Friday, September 15, 2006
Trouble in the Triangle
St.Mellons received unwelcome attention on the front page of the South Wales Echo in February after Lovells Builders downed tools and left the St. Mellons Regeneration Project site in Crumlin Drive and Rogerstone Close.
Lovells had suffered theft of equipment, “children running amok” and physical assaults on their employees with missiles, including bricks!
Councillor Ralph Cook had already started organising a meeting between the Police, Lovells and Council’s housing, anti-social behaviour and truancy service.
Ralph Cook said:
“The meeting was very positive; everyone gave assurances that they would do their part to clamp down on the dangerous and illegal activities of the minority of local youths involved”.
Lovells returned to site on the 13th of February and tell us behaviour has since improved.
Editor
Lovells had suffered theft of equipment, “children running amok” and physical assaults on their employees with missiles, including bricks!
Councillor Ralph Cook had already started organising a meeting between the Police, Lovells and Council’s housing, anti-social behaviour and truancy service.
Ralph Cook said:
“The meeting was very positive; everyone gave assurances that they would do their part to clamp down on the dangerous and illegal activities of the minority of local youths involved”.
Lovells returned to site on the 13th of February and tell us behaviour has since improved.
Editor
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Message from Editor
All your Councillors have suffered set-backs this year. Ralph had an operation last October which affected his work in spring and has had two bad car accidents – not his fault! Both Monica and David have suffered the bereavement of close family members.
To make things even worse we have been afflicted with major computer problems and our trusty photocopier finally died in the spring. We have had to buy a new photocopier for over £1,000.
Your Councillors have done their best to provide an acceptable service this year and apologise for any shortfalls in our performance. Sadly, we were unable to produce and deliver the usual spring/summer Rose.
Your Councillors want to improve communication with residents and now provide a website. Another idea is to send regular updates to residents via e-mail newsletter. If you would like to receive regular updates please send an e-mail to the following e-mail address: ralph.cook@trowbridgeandstmellonslabour.org.uk .
To make things even worse we have been afflicted with major computer problems and our trusty photocopier finally died in the spring. We have had to buy a new photocopier for over £1,000.
Your Councillors have done their best to provide an acceptable service this year and apologise for any shortfalls in our performance. Sadly, we were unable to produce and deliver the usual spring/summer Rose.
Your Councillors want to improve communication with residents and now provide a website. Another idea is to send regular updates to residents via e-mail newsletter. If you would like to receive regular updates please send an e-mail to the following e-mail address: ralph.cook@trowbridgeandstmellonslabour.org.uk .
Friday, September 08, 2006
The Urban Fringe gets a Hair Cut
May Bank Holiday saw a first for St. Mellons and a victory for commonsense, when the Council carried out a proper cut of all the road-side verges and embankments in the St. Mellons. Missed areas have been reported and should be included next time.
St Mellons residents have been concerned about brambles and shrubs reducing visibility along some stretches of Willowbrook Drive. Inadequate verge maintenance along Crickhowell Drive may have played a part in the tragic road-death of a child almost two years ago and explain why a few years ago a resident failed to see an Adder (rare, venomous but native snake) on an overgrown path near Meadowlane School before she was bitten.
The problem was caused in my view by unnecessarily complicated land maintenance programmes and limited budget. We asked the Council to combine all land maintenance under one service area and supported the idea of running a three-year “pilot study” in St. Mellons to see how it would operate before extending the programme to the whole of Cardiff.
This was agreed in 2003 but when Labour lost the local elections the idea was quietly dropped.
Following the tragic death of a child, I finally ran out of patience last year and asked the Labour Group to support a “notice of motion” from Monica Walsh and myself, that would ensure a single department to maintain Council land, road-side verges and parks etc, would be established within three years. This was supported by most Councillors and is now Council policy.
Councillor Ralph Cook
St Mellons residents have been concerned about brambles and shrubs reducing visibility along some stretches of Willowbrook Drive. Inadequate verge maintenance along Crickhowell Drive may have played a part in the tragic road-death of a child almost two years ago and explain why a few years ago a resident failed to see an Adder (rare, venomous but native snake) on an overgrown path near Meadowlane School before she was bitten.
The problem was caused in my view by unnecessarily complicated land maintenance programmes and limited budget. We asked the Council to combine all land maintenance under one service area and supported the idea of running a three-year “pilot study” in St. Mellons to see how it would operate before extending the programme to the whole of Cardiff.
This was agreed in 2003 but when Labour lost the local elections the idea was quietly dropped.
Following the tragic death of a child, I finally ran out of patience last year and asked the Labour Group to support a “notice of motion” from Monica Walsh and myself, that would ensure a single department to maintain Council land, road-side verges and parks etc, would be established within three years. This was supported by most Councillors and is now Council policy.
Councillor Ralph Cook
