At a recent Community and Housing meeting, I was cross to learn that progress was behind schedule when rolling out a computerised means of council tenants reporting faults which, when up and running should make big savings and speed up the maintenance service. When visiting Canton, the Housing and Maintenance HQ some weeks ago, we saw a system that seemed to be working well and I was impressed. Tenants are issued with a computerised manual to make reporting a fault much easier to identify so that the fault can be fully logged and agreed without the need to send work people to identify the problem before a repair can be effected. The reason for the delay to this project was not made clear and we also learned of slippage on a system designed to track the whereabouts of all council transport. Again, the reason for the delay was vague! This scheme also has the potential to make big savings and so any delay in introducing it is regrettable. (more…)

Moscow and St. Petersburg have been added to my travel experience over the summer and the Hermitage was stunning, with world artists and all sorts of treasurers vying for attention. Unusually, SAGA travel, (Sex and Games Abroad) got quite a few things wrong and several clients have decided not to travel with them again.

Back home, it took days to get to grips with the emails and correspondence and then it was council business as usual with an Audit Committee meeting scheduled for 24th September. The papers were a heavy read although lightened by the exclusion of A & D Waste and Clwyd Theatr Cymru accounts. Flintshire’s external auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers were unfazed by these omissions. After some heavy mutterings, things are only going to get better as our chief Executive has engaged someone to look carefully at how this waste business is operated. (Long overdue in the opinion of several people I represent!). (more…)

Good news for football aficionados who live in the Level Road Park area of my ward. After the kerfuffle over a wrongly placed “No Ball Games” sign, the “Kick-back Wall” solution should soon become a reality to curb the problem of unwanted balls crashing into neighbouring gardens. Flintshire Leisure Services officers are willing to erect this goal capturing device provided the local developer keeps a promise to meet play facility costs and there are no real objections from local residents after full consultation has occurred under planning regulations. A picture of the Kick-back wall will be displayed in the park and care will be taken to site it away from gardens fences.

It will not come cheap but will certainly enhance the playground area dramatically and offer a little peace to local residents frustrated by constant balls intruding into their privacy and space. I hope it finds favour with residents and if any one wants to talk anything through, my number is in the Flintshire Council booklet.

The Bad News- (more…)

The Chester Chronicle came to my rescue last week by publishing the truth over a little “B—-s up” over a “No Ball game” sign wrongly placed in Level Road Park. Responding to frustrated constituent, whose garden backed onto the park (he was tired of footballs crashing into his garden), I had enlisted the help of Leisure Services supremo who suggested a sign as a temporary measure. We would meet to explore the siting of a kick wall facility which would direct footballs away from fences. Problem sorted I thought and moved on to the next job.

Next day, I lifted the phone to very angry resident who shouted:

“You’ve really blown it now, where are the children supposed to play now”.

(more…)

On Monday 28th July, I joined the bus taking Planning Committee members to see the sites.  It’s all taken very seriously and, at each site, we are reminded of the rules of engagement, including that the objectors are not allowed to address us and we do not make any decision on the spot but wait until the committee meets later in the week.

A neighbour was objecting to the erection of a two-storey extension that would replace a smaller one.  Bus rolled up to a very smart part of Mold and we all trooped into the applicant’s garden to have the facts explained by our officers.  We then trotted round the corner to the garden of the objecting neighbours to look at things from their side of the fence.  The neighbours could only stare mutely at us as we wandered around observing and noting, as the rules do not allow objectors to address us.  I thought the objection was unsustainable and wondered how much this visit alone had cost, taking into account the bus, the driver and the time out for officers and councillors alike. (more…)