Grotty Grovehill
Tuesday, August 19, 2003
Monday, 18 August 2003
It's Catch Up Time
Well here we go again - It's Catch Up Time. I have a couple of things to report.
1) The alleged "Environmental Clean Up" of the Sewerage Filth has still not taken place, despite the letter The Great Satrap Snow sent to Councillor Fisher. It is now almost a month latefrom when he said it would be done. We definitely need a head of Recreation and Leisure who is not a liar.
2) I've still not heard anything from our wonderful Elected Representative, Fisher. What a complete waste of space she is.
3) Guess what, at some time between Thursday and Saturday, the rest of the dead Poison Hemlock was cut down - Another waste of time and money.
4) What a gas. You remember I mentioned about the new post fitted in the car park, the one they drove into and smashed the lock. Well they replaced the lock and in the last 2 days, one of the council vehicles (I think it was the big Lawn Mower) has run into it and smashed it out of the ground completely.
5) No grass has been cut round the new saplings in the Millennium Copse - Another total lie by Snow.
6) The local yobbery tried to set light to all of the long grass at the sides of the Field on Thursday Night - Well done Snow - Give them a little more opportunity by not cutting the long grass and with any luck you will be able to burn down the entirety of Grovehill.
7) Isn't it wonderful. We can't get any of the essential stuff on the field done but they can send a workman on a tractor on a SUNDAY to cut the grass on the football pitches. (very badly too) They haven't bothered with where people WALK, like the rest of the field - They've only cut the Football pitches - you know, the bit where they can steal money from the football clubs for doing virtually nothing
8) The new grass seed they planted in the goal mouths is not growing (not surprising since they planted it about 8 weeks later this year than they have ever done before - I wonder what they will do when the goalmouths turn to total mud this Winter.
That's it for now!
Thursday, August 14, 2003
Saturday, 09 August 2003
ROWLEY & THE SEWERAGE / HEMLOCK
Well, today I thought I was only going to tell you the tale of the Hemlock but I now have a much more serious tale to tell first.
ROWLEY AND THE SEWERAGE
Rowley is a lovely natured, Black Labrador Dog. He is regularly walked on Grovehill Playing Field by his Lady Owner. Earlier this week, the Lady Owner (I don't know her name - in keeping with most dog lovers, we know the dog's name but have no idea of the name of the owner) and I were walking the field. It was pretty hot and Rowley took it into his dopey Labrador Head to go get a drink. Unfortunately, by the middle gate on Grovehill Playing Field is the place where the sewer water ran for 2.5 days. While it has now mostly turned to filthy slimy mud, there is one place in the newly lush grass where there is a pool of water, made up pretty well entirely of the sewerage filth. Rowley chose this place to go and lie down and have a drink, despite his owner calling him away. A typical Labrador with very selective hearing.
Rowley drank the water. Later that day, Rowley collapsed and has had 3 days of Veterinary Treatment, costing the owner almost £350.
Now the owner knows that the chance of getting any compensation out of Dacorum Borough Council is pretty slim because they will deny any negligence and blame it on Thames Water or whoever. I would, however, remind DBC that they admitted to delaying at least 24 hours before calling out Thames Water, while leaving the sewer pipe pouring out filth for the entire period. I dare anyone to be able to actually deny the Council's Liability, if they are honest, since their negligence actually made it possible for Rowley to drink contaminated water.
The owner, and possibly the Veterinary Surgery will be writing to "thank" Dacorum Borough Council for their care and concern.
HEMLOCK
Well now - I had a good laugh this morning. I wandered down to the Playing Field at about 9.30am and just as I arrived, so did a Council Truck. I thought - ah, they're on overtime so they must be going to put up all of the goalposts. (if they can find them, buried as they are in the lush grass and sewerage on the car park)
I was wrong, however.
They went over to the far side of the field, to the rough ground area, where the old BMX Track used to be and where the Poison Hemlock is. Two of the three men got out of the truck and put heavy gloves on. One had a pair of long - handler pruning cutters.
The man still in the truck appeared to nod off to sleep while the other two entered the rough ground. One appeared to be cutting down a little of the Hemlock and the other seemed to be collecting it and putting it in the cage on the back of the truck.
