Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
The closure of The Pentagon Bus Station
Regardless of your political persuasion I think you will all agree that the large conservative majority on the council is bad for Medway and democracy. Here is my suggestion to change this in the May elections.
The single issue that will directly and immediately effect a large number of people in Medway is not city status, or the lumbering regeneration projects, or the Sainsbury versus Tesco supermarket battle or the new bus station - IT IS THE CLOSURE OF THE PENTAGON BUS STATION !! Many people are still not aware that this will close - they think that the new bus station is in ADDITION to the Pentagon Bus Station!
I think we should organise a publicity campaign about the closure of the Pentagon Bus Station and put the blame where it belongs, squarely on the shoulders of the conservative majority on Medway Council. We could distribute leaflets to the effect that:
This is a quick idea off the top of my head but I do think that a single issue campaign which touches all parts of the Medway towns is a good idea and the only way in which we will be able to alter the balance of the council. Please be open and honest in your criticism of this hurried idea and improve the leaflet and add your own thoughts and let me know.
A film of 30 pensioners, for instance, out in the rain at the new dynamic bus station would change a lot of hearts and minds! We need more ideas like this.
Medway Council have no right to take this (admittedly inadequate) facility away from our residents - it is a scandal and we have not properly addressed it until now. It is not the building of the new bus station that is the issue - it is the closure of the old one!
The single issue that will directly and immediately effect a large number of people in Medway is not city status, or the lumbering regeneration projects, or the Sainsbury versus Tesco supermarket battle or the new bus station - IT IS THE CLOSURE OF THE PENTAGON BUS STATION !! Many people are still not aware that this will close - they think that the new bus station is in ADDITION to the Pentagon Bus Station!
I think we should organise a publicity campaign about the closure of the Pentagon Bus Station and put the blame where it belongs, squarely on the shoulders of the conservative majority on Medway Council. We could distribute leaflets to the effect that:
The Pentagon Bus Station is closing
Soon you will not be able to catch your bus here
You will have to go to the Riverside Gardens to catch your bus
You will be at the mercy of the weather as there is little shelter there
There is also limited seating and no toilets
If you care about standing around in all weathers to catch your bus
or you worry about how older and infirm passengers are going to cope
Vote for ANYBODY but your Conservative councillor at the local elections
The Conservative councillors are closing your bus station instead of refurbishing it
This is a quick idea off the top of my head but I do think that a single issue campaign which touches all parts of the Medway towns is a good idea and the only way in which we will be able to alter the balance of the council. Please be open and honest in your criticism of this hurried idea and improve the leaflet and add your own thoughts and let me know.
A film of 30 pensioners, for instance, out in the rain at the new dynamic bus station would change a lot of hearts and minds! We need more ideas like this.
Medway Council have no right to take this (admittedly inadequate) facility away from our residents - it is a scandal and we have not properly addressed it until now. It is not the building of the new bus station that is the issue - it is the closure of the old one!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Will Medway Tory councillor Alan ("we can call ourselves whatever we like") Jarrett's latest gaff cost council tax payers ££££££ ?
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) have recently ruled that Medway can't "call ourselves whatever we like" as Deputy Leader Alan Jarrett has stated in defence of his "City of Medway, rich heritage, great future" logo. If this WERE the case it could lead to all sorts of confusion - I could, for instance, call myself "Lord Blogger of Rochester", Mr Jarrett could call himself "The Royal Keeper of The Emporer's Invisible Clothes" or "Brad Pitt" - it would be mayhem!
The recent ruling by the ASA states: "The ad must not appear again in its current form".
Imagine then my surprise, whilst perusing pamphlets at the tourist centre in Rochester High street, to find the items shown below, flaunting the forbidden logo! I have suggested (also shown below) a means of complying with the ASA ruling at the cost of a couple of felt tips - no doubt this and the staff time involved could be taken from the Medway city bid budget! I have included this cunning design suggestion as I am sure that Medway Council (or even Mr "call ourselves whatever we like" Jarrett himself) will not want to incur the costs of pulping (or re-cycling?) the thousands of pamphlets and the re-design and re-printing required in these difficult times when cuts to council staff are being made.
I am currently searching for an equally brilliant and cost-effective solution to the ARRIVA bus and the VEIOLA dustcarts that are currently displaying the "misleading" logo.
The recent ruling by the ASA states: "The ad must not appear again in its current form".
Imagine then my surprise, whilst perusing pamphlets at the tourist centre in Rochester High street, to find the items shown below, flaunting the forbidden logo! I have suggested (also shown below) a means of complying with the ASA ruling at the cost of a couple of felt tips - no doubt this and the staff time involved could be taken from the Medway city bid budget! I have included this cunning design suggestion as I am sure that Medway Council (or even Mr "call ourselves whatever we like" Jarrett himself) will not want to incur the costs of pulping (or re-cycling?) the thousands of pamphlets and the re-design and re-printing required in these difficult times when cuts to council staff are being made.
