Bloody Council Jobsworths

I thought what Mr & Mrs Halsey had created looked rather nice and much better than signs asking people not to park on the grass.

In many of our country lanes, the few residents that live on them have planted thousands of bulbs (daffs, tulips, etc) to herald the retreat of winter which means those lanes, when viewed from the top, look lined with gold and colour; really beautiful. The groundsmen just don't cut the grass there until those bulbs have stopped flowering.

Why can't common sense be applied? I can fully understand people wanting the front of their properties to look nice - maybe more attention should be paid to those who don't care and maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't seem out of place.

If I was the couple's elected representative, I would be raising hell with the Council officers on their behalf. What do local councillors do these days?

This is a shocking tale.
In N.S.W.nwhere DD lives, the 'nature strip' (verge) outside your property belongs to the council but has to be maintained by you and if not, you are in deep doodoo. It is also used as a green pavement, there being very few tarmac ones. This seems to suit all parties.

The council bod suggested they have a tarmac drive??? Where has he been all winter?

Flash flooding caused by front gardens and driveways being hard landscaped has contributed to lack of run-off for rainwater.

I bet his front garden is a car park.

Does the council do anything about permanent shrines being planted up at sites of road accidents?

The first 6 feet or so of the front gardens in our close belong to the Council (there is no pavement) but we are supposed to maintain that area. I presume it is the same in the Halseys' road.

So far ours is only grass, no-one has planted anything on their strips, and we are lucky because people do not drive over it (only occasionally!). We are not allowed to plant a hedge or put a fence between our garden and the strip belonging to the Council.

I don't see what the problem is with what the Halseys have done. If their Council decide to make a pavement along there then they would lose their nice bed of plants, but I am sure they realise that. And it looks much better than churned-up grass.

I suppose they could always put a row of big boulders along there instead to stop people driving over the verge.

I have just spent the week-end replanting some bulbs and seeds around the two bases of the large trees which are in our Vale it makes the pathway look so different from when we fist moved here over 5 yrs ago,everyone comments how good it looks when they come out and are in bloom,the local Council guys make sure they don't disturb them when they come to cut the grass verge so no problem here,what a miserable lot of jobsworth they are.

. . . if the jobsworths have so little proper work to do, perhaps they could help the police find the 13 x lifer escapee?

Another one of the depressingly, ever-increasing 'you couldn't make it up' stories. Shameful and ludicrous!

There have been cases like this in our area. Post retirement DH worked seasonally for the contractors that trim the verges. As he says, if the LA allowed people to adopt the verge it would save them some of the cost paid to contractors as well as improving the appearance of the area.

Pathetic little jobs worth indeed.

Wish councils would put as much effort into repairing footpaths and filling in pot holes! This couple should be rewarded for their community spirit rather than threatened.

What a great story - what a silly silly person to think this wouldn't make headline news. Also, to believe that planting flowers is not a Good Thing.

This is quite appalling , the^ jobsworth ^should be thoroughly ashamed .

Has he really not got anything better to do with his time than harass poor Colin & Kath, who have made a very nice job of the verge !

I reckon it will be overturned, as public opinion will go against Cheshire West & Chester council .

Some things are just beyond the pale .

...in a good way, for their monthly newsletter.

There are so many guerrilla gardeners round where I live, the Council would be met by a small army of protesters if they tried these tactics. Luckily, the local council is encouraging of the activity, and even sent someone to interview husband about his "miniature allotment" .

John Barnes and Cheshire West and Chester Council are off their bloody rockers. What a load of bully boys. Lots of people round here plant up and maintain the grass verges, to avoid people parking on them and churning them up and there's never been any problem from out council.