After about ten minutes and after cutting no more than ten percent of the Hemlock, the man in the truck appeared to wake up and the others welcomed him back. They then got into the truck and drove down the field, turned round and driove back the way they had come and off the field.
This, I presume, was the cutting of the Hemlock. Most of it is still there. I went to see what they had done. They had not "pulled out" any Hemlock, merely cut the stems off, well above the ground. Unfortunately, they are now too late, by about a month, since most of the plants have set their seeds and scattered them on the ground already. Next year we shall see how much extra Hemlock they have to deal with. Seems that the Great Satrap Snow has surrended to the knowledge from the 50 pages of text I originally sent him on Hemlock, some years ago.
I also noticed that there is no plastic bag in the bin container by the little Pagoda now. Wonder where that went? Perhaps it has followed the Ex - Chief Executive, wherever he went.
Friday, 08 August 2003
COUNCILLOR FISHER IS NOT DEAD
I know the title of this weblog is not very nice but the only acceptable reasons for the ignorant, inexcusable attitude of Councillor Fisher (She's a Labour Party Politician you know - they're the caring party, so they say in their publicity) was that: -
1) She was out of the country
2) She was ill in hospital
3) She was dead
I know she isn't dead because I saw her in Henry Wells Square this morning. Admittedly she appeared to be heading to the Doctor's Surgery but even if she was, she is still only "Walking Wounded" and she does have a free, Council issued Laptop Computer I believe and presumably free access to the Internet. (Wonder if they'd give me nice little freebies like that - hey - and expenses for ignoring problems too, I forgot about that)
Well, we've got to yet another Friday with nothing done on Grovehill Playing Fields.
Nothing done about the Hemlock. (mind it is a bit late now because it has already set all of it's seed) I notice that there appear to be no broken or missing stems so I wonder how The Great Satrap is testing to see if it is Hemlock??
All answers on a postcard to Councillor Fisher please!
No grass cut around the saplings in the Millennium Copse. (I expect the Landscape People are saying it is too hot to work outside, though I did notice one of them on one of the small lawnmowers, breaking the speed limit in Washington Avenue this morning)
No new gate yet. (I suppose they will have to spend £10,000 to have a new one specially made instead of getting a cheapy one from some supplier)
No grass cut by the side of the road. The reason is very simple really - they left it so late by not doing the first cut that they CANNOT cut it now until it dies back in the Autumn - it is now 5 feet high in places.
The environmental cleanup is still only eleven little yellow arrows on the road but I moved some more children away from the grass by the gate this morning - you know, the place where all the sewerage collected by the gate and where you can't see it because it is hidden by the lush, long, sewerage soaked grass.
I wonder if they are ever going to replace the inner bin for the rubbish bin by the Pagoda on the field? I know it is fire blackened but I can now tell them where the old one went. It is in the copse of trees up behind the area where the old BMX Track was.
The little Pagoda beside the Baseball Pitch is now looking wonderful with all of that bright sparkling broken bottle glass around it.
Any bets the glass is too sharp for the council chaps to pick it up, even with shovels. (oops sorry - that involves manual work and they aren't very good at that)
They even had to bring a rotorvator down to turn over the bare areas where the goals were last season - That was a first - in the past they DID ACTUALLY use an ordinary garden fork, which took half of the time.
Oh golly - i've extended the weblog to include additional matters now. Oh well, on we go.
I've got a little question to ask - you know that some years ago, the town replaced Grovehill's Policeman with two static cameras opposite the shops in Henry Wells Square and outside the Community Centre - Well has anyone ever seen those cameras move? I keep looking at them and they never seem to move from one day to the next. I wonder why? They are surely either not being used properly, ie. made mobile to see what is occurring or perhaps they are not being manned? I wonder which it is - Any Councillor care to comment?
Right - enough for today - believe it or not, I have a life too.
Thursday, 07 August 2003
DO WE HAVE MOVEMENT?
Hmmmm.
I've just been down Grovehill Playing Field and guess what!
