Fire Brigade – Woodhouse Moor Online

ANOTHER FIRE ENGINE, ANOTHER BARBEQUE, AND MORE PUBLIC MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN

July 2, 2009 Bill Comments 0 Comment

At this evening’s INWAC meeting, Sue Buckle gave a brilliant and passionate speech on the damage that barbeques cause to the Moor, the resources that are wasted dealing with their aftermath, and the need for the byelaws to be enforced.

It was a pity that during her speech there couldn’t have been a live telecast from the Moor, as on my way there, I saw a fire engine dealing with a fire, and then on my way back, I saw several barbeques, including the one pictured above.

But somehow I don’t think that even a live telecast would have convinced our councillors that barbequing in a public park is anti social behaviour.

THE WEEK’S LETTERS

June 14, 2009 Bill Comments 0 Comment

Once again, people have been busy at their computers. On Monday Josie Green of Headingley let everyone know how local residents were excluded from the multi agency meetings that took place in May, June and July of last year, meetings which included the student unions, and which came up with the proposal for barbeque areas. There were two letters in Wednesday’s paper. The first asked why the report submitted by Parks and Countryside last October to the Executive Board, didn’t contain any cost benefit analysis in support of the barbeque proposal. The second, from Ian Harker, highlighted the fact that the council’s refusal to enforce the byelaws is costing taxpayers over £100,000 per year in call outs of the fire brigade to the Moor to extinguish fires. And finally yesterday, Tony Green pointed out that whilst you can be fined for dropping a cigarette end in the city centre, and leaving your bin on the street in Headingley, our councillors will support you if you set fire to our local park.

(photo courtesy of aagius)

JUST ANOTHER DAY ON THE MOOR

May 24, 2009 Bill Comments 0 Comment

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The above photos showing barbeques and public urination were taken at 4pm this afternoon. Even though it’s against the law to have barbeques and to urinate in public, the police officers present did nothing about it. Just after I took these photos, I counted six men simultaneously urinating beside the hedge that borders the allotments. The fact they can’t be bothered walking to the nearby toilets shows their lack of respect for the park and the sensibilities of local people, a trait they share with our councillors and the police. The photo of the fire engine was taken at 10pm. It had been called out to extinguish one of the many fires that are caused by barbeques. There were about six firemen, and one of them was heard to say that they’d probably be out to the Moor again tonight. The average cost of calling out a fire engine is £2,200.