Blatant attempt to micro manage us
THIS council is ignoring real issues with ridiculous over reactions and a clear example of jumping on the latest bandwagon.
The ruling groups policy to ban drone flights over the city’s parks is a none starter and a blatant attempt to exploit an up and coming industry, drones are here to stay, and In simple terms, for the vast majority of drone users, there isn’t a problem as legislation already exists.
Let’s be honest we struggle at the moment to enforce, minor crimes including unlawful travellers, traffic enforcement, parking, and theft so how do we do enforce this and do we really prioritise this over the former?
This is a typical establishment attitude to ban things without real thought or research. I’m not sure why I am surprised given we have seen this from the current administration several times now, bus gate fines, the recent high court ruling labelling their restricted parking zone as confused and of course the recent U-turn on Uber and our in ability to fix a simple bollard issue in Broadgate.
The council do not have jurisdiction on airspace above council land. This is governed by the Civilian Aviation Authority (CAA). If you are using a drone for personnel use then you are governed by Air Navigation Order 2016, specifically Article 241 (endangering the safety of any person or property). In fact the The CAA came up with a simple summary of the rules to follow when flying drones:
Don’t fly near airports or airfields.
Remember to stay below 400ft (120m).
Observe your drone at all times – stay 150ft (50m) away from people and property.
Never fly near aircraft. Enjoy responsibly.
I hope the ruling Labour group get back to policies that will actually improve our city and drop this blatant attempt to micro manage its citizens and bring in a stealth tax.
Cllr Tim Mayer Westwood Ward Con
Russian approach to drunk patients
I WAS in discussion recently concerning the activities in University Hospital Coventry A&E dept.
It was apparent that during this period a lot of admissions were alcohol related, these drunk patients were occupying beds and were given sick bowls and spent the night sleeping off hangovers.
This situation had a knock on effect on new perhaps serious patients not able to be discharged from waiting ambulances which in turn could not perform their function of attending people in the community. What a waste of the valuable time and skill of our doctors and nurses.
It took me back to 1972 when I worked in Russia. At the weekend there was an alcohol problem and I was reminded of their system for sorting it out, maybe we should have something similar here.
When a disturbance arose the police showed no mercy throwing the drunks into a van and transporting them to a guarded building, this building was called ‘The Sober House” the offenders were locked in cells to sleep it off on wooden benches.
The next morning before they were released they had their heads shaved, their photographs were taken and these were displayed in ‘the window of shame’ in the local supermarket. I realise we could not be so brutal nowadays but maybe somewhere could be found for inebriated revellers to sleep off their hangovers that did not waste our hospital capacity or the skill of our medical staff.
Walter Horseman Keresley
Exemptions mean lost tax revenue
ACCORDING to information supplied by Coventry City Council under the FOI that as of May 2018 over 6000 local properties were claiming student council tax exemptions.
Based on these figures and the lowest council tax banding that equates to around £7m annually in lost council tax revenue.
So in essence all these properties and their occupiers benefit from among other services a free weekly rubbish collection. My question is: Are other council tax payers subsidising these exemptions or is the funding coming from other budgets?
Is it about time the government looked at the whole issue of student council tax exemptions which apparently applies to UK and international students?
Mark Heffernan
Stoke Heath