11 little yellow arrows have appeared on the road, 4 at the last car park, 3 just below that car park and 4 by the middle gate. These are 3 of the places where there are larger agglomerations of decayed toilet paper. Unfortunately there are NO arrows on the car parks and NOTHING below the gate where most of the filth collected. Perhaps we'ree only going to get a partial, total environmental cleanup.
Oh - and one of my informants tells me that a little man with a tape measure has been seen measuring up the middle gate.
Remember this from my 29 July Weblog?
"They managed to replace the barrier on the car park below the Changing Rooms. It has taken them over 12 months to do it and they did lose the keys to the first, very expensive barrier within 3 weeks of installing it but hey ho, it is an achievement so they ought to be praised."
Tee Hee - well guess what. Yesterday, apparently, a council truck was on the field doing whatever council trucks tend to do (which on the field isn't usually very much) and as it was leaving, it ran straight through the brand new barrier, smashing off the lock, so we now have an unlockable barrier again ! I know it is a sad indictment but you have to admit it IS funny.
Went to the Town Centre again this morning - The canal through the town centre is still totally choked with weeds - still the potential to kill children and drunks.
That's it for now!
Wednesday, 06 August 2003
LIARS AND INCOMPETENTS
Well now!
I haven't written here for a number of days. That is because I have been waiting for ANYONE Official to respond to the deliberate lies forwarded to me by Councillor Fisher in the letter sent to her by Satrap Snow of Recreation and Leisure.
Not one single thing in his letter has been done. NOT ONE. It was, therefore, either a deliberate lie by him alone or Councillors were complicit in attempting to silence me by deliberately pretending they intended to do something when they had no intention whatsoever of doing anything. Now I don't know which one it is but it has to be one or the other.
I wrote an E mail (below) to Councillor Fisher on 1st August. The silence in response has been deafening. It seems my allegation of incompetence against her was justified after all.
Dear Councillor Fisher.
Tonight on the radio is a report from Tynmouth in Devon of a sewer pipe
bursting today. The local council has closed 4 beaches immediately to
protect the public.
If that council is concerned enough in high tourist season to close 4
beaches to protect the public from sewerage, why the hell are we required to
walk, with our children and dogs, through dried and wet sewerage and
festering, stinking degraded toilet paper.
I simply cannot understand this total inertia by DBC. Is it just Snow or
other officials being pig headed, to the danger of the public, or is it
total apathy and a complete lack of concern for the general public, by the
Authority.
Please explain, in terms that I can understand, what the heck you people are up to.
I have been sending notifications to the Chief Executive of Dacorum Council when I have updated this weblog.
I found out the other day that the Chief Executive doesn't exist. I wonder what happened to him? Doesn't seem to have been here long!
Anyway, I received a message from a Joan Allsop at the Chief Execiutive's Office.
Dear Mr Ogden
Mr Walker has now left this Authority, and the post of Chief Executive is
currently vacant. The appointment of a new Chief Executive will not be
made until early October. Interim arrangements have been made, and I am
ensuring that information is passed to the relevant officer for
information/attention.
I have forwarded your emails to Christine Fisher, the Strategic Director of
Community Services, who has overall responsibility for Landscape Services.
Joan Allsopp
PA to Chief Executive
More deathly silence I am afraid. Now I have no idea what Christine Fisher, the Strategic Director of Community Services, (who has overall responsibility for Landscape Services), does exactly but what she doesn't seem to do is communicate with low mortals like myself or make any obvious efforts to make Great Satraps actually do their duty (perhaps duty to the public is a forgotton art!)
In the email above, to Fisher, I referred to the incident of sewerage on Tynmouth Beach in Devon. I heard that report of Radio 5 Live, in the Drive Programme at 4pm. I forwarded an E mail to the programme and Mr Peter Allen read it out on the Programme. It is below.
Just heard your story re sewerage on Tynmouth Beach.
Come to sunny Hemel Hempstead
for 2 and a half days from 16th July, a sewer pipe was broken and pumping out sewerage on to my local public playing field. The road field and car parks were coated in sewerage water and worse detritus.
