Comments on: Better news on housing numbers in Lichfield District http://www.matthewellis.cc/archives/342 Member of Staffordshire County Council representing Lichfield Rural East - Cabinet Member for Adults and Wellbeing Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:44:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Mike Fairweather http://www.matthewellis.cc/archives/342/comment-page-1#comment-124 Mike Fairweather Tue, 20 Mar 2007 19:51:39 +0000 http://matthewellis.org.uk/archives/342#comment-124 Matthew, Excellent news - democracy, it seems, is still alive and well (at least in Staffordshire). One of the great weaknesses of the present government is it's apparent 'we know best' attitude. Ministers in Whitehall can't possibly understand all local issues so it puts the onus on local politicians to 'put their heads above the parapet' and put the local point of view. Without the courage of their convictions local politicians could just 'rubber stamp' all the nonsense coming from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister m(or whatever he calls himself these days) and communities such as ours would be overwhelmed by developments such as these. Putting party politics to one side for a moment, before implementing ill-conceived plans such as this, rigorous debate must be the method by which these plans are closely scrutinised, and if such scrutiny shows up fundamental weaknesses then changes (which will probably be driven mostly by commom sense) must be made. Well done - keep it up! Regards, Mike Fairweather Matthew,

Excellent news – democracy, it seems, is still alive and well (at least in Staffordshire).

One of the great weaknesses of the present government is it’s apparent ‘we know best’ attitude. Ministers in Whitehall can’t possibly understand all local issues so it puts the onus on local politicians to ‘put their heads above the parapet’ and put the local point of view.

Without the courage of their convictions local politicians could just ‘rubber stamp’ all the nonsense coming from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister m(or whatever he calls himself these days) and communities such as ours would be overwhelmed by developments such as these.

Putting party politics to one side for a moment, before implementing ill-conceived plans such as this, rigorous debate must be the method by which these plans are closely scrutinised, and if such scrutiny shows up fundamental weaknesses then changes (which will probably be driven mostly by commom sense) must be made.

Well done – keep it up!

Regards,

Mike Fairweather

]]> By: Chris Colloby http://www.matthewellis.cc/archives/342/comment-page-1#comment-121 Chris Colloby Mon, 19 Mar 2007 21:18:45 +0000 http://matthewellis.org.uk/archives/342#comment-121 The city of Lichfield has changed beyong all recognition, and so has Tamworth over recent years. Care for the elderly is closing down. Community Centres will be next, and also College adult ed. classes, leisure centres, and more libraries. Its no good building houses when there are no jobs, no facilities, no leisure, no care for the elderly, no shops, no street-cleaning, no dentists, no NHS care, and all the other services that are diminishing. With more housing, shouldn`t it mean more money? But Tamworth`s back streets where I have to walk in order to park and shop are like those of a third world country, full of stinking litter and mess and the police can`t cope with crime any more. Lichfield is full of traffic, charity shops and closed down family businesses. An air of neglect hangs over both towns. Who in their right minds would want to live in either? Send back all the failed asylum seekers, criminal migrants, and freeloaders and there`ll be plenty of houses for British people and British colonists. The city of Lichfield has changed beyong all recognition, and so has Tamworth over recent years. Care for the elderly is closing down. Community Centres will be next, and also College adult ed. classes, leisure centres, and more libraries. Its no good building houses when there are no jobs, no facilities, no leisure, no care for the elderly, no shops, no street-cleaning, no dentists, no NHS care, and all the other services that are diminishing. With more housing, shouldn`t it mean more money? But Tamworth`s back streets where I have to walk in order to park and shop are like those of a third world country, full of stinking litter and mess and the police can`t cope with crime any more. Lichfield is full of traffic, charity shops and closed down family businesses. An air of neglect hangs over both towns. Who in their right minds would want to live in either? Send back all the failed asylum seekers, criminal migrants, and freeloaders and there`ll be plenty of houses for British people and British colonists.

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