|
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Parking restriction survey...
Local Liberal District Councillor Rachel Lewis has launched a public consultation exercise on a County Council proposal to withdraw some of the parking restrictions in Kidderminster's George Street area off the bottom of the town's Comberton Hill.
The County Highways Partnership has written to the Police suggesting:-
"...that some of the existing waiting restrictions are excessive for today's conditions. The area being substantially terraced relies heavily on on-street parking for residents and the relaxing of over excessive lengths of restrictions will help to optimise this facility."
Cllr Lewis said "We need to know what local residents think. They are the people who really know the area and who really know what goes on and what is needed."
"We have written to everyone in the area, with a map showing the Highways Partnership proposals, asking them if they think that removing some of the parking restrictions will help or make things worse and seeking their comments and suggestions."
Cllr Lewis added "there are real problems in the area. On the one hand local residents desperately need extra parking. On the other hand any parking space that is available tends to get taken over by town centre shoppers and workers. We need to get all these issues sorted."
posted by Oborski, 22:28 | link | comments
Mobile masts inquiry call...
Three Wyre Forest County Councillors have called for an investigation into the failure of Worcester County Council to develp any coherent policy on the siting of mobile phone masts on County Council property.
Given the level of public concern about the siting of these masts in residential areas and near to schools it seems amazing that the County Council has no clear overall policy and that applications are currently being dealt with on an ad hoc basis without apparent rhyme or reason.
Liberals Fran and Mike Oborski and Health Concerns Jill Fairrother-Millis has written a joint to County Scrutiny Chair Worcester Labour Councillor John Buckley asking for a full scrutiny exercise to see exactly what has been going on and to help establish clear guidelines to deal with future applications.
posted by Oborski, 22:10 | link | comments
posted by Oborski, 18:11 | link | comments
posted by Oborski, 17:23 | link | comments
liberal party, health concern
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Rain through the roof...
Kidderminster Councillors were taken by suprise as rain poured through the ceiling of the Mayor's Parlour at Kidderminster Town Hall during last night's flash floods.
Following a meeting of Kidderminster Charter Trustees Kidderminster members of the Wyre Forest District Council were in the Mayor's Parlour when rain started to cascade through the ceiling.
Liberal Councillor Mike Oborski said "It wasn't an enormous flood but it was disturbing to see the rain coming through the ceiling!"
Staff rushed to place containers to catch the water.
Cllr Oborski said "We need to find out what is going on in the roof of the Town Hall which is an essential public building at the heart of Kidderminster. Wyre Forest District Council really do need to get this sorted out."
posted by Oborski, 21:43 | link | comments
Monday, June 27, 2005
Land Oak Garage Site…
“There is no need for any concern at the apparent slowness of the redevelopment of Kidderminster’s Land Oak Garage Site” local Councillor Paul Harrison said today.
“A number of local residents have been in touch to express concern” Cllr Harrison said today “but there is absolutely nothing to worry about.”
“As it was a Garage site for many years the developers are simply undertaking careful and thorough cleansing of the site to remove any trace of pollutants. That simply takes a little time.”
“Work on the development of the site for high quality flats should start soon.”
posted by Oborski, 16:13 | link | comments
“Sat Nav” Check call...
Following a recent incident when a satellite navigation system sent an ambulance down a blocked off footpath local Councillors are calling for a check by emergency services to ensure that a similar incident cannot happen in future.
Offmore and Comberton Liberal Cllr Siri Hayward explained “Their Satellite Navigation system sent an ambulance heading to Offmore from Chester Road North down Offmore Lane towards Wordsworth Crescent.”
“No only did they end up heading down a narrow footpath but they also lost time having to cut padlocks so they could lower the bollards and get through at the bottom.”