Guess what - our local council Dacorum Borough Council, has still done NOTHING to clear up - that's over 2 weeks. By the way, during the year, this field contains 7 football pitches and every one is used every weekend during the season for organised matches
Isn't it wonderful that E Mails like that have to be read out on Public National Radio just because some petty official can't be bothered to do his job and those in alleged control of him, either Elected or Appointed, can't be bothered or are too scared to deal with him.
I wonder who I complain to officially about the Local Councillor and the Satrap? When I asked Fisher, that was ignored (well there is a surprise)
Incidentally, I have now told over 70 people who use Grovehill Playing Field to avoid the entire area of grass where the sewerage ran. They are all equally appalled at the Council's attitude but incredibly, not one of them is actually surprised. They associate the Council with the Police as "do nothings" except in their own narrow self interest. What an indictment.
Friday, 01 August 2003
IS SILENCE GOLDEN? (this is a bit of a diatribe)
Well. Here we are again. Another day passed and not an Environmental Cleanup in sight. Is Councillor Fisher going to dock the wages of The Great Satrap (Mr. Snow) for still not ensuring a clean up seven days after he promised it in a letter?
Another day with not a piece of toilet paper removed, not a single weed having been cut, not a piece of hemlock removed, not a single gate replaced, not a piece of grass cut.
Some time was offered on 3 Counties Radio to speak about these matters but I didn't trust myself to stay within the defamation laws, so I declined. If nothing is done by next Friday, then if the offer is made again, I shall go on the radio.
Mr. McWalter, the local MP has now been notified about this matter and it is planned, from tomorrow, to begin sending a notification out to every Councillor in Hemel Hempstead.
A DIATRIBE
As a matter of interest, the following are already notified every time this weblog is updated:
The Gazette (Total Silence) The Chief Executive (Total Silence) 3 Counties Radio (Considerable Interest) Councillor Fisher (I think she's not talking to me now) Local residents (a degree of apathy here I think - just what the council wants) Hemel Conservatives (some interest) Hemel Liberal Democrats (initial interest then silence) Someone who keeps me within the law (lots of interest)
I don't actually include "The Great Satrap or his panjandrum, Ms Covington because I consider that they should hear from ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES.
From today the Local MP is being included and some TV Consumer Programs may also join the growing throng.
I'm rather disappointed that I had a total deathly silence from Mr. Price and his legions at "The Gazette." You would have thought that potentially harmful matters might have been of interest to a local newspaper (or perhaps they haven't worked out this "internet" business yet)
Ooh ! We have a chap called Beasley who is the local (if you can call it that) MEP for Hertfordshire. Shall we make this politically national now!
Sorry about the diatribe here but it was necessary to vent a little frustration at the ineptitude, incompetence and apathy of Hemel's Officialdom.
THE CANAL
Incidentally, yesterday, a weblog was submitted about the danger of the canal opposite B & Q. Should have known better. The same danger appears to be occurring along the entire length of Gadebridge Park too, from what I saw from a distance this afternoon. Not a fence in sight anywhere and a straight walk from the grass into a weed filled canal - and all of those children on holiday in Gadebribge Park. Bring your children to happy Hemel Hempstead and watch them risk drowning in the main park
COMMENTS
A couple of people have asked me why I don't allow comment on here. The answer is simple. I don't want officials or elected representatives making excuses on here!
Till tomorrow, when I shall go back to the facts and only the facts.
Thursday, 31 July 2003
A Potentially Lethal Situation at the Canal
This is beyond my normal scope as it is not Grovehill based. I have, however, just returned from B & Q in the Town Centre of Hemel Hempstead.
Opposite B & Q is a canal. It must be about 12 feet across at least. It appears to contain quite deep water. From B & Q to the Magic Roundabout, the entire length and width of the canal is totally covered with thick weed. You cannot even see the walls of the canal. Fences you ask - what fences. There are no fences. Anyone, perhaps a drunk or a child could wander off the footway, across the small width of the grass and walk straight into the canal. If they went below the surface, I would assume it would be almost impossible to pull yourself out as an adult and a child would simply drown, becoming totally entangled in the weeds.
