A wet evening at Westbridge Park

I returned home from Westbridge Park like a drowned rat tonight! Jill Hood and I had been down to meet the skateboarders to see for ourselves the problems with the skate park. We'd met a few of them at our political 'speed dating' session with them during the election campaign and had heard a consistent complaint that the skate park was badly designed and inadequate.

It's only when you listen to them and look at what they're talking about that you realise just how frustrated they feel. Someone has installed a skate boarding facility that is unusable. Rails too high. Obstructions at the the top of the ramps. Wrong angles. The list of defects went on and on. No wonder I've never seen anyone using the park. And their other complaint is that they don't feel safe down there in the dark - no lights and the CCTV camera is out of range behind a tree.

So we had a good long chat with them and with Chris Fridd the youth worker. The skaters are going to draw up a detailed list of the problems and they will also be designing their own idea of what is needed. Apparently, Stone skaters regularly travel to Lyme Park in Newcastle or up to Hanley to use the facilities up there simply because Westbridge is "useless".

I don't think it would be too expensive to give the kids the skate park they are asking for. So I'm determined to follow this one up. The young people are forever being criticised - it's time to listen to them for a change. What they are saying is plainly common sense and wouldn't cost the earth.

Another Stone in Bloom meeting

The judges will be in town next Thursday so tonight's In Bloom meeting was the final get together of the group before the big day.

Obviously I wish the town well in the competition but I'll reserve all my other comments about the Stone in Bloom set-up until after the judging.

The new Code of Conduct

Tonight was the first of two training sessions for all Borough Councillors on the new Code of Conduct. I had already seen Alistair Welch's presentation as a member of the Standards Committee but had been asked to attend so that I could take part in the 'case scenario' debates which followed.

The members were split up into three groups to discuss the four fictional scenarios which we had discussed a week ago. It was very interesting to see, yet again, how members instinctively erred on the side of caution and in almost every case took decisions which were ultra safe.

I am told that Stafford Borough Council's record on Conduct issues is exceptionally good. I can see why.

You drill it - I'll screw it!

There are times when the easiest way to get a job done is to do it yourself!

Last year Stafford Borough Council erected four 'Welcome to Stone' display notice boards on our car parks and at the end of Mill Street. Sadly, the laminated information sheets displayed inside soon faded in the sunlight and were removed many months ago. Replacement sheets made out of more sturdy material were ordered and then all went quiet!

Yesterday I had a phone call from Tim Scott who told me that he'd made enquiries and, lo and behold, the boards were there at Stafford waiting for someone to install them! "Bring them to Stone", I said, "and I'll do it myself."

Tim came over today and between us we've done the job! Tim drilled the holes and I used my DIY skills to screw the boards in place. Although I say it myself, they look pretty impressive. Visitors should now be able to find their way around the town.

I wonder how long the boards would have stayed in Stafford if Tim hadn't enquired!

Progress!

Tonight's meeting of the Town Council's Tourism and Town Promotion Sub Committee made very good progress. A long list of current issues was addressed. Christmas lights, the proposed new website,the upcoming Music Festival, the Great Flood commemoration, car park signage, finger post signs, town leaflets, the Joules clock, amphitheatre events, etc. - the list is long but things are now really beginning to happen!

And I am aware of tentative plans for a potentially super event next year which wasn't even on the agenda! Can't say any more yet but it could be a 'biggy'.

What a difference when you have a group of people with ideas and enthusiasm!

Armed police in Radford Street drama

Staffordshire is one of the safest counties in the country and Stone's crime rate (or lack of it) should be the envy of many towns this size. So it was with horror that I discovered that this morning Stone was the subject of a scene straight out of a Hollywood movie. Radford Street blocked off by three patrol car whilst a dozen or so police officers with machine guns arrested a man and then sped off at speed. A lot of very frightened and shocked on lookers were left wondering what on earth had been happening.

The terrorism arrests last week a few miles up the A34 in Newcastle-under-Lyme have brought home the reality that even here, in sleepy North Staffordshire, we are not immune from the events in the big wide world. Was this another terrorist related incident? Were the shoppers and visitors to the town being placed at risk?

Thankfully the answer is "No". It now transpires that the whole thing was a police training exercise. I think the police need to do a little more by way of explanation. There were some very frightened people in town today.

'Much Ado' at the castle

I had to send apologies to two meetings last night because I had a night off to enjoy myself! Jan and I bought our tickets months ago for the Borough Mayor's Gala performance of Much Ado About Nothing at Stafford Castle - so apologies went to Market Town Initiative and Stone's Independent Voice and I'm sure they both managed without me!