“Satellite Navigation is a great help – but only if it can identify vehicle access accurately. In this case we are lucky the results weren’t fatal. Local emergency services need to check their systems to ensure that similar incidents cannot happen again.”
posted by Oborski, 16:06 | link | comments
Preserve Tree…
“Wyre Forest District Council is acting to preserve the old Walnut Tree at Land Oak House when the building and part of the site is redeveloped for flats” following pressure by County Councillor Fran Oborski and District Councillor Rachel Lewis. “It’s a beautiful old tree with real character and local residents are very keen to see it preserved.”
posted by Oborski, 15:59 | link | comments
Comberton Hill Underpass
“Wyre Forest District Council must seize the opportunity offered by the next phase of Kidderminster Town Centre re-development in order to ort out once and for all the detester underpass at the bottom of Comberton Hill” Greenhill Councillor Rachel Lewis warned today.
Cllr Lewis said today “We should know by the Autumn what exactly is to be in the next phase of the Kidderminster Town Centre re-development which will cover the area around the old Magistrate’s Court site at the bottom of Comberton Hill.”
“Comberton Hill is a major gateway into the town centre and the underpass is an unpleasant and for some frightening mess. This is our opportunity to get this sorted and to make a fresh start.”
posted by Oborski, 15:55 | link | comments
Victoria Carpet site…
Local residents have been warned that “the withdrawal of a planning application for a hotel, pub and restaurant on Kidderminster’s old Victoria Cricket Ground site does not mean that the proposal has gone away”.
Local Councillor Mike Oborski explained today “I would be very much surprised if we do not see new modified plans submitted in due course”.
“It is quite common for developers who have tested the waters to retreat and then come back with something new.”
“Residents who are opposed to this sort of development on this site need to remain on guard and ready to fight” said Cllr Oborski.
posted by Oborski, 15:50 | link | comments
Match Day Parking...
Three Kidderminster Councillors have asked for a meeting with the local Police to discuss problems with match day parking when Kidderminster Harriers are playing at home.
Cllrs Siri Hayward, Cllr Mike Oborski and Cllr Fran Oborski said in a joint statement today “there are severe long standing parking problems in nearby residential areas on match days. It’s time to take a fresh look at the whole situation. We have got to find some way forward to both meet the need for parking and the concerns of residents who have had more than enough of the present problems.”
posted by Oborski, 15:47 | link | comments
roads
Roads Action Call...
A Kidderminster Councillor has called for "a major drive to re-surface pavements and roads on the east of Kidderminster".
Kidderminster Greenhill Liberal Cllr Rachel Lewis explained "We are sick and tired of pot holes, poor pavement surfaces and decaying local roads! We are sick and tired of the delays in getting anything done! Above all we are sick and tired of the way in which pot holes, roads and pavements are "patched up" - only to start falling apart again all over almost immediately."
"Many of our roads need proper full scale re-surfacing and they need it now. We are sick and tired of County Council excuses about lack of funds because if they don't do the work now the bills are only going to be much bigger later on. That is why we are launching a major campaign for action now."
Cllr Lewis specified Roden Avenue, Cherry Orchard, Offmore Road, Leswell Street, Lorne Street and Lea Street as being in particular need of attention."
posted by Oborski, 14:21 | link | comments
roads
Chronicle reports...
New homes to transform trouble spot
A housing development could transform a problem site in Kidderminster which has been targeted by vandals and arsonists.
Wyre Forest Community Housing will be applying to build 19 homes on land formerly occupied by the Comberton Arms Pub and car park in Coronation Way.
The site became a notorious trouble spot after the pub closed over a year ago, and was used as a hangout by youths.
Councillors called for the pub to be bulldozed when a fire broke out in the derelict building earlier this year, but no progress could be made until the land was officially bought up by a housing company.
The pub was finally demolished last month after being snapped up by Wyre Forest Community Housing.
The company's development manager Paul Wootton said: "Hopefully we will be applying for planning permission by the end of the month.
"The planned development is for 19 homes - a mix of two, three and four bedroom properties.
