Author Topic: Local Eyesores  (Read 575359 times)

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Offline Hugo

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A sticky problem - Chewing Gum
« Reply #135 on: November 30, 2010, 06:16:08 pm »
Funny you should say that Mike because Fergie nearly always throws his chewing gum on the grass.     I'm sure that I remember something about a prosecution being made if gum was disgarded in a game United were playing and I kept a watch on him on TV at the end of the game but couldn't see what he had done with the gum!      Perhaps he left it under the seat  he was sitting on!     :o
The match couldn't have been at Old Trafford though as the Police wouldn't do anything there.    Even the referees don't award penalties against United there.   ???

Offline Ian

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A sticky problem - Chewing Gum
« Reply #136 on: November 30, 2010, 07:08:20 pm »
Quote
I can't see why a levy can't be placed upon chewing gum manufacturers to pay for the cost of cleaning up their mess

It would require an act of parliament, plus specific permission as an excepted item from the European union. It might actually be easier to ban the sale of the stuff altogether.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.


Offline DaveR

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A sticky problem - Chewing Gum
« Reply #137 on: December 01, 2010, 05:07:47 pm »
A very small addition to the Local Eyesores list - this litter bin outside St. Johns Church, Mostyn Street. Disgusting!
The offending Litter Bin has, just three days after my post, been replaced by a brand new one. Coincidence...you decide?  ;)

Offline DaveR

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A sticky problem - Chewing Gum
« Reply #138 on: December 01, 2010, 05:13:30 pm »
I see that Oscar has also been on to Mike Priestley but appears to have had about as much success as I did. I regard it as very poor when a Councillor who is on nearly £30,000 of our money a year cannot deal with matters like this. He would not last 5 minutes in the private sector, I'm afraid.

http://thoughtsofoscar.blogspot.com/2010/12/cmom-mike.html

Offline Pendragon

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A sticky problem - Chewing Gum
« Reply #139 on: December 01, 2010, 08:38:45 pm »
I don't think it's coincidence at all Dave................Its the power of the forum.  The council certainly won't air the locals concerns but the forum is an excellent way to bring all kinds of issues (even that bin) to the fore.

 *&(
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Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley

Offline wrex

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Re: Local Eyesores
« Reply #140 on: December 02, 2010, 04:49:49 pm »
 :laugh: Cll Ron told me a few months ago the Llandudno Railway Station development is too start next months,this will be the fourth date they have given,i pray this time they stick to it. :rage:

Offline DaveR

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Re: A sticky problem - Chewing Gum
« Reply #141 on: December 06, 2010, 12:57:10 pm »
I see that Cllr Priestley has responded to Oscar's questions re chewing gum:

"Oscar,

I have spoken to the Head of Department regarding the chewing gum machine.

After chasing this issue up, I have been informed of the following.

I understand that a machine was given to Colwyn Borough Council by an oil company as compensation following a marine spill in the early 90s. This machine was stored at one of our sites in Dolgarrog. Unfortunately there was a flood and it was rendered uneconomic to repair and it was disposed off.

As my time as cabinet member I cannot recall such a machine but do remember around about 5 or 6 years ago, some sort of power washer, possibly this is the same machine that was lost due to the flooding.

I have been to several trials to look at machines and can honestly say although some are very good at removing chewing gum, these machines seem very slow. I am currently looking at another two options. One will be looking at another machine and having this on trial in different areas such as paved areas in Bayview Road, Station Road Colwyn Bay, North Western Gardens and the Cenotaph Llandudno, Ancaster Square in Llanrwst and Lancaster Square in Conwy. The other option is to get a private company in to do the work. I have been given a price of £1 - £1.50 per square metre to be cleaned.

Another issue to be addressed is that in some areas our pavements are shared with private frontages for example, Mostyn Street, Llandudno (the pavements under verandas belong to the shop fronts).

I am committed to my role as Cabinet Member for the Environment and also to Conwy County. I am working towards a solution to address this issue. I have also not ruled out working with a third party to help us regarding removing chewing gum, for example, Conwy could buy a piece of equipment and train the likes of probation services to use it. Thus reducing manpower costs. One company has just offered us one of their pieces of equipment at a cost of £120,000. We do not have this type of money available.