What is Dacorum Borough Council doing about this extremely dangerous situation? Where are the responsible officials? Do our Councillors know about this and what pressure are they applying to officials? If they know and aren't applying intense pressure, WHY NOT?
Is this not a case for a crusading journalist to take up? Watch the local, silent apathetic compliance continue!
Action was there none (well, very little anyway!)
Well now, we've made it to lunchtime on 31 July and I've just returned from Grovehill Playing Fields.
First I have a little something positive to report.
I think I mentioned the man in his little white van when I was initially talking about our pouring sewer. Well as I was arriving on the field this morning, there he was, just leaving! Unfortunately, he wasn't leaving from where all the filth is lying on the road and in the car parks or on the grass but at least he was there. Do you suppose we are galvanising a little action here - well I like to think we might but i could be wrong of course.
There was no sign of any of the Satrap's men today. Nothing has changed. The grass is growing taller and binding tighter round the saplings. The gate is still bent. The goalposts in the car park are becoming coated with growing grass. The Hemlock seems to be past it's best now so all of the seeds are probably now in the grass ready to propagate next year. The 4 to 5 feet tall grass on the side of the road is developing lots of lovely ripe seed now and the sewerage still stinks. Incidentally, by the half way gate, the large pool of sewerage is now starting to become a wonderfully gooey mess.
Do you suppose The Satrap and his men are like Solicitors - They get paid for "thinking time" before they actually do anything?
I have one positive thing to say about the sewerage water that ran on to the grass. The grass there is probably the most lush, green grass I have seen outside of Golf Courses and Tennis Courts. Is there something potent to be said about this in relation to your lawn? After all, if Dacorum Borough Council doesn't mind having their grass soaked in sewerage, then they really can't object if someone else does the same on their lawn! Yuk!
Hey. Did you know that Hemel Hempstead Police have now appointed a new Police Officer for Grovehill and Woodhall Farm. Apparently he is called a "Ward Constable" and his name is James Boulton. He's apparently been here for some time but neither I nor anyone else whom I have spoken to has ever seen him. I know he exists because I spoke to him on the telephone. Perhaps he is a "Secret Policeman" - so secret that we residents are not allowed to see him!
Ok - that's it for now - who knows, maybe tomorrow a clean - up may have started but I shan't hold my breath (or maybe I will - that smell is horrible)
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
[ Wed Jul 30, 10:31:33 AM | Peter Willis | edit ]
THE GREAT SATRAP HAS SPOKEN
Well we have something really interesting to report today so we'll change the itinerary.
This morning I received a letter from Councillor Fisher. I submitted to her a list of complaints about Grovehill Playing Fields, some weeks ago. She took up the matters by letter to the Great Satrap of Recreation and Leisure, Mr. Peter Snow. She was obviously corresponding with him but without telling me what was being said by the Great Satrap. Anyway, the Satrap has moved and today, Councillor Fisher has sent me a copy of part of a letter The Satrap has sent to her. I'd be fascinated to know what was in the part of the letter she didn't send me. I wonder if it was libellous? Anyway - a copy of the letter from the Satrap to Councillor Fisher is below: -
This letter is dated 24 July
Dear Anne.
RE: COMPLAINTS ABOUT GROVEHILL PLAYING FIELDS
I write further to your letter of 23 July and your previous correspondence to which I responded on 10 July.
The sewer is the property and responsibility of Thames Water. Landscape and Recreation was informed of the leak from a number of sources on Wednesday 16 July and referred the matter to Building Services. When it was confirmed to be a public sewer, it was reported to Thames Water on 17 July. They undertook to respond that evening but did not do so and this was followed up the following morning. Thames Water repaired the leak on Friday 18 July but did not clear up. In response to a further phone calls, they said that they would be coming out the next day. We checked with the company on 24 July to see if they had cleared up to environmental standards. Thames Water said they would get the contractor to contact the service and a colleague met them on site at lunchtime today. The contractor acknowledged that a major clean up is still required and this is do to take place tomorrow, 25 July.
I am aware that there has been at least one previous leak at this location. We are not in a position to insist that Thames Water replaces the sewer but if the pipe has leaked on a number of previous occasion, we will strongly encourage them to do so.
