Remembrance Day

Ilkeston's Remembrance Day service is usually held at 3:00pm with a similar service at 11:00am being held in Long Eaton. In recent years there have been several calls for the Council to hold Ilkeston's service in the morning too but until this year the call has been resisted as the Mayor can only be in one of the towns at the designated time. This year however, the Mayor's Chaplain is also the Vicar of St Mary's in Ilkeston and the annual service of Remembrance was switched to the eleven o'clock slot with Long Eaton's service at the same time being attended by the Deputy Mayor.

I have attended many of the afternoon services in Ilkeston and there has always been a good turnout but Sunday's was exceptional with twice as many (and perhaps even more than that) standing in silence to honour all those who have paid the ultimate price in two World Wars and many other conflicts. I felt honoured to be among them and if the Council needs any more encouragement to make the Ilkeston service on Remembrance Day at 11:00am a permanent arrangement, they only have to look at the evidence of this year.

Where's The Logic?

   The Planning Committee of Erewash Borough Council last week gave the go ahead for a Morrison's supermarket to be built in Ilkeston. Whilst I welcome the prospect of a Morrison's in the town, I can't help but feel that the logic of the decision is somewhat warped. The idea that building a new college on the former Magistrate's Court site and attracting 800 students plus 200 staff there will revitalise the town centre is something of a forlorn hope as the new supermarket to be built where the existing college stands will only succeed in drawing shoppers out of the middle of the town. With Tesco's and Aldi at the bottom of Bath Street and Marks and Spencer's, Argos and others on the Waterside Retail Park off Station Road also already taking people away from the traditional shopping areas, the construction of the Morrison's store will only exacerbate the situation.

   The Annual Charter Fair last week shows exactly what is needed to revitalise the town - an attraction in the town centre. Some people do not welcome the annual event but it doesn't take a genius to see the number of people that are drawn into the town when it is being held each October. The answer is surely obvious. To revitalise the town centre there needs to be something there to bring the people in. Development on the edge will not do this - but I am pleased that in the future we won't have to travel out of town any more to shop at Morrison's.

Regeneration. Are You Serious?

There was dancing in the streets last Saturday as music sounded out across the Market Place. It was the music of my youth with some good old rock'n'roll tunes well-known by anyone of my age. Dancers in fifties dress showed how to jive and a large American car with a picture on the dashboard of Elvis was parked nearby. What was it all in aid of? Well nobody, not even the market traders, seemed to know but the general consensus was that it was an attraction to bring custom into the town.

   There were large gaps in the market with several regular traders missing. They could have been on holiday or taken heed of the mistaken weather forecast that predicted heavy rain and thunderstorms, none of which occurred or they may even have taken their wares elsewhere. But it becomes more and more obvious as time goes by that something drastic needs to be done to regenerate the town centre. The proposal to move students into the town centre and build a supermarket on the existing college site defies belief in its logic and common sense. Another supermarket on the edge of the town centre will drive another nail into the coffin of existing small businesses.

    Here's an idea. Car parking charges in Ilkeston deter many people and lead to illegal parking on double yellow lines and pedestrian crossings. In neighbouring Broxtowe, the first 30 minutes on council car parks is free, thus encouraging shoppers. In Long Eaton, Erewash's other big town, there are free car parks at Asda, Tesco and Aldi all in the town centre. In Ilkeston the free supermarket car parks are away from the town centre with those in the middle of town being fee paying.

   If the council is serious about regeneration, then the time is right to review their charging policy. Invest by sacrificing some parking revenue, even if it is only on market days but don't kill town centre trade altogether by being blind to the effect of planning decisions. Those who take the decisions should learn from the success of Team GB in the Olympics. Investment in the right place is what is needed - it will provide its own rewards. Austerity has not worked, is not working and will not work.

Green Flag Award

Erewash Borough Council officials and judges in Victoria Park, Ilkeston during judging in July 2011 for the "In Bloom" competition which also resulted in the award of a Green Flag confirming it is one of the best parks in the country.

Rats

There's a saying that you're never more than (insert number) feet from a rat but I'm beginning to think that you're closer to one on the car park between Nottingham Road and Stanton Road than anywhere else in Ilkeston. About lunchtime today I spotted what looked like a young rat there and only a few weeks ago there was one much larger on the footpath as we approached. And that wasn't the first I'd seen there. We've even reported them to the council but it seems as though there's a colony taken up residence in the undergrowth around the car park and they refuse to be evicted. It's hardly surprising though when irresponsible people drop half finished cartons of take-away food in the car park. I tried to take a photo of the one I saw today but once the rat saw me, it scurried off from its half eaten Saturday lunch into the cover of the surrounding vegetation so this blurred image is the best I could get.

Suck & Blow

Anyone walking through the Market Place this afternoon may have thought that the overnight gales had blown away all the leaves that had settled in and around St Mary's churchyard but I know different. Earlier this morning two council workmen were hard at work. One of them had a machine strapped to his back and was blowing the fallen leaves into piles whilst the other one was operating a super vacuum cleaner to suck them into a vehicle to be transported away.

Joined Up Thinking

The council provides households with free black bins for rubbish and brown bins for garden waste. They also supply green bags for recycling materials free of charge and will replace any that are lost or no longer usable again free of charge. Blue bins are also available for recycling material but these have to be purchased from the council at a cost of some £25 or £26 each. The council are also targeted with achieving a set amount of recycling so I believe that if they want us to recycle they should provide the means for us to do so and not charge us for the privilege. Look at it this way - the council has to keep paying for replacement green bags, they also have to pay for street cleaners. On windy days like today the green bags blow all over the place and deposit litter and rubbish like these plastic bottles seen today which increases the workload of the street cleaners. If all households were given a free blue bin, it would save the cost of replacement green bags, reduce the amount of street cleaning, make it easier for the refuse collectors thus making them more efficient and allow more time to devote to other areas of the Pride In Erewash initiative. All it needs is a little joined up thinking - it's not difficult and in the current economic climate, you know it makes sense!.

Pride In Erewash

The council campaign to instil a little "Pride In Erewash" seems to be falling on deaf ears and my prophecy of yesterday came true all too quickly. As I suspected the tubs in the Market Place were replanted yesterday afternoon and it didn't take long for the vandals to make their presence felt - this soft drinks can I am certain was not placed there by the council workmen. There are plenty of litter bins in the town centre so there is really no need at all for cans to be deposited here.

Winter Planting

The workmen erecting the Christmas lights have been missing for a day or two although there is still more to be done on the Market Place. Work on the Town Hall balcony could be one reason why the lights cannot be put there yet but council workers were back on the scene today digging in the flower beds around the Cenotaph and restocking them with winter plants. I believe later they moved on to the tubs and started planting those up as well. I'll check tomorrow and try and get a picture before they get vandalised which is quite often the norm!

Who Put The Lights Out?

It's never really got light today and felt more like the last day of November instead of the first of October. This picture taken early (for me) this morning in the drizzle on the Market Place doesn't tell the whole story as the sky was much darker than it appears here.

Seeing the council vehicle parked there, I half expected to see the workers removing the empty tubs but it turned out they were mowing the grass in St Mary's churchyard before the heaviest of the rain arrived. I hope they were wearing wellingtons as well as those bright yellow waterproofs!

Activity Returns

Activity returned to the Market place today but it was only to be expected as Thursday is a market day. The market stalls however were boosted by the addition of two pet-centred additions outside the library. One was by the PDSA and the other by the neighbourhood Dog Wardens who were encouraging people to register their dogs with the Council.

Getting Ready

I photographed the empty tubs on the Market Place on Friday, empty, that is, of plants. Today Council workmen were busy taking the soil out as well as preparations for the Charter Fair continued. They can be seen in this picture on the far side of the Market Place but some of their workmates are more obvious nearer the camera where a lighting column was being moved two or three yards to the left. I understand that this is also part of the preparations for the Fair as a larger version of the Dodgems is coming and needs more room. I was also told that the fair folk are paying for the alterations but I guess they'll soon recoup their costs by charging exorbitant prices for a ride.

A Lesson

As another national chain (Burton's) prepares to close its Ilkeston branch and move out of town after trading here for 82 years, it's perhaps time for Erewash Borough Council to follow the lead of neighbouring Broxtowe and try and attract shoppers to the town. Council owned car parks in Beeston and Eastwood for example offer one hour's free parking before the charges start. Here in Ilkeston the only free car parks are provided by the likes of Tesco and Aldi which are away from the town centre. In Long Eaton those same stores are in the town centre and there is not a hill to contend with there so is it any wonder that Ilkeston is becoming a shopping ghost town? Come on EBC, if you're serious about promoting Ilkeston learn a lesson from Broxtowe.