Sorry for the delay in answering your query."

Offline DaveR

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Re: A sticky problem - Chewing Gum
« Reply #142 on: December 06, 2010, 01:00:48 pm »
Two questions spring to mind about the response:

1) Surely the machine that was damaged in the flood was insured? Why was the payout not used to buy a new machine?

2) The idea that a machine to remove chewing gum costs £120,000 is totally ridiculous. This one here (designed for use on pavements) is less than £5,000:

"The Gum-Grafter is ideal for high street cleaning on tarmac, flags, block paving, concrete and many more external surfaces. "

http://www.getridofgum.com/remove_chewing_gum.html

Offline Blongb

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Re: Local Eyesores
« Reply #143 on: December 07, 2010, 11:55:12 pm »
I like the new fence Dave and it has removed a rotton eyesore from the front of my place, now if we can get Mr Taylor to pay for it as well that would be the cream on the top. But be very careful what you wish for. Just a few yards away we lost all our Weeping Elm trees that used to stretch all along the prom and on up into Happy Valley Gardens. The Designer BOG BRUSH Trees planted in their stead are nothing short of a public disgrace. They may have looked pretty on a drawing board but in reality without proper husbandry they have become an ugly eyesore. It’s a shame the Councils got no money to spare, otherwise I’d suggest we started a Petition to get the Elms reinstated now there's a firm of specialist tree providers in Dundee that have come up with a variety that are Dutch Elm resistant.
Quot homines tot sententiae: suus cuique mos.
(There are as many opinions as there are people: each has his own view.)

Offline DaveR

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Re: Local Eyesores
« Reply #144 on: December 08, 2010, 08:11:04 am »
I like the new fence Dave and it has removed a rotton eyesore from the front of my place, now if we can get Mr Taylor to pay for it as well that would be the cream on the top. But be very careful what you wish for. Just a few yards away we lost all our Weeping Elm trees that used to stretch all along the prom and on up into Happy Valley Gardens. The Designer BOG BRUSH Trees planted in their stead are nothing short of a public disgrace. They may have looked pretty on a drawing board but in reality without proper husbandry they have become an ugly eyesore. It’s a shame the Councils got no money to spare, otherwise I’d suggest we started a Petition to get the Elms reinstated now there's a firm of specialist tree providers in Dundee that have come up with a variety that are Dutch Elm resistant.
...and one of the trees has died and not been replaced, leaving a big gap in the row.

Offline MrFalafel

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Re: A sticky problem - Chewing Gum
« Reply #145 on: December 08, 2010, 03:51:00 pm »
Why not make one of the 'community service' jobs yobs get sentenced to getting down on hands and knees with a scraper to manually scrape the gum off? Instead of sentencing them to '100 hours of community service' why not sentence them to '100 square foot of gum scraping'?

Yorkie

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Re: A sticky problem - Chewing Gum
« Reply #146 on: December 08, 2010, 03:53:51 pm »
As Max Bygraves would have said, "Good idea Son!"     ZXZ

They could certainly get stuck into it!     L0L

Offline Blongb

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Re: Local Eyesores
« Reply #147 on: December 08, 2010, 07:18:47 pm »
The wife and I were speculating about the demise of that particular tree Dave, as it’s the only one that hasn’t managed to mature and block the view of the prom. Or have I become a cynical old git
Quot homines tot sententiae: suus cuique mos.
(There are as many opinions as there are people: each has his own view.)

Offline DaveR

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Re: Local Eyesores
« Reply #148 on: December 08, 2010, 07:30:30 pm »
The wife and I were speculating about the demise of that particular tree Dave, as it’s the only one that hasn’t managed to mature and block the view of the prom. Or have I become a cynical old git
The one next to it at the end of the row looks to be on the way out, as well.  ?{}?

Offline Blongb

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Re: Local Eyesores
« Reply #149 on: December 08, 2010, 07:45:50 pm »
We have a former friendwho still lives up the Orme, he was faced with a similar problem with some Scotch Pines that were blocking his view of the Bay. He told me, he thought copper nails might fix his problem  *&( He doesn't have the problem any more.
Quot homines tot sententiae: suus cuique mos.
(There are as many opinions as there are people: each has his own view.)