OBSERVER COLUMN: The council '˜don't like it up '˜em!'

After reading Coun Paul Skinner's letter last week I immediately thought of the catchphrase of L/C Jones from Dad's Army: 'They don't like it up 'em!'
OpinionOpinion
Opinion

Once again a councillor has shown just how much out of touch our representatives are when it comes to what they believe in comparison to us ordinary residents.

First: to read that Coun Skinner believes Christmas is all about the children? I was under the impression it was primarily about the birth of Jesus.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

His ‘positives’ were purely a repeat of the list of all the PR outpourings we have been treated to over previous weeks about how good Christmas would be. His ‘realities’ only drew attention to the work done by others, mostly NOT by the council. For example Cammacks, Oldrids, Hoppers and a few more did their bit.

His ‘facts’ drew more attention to the £35,000 made available by BTAC to the Chamber of Commerce: this, apparently, paid for the projection equipment which to many did little to spread Christmas cheer.

Finally, he said, the Standard should not have trawled through social media for negative comments: they didn’t have to trawl very far. And as far as I can tell, nobody criticised any of the many volunteers who tried to do their best with the facilities they had – which wasn’t very much!

It all boils down to the fact that our council did very little to promote the town this Christmas, the one time of the year when in the past we have had a bright welcome for visitors. In comparison with others round about us – some very much smaller – we have appeared a ghost town. Please can we start thinking about next year now? And please find out exactly what people are saying and thinking.

Related topics: