Chatbox

Who was the oldest person you knew when young? Did they ever tell you that they had met some person from farther back in time? An Audlem resident told me they remembered Lloyd George visiting. In a telephone conversation a lady said she had seen the scar on an arm from the Peterloo Massacre in Manchester. Might be some interesting stories out there!

Geoff Seddon is quite correct and spoilt ballot papers are recorded. If you listen to election results being announced the returning officer actually announces the number of spoilt votes. So much better to record your view in this way than not to vote.

I am surprised that although I have received a leaflet from the Liberal candidate I have received nothing from the Conservative candidate.......one reason why I may well spoil my ballot paper! Does anyone know where the Liberal candidate lives.....his literature says he is local but that could be anywhere in East Cheshire!

As an avid supported of Hedgehogs (we have a few visiting our garden) I thought others may be interested in the below link. Sadly last year we had 2 dead hedgehogs, one had a strimming injury that RSPCA Stapeley couldn't save, the other was flattened on the lane! Join Hedgehog Street and make some Hedgehog Highways...enjoy

https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/hedgehog-awareness-week-30th-april-6th-may-2023/

I'm not sure which counts Ann Simpson has attended. I can assure her, from being part of a counting team on a number of occasions, that spoiled ballot papers are counted and recorded as part of the result. So it is better to spoil your ballot paper than not to vote at all.

For the. "Don't vote then a low turnout will make them do something" Theory to work you first need politicians with a conscience......mmm good luck with that one!

As I was the sad person who submitted the Chatbox post that initiated the debate about local council elections I feel obliged to offer an update. A couple of days after my post we had a visit to our street from Rachel Bailey (Conservative) who was delivering leaflets. Rachel informed us that this visit was coincidental and not prompted by Chatbox posts. We had a brief conversation about local issues along with some of our neighbours so consequently we are somewhat better informed.
There has been no contact or information from the other candidate John Phillips (Liberal Democrat) which is surprising in the circumstances and effectively means I don't have a real choice of candidate to vote for in this election.
Personally I am a great believer in using my vote since, as has been noted, they have been hard won over periods of history (not just suffragetes as important as they are) and are the only way to make lasting political change. It would be a great shame if the only message we can send is by a spoilt ballot paper – but it may have to reluctantly come to that for some people. Over and out :-)

What I am hearing is "that if you don't vote you can not comment on our broken political system " i valve voted for more the 40 years and in that time I have experienced broken promises, lies, corruption ,idiots being paid for votes/and second, third and fourth jobs and when they have finished being promoted to Minister, PM or the House of Lords. Now you tell me the system is not broken and I should vote so that the status quo can continue.

In response to the editor's footnote to my post I have been in contact with Rachel Bailey and indeed she has contacted me tonight. She did raise the issue with Highways but the point is that despite that poor quality repairs continue to be undertaken. As our local representative on the council I leave it to her to deal with them – they're more likely to listen to her than me.

If Cheshire East consider the structure dangerous then they should be barriering it off to prevent access. Many ignore notices (it's known humam nature) and children in any case are owed a higher standard of care than a piece of paper which in itself can be blown away or vandalised.
I suspect these notices are more about Cheshire East trying to avoid liability "just in case" rather than any actual desire to protect the public. It's the same mentality that leads to them throwing a bit of tarmac in a pothole that they know will only last a few days – it gets them off the liabilty hook until they're next reported and the "reasonable timescale" for repair clock starts ticking. (I've just walked up Paddock Lane and seen the state of the so called repairs that Cheshire East did just a few weeks ago – it was the shoddy nature of repairs here that I raised with Rachel Bailey some time ago, but nothing seems to have improved on that front, total waste of taxpayers' money).

Spoiling the ballot paper is another waste of time as they just get binned, not bothering to vote pushes the turnout % lower highlighting the dissatisfaction

I agree with Graham Taylor, if you want to express dissatisfaction, go to the polling station and spoil your paper. There should be a box at the bottom of the ballot that states " none of the above ".

Remember if you don't vote don't moan when nothing in our area improves.

Jane Smyth- Only 10 years!!!!!

I totally agree with Lennie Meredith , it is imperative we all vote to make any progress. Everyones vote counts.

There will aways be people who vote for a candidate, thereby continuing to endorse the current system. I'm not sure a poor election turnout will send much of a message. It could be seen as the electorate either isn't interested, or the electorate is happy with whoever wins the most votes. Turning up to vote and spoiling the ballot paper may send a more powerful message. Imagine, after all the votes are counted – Labour 10 votes, Independent 10 votes, Conservative 10 votes, spoiled papers 500.

I agree with some of the ladies in the village and I too will not be voting. The system/democracy is broken and unless the people send a message, by not voting nothing can change. Every where you look in the UK and the world the institutions are crumbling and the whole system needs to be reset and maybe a poor election turnout could start the change.

@Lennie Meridith – you could get people in power who are not interested in doing the job but are purely there to benefit themselves financially ...........In case you've missed the last 10 years.......They are already there

It was with great sadness to read yesterday that some ladies in the village have decided not to vote in the local elections, please look back at the women who died or went to jail to give you the right to vote. So please don't waste your vote, there are still counties were women are not allowed to voice their opinions so don't waste yours.

I second Lennie Meredith's comment.

Disillusionment should not serve as a reason to abstain from voting. If ever I think my vote won't make a difference – I remember the Suffragettes. Voting is a duty.

I was saddened to read Anne Werring's comments about becoming disillusioned with politics and not wanting to vote anymore.
I've long held the view that this is our politicians plan. The more disengaged the public become the better for them. With little or no accountability at the ballot box they can happily carry on being totally incompetent or worse still you could get people in power who are not interested in doing the job but are purely there to benefit themselves financially and/or boost their own self importance by adding yet another job title to their CV.

We are still forbidden to use the footbridge from the Green to the Holmes Bank. It is described as "damaged" although one cannot see any damage. Itis possible that somebody somewhere has got hold of the wrong end of the stick. There are in fact real hazards nearby but they are not noticed.
Is there a Footpaths Officer who could come out and talk to people who use the footbridge and the four footpaths that meet there?

Given Colin's past seethings on the goto bus I'm surprised he hasn't got a version of that for his games. I envisage a "Last of the Summer Wine" version of two geriatrics pushing a tin bath on wheels – except in this case the bath would be empty
Probably also hotly pursued by Colin dressed as Nora Batty ranting. Makes me want to poke out my mind's eye.

Can anyone recommend a local plumber who would be willing to do a small job in Audlem: mending a leaking shower unit? I've got the parts needed but most plumbers only seem to be interested in big jobs!

Colin Cliffe's Geriatric Games made me chuckle over my cornflakes this morning and Ed's invitation to watch Monday evening badminton brought an image of 2 contestants battling to be first to spot the imported pottery from the traditional Staffordshire examples – aptly echoing the Antiques Roadshow?

" put on a blindfold, stick a cross somewhere on the voting form and hope all goes well for the next 5 years" – You might as well for all the good it's going to get you. Same with a General Election, what they tell you they're going to deliver differs from what they actually deliver. I no longer vote as it's now become a pointless exercise