Getting Things Done: Chandler's Ford Bottle Banks Emptied

Last Thursday I noticed that the two bottle banks at Fryern, Chandler's  Ford were full to overflowing so I reported it to the Council, and I am pleased to report that they were both emptied this morning.  Above  and immediately below is the one at Waitrose.

This is how it looked before:

And this is the one behind the Co-op:

I believe in getting things done.

The Eastleigh Folly Opens Today

Today our LibDem run Borough Council has opened the Eastleigh Folly, otherwise known as the new town centre civic offices.
And it has cost an estimated £11 million pounds for a building that isn't even large enough to hold the council chamber or committee rooms, with the result that councillors now have to meet in other locations, presumably at extra cost.

Our LibDem masters have form in property mismanagement. They buy property to rent and then it falls empty, like the Comet store in Woodside Avenue:

and they borrow money build a hotel, again to rent out, and the contractors go into liquidation: Ageas Bowl.

They are not to be trusted.  The borrowing of Eastleigh Borough Council is way, way above average.  While their income is £12m their borrowing is a staggering £100m, compared to that of Hampshire County Council, which has an income of £900m with borrowing of only £500m.

What the move to the town centre will mean to us

The move to the town centre was supposed to coincide with the expansion of Sainsbury's, which would have encroached on Eastleigh Recreation Ground. While, fortunately for us this was withdrawn by Sainsbury's, it did mean that the extra parking spaces this development would have provided would have been sufficient for council employees and visitors to the civic offices.  But now they will encroach on s;paces normally used by shoppers, which will reduce footfall in town centre shops, with another consequence for the Council: more empty shop premises with a corresponding fall in income from business rates.

But despite this very obvious shortfall of parking spaces - the Council went ahead anyway with the reconstruction of Eastleigh House, where the civic offices are now situated.

The council is also taking over Eastleigh Market which, not surprisingly, relies on parking spaces.  At the Eastleigh Local Area Committee Meeting on 14th January, it was noted that when the Council moves to Eastleigh House, with what the describe as a "recent increase in contract parking in the town centre," stallholders will no longer be able to park in the Twyford Road car park at a reduced rate of £4 per day instead of the normal £8.  There has almost always been spare capacity in this car park - but the Council has recognised that with the move to Eastleigh House this is unlikely to be the case.  The Council staff have to have parking, but  none has been provided, and there will be extra pressure on Thursday market day.  

So with insufficient parking for stallholders another Council venture falls flat!! 

So what this Council move to Eastleigh House means is:

• Increased borrowing for a civic centre that is too small
• No parking for staff or visitors, who will have to use existing parking
• Less parking for shoppers
• Closure of shops due to reduced footfall
• And a reduction in income from business rates

We MUST get rid of the disastrous LibDems in the May elections!!!!!

Bottle Banks - Getting Things Done in Chandler's Ford

On my way to Waitrose,Chandler's Ford  this morning to get my paper this is what I was confronted with as I went to deposit some glass at the bottle bank.

 So I went to the bottle bank behind the Co-op:

It too was full, although not obvious until you try to put something in it.  As I tried to put my glass in, a bottle fell out and started to roll down the slope but, fortunately, it was well fielded by a lady.  Otherwise it could have been driven over by a car, with the resultant broken glass causing punctures etc.

As soon as I got home I telephoned Eastleigh Council, where the extremely helpful receptionist said it would receive immediate attention.