Dear Sir,
Full marks to Newton News, on achieving at the first attempt, one of the things I have been trying to get done for the last two years!
That is, mobilising Livin, to kick the proverbial backside of Burley’s, their chosen ground works operator, into doing one of the jobs they are paid to do, – ‘Cut the grass’. The Burley Army were out the day after publication of my letter to you, about Livin’s, lack of ability to get the ordinary every day things done, but still thinking they could manage a task like knocking down and re-building an entire housing complex.
I wonder however, this letter will have any effect: The grass was attacked by a man on a machine, a man, who had the police been observing his approach, may have chosen to breathalyse! Such was the random, haphazard way he went about the business, still, as my father in law used to say, “There’s only a week between a bad haircut and a good one”, As the days passed, and with many over runs of the same areas, the grass was hacked into submission, but that’s just the grass! The shrubs (much beloved by one of Aycliffe’s councillors) are now dangerously overgrown, with litter and fly-tip they contain, and in some places, causing blind spots for drivers, who, may not be aware of children playing with detritus contained in these zones. Although these vehicles may not be exceeding the speed limit, an impact with two tonnes of metal and high density plastic at even 5mph, will be detrimental to a child’s wellbeing!
The last contact I had with Livin, was with Colin Davison, an e-mail in which he assures me things will only get better! That was 2016, and Colin (If he is still in Livin’s employ) has not be heard from since. So! Let’s put this directly to the CEO, Colin Steel: Burleys, are not employing ground work specialists, simply machine operators, and not good ones. They are maybe not doing the job you are paying them to do, but that does not absolve you of responsibility should a child be injured as a result. If that happens, a copy of this letter will be made available to the media;
When Burley’s took over from the council, I approached a local councillor and suggested the redundant unmanageable shrubs be removed – a dreamy look, came over him, and as he talked of green and pleasant things.
I could see that I was going to have to deal elsewhere and contacted Jimmy Bennett the Council head gardener, who immediately saw some benefits, and removed a troublesome patch of shrub, The fly-tip which abounded there, is no more – no litter no fly-tip, and no weeds!
Neil McKee;