"These will be "lifetime homes" which means they are built with tenants' future needs in mind. For example, if a person's mobility gets worse we would be able to adapt the ground floor to accommodate a lift and the ground floor toilet will have the necessary drainage so a shower could be installed.
"This site has been the target for quite a lot of nuisance behaviour and vandalism over the years so I'm sure the majority of people will be pleased to see something positive is being made of it."
Councillor Mike Oborski said: "We are absolutely delighted as this will make good use of this site. Everybody in the area wants to see the land developed and we are really looking forward to seeing the plans."
posted by Oborski, 10:10 | link | comments
housing
Grass Cutting slammed...
A local Councillor has expressed concern about the siting of a builders compound on the grassed area in front of houses on Kidderminster's Husum Way between the railway bridge and the Husum Way junction.
The small compound has been erected while works are carried out on the road across the bridge.
Cllr Graham Ballinger explained today "Firstly, no attempt was made to inform or consult local residents in advance. The compound simply arrived out of the blue. Surely a little coinsultation and communication is not too much to ask for."
"Secondly, residents have been concerned about the increasingly poor maintenance of the grassed area in recent years. We do need a clear assurance that the site will be properly restored and maintained in future when the compound is removed."
posted by Oborski, 09:22 | link | comments
Husum Way compound...
A local Councillor has expressed concern about the siting of a builders compound on the grassed area in front of houses on Kidderminster's Husum Way between the railway bridge and the Husum Way junction.
The small compound has been erected while works are carried out on the road across the bridge.
Cllr Graham Ballinger explained today "Firstly, no attempt was made to inform or consult local residents in advance. The compound simply arrived out of the blue. Surely a little coinsultation and communication is not too much to ask for."
"Secondly, residents have been concerned about the increasingly poor maintenance of the grassed area in recent years. We do need a clear assurance that the site will be properly restored and maintained in future when the compound is removed."
posted by Oborski, 09:16 | link | comments
Farfield misery...
A local Councillor has called for action to speed up removal of works blocking Kidderminster's Farfield today.
Cllr Fran Oborski explained "Farfield is a busy residential road, linking Chester Road South and Comberton Road near to Kidderminster Railway Station."
"For over two weeks a large section of road has been fenced off while a new manhole is installed. This is making access difficult for motorists and residents. In particular it has left the immediately adjacent households with absolutely nowhere to park!"
"I know the work needs to be done but they really need to get it completed and put local residents out of their misery!"
posted by Oborski, 09:05 | link | comments
Bronwen honoured...
Peter Ingham and his son Tim Ingham cut an orange ribbon at Noon on Saturday to "unveil" the street name sign at Kidderminster's new "Bronwen Ingham Court".
Family, friends and local residents congregated by the new street name signs and sipped wine to celebrate the ribbon cutting.
Local County Councillor Fran Oborski said "Bronwen was an excellent County and District Councillor and an outstanding Mayor of Kidderminster who will be long remembered with great affection and warmth by all who knew her."
posted by Oborski, 08:56 | link | comments
Bridge puzzle...
Local Councillors are calling for "a public explanation of the huge spending on the Husum Way Railway Bridge".
Local County Councillor Mike Oborski explained today "Local residents have become more and more bemused as works on the site continue. Firstly normal road side kerbs were ripped out and high kerbs installed. Now kerb side barriers and bollards have been installed on both sides of the road over the bridge."
"Given that it it is almost impossible to get a pot hole filled these days the expenditure on the road over the bridge seems quite remarkable."
"We gather that the money is being spent by the Railway and not the Highways Authorities but it is still quite remarkable."
"Highways Officers told us it was to stop train spotters parking partly on the pavement on the bridge but I find that hard to accept as we have never ever seen a single solitary train spotter parked there!"
"We really no need a proper explanation as to what is going on.!
posted by Oborski, 08:48 | link | comments
Bus Shelter destroyed...
Local councillors have condemned vandalism to a bus stop on Tennyson Way on Kidderminster's Offmore Farm Estate.
