Community Caretaker – more thoughts

One year ago I wrote this...

Maybe now is the time to start seriously looking at providing services ourselves in the form of some kind of community support – a 'community caretaker' maybe with the remit of some pro-active social liaison/education responsibilities (talking/advising), along with some reactive response activity to incidents when reported (bluntly – clearing up).

That was mainly in response to reports of anti-social behaviour, vandalisms and low level crimes.
But there is another aspect where an as-and-when-on-call  'Community caretaker' could play a very important role for Emergency safety needs.

Today it was reported that the short narrow concrete bridge that leads from Town Mill Lane to The Green over the small adjacent stream had been damaged with a railing removed.

A Facebook comment appeared with a picture stating:

"Better watch out if you’re out walking with little ones. This is the bridge that leads to and from Town Mills and The Green"

It was an immediate risk to safety

It was clear that any young child could easily fall in the river and suffer injury or worse. The bridge needed immediate attention even if only in a temporary way to maintain safety until a full repair could be undertaken.

Being over a holiday period no one was around, but the situation would have been the same at almost any time. It was reported to the online system with the usual standard response of:

"We will assess your enquiry as soon as possible. We receive around 70,000 enquiries each year which we prioritise according to the nature of the issue." 

"In most cases our staff will need to visit the site to make an assessment, which we aim to complete within two weeks, subject to availability."

So that's it. Two weeks to make an assessment.
Meanwhile the danger would remain and a child could fall into the river. 😟

BUT ... A resident steps in... Thankfully a community minded resident put up a section of netting themselves.

Two questions came to mind...

1. Should Whitchurch have a small accessible store of equipment for such instances – maybe some tape, netting, brooms, bin bags, zip ties, shovels, and the like for small emergencies' that was made easily accessible; and/or
2. Should Whitchurch have an on-call 'Community Caretaker' who could deal with such matters – such as, in this case, putting up some tape, warning signage or netting until a full repair could be undertaken?

Request made to Town Council...

Mindful of the other earlier requirements and also taking into account increasing costs on residents and the forthcoming budget arrangements, a request for a full review Town Council staffing needs has been made.

The request was made at the Town Council Meeting on 9th December 2020. This latest incident shows how important that request might be.

It would enable the subject of a possible community support role to be considered in conjunction with the local community.

I think such a service would be helpful, others may not, but do you?

Whitchurch Red Telephone Boxes – renovation

UPDATE 2  (5th April 2021) 

The paint kit has turned up, for which BT is to be thanked. 

The work now starts to get a team of volunteers to help. Please be in touch if you wish to help.

Work will also be progressed to see if it can be given any legal protection.

UPDATE 1  (16th December 2020) 

BT have told me that they will be arranging a cleaning of the box and that they will 'consider a repainting' and will be in touch once their 'Regional Field Officer' has had a look.

Hopefully it will be possible to work with BT on the box's future and to at least ensure it is more presentable. More details when available.

Also looking at some 'protection' if possible as it's in the Conservation Area.

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OUR TELEPHONE BOX...

WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT

There used to be a number of the traditional red telephone boxes in Whitchurch but now there remains just one and, although in the Conservation Area, it is in a poor state of repair.

The red telephone box was introduced in 1926 and has since become a cultural icon and a feature of our street scenes in towns and villages across our British Isles. It has even spread further with examples in many other countries – becoming a symbol of Britain in places such as Barbados, Malta, Gibraltar and even in Australia. 

In 1935 the K6 design was introduced to celebrate King George V's Silver Jubilee with eventually around 65,000 K6 boxes being installed across the country. The boxes are made of cast iron with a teak door and weigh around three quarters of a ton.

The design was by the architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott who was also designer of the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool, Battersea and Bankside Power Stations, the latter now being the Tate Modern in London.

Fast forward to the 1980's and many were falling foul of vandalism and a lack of maintenance. Many were removed or replaced by a variety of new designs but the love for the traditional red icon remained with only around 3400 remaining in operation according to Historic England. Of these most are now 'Listed' (not the Whitchurch one though – see later).

But many continue to disappear from the landscape.

As their use has declined due much to the advent of the mobile phone, BT have been offering them for adoption and many local councils have taken them on in conjunction with their communities. Around the Whitchurch countryside several are now used as libraries, or for housing defibrillators, and some provide local information. In other places they have been used as art galleries, coffee bars, photo booths, even an ice cream dispenser and one became a pub! 

The Whitchurch box is still a working telephone and is not currently for adoption but its condition still deteriorates by the day. Are there ways to keep in operating and still be looked after?

The sadly lost Berehill box

The Lost Boxes

A few years ago the two red boxes in Whitchurch at Berehill and Queens Road were offered for adoption and there was a small campaign to retain them but there were no takers and they are now sadly gone.

The last remaining box is in Church Street and with BT still keeping it as an operating telephone but it is looking very sorry for itself – it badly needs a full paint and parts of the door are rotting. Whilst no one wants to lose the service of a public telephone, given its deteriorating condition its time must surely be limited unless some remedial work is undertaken.

Can we save our last red telephone box in Whitchurch?

Do we want to lose this?

There are some local people willing to help. Whitchurch Town Council has been already approached for 'support' and BT has been contacted to see what might be possible. There are also plans to see if it can be 'Listed' and thus be given some protection either through the national scheme or through a local listing with the Borough Council. 

