through a [ hopefully short] but difficult time. What I do object to is being put into the same categorie as those who make a carreer out of signing on every week [and seem to do well out of it]

Totally agree Keith is should be the ones who've never had a job and play the system.

[sizsells]

The thing is Claire some people have had a bollicking for clearing up themselves. They apparrently throw the snow to the wrong place, someone might "fall over it" and make a claim for injuries recieived.

As for all of those people on the dole, I am one of them. I am out of work through no fault of my own and claiming benefits for the first time in almost 40 years. I am far from proud of that fact and I am doing my utmost to find work. So as far as "earning my dole money" is concerned, I feel that all of the contributions I have paid over the years could be helping me through a [ hopefully short] but difficult time. What I do object to is being put into the same categorie as those who make a carreer out of signing on every week [and seem to do well out of it]

Hope you find a job soon good luck and just keep on trying.

[sizsells]

Sizsells,

I am not trying to promote excuses for NCC only pointing out what I think are relevant financial constraints. At the end of the day NCC decides where it spends its revenue and there are plenty of regular NCC 'lurkers' reading these boards who can and should be answering the questions! I really do think we are going to have to make difficult decisions in the near future as to what gets funded out of local taxes.

As for councillor Armstrong, his ward is at Cramlington so he should be well aware of the problems hereabouts! As a point of interest he is also the 'portfolio' holder who will be responsible for things like the introduction of parking charges here, when they come, so he is really popular anyway!

Keith,

Is it just me but doesn't all these dammed speed humps mean snow ploughs couldn't operate on the estate roads anyway?

My comments were not directed at you, to the contrary I find a lot of what you post on here very interesting it just peves me that these people who are apparently

"in charge" of the day to day running of OUR borough seem to have no idea on what to do.

They have a restructuring excercise to get rid of people then a few months down the line do it again well if you ask my opinion if there not intelligent enough to get it right the first time maybee its THEM that should go INCLUDING THAT PRAT Armstrong, as you will gather hes really annoyed me, he made similar comments last winter, so IF you do read this or one of your hangers on wishes to pass MY comments on I will gladley come to Cramlington pick you up and drive you round Bedlington or any other councilor with bloody BIG blinkers on for that matter

[Monsta®]

everyone seems happy! funny how a bit snow can ruffle people up so much!

at the end off the day its here deal with it!

[Keith Scantlebury]

everyone seems happy! funny how a bit snow can ruffle people up so much!

at the end off the day its here deal with it!

Snow? what snow? somebody got snow like?

[Brian Cross]

I am looking outa my compy room window now and i can't see any snow...

[Monsta®]

I am looking outa my compy room window now and i can't see any snow...

same here looks rather tropical!

[sizsells]

everyone seems happy! funny how a bit snow can ruffle people up so much!

at the end off the day its here deal with it!

OH you must be a hanger on lol

[Monsta®]

OH you must be a hanger on lol

eh? hanger on what?

[Malcolm Robinson]

2 feet of snow forecast for tonight!

[sizsells]

eh? hanger on what?

Some buggers shirt tails

[sizsells]

Morpeth roads AND pavements are a credit to the council/workers is it the same NCC we come under ? OR are those in charge there in-tune with the local people and businesses

[sizsells]

Morpeth roads AND pavements are a credit to the council/workers is it the same NCC we come under ? OR are those in charge there in-tune with the local people and businesses

Not wanting to mislead anyone OR make our lot feel totaly inept but my comments did not include the housing estates in Morpeth....... see Bedlington council at least you got one thing in common bet that makes you feel better lol

[Malcolm Robinson]

There is a pane out in a Morpeth bus shelter, bottom of Stobhill Bank, lets see how long it takes to replace because the same shelters here just left at best with gaping holes in.

[John Fox (foxy)]

There is a pane out in a Morpeth bus shelter, bottom of Stobhill Bank, lets see how long it takes to replace because the same shelters here just left at best with gaping holes in.

Malcolm.perhaps the best way to get our panes replaced in Bedlington is to get rid of the pain in charge the cooncil!

[Malcolm Robinson]

Malcolm.perhaps the best way to get our panes replaced in Bedlington is to get rid of the pain in charge the cooncil!

Now your just trying to get me into trouble!!!!!

[sizsells]

Well wonders never cease did our lot decide to get on a bus and go and have a look at Morpeth to see how to get paths etc clear?

I,m pleased they have made a start on our front street but lets be honest its a bit late isn,t it.

I,m also pleased we live on a hill because if we had been flooded it would be a case of everyman for himself because our lot would have to had a trip on a boat somewhere to see what to do, they really are THAT pathetic.