Local Councillor Siri Hayward said "The destruction of the glass panels is total and premeditated and it took considerable effort to do so much damage and destroy so much strengthened glass".
"This sort of vandalism is costly, mindless and thoroughly annoying. I hope that somebody with a social conscience can come forwaard and name the idiot responsible."
"We have asked for the mess to be cleared up and the panels restored as quickly as possible."
posted by Oborski, 08:36 | link | comments
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
With the threat of Polish plumbers upsetting the French - the Polish National Tourism Office in Paris has retaliated - with a poster of a Polish plumber:
posted by Oborski, 19:02 | link | comments
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Police funding...
The West Mercia share of the local Council Tax bill has grown by leaps and bounds over recent years and there is real concern about whether or not we are getting real value for money or not. However, the bulk of Police funding comes from Central Government. The Finance Scrutiny and Policy Panel Chaired by Cllr Graham Ballinger were last night told that Central Government funds:-
87% of Policing bill for West Midlands (Birmingham, Wolverhampton etc.) Constabulary;
71% of Policing bill for all Shire Counties;
65% of Policing bill here in West Mercia.
We are not happy!
posted by Oborski, 12:34 | link | comments (2)
Bronwen Ingham Court...
Friends and colleagues of the late Kidderminster Mayor and Councillor Bronwen Ingham will be unveiling the street name signs at Kidderminster's new "Bronwen Ingham Court" at Noon on Saturday.
The "unveiling" will be carried out by Mr Peter Ingham and his son Mr Timothy Ingham.
The local County Councillor Fran Oborski said today "Bronwen was a great local Councillor and a real character who contributed an enormous amount to the area. It is great that a new street has been named after her and it seems only appropriate to celebrate accordingly!"
"We have invited the new residents of Bronwen Ingham Court to join Bronwen's family and friends for a drink and to unveil the street name signs on Saturday."
posted by Oborski, 12:22 | link | comments
Freda Eddy Court. Setting the record straight....
Fran has written replying to the letter in last week's Shuttle...
In his rush to criticise local Councillors Mr Heng (Shuttle 17th June) has completely misunderstood the situation.
The unsuitability of Freda Eddy Court for long-term residential use has in fact been recognised for a number of years. Close co-operation between the County and District Councils and Wyre Forest Community Housing and other local social housing providers has ensured that appropriate permanent community based housing has been provided for residents.
It is the closure of the respite provision, forced upon the County Council by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, which is causing problems.
Despite Social Services being aware that this closure was imminent no locally based respite facility has been provided as a replacement. Whilst some of the service users who are affected will be happy to accept a "holiday placement" some distance away; others need a local facility.
It is the lack of consultation with respite service users and staff and the inadequacy of the Department's long term planning that I am criticising, not the closure of the long-stay / permanent residential facilities at Freda Eddy Court.
You can find the letter she is replying to here...
posted by Oborski, 09:09 | link | comments
A Guardian leader argues...
A new NHS market
If the threats to shut down Kidderminster hospital's accident and emergency department lost Labour its seat in the town in the 2001 election, what is the government's new competitive health market going to do in the 2009 election with hospital departments and wards being closed up and down the country? Few people are aware about what is going to happen to the NHS. Labour's plan is far more radical than the internal market that the Conservatives introduced in 1991. While there are more structures in place to protect standards - inspection, clear clinical guidelines and competition based on capacity not price - there is no current plan for a safety net like the one the Tories used to prevent closures and protect the party from political flak.
posted by Oborski, 07:54 | link | comments
Thursday, June 16, 2005
With this story in the Express & Star two questions spring to mind:-
(a) why aren't Cabinet Members and Officers on the same wave length?
(b) who exactly is running the show?
The Express & Star reported:-
Charge call in bid to stop vandals...
A call has been made to charge people to use a popular park in Kidderminster in a bid to stop vandals from defacing a set of public toilets.
