BEXLEY COUNCIL - NOT LISTENING TO US!
Politicians always have a way of telling you what they think you want to hear. They like us to think they're working for us and listening to us! However, words can be cheap and meaningless and, all too often, what politicians say and what politicians do, are completely different things!
Not Working For Us! Having spent considerable hours writing to, and talking to, Bexley Council, on behalf of local residents and general public alike, I can honestly say that they really ought to find a different motto, because the current one of 'Listening To You, Working For You', is not working for us. On all issues, regardless of the validity of any points we have put forward, the response has always been the same. Not interested! The fact is, we have communicated the majority public viewpoint on many issues and we have put forward excellent arguments for many of the requests we have made. Even so, it has been a fruitless exercise, yielding absolutely no consideration on the Council's behalf. Regardless of any of the points we have made, they simply do not listen, and it appears that they are simply not interested in listening.
Listening To Someone! The people I have had dealings in the various departments of Bexley Council have always been very nice to talk to but the message is always the same. Basically, we cannot have what we would like, and we're stuck with what we're given, regardless of whether it is a good idea and regardless of whether it is the best possible solution. We really do try and point things out, but we get nowhere. Bexley Council are listening to someone, and working for someone, but who is it? In the meantime, while we try and work that one out, we are asking for suggestions for a new motto for our local authority, as the one that currently adorns their letterhead is a complete lie. Please email any suggestions you may have and we will list them on this page. There may even be a prize for the most original and popular.
| NEW MOTTO SUGGESTIONS FOR BEXLEY COUNCIL |
| Listening To You, Working For You! |
Ruled out as highly inaccurate and inappropriate. |
| Not Listening To You, Not Working For You! |
Extremely accurate, but perhaps a bit too obvious? |
| Not Listening To You, Working For Ourselves! |
Very true! |
| Shirking The Remedial, Taking The Proverbial! |
Not bad! Certainly very accurate. |
| Taking Your Cash, Making A Hash! |
Definitely true! |
| Exploiting Your Parking, Sending You Barking! |
A bit too specific perhaps? |
| Feel free to email any appropriate Bexley Council moto suggestions you may have... |
Bad Management?
Retrogressive Traffic Scheming: We have seen many instances of bad management from Bexley Council over the years. Nowhere, perhaps, has this been epitomised more than in the amount of retrogressive traffic scheming in this area. Traffic schemes that compound congestion, cause problems that weren't there before and are certainly not the best possible solution. Multiply this by the total number of such schemes and it has become a very serious problem. Schemes that are retrogressive and inefficient cause additional congestion, additional pollution, waste people's time and manhours, cause more vehicle wear and tear, poorer health, higher stress factors and increased global warming.
Higher Congestion = More Pollution: We have pointed out to Bexley Council that traffic schemes with a
higher congestion factor also have a higher pollution factor. We have also pointed out that stop-start schemes in general
have a higher pollution factor. We have suggested preferable, healthier, cleaner and more efficient alternatives and yet, as the Council blunders on, these points have been completely ignored.
Third Most Polluted: Recently, it has been published in the local paper that the Bexley area is the third most polluted in London. It has also been in the news that pollution is causing many health problems for people, such as asthma, and that it is also causing intellect problems for our children, "making them dumber". Some pollution is unavoidable with our current understanding and technology, but why make things worse with inefficient traffic schemes. Traffic schemes that cost a lot of money and yet are worse than what was there before.
Inadequate Response: We have written many letters to Bexley Council regarding various issues. Sometimes we have not had a response and have had to write again. More to the point, when we have had a response, it has been wholly inadequate and has shown no real indication that the points raised in our analysis of such schemes have even been understood. Some seem to have completely missed the point. In other instances, it has been said that it is current legislation that is to blame, whatever the situation, the issues have not been addressed to the satisfaction of the public. Judge for yourself.
Moving On: The fact is that the majority of people are in agreement with what is being said to our local authority
and yet, our local authority are not listening or acting on what is being said. They are either just ignoring it, or finding poor excuses for non-compliance. If they are right, then fair enough, if they are not, they should be taking some of these points on board and not sweeping over them as if they have no relevance. Even when they do make a point of consulting the public, it is just for show, and very apparent that they have already made up their minds.
Value for Money: Local authorities now charge the public an awful lot of money in the form of council tax, to say nothing of parking fines and other so called 'civil enforcement' money making schemes. It would be nice to think that we get something worthwhile for our money and that it is not wasted on retrogressive traffic schemes that cause their own problems and make life more difficult for people. We are only interested in the best result. If Bexley Council can substantiate their case, then fair enough; that is all we ask. However, if they cannot put a superior case on the table, then why are they not prepared to take sensible suggestions from the general public? After all, we're all in this together aren't we? The fact is, they may think they know best and they know it all, but they're not actually that clever!
Questions Arising
- Why are Bexley Council so out of touch with people's needs, wishes, and requirements?
- Why do Bexley Council not listen or give enough consideration to what people say?
- What is wrong with giving the public what they want, instead of what they don't want?
- Why do Bexley Council think they are entitled to bully people against the majority democratic will?
- Why do Bexley Council insist on spending public money on things that the majority of people do not want and that make life
more difficult for people?
- Why do Bexley Council think that it is acceptable to spend our money on things that lower our quality of life and make
it more difficult for people to go about their business?
- Why do Bexley Council feel that they need to spoil the quality of the roads, when there are better, far superior, alternatives?
- Why do Bexley Council not realise that the necessary objective, if there is one, is to slow people down, not force them to keep stopping
and starting unnecessarily?
- Why do Bexley Council not realise that the schemes they put in are green unfriendly and contributing to pollution?
- Why do Bexley Council think it is appropriate to abuse the position they are in, as trustees of public funds and servants of the public?