Roadside hedges (2 Viewers)

[DBK]

Hi.
There used to be " Lengths men " on the council who had a certain length of a road to maintain and did a good job.. As the Density and speed of traffic increased,it became to dangerous for the people to work. No axe to grind,but along comes health and safety....... Forget ever getting them back. ( DON'T ask about Smart Motorways )
Tea Bag

We had a guy driving around here until about 3 years ago with "Parish Lengthsman" written on his pickup. He also cleared the drains.

Not seen since and the drains are blocked.

 

[dash300]

We had a guy driving around here until about 3 years ago with "Parish Lengthsman" written on his pickup. He also cleared the drains.

Not seen since and the drains are blocked.

Agree. Thing of the past sadly. The roads up to the Blackdown Hills in Somerset are rivers when it rains washing and undercutting the tarmac. Wessex Water cant even control their run off with water bubbling up through manhole covers after a slight shower!

 

[Tonks]

Plenty of Main A roads up here have overgrown trees and bushes. Ive noticed plenty road signs grown over and not visible in advance of junctions and roundabouts .
Money saving ?

Clearing and cleaning road signs are the sorts of jobs which it would be good for 'community service' people to be doing. What exactly DO people do when they've been given 'community service' as a 'punishment'?

 

[Tea Bag]

We had a guy driving around here until about 3 years ago with "Parish Lengthsman" written on his pickup. He also cleared the drains.

Not seen since and the drains are blocked.

Hi.
Might the drains hold a terrible secret...................
Tea Bag.

 

[L' Hobo]

Actually, it’s an unpaid role with expenses only.

They may be higher than inflation, but it’s not enough to earn a fortune.

Becoming a councillor

We need people from all backgrounds and experiences who reflect the communities they serve to put themselves forward for election.

www.local.gov.uk

I am fairly sure that County Councillors DO get paid because, it's my understanding that Suffolk County Councillors have, last year, awarded themselves a 16% pay rise despite claiming poverty?

As for who is responsible? I was under the impression that The Highways Authority was responsible for land adjoining the road up to 2metres?
If this is part of the County Council, I'm not sure?
Who takes out a prosecution of you park, illegally, on the verge beside the road?

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[L' Hobo]

Clearing and cleaning road signs are the sorts of jobs which it would be good for 'community service' people to be doing. What exactly DO people do when they've been given 'community service' as a 'punishment'?

Now that's a good question because, it's my understanding that, people doing Community Service, must not be able, in any way shape or form, to be seen as different as any other member of the public.

I seem to remember, some years ago now, that this ruling came about in the days when Community Service gangs were used to clear pathways, sweep roads etc and all had to wear High Viz jackets with the County Council name on the High Viz and someone claimed it was against their Human Rights.

 

[Googlebot]

Now that's a good question because, it's my understanding that, people doing Community Service, must not be able, in any way shape or form, to be seen as different as any other member of the public.

I seem to remember, some years ago now, that this ruling came about in the days when Community Service gangs were used to clear pathways, sweep roads etc and all had to wear High Viz jackets with the County Council name on the High Viz and someone claimed it was against their Human Rights.

Do you have a source for that claim as I have seen it round by us many times and it sounds a bit Daily Mail click bait? I can’t find anything at all regarding this so sounds a bit dog whistle to me. More than happy to be corrected. Only thing I can find is this from the sentencing council, doesn’t mention it though?

Community sentences – Sentencing

www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk

Also, remember the probation service who used to supervise this, have been cut by at least 40% over the past decade and a half. If nobody is available to supervise and organise the community sentence, it probably won’t be carried out effectively which is ridiculous considering that those on community sentences are quite rightly working for free and are thus much, much cheaper than paying local authorities or highways agencies to deal.

https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/09/200918-Spending-Review.pdf

 

[Howard B]

Clearing and cleaning road signs are the sorts of jobs which it would be good for 'community service' people to be doing. What exactly DO people do when they've been given 'community service' as a 'punishment'?

Might also be an opportunity to use those who are having trouble “trying” to get a job?
A few days a week community work to get their benefits rather than tossing it off all day.

 

[Googlebot]

Might also be an opportunity to use those who are having trouble “trying” to get a job?
A few days a week community work to get their benefits rather than tossing it off all day.

That’s already in place.

Benefit claimants not seeking work to face mandatory work placements https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67439675

 

[Howard B]

That’s already in place.

Benefit claimants not seeking work to face mandatory work placements https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67439675

So hopefully later this year then.
Dont know why it's for those unemployed for over 18 months though, 6 months would be better.

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[Googlebot]

So hopefully later this year then.
Dont know why it's for those unemployed for over 18 months though, 6 months would be better.

Does seem a long time, I thought that too. I always think if you haven’t found a new job in about 3 months and are fit and able, it’s because you don’t want one.

 

[berni109]

I am sure I was reading recently that it is illegal to cut hedges in the period April to July.

 

[Guigsy]

All people getting benefits, using the NHS. Bloody pensioners.

 

[Jim]

According to this official website, Government allocated funds to local authorities were 50% less in the last few years than they were in 2010.

But most of the bosses and half their underlings at the local authorities can afford to pay themselves more than the prime minister

 

[Guigsy]

But most of the bosses and half their underlings at the local authorities can afford to pay themselves more than the prime minister

Although still not as well paid as those in the private sector.

