‘We’re snow grateful’
As we reported in our Wednesday paper, Stirling Council this week held a civic reception to say `thank you’ to staff who went the extra mile to keep services running during the Beast from East weather event at the end of February and beginning of March.
Roads maintenance crews, care staff, school workers and search and rescue teams were given a pat on the back, as were those who cleared areas around schools so they could get back to normal following the snow.
As you may well have read, a second event was held at Balfron High on Monday in honour of those who did their bit to keep services running in rural Stirlingshire.
As you can see elsewhere on this page, not everyone was entirely happy about the decision by the council to stage the `thank you’ events.
A couple of Facebook commentators said the staff were just doing the job for which they get paid.
That, to my mind, is a bit churlish. If people make extra effort to ensure that in trying circumstances their work gets done, then surely they deserve a bit of praise, council workers or not?
Furthermore, many of those at the receptions were ordinary rank-andfile council workers who are not earning a fortune and were showing dedication to their job.
Some of those at the rural areas’ reception were volunteers , members of resilience groups, who were providing their services for free.
One of those at the Balfron High event told me how pleased they were to attend the event and receive words of thanks after so many years of volunteering.
This winter has prompted many complaints from residents who during the bad weather have not had their bins emptied at the right time.
Others have complained about the council’s failure to clear side roads and keep pavements clear, and demanded a review of the authority’s gritting policy.
That review will have to happen, but the criticism should not detract from the work of many council staff and those of other agencies and private businesses. A bit of praise doesn’t go amiss, sometimes.
John Rowbotham, Editor