Wyre Forest District Council's parks manager Tim Johnson said fees to enter Brinton Park would be a way of stopping yobs entering the park and spraying the public conveniences with graffiti.
However, the council's deputy leader Marcus Hart said charges would not be introduced, but vowed to keep the vandals at bay by working with the police.
A grant of £15,000 will be spent on restoring the toilets in time for a summer programme of events on the park, with work beginning in the next few weeks.
But Mr Johnson said charging to let people in to Brinton Park might be an option.
He said: "It is just a thought, because I'm mindful that when the improvements are done and all this money is spent, vandals could do the same thing all over again.
"We could also look to see if there is a pattern to the times of the vandalism and lock the toilets up for a short time in the day."
The vandalism was carried out on the toilets in recent weeks, with the ladies' cubicles looking particularly bad.
Councillor Marcus Hart said that there was no way people would have to pay to use the park, but stressed the matter was being looked at. He said: "There is no intention to implement charges. If we did, then there would be an absolute riot on our hands. Innocent, good minded people who use the amenity shouldn't have to suffer from the actions of a minority."
posted by Oborski, 18:18 | link | comments (5)
 Express & Star Reports...
Hop aboard re-launched bus service
Bus passengers in Bewdley and Stourport are celebrating after being reconnected with Kidderminster during the evenings.
The number two and three services connecting the towns were re-launched on Monday after a gap of nearly two years.
Late buses were stopped in September 2003 due to lack of customers, but the services have been reinstated with a combination of funding from Wyre Forest District Council, Worcestershire County Council and Opportunity Bewdley, a regeneration group dedicated to improving the town.
The number two service will leave from the bus stop in Load Street at 8.30pm, 9.30pm, 10.30pm and 11.30pm, arriving at Kidderminster railway station at 8.46pm, 9.46pm, 10.46pm and 11.46pm respectively.
The service will stop at West Midland Safari Park, Kidderminster hospital, the Swan Centre and Kidderminster bus station.
The number three service will leave from York Street at 9.04pm, 10.04pm and 11.04pm, arriving at Kidderminster station at 9.40pm, 10.40pm and 11.40pm respectively.
The service will stop at The Walshes, Areley Kings Post Office, Abberley Avenue, Birchen Coppice, Foley Park and Kidderminster bus station.
posted by Oborski, 18:03 | link | comments
 Express & Star reports...
Police get warnings as budget rises
West Mercia Police chiefs are being told by Wyre Forest councillors to improve their performance and also to provide better value for money.
The councillors say the police's annual budget of £165.8 million is too high and say there are not enough bobbies on the beat across the district to warrant its precept.
They also want a more effective call centre and better response times.
West Mercia Police Authority's director David Brierley will be invited to defend the force at the council's finance and corporate affairs meeting in Kidderminster on Monday.
Chairman of the panel Councillor Graham Ballinger said the council was unhappy with a 33 per cent rise in the police budget in 2002/03 and a 15 per cent rise in both 2003/04 and 2004/05. Around £60 million of the budget currently comes from council tax.
He said: "We want to meet the director of the authority to say that we are not getting value for money.
"This meeting will give members the chance to challenge the assumptions made by the police, namely that the service is improving.
"We have a poor call centre in Kidderminster, the general profile of the police is low - and there are never any bobbies seen on the beat."
Spokeswoman for West Mercia Police Authority Tracy Hudson said councillors' specific complaints would not be addressed until the meeting on Monday.
But she said that people would be seeing the benefits of more police officers soon, because a number of new recruits will have finished their two-year training courses.
posted by Oborski, 18:01 | link | comments
law & order
Monday, June 13, 2005
 60th anniversary...
Wyre Forest's Polish Community will be marking the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War with a series of events on Sunday 10th July.
July 10th is the date of the national commemoration of both VE (Victory in Europe) Day and VJ (Victory over Japan) Day across the U.K..
