They all want more money...

When my Council Tax notice arrived I looked out of the window to see if the world had suddenly changed.  The Council want even more money yet the weeds are still growing in the road and along the paths, The road hasn’t been repaired since WW2 and I can’t remember the last time someone actually swept it. The pavements need attention and the trees in the road look as sad as I feel.  What am getting for my average £233 every month?  Precious little it would seem.  We have a housing department employing  sixty five people yet our council sold all their housing stock.  A councillor told me they have statutory duties to perform and answer questions to the public who might call in at their offices in the Broadway!

Then we have the GLA part. They take money every month to spend on what I simply do not know. I’m told it could be for policing London.  But where is this invisible force?

Gas Bill up 34%

Like most OAPs the latest gas bill floored me. Up by a massive 34%. Why?  Apparently the government and oil companies agreed it was the most acceptable. So in one month I have had to find cash for the local council of £233 and now £539-39p for the  British Gas.  The lady at British Gas explained their charges had been increased by no less than 139%!!

Room 101

For the second time in two weeks I have been back to Room 101. Readers will recall I was asked to leave this famous room when I sat in on a Forum Chairman’s meeting but they decided secrecy was required!  The second meeting was to hear how the Bexley First programme is coming along.  Apart from the odd glitch like schools in Slade Green and retaining the Register Office in Sidcup the scheme sounds a lot larger and impressive than first meets the eye. 

Derek Conway

Have we been too unfair on the MP for Sidcup & Old Bexley?  Why you ask, didn’t he employ his sons and overpay them for undertaking research work for him!  Yes, and  he was vilified by the media.  He stood up in the House of Commons and apologised to his colleagues and was reputed to have told his local Conservative Association he would not be standing at the next election.  His career in politics seemed to be at an end.

But the local Conservatives did not want to have the expense of a Bye Election. 

Now it turns out that the Sidcup & Old Bexley member of parliament is nothing like the rogue the press and his own colleagues made him out to be.  What are the facts?  In 2006/7 his travel expenses were 368th out of a total of 645 members of parliament; his staffing allowance (which included his payments to his sons) was 228th out of 645 and his total claim was 262nd of the total yet none of the hundreds who claimed more than he did have been vilified to the same extent and probably won’t be now which is why I say have we not been a touch too unfair to the otherwise hard-working MP for Sidcup & Old Bexley!

Bexley and the Olympic Games

Apart from perhaps supplying a number of volunteers for ground duties the prospect of Bexley playing any meaningful part in the 2012 Games seems doubtful.

Only two pre-Games training camps have been announced. Erith Leisure Centre and Crook Log for athletics and Mount Mascal and Shannon Leigh stables for equestrianism.

Cllr Len Newton said he could not enthuse about the Games and he would object to the new PPP schemes in Erith, Bexleyheath and Sidcup being used by competitors at the expense of residents.  Cllr. Aileen Beckwith also said she was doubtful about what Bexley can contribute. She remained sceptical about what Bexley would get out of the Games.