I also refer to the matter you raised in your previous letter. The gate at the end of the road is to be replaced. This is currently unsightly but does not prevent anyone from accessing any part of the playing fields. The football posts will remain in the car park until the start of the football season, when they will be re-erected. The area beside the road will be cut in the Autumn. The Millennium Copse is to be strimmed and sprayed. I am taking third party opinion on the incidence of hemlock. I will let you know the outcome.
Here endeth the epistle of The Great Satrap
Ok well we have a little something to work with here.
Just a few little questions.
1) The Council was notified on the morning of the 16th that the sewer was pouring out filth. They took until 17th to notify Thames Water - WHY? Is this incompetence, ignorance or merely that they couldn't care less.
2) The Satrap's letter was dated 24 July. The major clean up was due to take place on 25 July so what, yesterday, was that wonderful aromatic smell in the air on the field - oh yes - Sewerage. The clean up has not taken place. The road and car parks are still filthy, as is the area by the gate. I doubt if any of the Satrap's People have bothered checking. After all, they might get their shoes dirty.
3) Why does the satrap doubt if the sewer pipe has broken on a number of previous occasions. Can't he look at his files where these occurrences should show - after all, isn't that what Satraps do best - keep paper.
4) I hope the Travellers don't see the downed goalposts before the Soccer Season begins or everyone is going to be rather short of crossbars this Winter.
5) The area beside the road referred to is the rough ground on the right as you go down the road in the field. Some of the grass there is now almost five feet high. According to the man who is Second in Command of the Council Grasscutting Department, they are CONTRACTED to cut that grass twice a year. ( He was rather angry with me when he told me that and I rather think it slipped out, because they normally won't tell you ANYTHING about what they are actually contracted to do) What I wish to know is, will thay be paying back half of the contracted price since they have only done half of the work? One for you Councillor Fisher.
6) Oh dear - he's going to get a third party opinion on the Hemlock - perhaps he ought to look in his file - I sent his department about 50 pages of stuff, including pictures, of Poison Hemlock - and if it is NOT hemlock (which calls into question the response I got from the Public Health Laboratory) then why have the council staff been donning rubber gloves for the past 5 years and pulling the damned stuff out. - WAKE UP SATRAP!
AND FINALLY: -
Yesterday I was a little harsh on poor old Councillor Fisher - She has obviously been doing her best against the Mighty Satrap. I apologise to you Councillor Fisher for being too harsh about you.
Remember, check back here at any time to see the latest findings we have about dear old Grotty Grovehill and our wonderfully benighted Council Staff.
THE GREAT SATRAP HAS SPOKEN
Well we have something really interesting to report today so we'll change the itinerary.
This morning I received a letter from Councillor Fisher. I submitted to her a list of complaints about Grovehill Playing Fields, some weeks ago. She took up the matters by letter to the Great Satrap of Recreation and Leisure, Mr. Peter Snow. She was obviously corresponding with him but without telling me what was being said by the Great Satrap. Anyway, the Satrap has moved and today, Councillor Fisher has sent me a copy of part of a letter The Satrap has sent to her. I'd be fascinated to know what was in the part of the letter she didn't send me. I wonder if it was libellous? Anyway - a copy of the letter from the Satrap to Councillor Fisher is below: -
This letter is dated 24 July
Dear Anne.
RE: COMPLAINTS ABOUT GROVEHILL PLAYING FIELDS
I write further to your letter of 23 July and your previous correspondence to which I responded on 10 July.
The sewer is the property and responsibility of Thames Water. Landscape and Recreation was informed of the leak from a number of sources on Wednesday 16 July and referred the matter to Building Services. When it was confirmed to be a public sewer, it was reported to Thames Water on 17 July. They undertook to respond that evening but did not do so and this was followed up the following morning. Thames Water repaired the leak on Friday 18 July but did not clear up. In response to a further phone calls, they said that they would be coming out the next day. We checked with the company on 24 July to see if they had cleared up to environmental standards. Thames Water said they would get the contractor to contact the service and a colleague met them on site at lunchtime today. The contractor acknowledged that a major clean up is still required and this is do to take place tomorrow, 25 July.