And I am so glad I did. The performance was absolutely wonderful. A very strong cast headed by Stephen Beckett (apparently an actor in Coronation Street so the programme states - as you can guess I don't have time to watch soaps!) regally entertained the civic party and their guests. And the character Dogberry, the constable, went off script in a superb welcome speech to the Mayor which brought the house down!

I was 'forced' to appreciate Shakespeare for my O levels many years ago. It was dry, cold and boring then. Over the years I've come to love his works and mainly through seeing productions like last night's. More modern settings and costumes, wit and humour, romance and tragedy - this was a performance for everyone.

A superb performance! I'm going to have to make a few phone calls now to find out what happened during those meetings I missed.

Back to school - twice in one day

Today I've been in two schools but for very different reasons. This morning I had the great pleasure to go up to Yarnfield with Jill Hood to visit Springfields First School on behalf of the Food and Drink Festival. Last year we ran a competition amongst the local schools to see who could grow the biggest pumpkin - the plant on the Festival's logo. The winner was a pupil from Springfields so today I presented her and the school with winner's shield and plaque. And afterwards we were taken on a tour of the children's garden. This is a recent addition and has been created with a lot of support from parents. Raised beds for growing vegetables, flower beds, a sensory garden and, under construction at this very moment, a log cabin which has been heavily sponsored by B & Q. Very impressive! The In Bloom judges visited the garden last week so everyone in Yarnfield is crossing fingers and toes. Good luck, Springfields!

This afternoon I went into St. Dominic's First School in Stone for a very different reason. The school has announced plans to change the arrangements for children entering and leaving school. Instead of using the entrances in Station Road and Margaret Street, children will have to use the gates in Newcastle Street. Not surprisingly, this has caused uproar amongst the parents and today the school was showing the plans and proposals to parents. I was asked by a couple of parents to go along to hear the school's explanations.

I am disgusted by the school's attitude. The move, it is said, is necessitated by plans to build a new extension and move the staff car park. They justify the Newcastle Road entrances by stating that they've had a Risk Assessment carried out and they 'spoken' to the Safer Routes to School team. Frankly, the answers to my questions were evasive or irrelevant. The only direct answer I obtained was when I pointed out that parents collecting children often parked along Newcastle Road and would inevitably cross Margaret Street at the junction and not use the recently installed crossing half way up Margaret Street. The response was "we're not responsible for the children once they've left the school premises".

Newcastle Street is a major road entrance into the town. It is busy with traffic, some of it travelling at speed, at all times of the day. The pavement is narrow. Margaret Street has recently had tens of thousands of pounds spent on traffic calming measures, remodelling of kerbs and the installation of a pedestrian crossing all perfectly positioned to service the existing Margaret Street gates. To change the entrance position now is absolute madness and places the children at a much greater risk. I am determined to do what I can to stop this stupidity.

What an improvement!

For several years there have been numerous complaints about the ugly hoardings outside the old Coop building in Radford Street and the old Fire Station in Newcastle Street. And with judging for Stone in Bloom only a ten days away it looks as if some anonymous citizens have decided to do something about the problem themselves!

I can't disclose too many details because technically what happened this morning was actually a bit of "people power" at work. Taking matters into their own hands a handful of volunteers (did I see their photographs on Stone's Independent Voice leaflets during the local elections?!) turned up with dust sheets, paint brushes and rollers and two tubs of paint and did the job!

Let's just hope that the vandals and graffiti artists leave well alone - at least until after the In Bloom judges have been to town.

A delightful and relaxing evening

Stone Choral Society gave a concert tonight in the hall at Alleynes School and it was just what I needed after a long day in town. A programme of 'Songs from America' covered a wide range of styles from spirituals to a medley from West Side Story. And all sung superbly with dedication and enthusiasm.

It is so good to see so many friends in the choir who obviously enjoy singing so much. Ju Clarke, Pat Conlong, Gerrald Gittins and Jim Davies and several other friends were there creating a most enjoyable and relaxing evening for us all.

And after the concert was over, strawberries and cream and a glass of wine. Very welcome! And I came away utterly convinced that next year's Music Festival must include the Stone Choral Society!

I missed the train!

For several weeks I've had the time and date written in my diary. Saturday 7th. July at 10.36 a.m. This was the moment when a train would actually stop at Stone Station and pick up fare paying passengers and I was fully intending to be there to photograph the event.

