Geoffrey Settle Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 I'm interested in how you contact/communicate with your local Borough Councillor when you want information, an issue/complaint dealt with or just some advice that they should be able to help you with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 I don't bother. I get more results by direct contact with the head of the dept I want to talk to. Some people breathe valuable air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 ditto! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 Geoff.... I live in Westbrook yet am I in the Parish council boundary of Westbrook?.... no, I am in the parish of Great Sankey according to my parish council boundry....  That means that my parish councillors have absolutely no interest in my area because they hold their meetings in Cromdale way and decide lots of things to do with Great sankey. That means when ASDA and the like decide to do something a bit iffy, We would have to go to our borough councillor because ASDA are in a different parish....  Our borough Councillor is David Earl..... the Westbrook Traffic Light King...... I would be better off asking you to help out  Can you tell me why Westbrook is in the Parish Council boundary of Great Sankey and yet Callands is in Westbrook??? (Do you remember the comedy series soap? confused? you will be!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 Geoff I had to vote 'other' vote on your poll as I use a variety of methods and people contact depending on what it is about or how far I have managed to get on my own.  Explanation  Firstly I will often try and sort 'whatever' out myself by either my own means and my first port of call is to usually phone the council directly to complain/report/or ask advice. This way usually works after a bit of 'persuasion' and a few choice words  If I also need borough councillor intervention then I will email, phone or speak to a Borough Councillor in person although not necessarily the Borough Councillor for the particular area that the problem or issue is in.  Further explanantion required.... I actually live on the border of Stockton Heath and Walton and despite what my location says I do actually live in Walton (I'll explain that one another day )  The Borough Councillor for Walton is Cllr Paul Kennedy and I have contacted him quite a few times by phone and email and he has always done his utmost to help in anyway he can EVEN if the issue is out of his parish boundary ie rubbish dumped in Walton/Stockton Heath... icy roads in Walton/SH .... dangerous and deadly gaps in fencing along the canal in Stockton Heath which the council said was not their problem as did everyone else I spoke to.... apart from Cllr Paul Kennedy.  The Borough councilors for Stockton Heath are actually Cllr Sue Dodd and Cllr Celia Jordan and from past wasted experience all forms of contact or requests for help from them have fallen on DEAF ears or returned only the 'token jesture' reply so I don't bother with them at all no matter how relevant or important.  As for Twitter, Facebook they are for kids  Surgeries... I don't think we have any around here although we do have Parish Council Meetings  Having said all that I would just like to add that I am certainly NOT a Conservative Party Supporter ....I don't support any party.... but it seems the only Borough Councillor round here who actually gets off their backside and does somthing is a conservative  Party makes no difference to me I just like a person who 'does' (as I think you do Geoff) rather than one who just 'thinks about it'.  Hope that helped in some way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingnut Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 I had cause to contact my local Lib dem councillor by phone only this week. She acted very quickly over the issue and had it sorted within twelve hours (overnight). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 That's good and credit where credit's due eh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted January 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 Thanks for your responses so far ? can those who have said don?t bother please tick the don?t bother box. Â Baz, I agree It is very difficult and frustrating about the many boundaries (and you could include police boundaries) that you and I face living on the edge of a Ward or where a Ward and Parish overlap or don?t appear to be logically assigned. Â As a constituent I have to think very hard where an issue is located and to whom I should report something. Â I live in the parish of Poulton with Fearnhead yet when I cross the road to catch my bus I?m in the parish of Winwick, I think but I?m also in the ward of Populars and Hulme. Â When for example I was sorting out the issue of massive potholes in Delph Lane near the Plough, Houghton Green. I reported it to Burtonwood and Winwick Borough Council and Winwick Parish. The problem was mostly affecting Poulton North and Poplars and Hulme residents and was on the edge of all the wards. Even the Highways engineer who deals with all my issues said he could do nothing about it because it was over the border but he did pass me cross to his colleagues name at the next desk. Â It is confusing but all I can suggest is that you look at the Ward boundaries made up of rivers/brooks/roads subject to population size. http://www.warrington.gov.uk/home/your_council/facts_figures/ward_profiles_2010/ and lobby both the Parish, Ward Councillor Officer whose job is to look after/represent that area. They should have to knowledge at least as to how to take it forward. Â Keep hammering away at them and get support from your neighbours. Turn up at parish meetings, lobby members. Councillors should be listening to you and giving you a clear response and NO it?s not that simple , the boundaries can and do muddy the waters. Â I?m sure that there is someone on here who can give you a more informed response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dizzy Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 Potholes... thanks for reminding me about those Geoff. Â I will start another thread though so as not to detract from your current issue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 Boundaries?! Stand by for the blame game to come - the council blaming the Government and vici versa; social services V NHS etc etc - the buck's going to be passed around that quick, your heads will be spinning. EG: item on news tonight:- a N/Ireland veteran was sleeping rough, until a Charity provided him (and others) with a place to stay. Now that support is under threat - the Council (Nottingham?) say because of Gov funding cuts. The Gov say, the Council shouldn't be cutting front line services, but making the savings elsewhere, and it's only an 8% cut anyway. The Council say that the Gov cut for that type of support service has been cut (by Gov) by 40%. This will go on right