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Groby & Field Head Spotlight • JUNE 2014 • Tel: 01530 244069
The Groby Parish Council transport dilemma Norman Griffiths looks again at the ongoing debate
Letter
Invited to tea at The Savoy with Simon Cowell!
In his recent letter to The Groby Spotlight a Parish Councillor was critical of those on the council he described as obsessive about spending money on a truck he does not think is needed for the council’s ground maintenance work. He also disagreed with some of the content of an article on the subject in the March Spotlight. Although he described the statement in the article that council staff are moving Council materials in the boots of their cars as “nonsense” he went on to say that “staff employed for general maintenance/handyman duties were employed on the basis that they had to have a vehicle to assist them in performing routine maintenance tasks.” He confirmed that since 2007 the employees have used their own vehicles for transporting routine maintenance tools and easily transportable small scale materials. Readers will reach their own conclusion on whether or not they feel this amounts to employees moving Council materials in the boot of their cars.
Mileage allowances He also thought he found in the article the suggestion that in using their own vehicles staff have been “put upon.” The use of quotation marks might have led some readers to think that this was a direct quote, but those words did not appear anywhere in the article. He pointed out that those who use their own vehicles are compensated with a generous mileage allowance to help address all the running costs of their vehicle. Such allowances are often welcomed by employees in many industries to offset the running costs of a vehicle, particularly if making your vehicle available to your employer is a requirement of employment. It would be rash of someone who has not discussed the subject with the employees to second guess their feelings, and that’s why there was no suggestion intended, explicit or implied, that employees have been put upon. He pointed out the disadvantages of the Parish having a dedicated vehicle and these, together with the other points of view put forward by councillors have been reported in the Spotlight. The articles outlined where we are now and suggested that as a review was being undertaken it should most certainly consider whether the status quo is the best option. In the May issue a reader responded to the Councillor’s comments saying that “a review of the requirements after 7 years does not appear to be inappropriate, particularly in the event of changed circumstances and requirements for vehicle use over this period.”
So have there been changes since 2007? The Best Value Review recommended the employment of a part time Cemetery Sexton/General Maintenance Operative, along with self employed Gate Closing and Playground Inspection personnel. This manpower requirement appears to have increased over the intervening seven years which may or may not have resulted in an increase in business mileage. Although it doesn’t follow that there needs to be a council owned vehicle, it is legitimate for Councillors to ask questions and make decisions having carefully considered all options and all points of view. For many jobs the boot of a car may be quite adequate, but the balance may change depending on the type of work undertaken in house instead of by contractors. A few examples of jobs that are not ideally suited to car boots include small building projects, minor tree works where branches have to be cut into small pieces and bagged to transport in car boots, and the clearance of ditches where rubbish also has to be bagged as it is unsuitable to be put directly into boots. The various alternative options of a trailer, a council truck, site deliveries or truck hire have all been suggested by members of the council. The possibility that a car boot may not be the ideal solution for the Grounds Maintenance Operation seems to have been acknowledged in 2007. The Best Value Review didn’t suggest a car or even a replacement truck or a trailer for the Sexton/General Maintenance Operative. It said that he should have his own transport, “preferably a van.” But no decision has yet been reached and the current discussion of the various options available does not necessarily mean anything will change. Members may decide after a frank and open exchange of the views of all members that the Councillor is right and no change is necessary.
In early June I travelled down to London in my capacity as volunteer befriender for the charity Face2Face with Fiona Burton who founded the Leicestershire branch five years ago. We were treated to tea and cakes at The Savoy Hotel with Richard Desmond owner of the Health lottery. Also there was Simon Cowell and his lovely girlfriend Lauren, Roger Daltrey, Sinitta, Vanessa Feltz, Amy Childs, Kimberly Walsh (Cheryl Cole was supposed to be there too but I didn’t see her,) several ‘TOWIES’, Matthew Wright, Gloria Hunniford, Patsy Kensit, Casey Batchelor, Amy Willerton, and others. We celebrated The Health Lottery’s achievement of raising £50,000,000! I didn’t get chance to ask Simon Cowell the questions suggested by my father, because the most interesting folk there were the amazing people who volunteered for some wonderful charities. I learned about gardening projects for people who had mental health issues, skateboarding clubs for children in deprived areas, media and creative arts for young adults who had previously been involved in crime, and a Bollywood dance initiative for Asian ladies who found it difficult to access fitness - and of course Face2Face! If you haven’t heard about Face2Face, it’s a charity which trains parents who have a child or children with a disability, to become befrienders, and once trained they are paired up with a parent of a child who has maybe just received a diagnosis of disability for their child or who is experiencing difficulties coping with having a child with a disability. We as befrienders support the parent and listen to their worries and concerns. They know we have been on that roller coaster ride which goes hand in hand with coming to terms with a diagnosis and other difficulties which arise afterwards and they know we can empathise with what they are going through. Sometimes when our children reach certain milestones, or change school or we move house this can cause stress and other unexpected problems, so parents may need support too at these difficult times. I trained with Face2Face three years ago and have befriended many parents who have children with a variety of disabilities. Unfortunately some parents don’t have anyone with whom they can confide their worries, and even if they have, they may feel that their friends and family are also adjusting to the news of the diagnosis and don’t want to burden them with their troubles. Sometimes friends and family may want to help but can’t fully understand what it’s like from a parent’s point of view, and that’s where Face2Face comes in. If you or someone you know could benefit from having a befriender - maybe a parent, carer or grandparent who needs a little support - then please get in touch with Fiona Burton at Face2Face.
Roxanne Dinsdale
My wife complained today that I treat her like a child. I didn’t know how to react, so I gave her a gold star and a smiley face for sticking up for herself.
I’ve changed my mind three times today. It seems to work better now.