I am aware that there has been at least one previous leak at this location. We are not in a position to insist that Thames Water replaces the sewer but if the pipe has leaked on a number of previous occasion, we will strongly encourage them to do so.
I also refer to the matter you raised in your previous letter. The gate at the end of the road is to be replaced. This is currently unsightly but does not prevent anyone from accessing any part of the playing fields. The football posts will remain in the car park until the start of the football season, when they will be re-erected. The area beside the road will be cut in the Autumn. The Millennium Copse is to be strimmed and sprayed. I am taking third party opinion on the incidence of hemlock. I will let you know the outcome.
Here endeth the epistle of The Great Satrap
Ok well we have a little something to work with here.
Just a few little questions.
1) The Council was notified on the morning of the 16th that the sewer was pouring out filth. They took until 17th to notify Thames Water - WHY? Is this incompetence, ignorance or merely that they couldn't care less.
2) The Satrap's letter was dated 24 July. The major clean up was due to take place on 25 July so what, yesterday, was that wonderful aromatic smell in the air on the field - oh yes - Sewerage. The clean up has not taken place. The road and car parks are still filthy, as is the area by the gate. I doubt if any of the Satrap's People have bothered checking. After all, they might get their shoes dirty.
3) Why does the satrap doubt if the sewer pipe has broken on a number of previous occasions. Can't he look at his files where these occurrences should show - after all, isn't that what Satraps do best - keep paper.
4) I hope the Travellers don't see the downed goalposts before the Soccer Season begins or everyone is going to be rather short of crossbars this Winter.
5) The area beside the road referred to is the rough ground on the right as you go down the road in the field. Some of the grass there is now almost five feet high. According to the man who is Second in Command of the Council Grasscutting Department, they are CONTRACTED to cut that grass twice a year. ( He was rather angry with me when he told me that and I rather think it slipped out, because they normally won't tell you ANYTHING about what they are actually contracted to do) What I wish to know is, will thay be paying back half of the contracted price since they have only done half of the work? One for you Councillor Fisher.
6) Oh dear - he's going to get a third party opinion on the Hemlock - perhaps he ought to look in his file - I sent his department about 50 pages of stuff, including pictures, of Poison Hemlock - and if it is NOT hemlock (which calls into question the response I got from the Public Health Laboratory) then why have the council staff been donning rubber gloves for the past 5 years and pulling the damned stuff out. - WAKE UP SATRAP!
AND FINALLY: -
Yesterday I was a little harsh on poor old Councillor Fisher - She has obviously been doing her best against the Mighty Satrap. I apologise to you Councillor Fisher for being too harsh about you.
Remember, check back here at any time to see the latest findings we have about dear old Grotty Grovehill and our wonderfully benighted Council Staff.
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
THE MILLENNIUM COPSE
Some people may not know what the Millennium Copse is. Well, it is the group of saplings on the bank, opposite the road, about one third of the way down the field. It actually looks like a large area of scrubby grass with a few sticks showing above the scrub. In fact, it is over 100 native trees, planted in the year 2000 and all slowly being strangled by the uncut grass.
Why is this happening - because the Landscape Department of Dacorum Borough Council cannot be bothered to find a man with a strimmer to walk round for 2 or 3 hours and cut the grass away from the trees. Councillor Fisher asked Mr. Snow (he's the head satrap of Recreation and Leisure) formally, in a letter, to have this done - hmmmm she doesn't seem to be very successful. Perhaps she ought to try kicking some shins amongst the senior officials?
Did you notice last week that they managed to find five men to hang around for two days, cutting the hedges around the Margaret Lloyd Centre at the Playing Field. Pity they couldn't find one of the men who seemed to be standing around watching a great deal, to go and strim round the copse - Too logical I suppose.
Is ANYONE in charge of these so called workmen? Where is the supervision? Is there any supervision?
Oh, by the way, I ought to be a little nice about an achievement today. They managed to replace the barrier on the car park below the Changing Rooms. It has taken them over 12 months to do it and they did lose the keys to the first, very expensive barrier within 3 weeks of installing it but hey ho, it is an achievement so they ought to be praised.
