MANAGE FACILITIES - DON'T TAKE THEM AWAY!
It is apparent in some instances that local authorities are depriving the public of useful, sometimes vital, facilities rather than addressing and managing any problems they may have with them. Listed below are just a few varied examples of what should not be happening, but due to incompetence, lack of consideration and lack of willing, unfortuantely is....
In Ashford, a car park needed by the public to facilitate local activities in the evenings had a problem with young drivers congregating and 'burning rubber' in the evenings.
Rather than address this problem by having the offenders nicked, the local council
decided to close the car park in the evenings, meaning that the youngsters could
no longer exercise their past time, true. However, now ordinary, law abiding,
tax paying, members of the public, have nowhere to park for their evening functions.
The Howbury Centre:
In Slade Green, local people lost their secondary school, known as Howbury Grange, when the council decided to close it rather than support it. We are now short of school places, the other schools are stuffed to the brim, and some children are having to travel many miles into other areas to find a place. Again, perhaps it would have been better to address the problem and sort it out rather than deprive people of the facility altogether. However, the facility was renamed and handed over to adult education and social activities, which has proved very useful to the local community and surrounding area. It also now houses the local library and local people were also able to access the fields over the back to walk their dogs and enjoy recreational activity, so it was not all bad. However, the story goes on....
In Bromley, a vital public footpath used by children and adults alike is also currently used by a some criminals to access and burgle properties. Rather than do something about the crime, Bromley Council are considering closing it altogether. However, the crime will just move somewhere else (as it would anyway with proper policing - see Crime Category) and again people will have lost a very useful shortcut and means of access.