The Name Lives On

I have often made comment about the council renaming playing fields but the local populace still refer to them by the names that have stood the test of ages. For example Chaucer Old Park is 'Illy 'Oleys, Wash Meadow is Johnny's, Gordon Street Playing Fields are still the Ashes and more recently who ever refers to The Rec as Rutland Sports Park? Another area of the town that most people still know by its old name is White Lion Square and an information board at the top of Stanton Road bears that title. The Square though has long gone and has disappeared under the roundabout at the southern end of Chalons Way. Yes White Lion Square has gone but the name lives on.

Curtailment

As part of the government's cost cutting exercise, free swimming for youngsters is to cease but the local council have decided to postpone the new policy until after the schools re-open in September which means schoolchildren will still be able to enjoy free sessions during the summer holidays. It is to be hoped they also spend some time improving their language skills instead of using the foul mouthed obscenities that passed between a group of youngsters who crossed from the direction of the Leisure Centre and entered Victoria Park as I was taking this photo this afternoon.

Fountain of Flowers

We went over to Eastwood this afternoon and earlier in the week we were in Beeston. Both are under the jurisdiction of Broxtowe Borough Council and we noticed that besides all the free parking at the supermarkets, the council owned car parks also offered the first hour for free. You still had to obtain a ticket but there was no charge and it's ideal if you just want a short stop. In Ilkeston it's 60p for the first hour - not a great deal I grant you but if you park just to pick up one or two items it all adds to the expense and is a contributory factor in the decline of the shops and markets in the town. I'm sure Erewash could learn a useful lesson from neighbouring Broxtowe.

But back to East wood and we were quite impressed by this fountain of flowers. They obviously appreciate sunshine and rain but it crossed my warped mind that these had probably benefited from an additional amount of the former as the display was directly outside the Sun Inn!

Slow Down

There was more evidence of the tar spraying and road resurfacing today with signs requesting drivers to limit their speed to 10mph. These two signs were on the corner at the cemetery.

I don't know if they had any effect but maybe if they had been there some time ago, then the cemetery wall and railings would not have been demolished where it looks as though a vehicle went through. There's been a temporary fence there for months now and I seriously wonder if it will ever be repaired. It's obviously not high on the council's list of priorities - spreading grit everywhere that flies off the road and onto the pavements obviously is.

Victoria Park

Had a walk around Victoria Park this afternoon and after yesterday's encounter with the Council's Green Machine, we saw another group of Council employees replanting the flower beds and some natural green machines in the form of trees. There should be a really good flower display later in the year but the park doesn't look at all bad at the moment with some of the trees in blossom, some bursting into leaf and a lot of spring flowers blooming too. I'm sure this won't be our last photo from the park this year.

Keep Ilkeston Tidy

My wife and I are often in the Town Hall reporting places where litter needs removing. The Council has a responsibility to keep the streets clean but we realise that it is the residents of the town that create the eyesores. There are several litter bins strategically placed around the Market Place and one is visible outside the Library in this picture.


Why the youth in the white jacket in the centre of the picture chose to carefully balance his empty soft drink can on top of a bollard and then proceed past the bin is quite beyond me. Quite recently this area was packed with people applauding and cheering young men who had been fighting to preserve our freedom in Afghanistan who are about the same age as this idiot/lout/moron/imbecile/numpty (delete as appropriate or add your own word). Perhaps a few weeks with them would knock some sense into him and make him a bit more house proud. If the country is worth fighting for, then it's worth looking after and includes disposing of litter in the correct manner.

Confusion & Chaos

At one time of day you could rely on the Council workmen to let you know what day it was. If there were cones out on Chalons Way to protect them as they tended to the verges then it was Tuesday. They've been missing for a few weeks though but reappeared today, Thursday. Not only that, the refuse collectors now come on Thursday instead of Monday and if you haven't got your wits about you, it can all be a little confusing.


I wonder though why the person responsible for planning the work would choose Thursday to reduce the width of Chalons Way by 50%. Thursday is a market day and so there is usually more traffic in town and the result of today's actions meant a foul up of traffic around the islands at each end of the road. So to add to the confusion, we also had traffic chaos. I bet it was some faceless bureaucrat who knows little about Ilkeston and cares even less, sat in an office somewhere (probably at Long Eaton) leaving his workforce to face the wrath of furious drivers and the populace of the town unnecessarily inconvenienced as public transport caught in the traffic were unable to keep to their published timetables.