by COUN PETER WEXHAM
Lib Dem Councillor for Leigh
WHEN talking about football Jimmy Greaves used to say: “It’s a funny old game”.
Well, I am coming to the same conclusion about politics. People say to me they did not vote Lib-Dem to get a Tory Goverment to which I say “Nor did I.”
But it was the result that the people over the whole country gave to the MPs. Labour could not form a Government even with Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
This comes a bit hard for me having spent my whole life fighting against the Conservatives and what they stand for.
However, I do believe politicians should all try to work together for the residents we were elected to support and represent.
Now, for example, I find I am working with Conservative MP David Amess over the airport extension and the night fights we, in Leigh, will have to put up with when every other airport is closed at night.
It will be open house at Southend for late and unscheduled flights coming in from Europe to the south east of England.
The Lib-Dem Minister at the Department for Transport has written saying that once the decision was made by Labour not to have a public inquiry the incoming Coalition Government cannot overturn it – although both parties in the Coalition have a policy of no more airport expansion in the south east corner of the country.
So now the fight is being taken forward by the environmental groups and local residents applying to the courts for a judicial review.
David Amess has a petition on his website, which I have signed, in an attempt to get some action from Europe.
We are both fighting the ‘Barmy Bunch’ on Southend Council that ignore the residents. Didn’t someone say something about the ‘Big Society’ and devolving power to the people?
Yes, it is a funny old game, Jimmy.
On Leigh issues I am getting a lot of replies about drinking in a public place and the Leigh Times even published a letter from that prominent BBC personality, Richard Baker who is against any such changes – but I think the young people drinking on the Cliffs now are a very different bunch to the Westcliff High School boys of yesteryear he talks about, when antisocial behaviour and vandalism by large gatherings of youngsters had not been invented.
I have tried to get the law enforced of infringing on the highway – tables and chairs cluttering the pavements which is supposed to be against the law.
In days gone by the law was enforced, and a council officer was there in no time. I can remember having to get a delivery of sand and paving slabs off the highway by nightfall or face prosecution.
The inspector who issued the warning would come back to make sure the highway was clear. You just could not block the pavement.
The council now want to control what is put on the footpath by charging businesses to do so. That’s not enforcement, it is another money making scheme.
I remember this being introduced in Southend High Street and seafront areas – but now it is town-wide or is it?
Yes, you guessed right – it does not apply to Thorpe Bay Broadway where they closed down a shop that dared to sell tea and cakes on the pavement. But Leigh is now designated as part of the night time economy of the town.
But there is no extra money for the police to look after the problems in Leigh and the residents who live in the side roads off the Broadway/Leigh Road, Old Leigh and the London Road.
They have to put up with the noise and worse into the early hours – whereas the letter writer, Richard Baker, forgets that the pubs used to shut at 10pm.
Now, thanks to Tony Blair we are lucky that they shut by 2am and their licence could allow them to open all night as we are deemed part of the night time economy.
