This weeks Redditch Standard letters.
WHILE Mr A Bywater selects one point from my letter, I am pleased he knows where my ‘concerns actually arise from’.
The methods used by Worcestershire County Council may or may not have meant that every resident of Redditch had an equal chance to provide a response.
There were questions very early on as to whether the exercise should have been undertaken by an independent organisation.
Worcestershire County Council was adamant in being able to conduct the matter thoroughly itself. So they would claim all residents had an opportunity to take part.
Coun Hart made it clear it was not a referendum before any consultation had taken place, so we knew his direction of travel was already set.
If there had been 72.3 per cent in favour of the scheme to demolish the library and move to the Town Hall, or even 51 per cent, would it then have been considered a referendum?
My primary concern is that a project intended to regenerate the town centre should involve as wide a range of groups and individuals as possible – given the huge amounts of public money involved.
When the county council votes to agree to Redditch Borough Council’s scheme to demolish the library – as it obviously intends to – will those elected representatives be liable for the loss of millions, potentially raised through commercially selling off the building and/or land – their responsibility is to obtain the maximum benefit for their residents.
Alan Godwin
I HAVE just checked on the Bird website which details their insurance for their scooters.
It shows that no insurance cover is issued for Great Britain?
Surely this information should be provided to anyone thinking of hiring a scooter.
Please look yourself.
Mike OD
A FEW weeks ago I came across three e-scooters parked on the pavement in Dolphin Road, effectively across the path, two on the corner as you turn in from Easemore Road, and one further into Dolphin Road, blocking mobility scooters or wheelchair access.
I am aware and very annoyed by the number we find while walking around Redditch, abandoned in twos or threes.
In the past I have seen one in the road and numerous times lying on their sides.
This particular sighting prompted me to email the company, including photos clearly showing the numbers, pointing out this road had a predominance of disabled residents in the bungalows.
I was very disappointed that I received no reply, even though they obviously had received it, because I was asked to rate their response. I even responded to that by explaining I had no response.
And still no answer was forthcoming.
The company obviously is not willing to take any responsibility for their clients’ misuse of its product.
It’s totally unacceptable they should be allowed to be abandoned wherever the whim of the rider takes them.
This is quite apart from the way numerous riders of said scooters, weave around the streets, and also on pavements, no wonder there are accidents.
At the very least, all riders should be required to wear helmets and have designated parking places off roads and pathways.
I appreciate these are useful for people who have no other transport or are trying to be ecologically responsible, but imagine how you would feel trying to get somewhere in a wheelchair or mobility scooter and were unable to pass by, having to back-track to find the nearest dropped kerb and to have to travel down in the roadway.
Mrs D Trow
Abbeydale
IT IS my belief the e-scooter schemes across the country are just part of the bigger government plans to slowly box us in and control us just like the Oxford 15-minute zones.
They get people used to slower more limited travel.
These scooters have a geographical limiter on them, thus controlling the user’s movements. Some have time of use cut offs.
Shops are installing facial recognition which can be used in conjunction with credit cards to control what we buy and from where.
Electric cars are easier to control externally, speed, distance, location and time of use.
Even scientists who pioneered AI are now concerned about its use.
The cashless society is coming.
Children as young as five will use payment cards. They won’t get a real understanding of spending. Just tap, tap.
A lot will say that I and others who think this are Luddites afraid of progress.
They are the ones that will still be alive to regret not saying something when they could.#
John Langford
AT A MEETING on Monday about the relocation of the Redditch Library, Councillor Hart said: ‘we do need to consider what the silent majority might be thinking’.
This is not how democracy works.
Coun Hart does not have a crystal ball. The people who stood up to be counted sent a clear message that they were against relocation of the library.
Even among people who reported that they did not use the library, the majority were against relocation.
Furthermore, Coun Hart at length, pointed out that only 10 per cent of registered library users responded.
Does this sound like the action of someone who is in ‘listening mode’ or someone is desperately back-pedalling to make the statistics fit his preconceived narrative?
Oliver Hale
Lodge Park
We welcome your letters- If you have an opinion on what’s been going on in the town, email [email protected] to be featured in next weeks paper.
