Saturday, November 12, 2005

NEW SUBJECT

If you want to raise a new topic, post your comment in this section — just click first on Comments (bottom right), then on Post a comment (bottom left of the next window), and a new heading will soon be set up, allowing others to see and add their own comments. It seems it's sometimes easier to click on 'Post anonymously' than to open an account in your name - you can always add your name to your message.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Local Elections.
It is not generally known that second home owners are entitled to vote in local elections if they are registered at their second home. If, as we are lead to believe, their numbers are increasing they could influence who is elected to represent them by using their vote.

Anonymous said...

TELL ME WHERE DROP KERBS ARE NEEDED

The pavements of Swanage are notoriously bad, particularly for people who rely on wheels: that’s the elderly and disabled with wheelchairs and mobility scooters, and parents with baby buggies. The high kerbs and lack of drop crossing points make it extremely difficult to get around.

A year ago I discovered that people at local, district and county level were all interested in getting improvements made, but everybody was waiting for somebody else to do something. All that was needed was co-ordination, a task I set myself. I kept asking questions and making recommendations, until I was invited to meet Dorset County Council’s District Highways Engineer for Swanage.

We spent two hours travelling around the town centre, after which he drew up a schedule of building works. The first phase has just started with drop kerbs being installed at the junction of De Moulham Road and Victoria Avenue.

More drop kerbs are due in De Moulham Road at the junction with Walrond Road; Shore Road at the junction with Walrond Road; Victoria Avenue at the junction with Northbrook Road; in the High Street at the angling shop where the footway narrows; outside Swanage mail delivery office; and Commercial Road at the junction with Station Road.

BUT the District Highways Engineer agrees there are plenty more places where improvements can be made, and has suggested that you all let me know where.

So, let me know where you think drop kerbs are needed. I will collate your requests and pass them on to Dorset County Council in January. It’s worth a go, isn’t it? After all, I haven’t done too badly so far!

Please send details of where you think drop kerbs should be installed as soon as possible to:

Steve Darrington, 18 James Day Mead, Ulwell Road, Swanage BH19 1NQ; phone 01929 422338; or e-mail s.darrington@btopenworld.com

You can read the complete history of my campaign by following the link ‘Accessible Swanage’ on my website www.stevedarrington.com

Thank you.
Steve Darrington

Anonymous said...

Local Elections
Second home owners already have an influence. When PDC discussed increasing the council tax on 2nd homes the only person to have to reluctantly declare an interest as a 2nd home owner was of course the present Mayor of Swanage.

Anonymous said...

More rubbish!
Everything I predicted has come true. First we had blue bags, then we complained and got a wheelie. Then nobody collected it. A fortnight later, school holidays, the kids were riding my wheelie and I had to put it away, it wasn't collected again. Another week and loads of bags show up in the area so I join them but there's an obstruction, a couple of bags go (maybe by themselves having probably grown legs by then)and the rest are left. I think of complaining but I've given up. I nearly asked a bin man, struggling up the High Street pushing two recycle bins but he says "seemed like a good idea at the time"
I think yeah probably was, on paper.
On a positive note, Swanage will have a plague soon and we will all be famous, there will be a film and a book made, but at that point we may get back to weekly pick ups... hooray!

Mr Royston Vasey

Anonymous said...

Harrow House

There is a rumour that Harrow House is going to close in the winters and only open in the summer. There certainly don't seem to be many of their students about at the moment.

If this is true it will not do the local economy much good. Does anyone know anything about it?

Anonymous said...

Hi. Any reason why the first post about secondary home owners being able to vote in local elections has not be posted on the main page?

Thanks,

Mark

Anonymous said...

As regular and frequent visitors to Swanage from "oop north" , my wife and I are amazed and puzzled by the condition of the building just in front of the pier entrance.
It used to be a cafe, but now it looks a complete eyesore.Who is responsible for the building?

Anonymous said...

Mr Moderator please can you delete the comment under Seacourt - referring to John Butler - thanks