Fact, Fiction and fantasy
The other night my friend Dominic Haney, Chairman of the Berry Edge Residents Association, rang me up.
“Have you seen the Labour Leaflet?” he asked angrily. What had upset him was the section LABOUR LISTENS AND TAKES ACTION. Amongst the claims was “Community Gardens plus improved kerbs and footpaths at Berry Edge”.
Here are some Facts:
Fact: Before the District Elections in May 2007, the residents association were told they could only have the area greened up if they accepted a car park as part of it. Reluctantly they agreed.
Fact: No sooner was the election over than the money to do even this “disappeared”.
Fact: The Residents Association itself, in co-operation with the Groundwork Trust, by long consultation, hard work, and careful grant applications to Awards for All (Lottery Fund) and Durham County Urban Renewal and Renaissance Initiative have raised over £30,000 towards the project.
I know these are facts because I act as secretary to the Berry Edge Residents Association.
If these are the facts, you can decide what is fiction and what is fantasy.
And finally ………
I took this picture of a kerb in Berry Edge over a year ago, thinking it might be useful for a future Focus leaflet.
I thought I’d better use it now because obviously it will soon have been replaced as a result of all the money that has been “secured” to improve footpaths, kerbs and carriageways in the coming year.
Lets hope the money doesn’t “disappear” like the last set of pre-election promises. A broken pomise simply worsens people’s cynicism about politics and politicians.
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