Regardless, it doesn't charge the fact that local authorities get half the funding they used to. And lots of services that used to be centrally funded are now local. So not surprising that they can't afford to do what they used to.

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[Flairy]

Hi.
There used to be " Lengths men " on the council who had a certain length of a road to maintain and did a good job.. As the Density and speed of traffic increased,it became to dangerous for the people to work. No axe to grind,but along comes health and safety....... Forget ever getting them back. ( DON'T ask about Smart Motorways )
Tea Bag

My grandad was a length man there wasn’t a blade of grass out of place gulleys and ditches cleaned out hedges kept in place this was up in the Welsh hills,but that was 40s and early 50s.

 

[Jim]

Although still not as well paid as those in the private sector.

Regardless, it doesn't charge the fact that local authorities get half the funding they used to. And lots of services that used to be centrally funded are now local. So not surprising that they can't afford to do what they used to.

Given what every household pays, measured against what they actually get back in council services. They have a cheek to ask the government for any funding.

 

[chaser]

Some of the comments on here about farmers from people who don't have a clue just amaze me at times.
There is no grant for cutting hedges and never has been, the reason hedges are not cut between march and September is for just the opposite reason.
All in the name of green you can not cut hedges between these months, because of nesting birds and in fact opposite to what you are all saying, if you are found cutting hedges you can lose any entitlement to other payments that you can get.
And I suppose this applies to councils as well.

 

[Guigsy]

Given what every household pays, measured against what they actually get back in council services. They have a cheek to ask the government for any funding.

A large proportion of local government funding used to come from central government. It has pretty much halved in the past 15 years. Taxes have gone up, but services are drastically reduced and the infrastructure is falling to bits.

 

[Googlebot]

Given what every household pays, measured against what they actually get back in council services. They have a cheek to ask the government for any funding.

Where is the money then Jim? I know first hand it isn’t going to the Councils or the tax paying public and services are being cut to nothing.

Also, official publications with evidence behind them clearly disagree with you that public sector CEO’s are overpaid.

https://www.parliament.uk/globalassets/documents/upload/memosforweb271009.pdf

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[Jim]

Where is the money then Jim?

Ask them, not me, they take millions from us while constantly cutting services and giving themselves pay raises.

 

[L' Hobo]

Do you have a source for that claim as I have seen it round by us many times and it sounds a bit Daily Mail click bait? I can’t find anything at all regarding this so sounds a bit dog whistle to me. More than happy to be corrected. Only thing I can find is this from the sentencing council, doesn’t mention it though?

Community sentences – Sentencing

www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk

Also, remember the probation service who used to supervise this, have been cut by at least 40% over the past decade and a half. If nobody is available to supervise and organise the community sentence, it probably won’t be carried out effectively which is ridiculous considering that those on community sentences are quite rightly working for free and are thus much, much cheaper than paying local authorities or highways agencies to deal.

https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/09/200918-Spending-Review.pdf

I bow to your superior knowledge, as I said, it was just a remembrance and, before I retired in 2013, I did occasionally read the Daily Mail.

Could you put your knowledge to the test again and answer Tonks question, What do people on Community Service actually DO?

 

[Jim]

Where is the money then Jim? I know first hand it isn’t going to the Councils or the tax paying public and services are being cut to nothing.

Also, official publications with evidence behind them clearly disagree with you that public sector CEO’s are overpaid.

https://www.parliament.uk/globalassets/documents/upload/memosforweb271009.pdf

We pay them, so we should be the judge of that. I think, for what they do, they earn too much and do too little.

 

[Googlebot]

We pay them, so we should be the judge of that. I think, for what they do, they earn too much and do too little.

Yet they struggle to recruit?

 

[chaser]

I bow to your superior knowledge, as I said, it was just a remembrance and, before I retired in 2013, I did occasionally read the Daily Mail.

Could you put your knowledge to the test again and answer Tonks question, What do people on Community Service actually DO?

Well around here they used to tend to the mowing and stuff in our church yard but that ended in lockdown and never restarted.

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[Googlebot]

I bow to your superior knowledge, as I said, it was just a remembrance and, before I retired in 2013, I did occasionally read the Daily Mail.

Could you put your knowledge to the test again and answer Tonks question, What do people on Community Service actually DO?

Fill your boots and have a look.

Criminal justice statistics quarterly

Trends in the use of out of court disposals, defendants prosecuted, offenders convicted, remand and sentencing decisions, and offender histories in England and Wales.

www.gov.uk

 

[Abacist]

It’s not just the pay but the levels of employer pension contributions that are way higher than in the private sector.

 

[steve69]

I love walking down country lanes. Always have. But lately I've taken to carrying a pair of secateurs with me as some of the brambles, hawthorn branches etc. have become a clear obstacle on the pathways of many of those lanes. Those lanes are much clearer (for a while) once I have passed.

 

[L' Hobo]

Well around here they used to tend to the mowing and stuff in our church yard but that ended in lockdown and never restarted.

Around here, most of that kind of work, including organised LITTER PICKS are done by volunteers.
Perhaps Googlebot knows better?

 

[Jim]

Yet they struggle to recruit?

Yeah, who would want to be a manager in a council,

The boss of Guildford council on a paltry £600,000+ a year. Or bosses of Sunderland or N Lanarkshire on a measly £500,000 a year

No wonder they can't recruit, with more than a thousand local council officials earning a derisory £150,000 a year. Let's go for more and higher council tax raises and get these people the wages they deserve.

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