Events in Kidderminster will start with the celebration of Holy Mass by Father Edward Stachurski at 10.00am the Polish Catholic Church of Our Lady of Ostra Brama in Kidderminster's Pitt Street.
At 11.30am local Polish Community leaders will lay flowers at both the War Memorial and at the Holocaust Memorial outside Kidderminster's Parish Church of St. Mary and All Saints.
Later in the afternoon at 5.00pm Cllr Mike Oborski, Consul of the Republic of Poland for the West MIdlands will be speaking about Poland's contribution in World War II at the Polish Ex-Servicemen's Club in Kidderminster's St.George's Terrace.
The talk will be followed by a film about Polish wartime General Wladyslaw Anders and his soldiers. After putting up a heroic fight in the defence of Poland in 1939 General Anders was imprisoned and tortured by the Soviets in Moscow's notorious Lubianka Prison. Released when Germany invaded Russia he formed a Polish Army on Soviet soil made up of Poles who had been forcibly deported from the old east of Poland to forced labour camps in Siberia. Realising that the Soviets could not be trusted General Anders led his soldiers out of the Soviet Union and into Persia - modern Iran. Many died along the way. His troops trained, reorganised and subsequently fought alongside British forces in North Africa. It was General Ander's legendary Second Division which then took the German mountain stronghold of Monte Cassino during the Italian Campaign.
Most of the Poles who settled in Kidderminster after World War II came via Siberia and then Persia, North Africa and Italy with General Anders and his army.
Cllr Oborski said "Poles were not allowed to take part in VE Day celebrations in London in 1945 in case it upset the Soviet Russian Government. Poland remained oppressed by the Soviets until 1989 when freedom was restored under the leadership of the Polish workers Solidarity movement - 'Solidarnosc'. Today, once again, we have a free Poland, an independent Poland, a self governing Poland - now a member of both NATO and EU and a major force for freedom and democracy in Central Europe.""
"Having suffered so badly and for so long - both during and after World War II - Poles have much to remember and much to commemorate. July 10th will be a very special day for the Polish community in Kidderminster."
posted by Oborski, 18:45 | link | comments
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Kidderminster Liberal Councillor Rob Wheway features in today's Observer...
Don't fence us in, Mum
Twins Sam and Dex, aged eight, are ready to face the world and to play out alone - but what about their mother's fears for them?
Fiona Gibson
Sunday June 12, 2005
The Observer
My twin sons want to play out. Not out in the garden, but out there, in the enormous, terrifying world, without me. 'Lewis plays out,' Sam tells me. 'So does Lucy. And James. And...' He rattles off the names of umpteen kids whose parents are not intent on wrecking their fun.
'They live on a cul-de-sac,' I remind him.
'We could play on their cul-de-sac.'
'I could take you to their cul...'
Sam stomps away. He doesn't want to be taken; that's the whole point. It strikes me that asking to play out is a reasonable request. Like most eight-year-olds, he and his twin brother, Dex, are insatiable climbers, waders and foragers. Why shouldn't he be allowed to roam and explore as I did as a child? Growing up in a west Yorkshire hamlet, I enjoyed limitless freedom from the age of four. Entire summers were spent playing in the woods and a derelict three-storey mill with perilous holes in its rotting floors. No grown-up tagged along to 'supervise'. No one ranted: 'Get out of that river. Do you know how long trainers take to dry? Do you?'
In a decade, only two scary things happened: a man pulled up beside me in his car and asked if I'd like to go to his house to see his puppies (I legged it home) and another man waggled his penis at me from a hillside.
Incidences of child abduction have remained virtually unchanged since 1950, yet today's 'caution culture' has dramatically altered how young people play. The radius around their homes in which they are allowed to roam has shrunk to a ninth of what it was in 1970. Research by the Policy Studies Institute indicates that, while 80 per cent of seven- and eight-year-olds were allowed to walk to school without an adult in 1971, by 1990 that figure had fallen to 9 per cent. 'Traffic is the main factor and it's an absolutely valid concern,' says Adrian Voce, director of the Children's Play Council.
