6 • EdenLocal
Continued from page 5 observation made by those living in the area. The permit parking idea has not been as good an idea as it was promised to be for some in Townhead and Castletown, with a lack of disabled parking in permit areas. In talking to local residents, friends and neighbours in Wetheriggs, we are all aware that we have a ‘rat run route’ compounded on route by parking which means drivers taking short cuts ending up on the wrong side of the road on blind corners. You have to see it during school times. Children crossing between parked cars; throughout the day people with mobility scooters, people pushing prams or in wheelchairs forced on to the roads because of the cars parked on the pavements. Well in some areas of Penrith I will not be the only resident who has been waiting for action for a number of years. Since the New Squares opened in June 2013, it intrigues me to look at the website www.newsquarespenrith.co.uk and you still read four years later on the home page the same details. ‘Penrith’s new shopping centre, New Squares opened in June 2013. The centre is anchored by a 55,000 sq ft Sainsbury’s food store and benefits from the town’s largest free car park. New Squares has been designed to extend Penrith town centre and complement the traditional architecture that makes Penrith so aesthetically appealing whilst providing modern shop units suiting the requirements of today’s retailers. A number of national retail brands are in advanced discussions to secure space within the centre and the marketing agents would be delighted to discuss interest in the scheme.’ These problems go back more than four years, but little or no action seems to be forthcoming. I am hoping that newly elected and existing county councillors reflect on the problems we have in Eden, not just in Penrith. They need to stop talking about what they are going to do and actually do something, although this doesn’t reflect on some that have proven records of dedication in surveying all the residents in their ward. On pages 16 to 17, you will read my findings from a period of 20 days knocking on doors leading up to 4th May, because people need to be asked and sometimes politics it would appear ‘locally’ isn’t always the answer. I’m pleased to say that the June Eden Local will have local parish, district and county updates for you in addressing some of the concerns that I discovered on the doorstep in that not everyone gets a local paper, uses a computer and wouldn’t know where to start in finding information or who to ask and how. Lee EdenLocal
The magazine that relies on doors for circulation not sales
Organised by concerned teachers and parents, this rally in Penrith came about in the space of a week and was potentially the first of many. As mentioned in my opening editorial, it is available to watch via the Eden FM social media facebook page. Key concerns raised by the NAHT at the outset were around: • The quality of care schools are and will be able to provide for Cumbria’s children. • Figures being based on Government data and are not being made up. • Currently the Government commits 5.9% of the country’s wealth to education. This will fall to 4% in 2020. This will be the lowest it has been in 60 years. This the start of the process in calling for costs to be met and cuts reversed. Speaker, Diane Leesmith of the Penrith Parents Against Cuts Group went on