Chatbox

I think we owe a thank you to the AOL editors who provide our 'breakfast read' it was good to see their greetings with names and photos on Christmas Day. Well done team, (even though you 'cut my last post')

3 Days and about 13 hours to Goooo.
Extract from One Network Website.
"Emergency
Roadworks, delays likely
30 Jun 2020 09:00 – 31 Dec 2021 23:59

A529 From Adderley to Cheshire County..."

I'd like to add another group to The Medical Practice and Boots mentioned earlier. That's care workers. Since earlier this year we've needed help as my wife's MND has progressed and we've been blessed to have the support of a number of domiciliary care workers. Currently we're supported by the staff and management of a wonderful company called Surecare who provide a lot of cover around Audlem. Their carers are always cheerful and so kind and often go out of their way to provide a little extra. They also can work some pretty grueling hours but are always on time and attentive. We'd be in a real pickle without them.
I'd also like to mention the people of ADCA who have given us invaluable support – it's a testament to the kindness of the people of Audlem.
There's also a few individuals (I won't name you, but you know who you are) who have stepped in to help, bringing prescriptions, shopping and even fish & chips which I can't get out for myself.
A big thank you to you all

To be fair, Colin, it now will only take you three clicks to report the Paddock Lane potholes in future. That should save you a lot of time over the year.

Looking at what is available in the sales (can't you tell I'm already bored with Xmas andTV) and following recent coments on Chatbox raising the issue of Misogyny, it brought to mind how misandric (is there such a word?) the retail industry is. Just looked at the Next figures for items currently in the sales for example. Women's items 13,982; men's items a paltry 1,228! And have you noticed that in many department stores ladies clothes and accessories generally cover the whole of the ground floor whilst the men have to go up a floor at least to try to find the items for them that are usually crammed into one corner of the shop. Gent's, just bear this in mind the next time a woman says to you "it's a man's world!"

In the flyer that came with our Council Tax statement for this year it mentioned that CE had suffered a 23% reduction in central government funding for highways maintenance. That has to be felt somewhere surely?
A Band D property already attracts a Council Tax of £1885.34 and I think increases are capped at 3.9%. With inflation now over 5% they're going to face another effective cut next year too. Unless we all dip our hands in our pockets more (which I can ill afford on a pension) it's difficult to see how the issues frustrating correspondents on these pages are going to be overcome. Answers on a postcard to .....

So let's get this right, the C.E council who are constantly bleating on about cuts to budgets and insufficient funding have managed to find the money to revamp and relaunch a new website in order to 'greatly improve the customer experience', how much has this cost? It is the equivalent of fitting an even bigger sunroof to a car that had already had one when the engine won't start and the tyres are knackered. When the money is tight it has to be spent wisely, which is on essential and vital services, not luxuries. When is someone of substance going to rise to the top of this bunch of total numpties and get a grip? Our roads are a disgrace and what are they doing, they are spending money trying to make it easier to report it, you couldn't make it up.

Well folks How marvellous we have a new website . Must admit my Christmas is now complete. How much did that cyphon from the Swanbach bridge drain fund repair Probably all of it

So now it will be easier to see why nothing has been done ( even for dangerous situations); supported by a host of statistical excuses, of course.

A couple of weeks back the editor removed a post of mine to Rachel Bailey posing a number of questions regarding the pattern of funding reduction since 2010 under her party's government and also period in control of Cheshire East following her gritting letter. He deemed it "political". Today we see Mr Fousert posting a blatantly political comment channeling Boris Johnson and criticising "Labour led" Cheshire East. Interesting.
I too deplore all the cuts to highways maintenance and consequences, but this year Cheshire East had another cut in the highways budget from central government and have had a cumulative budget cut of around 60% since 2010. For many years Tory led Cheshire East had the facility to raise rates by 1.9% but chose not to. As they say in Yorkshire – you don't get owt for nowt.
It'll be interesting to see if the editors again block this post.

Norman is a shining example of challenging '' The Computer says No'' mentallity that our local Council Employees seem prone to, especially in the Highways and Planning Departments, hiding behind their situational power bases and playing politics to climb the greasy pole, it seems to me! No sign of an ''I'm on it'' mentality. Norman maybe should consider running to be our next Councilor for Cheshire East and start a culture of Do it, Do it Right and Do it Now!! Well done Norman, Socially distanced Virtual Pat on the Back and hand shake from me for starters

Maybe Cheshire East should take health and safety seriously and provide a depth gauge fixed to the bridge wall to warn motorists of the depth of the water? It doesn't have to be technically. Maybe Cheshire East could ask Norman? A piece of 4x2 painted white with black horizontal lines calabrated in one foot increments should do the job. For added safety a yellow rubber duck floating on the water as a bench mark. I suppose a no swimming sign would be stupid.
Can I ask a daft question, if electric and water is dangerous how will an electric car or motor bike cope with a flood? I'm worried about the rubber duck being cooked.

