Decisions must be made open to scrutiny
JENNIFER Williams paints a bleak picture of Manchester council’s decision-making processes (‘Anger at ‘behind closed doors’ council decisions,’ M.E.N, July 2).
She has spoken to various backbench councillors appalled at how planning decisions have been taken out of the hands of the elected committee members and given to the Chief Executive Officer, who is not elected by anyone.
But the anger extends to the mere voting public as well and to decisions besides yet more ugly buildings in the city centre.
As your reporters have written, for many weeks cyclists of all ages, abilities and motivations (commuting, leisure etc) have been urging Manchester council to act with boldness and imagination and install (very cheap) pop-up cycle lanes.
Given how few people own cars and how many will be forced back onto public transport without a decent alternative, this is a straightforward social justice issue.
We at Climate Emergency Manchester urged members of the Neighbourhoods and Environment Scrutiny Committee to list pop-up cycle lanes as urgent business at their meeting on June 26.
This didn’t happen and instead calls for cycle lanes were smeared as ‘fake news’ and ‘myths.’
There was little scrutiny of the council’s (in)action and now it appears that there will be a meeting of the relevant Executive Member and some councillors to ‘discuss’ it. Behind closed doors, unfilmed, without published minutes.
This is not democracy, this is not the transparent and open leadership that the climate emergency needs.
Councillors need to insist on change, not just for planning, but across the scrutiny system. Calum McFarlane, Climate Emergency Manchester
Can we rely on sense?
I’M getting sick and tired, and I trust that millions of other people are also, with politicians relying on ‘common sense.’
Now Grant Shapps is saying ‘people are completely able’ to deal with this ‘stuff.’
If people had common sense, we wouldn’t have alcoholism, drug/ gambling addiction, domestic violence, racism and road death; empty nitrous oxide (laughing gas) cylinders here, there and everywhere and our jails wouldn’t be full to bursting, with inmates committing suicide.
The government also believes that the vast majority are following the rules.
If we look at simple science, when it comes to water, if it has too much salt in it, it is undrinkable. But what is too much?
And, when it comes to alcohol, when are we over the drink drive limit? And when do we become so drunk that whatever amount of common sense we have is flushed down the toilet? Or, how many cigarettes does it take to cause cancer?
The reality is, it only takes a small number of people to ignore guidelines/laws and everything can become pear shaped and, at worst, violence breaks out and innocents get killed.
If we rely on medical science, it tells us that, when the likes of abusers, racists and football hooligans, drink alcohol they become even worse. And, with each and every drink, the problem becomes more so!
It’s not rocket science, it’s common sense!
Reformed alcoholic/gambling addict
Centre ready to reopen
WE will be reopening Dorset Road Community Centre on Tuesday, September 1. Due to recent events we have had to improve the security of the venue, which includes the main entrance no longer being open and access limited to user groups, staff and legitimate visitors.
Hand sanitiser dispensers will available for users and staff throughout the centre and a muchimproved cleaning programme has been introduced to ensure that the venue is free of contamination.
Parking facilities have been improved with our new Green Car Park to the front of the centre, which will make it easier for users with reduced mobility to access the venue and reduce the number of vehicles parking on Dorset Road.
The community centre will be available for hire for birthday parties, celebrations and one-off events. Please contact the centre on 01942 884184 or email dorsetroadcc@yahoo.co.uk for further information on availability and charges.
Atherton Pre-School Day Care Limited will be fully operational from September 2. Please ring Angela on 01942 883957 or email athertonpreschooldaycare@gmail. com for information regarding available places for your children. The Management of Dorset Road Community Centre, (Atherton) Ltd.