Although the volume of traffic-related accidents and deaths is falling, Britain still has the highest child road-death figures in Europe. In 2003, 186 children were killed on the UK's roads and 4,000 injured. 'Children need adult-free time and the space to enjoy it,' says Voce. 'Unfortunately, there's a feeling they should play only on primary coloured equipment, with an expensive rubber surface beneath and a fence all around.'
My sons are tired of being fenced in. They want to go to the park, a vast area of grassy hills and woodland with a stream running through. The main reason we left London for rural Lanarkshire was to raise our family in a clean, relatively safe environment. I wanted my kids to spend their formative years climbing trees and building dens, not being shepherded from one organised activity to another. But how safe is it here? Sam and Dex are physically adventurous. During one accident-prone period, we were such frequent visitors to A&E that the boys were familiar with every toy in the waiting room. 'Oh, I love this tractor,' they'd enthuse, dripping blood.
For reassurance, I call Rob Wheway, adviser on play safety at the Child Accident Prevention Trust. 'If children are warned about dangers - a busy road or canal, say - they'll tend to keep that in mind,' he says.
'Most kids are more cautious than we imagine. The alternative is to keep them in the house, where there are just as many, if not more, dangers. Children become bored when they're cooped up, and start fiddling - and that's when accidents tend to -happen.' He adds that they are happiest playing fairly close to home, 'knowing that there's a parent or trusted adult to run to if anything untoward -happens'.
With this in mind, I agree to loosen the reins for a week and let my sons leave our garden unaccompanied. They kick off with a play in the park, albeit with a friend's sensible 11-year-old daughter as unofficial minder.
They look vulnerable as they head for the park. These are boys who can't yet tie their shoelaces or pour themselves cereal without splattering the kitchen. The house feels quiet. I have awful visions of head injuries requiring a mercy dash to A&E, although they're probably doing nothing more risky than kicking pebbles into the stream. I consider wandering across on some phoney errand or spying on them, disguised as a bush.
I hover anxiously at the window. My friend's daughter emerges from the alley that leads to the park. Behind her, their clothes sodden, are my sons. One has mud in his ear. Both are shivering. 'We went paddling,' Dex explains, 'and kind of fell in.' They require complete changes of clothes, warm baths and hot chocolate and won't be allowed out unaccompanied until they're in possession of facial hair and driving licences.
However, the following day, the boys beg to go to the newsagents to buy their beloved Dandy. I watch them hare off, figuring that the excursion should take no longer than 15 minutes. They're back in under 10, panting and breathless, in possession not of the aforementioned Dandy but a travel game called Guess Who and packets of Maltesers. They think they left my change on a windowsill.
Flushed with success, Dex demands to go to the Co-op to 'do all your food shopping'. Although I'm attracted to the idea of never again having to roam the aisles with a trolley, I fear that such a task might prove too challenging. My partner, who is making lunch, needs mint and a lemon. I explain to Dex that it's the herb mint that's required here - i.e., green, leafy - and not sweets with a hole in the middle. He scampers off and returns with a jar of dried mint and a bottle of lemon juice ('better than real lemon because there's more juice in it').
As the days pass and my sons run more errands, I begin to feel less fearful. My sons are loving their newfound freedom so much that it's almost hurtful. They are no longer thrilled by making cookies with me or digging up worms in our garden. I'm starting to wonder what possessed us to buy a house with 140 square metres of lawn. 'Beyond the very early years, back gardens are of limited value,' says Wheway. 'Children prefer to play in front of the house where they can see the world going by.'
'Playing in the garden gets boring,' agrees my sons' nine-year-old friend, Isabel. 'It's more fun being out with your friends.'
