Editorial about city council is as true now as it was many years ago
RECENTLY while archiving articles from the Bristol Post I came across an editorial ‘Comment’ (Unholy mess of running the city) which in my opinion is as true today as it was when it was written many years ago.
Namely: its first three paragraphs read: “Bristol City Council – put on your hard hats, because we are about to unleash a volley of criticism. And you deserve every word of it. You are making an unholy mess of running this city. Whatever area we choose to turn our spotlight upon shows up your inadequacies, your lack of forward thinking, your naivety and, above all, your perpetual squandering of money.” It concluded with: “You are inefficient, bureaucratic, behind the times and, frankly, a downright disgrace.”
This assessment of Bristol City Council (BCC) was published on Friday, February 6, 2004. I would claim that its contents are as equally valid today as they were nearly 15 years ago.
BCC continues via inept/abysmal leadership to wreak havoc on a city I was once proud to claim that I was born in. A vivid example being the council’s continuous air-brushing of long-established thoroughfares by digging them up in the forlorn hope that the ubiquitous motor car can be accommodated in this pint-sized city. Moreover, the Temple circus ‘road improvements’ must be one of the biggest waste of taxpayers’ money ever!
When it is finished no doubt BCC expect this white elephant to turn into a metaphorical ‘black-hole’ into which vehicles enter but do not reappear, thus helping to reduce traffic congestion...
I suspect that some 15 years’ hence, in 2033, the Bristol Post could replicate their 2004 editorial verbatim. If so, BCC will have over some 30 years continued with their decimation of Bristol in favour of what? In favour of political leaders/ senior council employees who have an inflated self belief in the importance of their own careers at the expense of those of us who can remember a Bristol premised on its motto: ‘ Virtute et Industria’ !
Knowle
R L Smith