Advice has also been sought from and provided from other Charity groups and Parish Councils that have also had similar situations and their help has been much appreciated, especially some wonderfully supportive people in Cornwall!

If there is anyone else willing to get involved, perhaps to help with some ideas in supporting retention of this important part of our town's street scene, then please make contact. 

...and even more? – if so could this be the catalyst needed to start some other community driven projects in our town to help make Whitchurch a more vibrant and attractive location?

PLEASE BE IN TOUCH

John

Save our Pub Culture

CAMPAIGN FOR COMMON SENSE
*** WRITE NOW ***
Re: MEALS WITH DRINKS - in Public Houses in Tiers 1 and 2

Since this was written the situation has changed with many of the country's pubs falling into Tier 4 and closing completely.

However Kit Malthouse MP did not reply.

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Laughing at the Scotch Egg jokes or talk of leaving half of potato on a plate to get another drink don’t help the real-life situation of our pubs and breweries or give us protection against Covid-19.

And is a pickled egg a meal?

Asking that misses the point.

The requirement to have a ‘meal' to be able to enjoy beer is, IMO, perhaps the most ridiculous and absurd of actions taken by this government. How that protects me I have no idea. 

Yes to social distancing, table service, face coverings, track and trace... but this?

All it does it destroy livelihoods, businesses and our pub culture, so important to the social and well-being of our community.

On 16th December the government will be announcing changes to the tiers. Let's get this meal requirement removed at the same time! (Update: They didn't remove it)
My own letter below to my MP could be used as a template should you wish or please write your own.

Support our Pubs and Breweries and all who work in them.

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To: The Right Hon. Kit Malthouse MP

Re: MEALS WITH DRINKS - in Public Houses in Tiers 1 and 2.

Dear Mr. Malthouse,

Our public houses are a cornerstone of our communities, not just being places to eat and drink but also for being social havens for many; as well as combatting loneliness, isolation and community cohesion, all essential requirements in these difficult times.

The latest introduction of forcing the purchase of a meal to have an alcoholic drink is a step too far, not being backed up by any credible evidence or logic. The rules on social distancing, the wearing of face coverings, table service and use of track and trace when visiting public houses are all fully understood and have been accepted by many as having some degree of sense given the crisis we are in.
But the idea that eating a meal can be an additional protection against Covid just does not stack up – indeed it is making the government a laughing stock. The fall out is a lack of credibility and trust in any government announcements just when it is needed most. This has been shown so clearly with the disregard to social distancing in city centres across the country this last weekend.

A plate of food does nothing to stop the virus. It is a concept without foundations. The result is that many pubs that cannot provide food have decided to close; livelihoods are further threatened; businesses are under greater threat of collapse – and many pubs may never re-open again. This scapegoating of pubs means we all lose out.

I note it has been announced that the ‘tiers' are being reassessed on December 16th. Can you give your assurance that you will be requesting that at least the necessity to have a meal if you wish to have a drink will be lifted and give some hope to the local pubs that cannot provide food and to the local breweries that supply them.
It really was a step too far.

I look forward to your reply,

Yours faithfully,

John

John Buckley

Member Campaign for Real Ale

Member Campaign for Pubs

Councillor, Whitchurch Town Council, Hampshire

Views expressed are my own.

Loss of Services; Higher costs?

Loss of services; Increasing costs

Some things to ponder on Whitchurch residents share of the Council Tax through the Town Council's 'precept':

• Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council are wanting to close its Public Toilets in Whitchurch (and elsewhere) and has asked if the Town Council might take them over (and of course the costs).

• BDBC also want to either cease safety checking the Play Areas or to introduce a charge to Whitchurch Town Council for doing so.

• On top of this BDBC are proposing to introduce Car Park charging in Whitchurch as well as raising Residential Parking Permit fees...

• ... and introduce charges for Disabled Spaces in Council Car Parks where they are currently free.

• BDBC are planning to cut grass cutting in urban areas by nearly half, from 13 to 8 times a year so our Whitchurch verges will be looked after less, but we will still be paying the same.

• ... and jobs are being cut in the Borough Council too.

All of these issues, and others, could place further burdens on our increasingly strapped Whitchurch residents. 
AND our BDBC Council Tax will still go up. 

Double Taxation

What disturbs me most is that we are already paying for the Public Toilets and those Play Area safety checks through our ever-increasing BDBC Council Tax and now we are being asked to pay again through our local 'precept' – effectively Double Taxation. But don't get me wrong, I am aware that finance to BDBC has been drastically cut by central government; however they are a very well-off Council.

Is this fair? is it right?

These continuing cuts/charges are going to have a considerable effect on us at possibly the worst time ever for many.

A tough time ahead – what about the Town Council charges?

The next few years are going to be extremely tough. Many are losing livelihoods and jobs; incomes are being frozen; employment and inflation is rising. Businesses are collapsing and many individuals and families are suffering the devastating personal effects of Covid-19. All this needs to be recognised in how the Town Council sets its Precept for its own services along with keeping our own Town Council charges value for money. It is massively difficult for local Councillors.

Earlier this year I felt I could not support our Town Council's budget for 2020/21 as I felt the Administration element was out of proportion to what we were providing. When the final proposals for next year are collated and presented for 2021/22 in January, I really hope it will not be the same.

The future is going to be very hard on many and as a LOCAL Town Council my opinion is that we need to reach out, listen to, and help our LOCAL residents wherever we can. 

Perhaps it is clichéd but ..... We are all in this together.