Tomorrow we'll talk about contracts to cut the grass on the side of the road down the field.
POISON HEMLOCK
Now you may not know exactly what Poison Hemlock is but it is quite simple really. It is a very tall plant, straggly and scruffy looking, with small white flowers and a rather ugle looking grey stem with blotches of pink and green and grey on it. It is the plant from which a distillation was used to kill Socrates, the Philosopher, some 2000 years ago.
According to what I have read, every single part of the plant is poisonous, from the seeds to the roots, including the sap.
We have this delightful plant on Grovehill Playing Fields. It has been there for some years, since they dug up the old BMX Track and is located on that piece of rough ground and on the edge of the path behind that rough ground. Over a number of years, when the plants have grown and been getting ready to flower, I have contacted Dacorum Borough Council and asked them to come and pull up the plants. Reluctantly, and often almost too late, they have come and done so. (once the flowers have died, the plants set seeds and will then disperse them in the wind) Incidentally, this is again Covington's Fiefdom.
This year they haven't bothered, despite my request and despite my having the Local Councillor, Mrs. Fisher, point out the problem to them. The end result is that the plants have now set their seeds and any day now will scatter them across the rough ground. This means that next year we shall have more plants of this highly toxic weed than we have this year. It doesn't seem to bother these panjandrums in the Civic Centre that the public are being put at risk.
Thank you yet again Dacorum Borough Council.
Monday, July 28, 2003
SEWERAGE ON GROVEHILL PLAYING FIELDS
On 16th July, a sewer pipe on the Playing Field had burst (for the 5th year in a row)
As usual, I reported it to the Council, specifically to the Landscaping Department, the Fiefdom of a woman called Claire Covington. I was promised that they would get someone out to repair it.
The sewer pipe was gushing filthy water all over 2 car parks and down the road, where it was pooling at the centre gate in a filthy stinking puddle.
On the morning of 17th July, I again returned to the field and the pipe was still gushing out it's filthy contents, including a huge amount of decomposed toilet paper which had now totally covered the 2 car parks , left a trail down the road and a large pool of the debris at the centre gate, covering both the road and the grass to both sides. At the corner of the 5th car park, a large area of the grass, stretching beyond the goal on the first pitch, was totally saturated. The same had occurred at the centre gate.
Yet again I telephoned Dacorum Council and actually spoke to Covington this time. She promised to get something done.
At 6pm that day, I was again on the field, where the sewerage was still gushing when I little man in a van appeared. He was from a sewer repair company. He looked and he checked and he left. The sewerage continued to gush.
On the 18th, at about 11.30am, the man with the van reappeared with a man with a tanker thing. The filth was finally stopped.
By this time, the sewerage had been running for 2.5 days.
After the filth was stopped from pouring out of the sewerage pipe, one would expect that some representative of the Council would attend and arrange for the filthy stinking mess to be cleared away. Oh no. This is Dacorum Council and Grovehill is a long way from the Civic Centre. No one came near to clear away anything.
So I wrote to the Local Councillor, Mrs. Anne Fisher, who lives in Washington Avenue. I told her of the occurrence and it's result. She wrote back to say she would try to get something done. That was on the 22nd July. I know she received the letter because I hand delivered one copy to her home and another that evening to the Council Offices. As I was leaving the Offices after delivery, I saw her actually entering the building
Today is the 28th July and we have had a result. Some time this morning, someone from the council has attended the field and scraped up the degraded toilet papaer near the burst pipe. They have made a small heap of it and left it there. Nothing has been done about the filth coating the car parks, the road, the road by the centre gate or on the field.
I have one good thing to report. On the grass on the field where the sewerage saturated it, the grass is growing lush and green, much more so than anywhere else on the field. Of course it is totally polluted but hey, what the heck, Dacorum Council won't mind.
Of course the footballers and the children who play on the field might mind if they are made ill but there is no one at dacorum Council who is going to tell them the cause of their illness.
Tomorrow, the story of poison hemlock on the field.