But I failed! Sadly part of my unofficial duties as a member of the Food and Drink Festival group is to be around in town during Farmers' Markets in case of any problems. And this morning, shortly before I was due to go up to the station, the power failed to two of the stalls. Both stall depend on electricity to power their fridge displays so the problems had to be solved as matters of urgency.

So eventually, after much effort with extension cable reels and help from Kevin of Murphy's Marbles (thanks Kev!) power was restored. But by then the train had been and gone!

The train was a special excursion tour to Carlisle and, but for the Farmers' Market, I would have been very tempted to have been on board.

Another good weather Farmers' Market

There's a bit of a record being set by our Farmers' Market! No one can remember one when it has rained! And the tradition continued today despite a cool and overcast start. By the end of the afternoon the sun was blazing down and I went home with a bit of a tingling face.

It was another great Farmers' Market. Almost 40 stalls selling a wide variety of produce including a couple of new stallholders. I tend to judge the success of a Farmers' Market by how quickly Bev's Bakery stall sells out and today, despite Bev herself not being present, the family back up team were all sold out by two o'clock.

Today, we hired in the ever popular band, Murphy's Marbles, who entertained the crowd all day. At five o'clock the square was still full of people clapping, singing and dancing along with the music. What a fantastic atmosphere!

A correction and an apology

I had a good chat to Tim Scott this morning. Tim is a very good pal of mine and I fear I've upset him. I first met Tim over three years ago when he'd arrived in town as the Administrator of the Stone Market Town Initiative scheme. We got on like a house on fire. Although he lives on the other side of Uttoxeter, he lives, eats and breathes Stone. He's totally committed to the town and has been, and still is, a very important member of our Food and Drink Festival working group.

Tim has been reading this blog and was concerned by the comments I'd made in the item about the MTI's Community Chest presentation a couple of weeks ago at the Crown Hotel. I'd questioned the need for such an event and suggested that the cost could have been better used to fund some extra projects.

Tim points out that the event was organised in order to publicise the completion of the very successful Community Chest project. Over twenty local groups and organisations had directly benefited from grants and this was an opportunity for them to meet and get to know each other. It also presented an opportunity to express appreciation for the work done by the organisers of the project.

Tim also wanted me to know that the cost of the event was borne entirely by Stafford Borough Council - no expenditure was incurred by Stone Market Town initiative. So I was entirely wrong to suggest that the costs of the event could have been better used to fund other MTI projects.

So I happily publish Tim's comments and apologise unreservedly for my comments about the costs of the event. Sadly, the new facts simply reinforce the other views I expressed in the original blog.

Illegal traffic in the High Street

Jill Hood attended a meeting at the Crown Hotel last night and sat in a seat near the window overlooking the High Street. She tells me that during the two hour meeting she counted 29 cars travelling down the street - some of them at very fast speeds.

I would guess that they were all using the street illegally. The High Street is a pedestrian zone 24 hours a day. It is completely closed to traffic at the top from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. but even outside those hours, access is limited to a very few types of use. No motorist is entitled to use the street as a short cut, or to use a cash point or pick up passengers or to collect a take-away. And parking in the street and the market square is prohibited at all times.

The police have been issuing fixed penalty tickets over recent months but cannot be present all the time. So I just hope the scheme to install rising bollards attracts sufficient funding to become a reality. The sooner the better!

The 101 bus service

Since being elected I've started to receive quite a lot of mail from various groups and organisations - some of it pure junk mail and some of it quite interesting. Yesterday I received a newsletter from First, the bus operator, which fell into the second category. Entitled 'firstNEWS', the newsletter contained the usual news about improved services and awards for drivers but hidden away on the back page was an interesting article about certain selected services operated under Quality Partnerships which includes the 101 service through Stone.

I've always extolled the virtues of this every 20 minute service between Staford and the Potteries and it was interesting to read of further possible improvements. In partnership with local authorities, these services are provided with shelters, raised kerbs and bus priority measures and the operator commits to a service operated exclusively with high quality vehicles and enhanced driver training. The 101 already benefits from these provisions.

But the interesting part of the article was about plans for further enhancements. The article states that "talks have also included plans for the design and introduction of a Real Time Passenger Information system. Electronic Information displays would be placed at bus stops so that customers could know when the next bus will arrive, and on the bus itself there would be a display panel showing the bus's progress along the route."

I am in favour of any move to persuade people to use public transport and the 101 service is a very good example of a comfortable quick and efficient alternative to using a car. The proposed new information displays can only serve to encourage more people off the roads.