up to the next election, most of us will be non the wiser, and that ex-soldier will finish up sleeping rough again. So perhaps we will have to learn to live with the pot holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wahl Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 WellGeoff what an eye opener. No wonder it is difficult to get anything done especially when the councillor does not even live in the ward they represent. As for other cross overs what about the cock up between the WBC and the Environment Agency and the coal board All historical mishaps that ideally should be modernised. Even the structure of the WBC departments leaves a lot to be desired especially when it comes to traffic management and tree cutting. How many chiefs and how many injuns comes to mind. Another area for rationalisation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted January 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Thanks for your very interesting replies - even trying to keep my question simple and focused it has not been a straight forward one to answer for the reasons that you have given. Â Please when answering think of the one that you prefer i.e. the one that gets you results more times than any other. Â If like Dizzy you have to try several ways to get a result which form of communication works best for you. I am trying to understand if people prefer modern forms of technology or do they still prefer the traditional methods? Â It does as you say often depend on the issue, person you are contacting, the person you are etc may be you use one method combined with another as a back up i.e. an phone call followed by an email or letter for a written audit trail. I don't want to give examples because I don't want to influence your reply. Â You can always answer with your gut reaction or use other and give a reason why. Â Whal makes another valid point about agencies and partners ? it is sometime like following a piece of sphagetti - trying to find out who is responsible for what ? it is not always who you think. Â One of the big learning curves for me has been who is responsible for rivers and brooks WBC, United Utilities, Environmental Agency or the Coal Board and that was simple to get a padlock replaced (reported by WAHL). Getting Padgate Brook cleaned involved EA for the fly tipped stuff to be removed whilst the littered banks was cleared by WBC - I had to co-ordinate the partners. Another favourite is getting bushes cut. It is a patchwork quilt of landscape maintenance responsibility ? is it WBC, Muir Housing, GGH or someone else? I?m sure it would make a good board game for Christmas, sometimes it can even be a circular game (as Observer rightly points out) or musical chairs . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 I'd rather engage in a public forum like this so you can see a councillor responding and entering into dialogue with the electorate and doing their job by being answerable to the people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Geoff, Â thank you for your reply. Yes I am aware of the ridiculous way the boundaries are formed..... Â Westbrook is a strange place (In more ways than one)..... I live in the estate on the opposite side of the road to ASDA but as I said, they are in Westbrook parish and we (with the exception of a group of about 10 houses at the top end of my close which are also in Westbrook) are in Great Sankey. Â We are represented by people who live in Sankey and Whittle Hall.... Â We get rubbish Broadband round here because a lot of the Closes do not have fibre provision but we do have BT ducts... (Why can't Virgin use those if BT won't?) Â To cap it all, where I live according to the Post Office; is part of Old Hall.... Â So, is it Westbrook & Burtonwood, Great Sankey, Whittle Hall or Old Hall.... no wonder there is such confusion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted January 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 Baz, you have my sympathy about the Broadband connection. I believe that the service is even worse in Burtonwood. The BT manager said recently ?Let?s have an on-line conference to discuss it?' Doh if only!!! said the local residents . Â Just a thought if the Broadband service is no good for you how on earth is anyone suppose to use it for business, school, college etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reader Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 I think email is a convenient way, I am fortunate in living just round the corner from you Geoff so if it was really really urgent I know where you are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted January 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 No pressure then should I put the kettle on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reader Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wahl Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 most councillors do not appear to be able to read or answer e-mails so what hope is there of any improvement from i pads? Â Probably good for the children? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted January 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Wahl so that's a no for emails and being a local like reader you could join us for a cup of tea and try the face to face? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Perhaps a mobile surgery Geoff? Door to door, I'm sure folk would enjoy having their TV progs interupted?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 I find them very productive, although I call them Street Surgeries. Â I have found that most people don't mind sharing their 'Cognitive Surplus' with me . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Geoff, Â it would be nice if once in a while our local councillors (parish and town) would get out and knock on some doors to ask if there is anything they can do rather than them just expecting the public to go to them..... (two way street and all that - allbeit a 20mph one these days!) Â I can honestly say that I have never seen my local councillor once since I moved around here in 1997 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P J Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Geoff, it would be nice if once in a while our local councillors (parish and town) would get out and knock on some doors to ask if there is anything they can do rather than them just expecting the public to go to them..... (two way street and all that - allbeit a 20mph one these days!)  I can honestly say that I have never seen my local councillor once since I moved around here in 1997  They do hold regular surgeries at Westbrook library Baz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter T Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Baz, because they don't want to hear what people have to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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