We hear so much in the 'meeja' about Boris and his "leveling up" agenda. It is a pity that this Labour led Cheshire East Council did not do the same vis a vis the way that rural communities are ignored or receive a second class service when compared to the urban areas. Road gritting and road repair/maintenance are just a couple of examples. Can we expect better in the New Year? I doubt it.

Normans effort has shown the unwillingness by certain C E Council departments to do what the people pay them to do, particularly keeping the roads safe and clear. Council employees should gauge the level of need rate paying residents have on specific subjects instead of sending out negative letters. Do we have to experience a serious accident before action is taken?
So well done Norman for highlighting the need for the community to have safe roads.

Well done Norman . That chair bound action lady at C E was bound to have a go at you Pity she seems to be totally incapable of action and getting a team to repair the drain

Sounds like Norman has dug a right hole for himself

If Mr and Mrs C. Heard live in Audlem, we have a card that was delivered to us with an incorrect address.
Please contact us if you would like to collect it.

Norman; I do believe there are some surplus traffic lights just this side of Adderley, if you decide to set up your own works.........

Hi Dave,
We don't know each other but I know your Dad's House and have lived in the village since 1991 (blimey, I was only a lad when I came here!) and so maybe our paths have crossed in the past!
Thanks for the message and hope you and your family have a great Christmas.
Nigel.

I feel It is quite right that the C.E. council tell Norman not to attempt to fix the ages-old broken drain, as it is clearly their job not to fix it. It is something they take very seriously and they are obviously very good at, as they have managed to keep it broken for many many years. People need to understand that these things don't just happen, they have many meetings about it where they repeatedly don't allocate any budget for it, what more can we ask of them? If people just started fixing things willy nilly it would completely throw into chaos the councils 'let's not do anything about it' department's long-term strategy. it is very reassuring that they have swiftly visited the site and immediately re-covered the broken drain thus compounding the problem even further, we are truly blessed to be in the hands of such a talented professional body are we not? Colin Cliffe, AOL chatbox, from within the Paddock Lane potholes.

Having read the post Norman placed regarding the ongoing flood we are all so aware of on A529, I would like to support his action. I'm not entirely sure how many years this issue has gone on, but it is clearly too long. Cheshire East may have made aware the problem to the "flood risk" department, but they may need to consider alerting the "road resurfacing" department too. By the time it's all sorted I'm sure this will involve several other departments. Maybe they should enlist the services of a reliable maintenance department and just fix it and stop passing it to all the departments which it seems pass it to the next department until it ends up in the hands of the "not enough funding" department. Spend our hard earned taxes on fixing the problems and less time sending letters to tax payers who are trying to help might be a good start.

Hi Bob. I think that may be for Kelsey Green. She lives opposite the butchers, first house nearest the car park

I was concerned to hear of John Mcgregors loss of a sheep to dog worrying. It is a problem that has escalated year on year and far more so since the keeping of a dog during lock down became so popular. Responsible owner ship and control is a absolute must for any dog owner. I have 3 hounds which would naturally chase if given the chance and cause damage. They are exercised on a lead or I have negotiated with understanding farmers to allow them to run loose in well fenced stock free pastures for which I am very grateful. If in doubt to the stock situation they are not let loose. However as a veterinary surgeon in the Lakes in the late 60s and the seventies I was called only too frequently to incidents of worrying. Frankly there is nothing worse than a field with severely damaged ewes and lambs. Sometimes it looks like a battlefield from WW1 with sheep littered around. with distraught ewes look in vain for their dead or damaged lambs and vice versa the pathetic bleating of surviving lams looking for their mothers. You just wonder where to start.
Even the loss or damage to a single animal is profoundly distressing. The law is to be tightened which is about time,it will include just chasing even if no damage is caused. The usual excuse always trotted out is "They only wanted to play". Thankfully the vast increase in the dog population consists of small cockapoo types which will only inflict rather less damage. It is possible to train dogs not to chase or attack sheep. That takes a lot of time and training but is quite possible as Rosie achieved with ours.

Hello to those who can remember me, Bob Shepherd's son from Lock Cottage. Just wanted to say a Happy Christmas to all. Lived in Audlem for a long time and very happy memories at St James and Brine Leas Scholl. I follow this web site daily as it actually keeps me sane as I do a very stressful job and its good to see such a great community spirit is still going after all these many years. The village has grown so much but it is amazing to see the core nature of the village is being maintained.

If a K Green lives in the village please contact me ref a card with family photo of Gillian and Patrick etc .contact 07816022507