Her father, George, tells me that when they lived in a quiet Edinburgh suburb, Isabel played out from the age of four. 'Now we live on a main road where our three cats have been killed by traffic, so she has less freedom.'
Given the choice, it seems that kids still prefer running wild to being plugged into a PS2. But what about me? How long before I'm surplus to requirements? If nipping out to the Co-op has become my sons' favourite activity, where will they want to go next? Send a kid out for a lemon and he'll soon be demanding to ride his bike to the next village and going on holiday to Spain with his mates. It's not my kids who aren't ready to be let off the leash - I'm not ready to let them go.
Neighbours have remarked on how grown-up and sensible my boys appear. Wheway says: 'In areas where it's safe to play, children being allowed out on their own increases feelings of community because people keep an eye out for each other's kids.'
Dr Jennifer Cunningham, a Glasgow-based community paediatrician, says: 'In the days when elder siblings were asked to look after younger children, they tended to rise to the responsibility. With no adult intervention, children learn to control their behaviour, to act less impulsively and behave older than their years. In being over-protective, we're keeping them child-like, denying them the chance to make this vital developmental step.'
Where my sons are concerned, the only mishaps have been the stream incident and the dried mint. While walking to school unaccompanied is a step too far, I agree they can come home on their own. It's a 10-minute walk. It's 3.22pm. They'll be leaving school now, probably having forgotten their schoolbags and lunchboxes. 3.25. They'll be halfway home. 3.30. They should be home.
Dex ambles into the porch. 'Where's your brother?' I ask. He shrugs. 'Where's Sam? Did he come home with you? Didn't I tell you to stick together?' He yawns and says he's hungry, wants a biscuit.
I run out to the street. There's no Sam. If anything's happened to him, I'll never forgive myself. I should have been at the school gates, being a good mother, as I have every day for the past three years.
I charge through the house, calling Sam's name, desperately hoping that he's hiding. I check the garden and that's when I see it: a flash of blue - school sweatshirt blue - in the undergrowth at the bottom of our garden. Sam is lying on his belly, leafing idly through the Dandy. 'What?' he says, looking up at me.
'I thought you were lost. Don't ever do that again.'
He frowns at me, as if I've just said something ridiculous, then asks, 'Need anything from the shops?'
posted by Oborski, 21:25 | link | comments
Friday, June 10, 2005
 What do we now do if the bombs fall?
With the forthcoming redevelopment of the Land Oak House site we see the passing of one of the very last - if not the last - wartime air raid shelter in Kidderminster. Are there any others left?
posted by Oborski, 08:38 | link | comments (2)
Thursday, June 02, 2005
It's not cricket!
Open Letter from Cllr Mike Oborski, Leader of Liberal & Independent Health Concern Group to all members of Worcestershire County Council:-
Dear Councillor
You may have received or seen a copy of a leaflet entitled “SO, YOUR’E NOT ON THE CABINET? A Quick Guide to Overview And Scrutiny in Worcestershire County Council” issued by the Overview & Scrutiny Team, Democratic Services, May 2005.
The leaflet states that “The Scrutiny Steering Group is made up of non-executive members from all political parties”.
That is NOT true. This Group is NOT represented on the Overview and Scrutiny Steering Group. That is why we briefly walked out in protest at the Annual Meeting of Council.
Describing the Overview and Scrutiny Steering Group the leaflet states that “It’s main role is to set out a programme, agree priorities for scrutiny and decide who should carry out these scrutinies”.
As we are excluded from the Steering Group it follows by definition that this Group has:-
NO say in setting out a programme;
NO say in agreeing priorities for scrutiny, and
NO say in deciding who should carry out these scrutinies.
This Group alone is therefore totally excluded from any role in the business of the Council.
It is deeply ironic that the front cover of “SO, YOU’RE NOT ON THE CABINET” features a photograph of a Cricket match. The Leader of the Council may think that the situation is “cricket”. We certainly do not!
posted by Oborski, 11:19 | link | comments (3)
|