I am currently searching for an equally brilliant and cost-effective solution to the ARRIVA bus and the VEIOLA dustcarts that are currently displaying the "misleading" logo.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Medway Council destroy gardens without warning - more vandalism in your name!
This week the Medway towns lost another green space. These gardens, in front of Chatham Town Hall have just been bulldozed - anybody care?
Email your local councillor if you do.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Medway borough council say "Medway has come a long way since the devastation caused by the closure of the naval dockyard in Chatham in the 1980s" - I wonder if they have included the devestation they have caused?
1. Loss of city status for Rochester Upon Medway through administrative error further compounded by an unsuccessful bid for city status some years later – now there is a third bid using the name “Medway” (nobody likes or wants this name and few outsiders know where it is!) putting paid to the proud names of Strood, Gillingham, Chatham, Rainham and all the outlying villages. Vandalism on a vast scale! Without adequate consultation!
2. Closure of the centuries-old Rochester Market to provide income generating car parking
3. CCTV Car(s)
4. Destruction of Aveling and Porter building to provide income generating car parking
5. Destruction of riverside wharves to provide thusfar non-existant development
6. Vandalism (tree felling etc) of The Paddock for "Dynamic" Bus Station
7. Vandalism of Riverside Gardens (tree felling etc) for "Dynamic" Bus Station
8. Vandalism of Great Lines (tree felling, destruction of wildlife habitat)
9. Changes to Black Lion Sports Centre (including renaming as Medway Park!)
10. Closure of college to sell off land opposite Rochester Airport for development
11. Relocation of Age Concern/Help the Aged from central Chatham to Hopewell Drive Business Estate, Luton
12. Failure to ensure the refurbishment of Pentagon toilets despite allegedly wasting £200,000 earmarked.
13. Selling off parts of Watts Meadow for development
14. Selling off Copperfield Green Space for development
15. Failing to provide public parking at Gun Wharf Council offices
16. Publishing and distributing "Medway Matters" (a blatant piece of propaganda) using our money
17. Failing to consult effectively and/or failing to listen to consultation on almost every issue
18. The "Elephant in The Room" preventing any regeneration of Chatham is THE PENTAGON - demolish it!
19. Merger of Chatham South School & Medway Community College to form the vast Chatham Academy
20. Proposed closure of St John's C of E Infants causing uncertainty and distress)
21. Proposed closure of Ridge Meadow Primary school
2. Closure of the centuries-old Rochester Market to provide income generating car parking
3. CCTV Car(s)
4. Destruction of Aveling and Porter building to provide income generating car parking
5. Destruction of riverside wharves to provide thusfar non-existant development
6. Vandalism (tree felling etc) of The Paddock for "Dynamic" Bus Station
7. Vandalism of Riverside Gardens (tree felling etc) for "Dynamic" Bus Station
8. Vandalism of Great Lines (tree felling, destruction of wildlife habitat)
9. Changes to Black Lion Sports Centre (including renaming as Medway Park!)
10. Closure of college to sell off land opposite Rochester Airport for development
11. Relocation of Age Concern/Help the Aged from central Chatham to Hopewell Drive Business Estate, Luton
12. Failure to ensure the refurbishment of Pentagon toilets despite allegedly wasting £200,000 earmarked.
13. Selling off parts of Watts Meadow for development
14. Selling off Copperfield Green Space for development
15. Failing to provide public parking at Gun Wharf Council offices
16. Publishing and distributing "Medway Matters" (a blatant piece of propaganda) using our money
17. Failing to consult effectively and/or failing to listen to consultation on almost every issue
18. The "Elephant in The Room" preventing any regeneration of Chatham is THE PENTAGON - demolish it!
19. Merger of Chatham South School & Medway Community College to form the vast Chatham Academy
20. Proposed closure of St John's C of E Infants causing uncertainty and distress)
21. Proposed closure of Ridge Meadow Primary school
22.Axing of jobs - loss of park wardens at Maidstone Road Sports Ground the only sports ground in Chatham Central!
23. Loss of loos at Maidstone Rd Sports Ground - Council voted to demolish [ & have demolished them ] & will not be re-instating.
24. Queen St/Slicketts Hill car parks which are allegedly to be sold off & potentially developed into blocks of flats.
25, Failure years ago to back the campaigners to save the Theatre Royal in Chatham.
26. Allegedly selling off car park in King Street, Rochester for redevelopment.
I could go on but I am beginning to feel ill!
Please add your own favourites at will.
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