A GRIT BIN PROBLEM!

I was going to write about Artificial Intelligence, but knocking on the proverbial local Council of East Sussex Highways door regarding any intelligence, health and safety, I found nobody in!

Probably because of the bad habits of some politicians who only serve themselves and not the public.  This I have noted has been passed down to local councils, who promise the earth, but do not deliver what they promise.  Is it a ploy to stop somebody from asking when are you going to honour your promise to do whatever that somebody has asked them?  Zilch answers as they shelve it or put it in their waste paper baskets or as below send an email via another Councillor to pass on their findings but in my mind their history does not go back far enough.

There was a grit bin at the top of Abbey Road in 1987 in case of bad weather but that disappeared soon after that. Obviously the history kept by that Council is as naff as their services we are supposed to have.

(Liz Humphreys sent this email to the residents of Abbey Road.

Following on from my previous email, I have now received feedback from our Contracts Management Team regarding the grit bin query at the top end of Abbey Road, Eastbourne.

Following investigation, we have been unable to locate any record of a grit bin at this location. A review of historical imagery via Streetview, dating back to 2000, also shows no evidence of a grit bin in situ. It is therefore possible that any previous bin may have been either privately owned or provided by the borough council.

For reference, the Council’s policy on new grit bin provision is as follows:

The Council maintains grit bins at strategic local sites, allowing residents to treat nearby pavements, cul-de-sacs, and minor roads, promoting shared responsibility. Requests for new bins are assessed against a risk matrix. They will only be considered where the gradient is not greater than 1:10 or at junctions with a history of accidents.

Additional grit bins may be provided if externally funded. However, bins will not be installed where:

• The location is already on a current gritting route – Abbey Road is not on a route
• The location obstructs sight lines – This does not appear to be an issue
• The location is within 200 metres of another grit bin – This is not applicable
• The location would obstruct pedestrian access, including for wheelchair users or pushchairs – The exact location would have to be determined to not cause an obstruction The pavements are reasonable wide so this could be doable.
• The location is outside the boundary of the public highway – An exact siting location would have to be determined

In this instance, the gradient at the top of Abbey Road is 1:21, which does not meet the criteria. Additionally, the area does not feature a junction, and there are only a limited number of properties with no nearby schools, care homes, or other critical services. As such, a grit bin will not be installed at this location under current policy.

Should a residents’ association or the Borough Council wish to fund a grit bin, we would be happy to work with them to identify a suitable location.

If you require any further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.)

A dilapidated Grit Bin does happen to be at the bottom of Abbey Road and maybe 200 metres away as Liz Humphreys has measured, and if the road and pavements are icy, walking down with bucket and spade could be dangerous to cover any ice at the top of the road and you would need to make several journeys!

This is the second time that someone has sent back a written load of twaddle to me, because they like to spend the Tax Payers money on White Elephants and sometimes they allow many thousands of pounds to go astray.  I would be utterly amazed if the East Sussex Highways Personnel ever appeared in person to substantiate any facts in Abbey Road!

In a previous email they promised to re-install said GRIT BIN AT TOP OF ABBEY ROAD WITH NO PAYMENT FROM THE RESIDENTS  and now they have BROKEN THEIR PROMISE AND NOW THEY WANT US TO PURCHASE ONE!

We have worse to come, the Superwoman who has penalised the Pensioners again!  Taking from the poor to give to the rich!

The above is just my opinion and anyone who wants to write to me care of the newspaper regarding this content – please do so!  Swear words are not accepted.