Make me invisible!

The Council's lack of concern for our issues make me feel invisible - how about you?!???

Our incumbent Liberal and Labour Councillors out did themselves at the Area 5 meeting on Tuesday 10th November 2009.

The application I submitted for security fencing at Chadwell Allotments, was analysed for over an hour. Council members incessantly debated over the same issue - the issue being whether it should be a council responsibility or the responsibility of the elderly couple at no.12 to secure the fencing around the allotments.

I argued that the allotments that had become the magnet for antisocial behaviour and thus that the Council should overlook land rights and if necessary, realign any secure fence 1 foot inside the boundary, to overcome this dispute. Moreover, would it be fair for pensioners in their 80's who have both survived world war 2, only now, to pay for safety measures that would affect a whole community?

Cllr Bellwood claimed that the area 5 has never made any capital spend affecting private property, however they have forked out over £5000 for South Road repairs twice (once after my own appeal). A member of the public made his objections to Cllr Bellwood's comments that were so obviously incorrect.

Moreover, funds were agreed for the improvement of a church garden (which will be used publicly and I have no objections) yet the problem with the allotments, that has seen several arson attacks and much antisocial behaviour including depositing of beer cans, syringes and other drugs paraphernalia - has been left on the wayside.

The Ilford recorder reported on the shenanigans of the Councillors in an Area Committee report in this weeks paper. It really was a disgraceful and rather disgusting introduction to politics - all the councillors were just insulting each other, rather than tackling local problems.

This whole experience now leaves us bereft of any funding for the scheme, which would have provided an important safety aspect to our community.

As much as the Councillor's make me feel invisible, seeing their escapades on Tuesday, made me wish I could have been invisible - rather than exhibiting the blushing that watching them make fools of themselves induced.