Here is a letter I printed and distributed to every house in the ward before I tended my resignation.
Two years ago I asked
for your support to fight Alkane, provide facilities for
teenagers, and challenge waste by Bolsover Council.
Fortunately we did stop Alkane,
however you may not know what is being done for young people. New teenager play
facilities will be installed in both Hodthorpe and Whitwell this year and Extreme Wheels will
be running open sessions at Hodthorpe Recreation Ground every Wednesday evening
from 5pm to 7pm and on Bakestone Moor Recreation Ground on the first Tuesday of
each month from 7pm to 9pm. Thanks
to the wonderful volunteers (more needed!), and the generosity of those who
gave funding, we have also started a voluntary youth club on Tuesday evenings
in Friendship Hall from 7pm to 9pm.
I have had less success
with challenging Council waste. Bolsover is the only Council to ignore
independent advice and pay its Councillors the highest basic allowance in the
country. Along with their travel expenses, and luxuries like a new civic car,
it leaves a large bill. In two years Council housing rents will have gone-up by
nearly 15%, and many people on Council tax benefit face cuts. Public toilets
have closed and the Council’s Community houses are also threatened.
Most worryingly of all, in
spite of the enormous opposition from the people of Bolsover town, the Council
has cut a deal with a supermarket chain that will see the town’s cherished Sherwood
Green buried in tarmac and the Council’s modern offices demolished. As part of
this project Bolsover Council have wasted over £5M buying and renovating Clowne
Campus and over £2M will be spent on another new office in Bolsover. Unsurprisingly
the Audit Commission assess that Bolsover Council is one of the worst in the country at
showing value for money.
Over the last two years
hundreds of people in Whitwell and Hodthorpe have sought my advice. I have
enjoyed helping them and living in this area. I recently qualified as a
Children’s Social Worker and am now moving to a new job in the Welsh borders.
This means there will be a by-election in Whitwell and I hope you will have the
opportunity of voting for a Green Party candidate again but that depends upon
someone coming forward to stand. These are difficult times in the village and representing
your community is more important than ever. If you are interested in standing email
me on kerr.duncan@hotmail.co.uk,
or call me on 726349. Don’t worry if you’ve got no experience, the Council
provides training, all you need is the passion and commitment to make a difference!
I wish you, and your
family, well for the future.
District
Councillor for Whitwell and Parish Councillor for Hodthorpe.
