Based upon the obvious rapport that The Art Guy and his team had with the youngsters of our community during the 'Sign Design' event I thought it would be a positive step to build on this and organise another art based project in Looe Road Park.
The concept was that the children, assisted by The Art Guy, would create their own designs and these would be reproduced on T shirts by our local Community Association.
I spoke with Christine Fraser/SDNP with a view to arranging this event with the co-operation of Exeter City Council's Play Rangers. Christine informed that there was, "no way that the Art Guy's manager at the Scrapstore, Perry Evans, would agree to this".
Based upon my previous experiences of Christine's manipulative and self-seeking attitude, I decided that I would contact The Art Guy directly and discuss our Association's proposals with him personally. The information that I had been given by Christine Fraser was again untrue. Whilst The Art Guy was funded by ECC's Play Ranger scheme his participation in the T shirt event was not a problem as long it could be organised around The Art Guy's existing commitments for Exeter City Council. A date for this event was organised and it was very successful.
Once again our community had been misinformed/misled by Christine Fraser. It would not be unreasonable to comment here that Christine's bombastic personality had yet again created an element of ill-feeling with the very people that have so much to contribute to what our Community Association is trying to achieve on a local level. It was made clear, in emails to myself from Christine, that she had no time for Exeter City Council's Play Rangers generally, and Perry Evans specifically.
Christine, you should be ashamed of yourself for your attitude. Of course, you won't be, such is the level of your own arrogance that you believe that your behaviour is acceptable. It isn't.
My continued attempts to implement some level of control over Christine's behaviour, made to Hannah Reynolds, as always, resulted in no response other than the comment from Ms Reynolds that, "It's us (the community) against them, (Exeter City Council)".
Thank you for your support Hannah, your attitude is clearly no different to that of Christine Frasers.
Friday 1 January 2010
Sign Design Event
An event was organised in Looe Road Park at which the youngsters of our comunity would create designs asa basis for new signage in the park. This event was organised with the co-operation of Exeter City Council's Play Ranger initiative and 'The Art Guy' (Stuart Dawson), also funded by ECC. This event proved to be very popular and new signage for the park was created and installed by ECC funding. A success, although our community is still waiting for for the sign that was promised for the new planter that was installed in the park. To date there is still no indication when this sign will be provided for installation by the youngster that designed it, despite reminders to ECC Parks Department.
Wednesday 30 December 2009
Resignation from Exeter Parks Watch
Below is a copy of another document (highlighted in blue) presented to Susan Lawrence for inclusion in the minutes of the EPW meeting at which I resigned. Despite several requests to Susan Lawrence to accept this document for inclusion in the minutes, she refused. A copy was given to her and also distributed to others at this meeting.
Despite this post's reference to my resignation from EPW there is still a considerable quantity of information that will continue to be posted on this Blog.
It was also at this time that I resigned my 'position' on the SDNP committee.
Exeter Parks Watch Meeting – Hayes Barton – Friday, 14th March
It is with some regret that as of today I am withdrawing my involvement with Exeter Parks Watch. I feel that, at this time, there are irreconcilable differences and, in spite of trying vigorously to resolve these, I am left with no option but to withdraw, if only for the time being.
I have been concerned for some time about various issues, some of which I raised again at the previous meeting on 8th February. Whilst the points that I raised on the 8th February may have been viewed as critical, if I had been given the opportunity to finish speaking it would have been clear, to all those present, that I was using them as examples to highlight areas where there was scope for reappraisal of ‘working practices’. Unfortunately, my efforts at serious constructive discussion were responded to with open hostility from Christine Fraser/SDNP and, to a lesser degree, Susan Lawrence/EPW. Following the meeting of 8th February, I was asked, by Susan Lawrence, to provide a statement for inclusion in the minutes of that meeting. I provided the statement, as requested, but it was not included in the minutes when they were distributed. This failure is symptomatic of the way Exeter Parks Watch is run by CF/SDNP and SL.
During the interim period between the meeting of 8th February and today (14th March) I have received no information/emails relating to our community from Christine Fraser and only the minutes (incomplete and excluding my first statement) from Susan Lawrence. I have also been excluded from the ‘mailing list’ relating to the 14th March meeting but another attendee did forward a copy of the minutes to me. A clear attempt to exclude me from the information chain. If ‘constructive dismissal’ was applicable to committees then my departure from Parks Watch would, I’m sure, qualify.
In spite of this and, yet again, in an effort to reach a satisfactory solution, I invited Susan Lawrence to my home yesterday for an informal discussion. I asked Susan Lawrence if ‘the ends justify any means’, she chose not to respond. Susan, as always, was not prepared to accept any of my opinions. Susan also commented, "Paul Faulkner is a committee member of Parks Watch and, if Parks Watch pull out of Looe Road Park or are asked to end their involvement, Paul Faulkner goes as well, taking any funding with him. Any requests for funding would then have to be made directly to Exeter City Council". Whilst this comment may be true, the tone in which it was delivered was again typical of the ‘browbeating’ stance taken if anyone has the temerity to raise unwelcome issues. As far as I am aware, Paul Faulkner is an employee of Exeter City Council, and not ‘joined at the hip’ to Exeter Parks Watch. I have always appreciated Paul Faulkner’s commitment and contribution to our community, something I’m sure he is well aware of. It is regrettable that my opinions of Paul Faulkner have since changed, it would seem that Susan Lawrence's threats of the Parks Department's departure with EPW became a reality.
There have been minor successes for which our community is appreciative; this has never been disputed. There have also been many failures and misrepresentations, but it is essential that, as far as CF/SDNP/SL/EPW are concerned, these can only be presented with a positive ‘spin’ or not at all.
Despite this post's reference to my resignation from EPW there is still a considerable quantity of information that will continue to be posted on this Blog.
It was also at this time that I resigned my 'position' on the SDNP committee.
Exeter Parks Watch Meeting – Hayes Barton – Friday, 14th March
It is with some regret that as of today I am withdrawing my involvement with Exeter Parks Watch. I feel that, at this time, there are irreconcilable differences and, in spite of trying vigorously to resolve these, I am left with no option but to withdraw, if only for the time being.
I have been concerned for some time about various issues, some of which I raised again at the previous meeting on 8th February. Whilst the points that I raised on the 8th February may have been viewed as critical, if I had been given the opportunity to finish speaking it would have been clear, to all those present, that I was using them as examples to highlight areas where there was scope for reappraisal of ‘working practices’. Unfortunately, my efforts at serious constructive discussion were responded to with open hostility from Christine Fraser/SDNP and, to a lesser degree, Susan Lawrence/EPW. Following the meeting of 8th February, I was asked, by Susan Lawrence, to provide a statement for inclusion in the minutes of that meeting. I provided the statement, as requested, but it was not included in the minutes when they were distributed. This failure is symptomatic of the way Exeter Parks Watch is run by CF/SDNP and SL.
During the interim period between the meeting of 8th February and today (14th March) I have received no information/emails relating to our community from Christine Fraser and only the minutes (incomplete and excluding my first statement) from Susan Lawrence. I have also been excluded from the ‘mailing list’ relating to the 14th March meeting but another attendee did forward a copy of the minutes to me. A clear attempt to exclude me from the information chain. If ‘constructive dismissal’ was applicable to committees then my departure from Parks Watch would, I’m sure, qualify.
In spite of this and, yet again, in an effort to reach a satisfactory solution, I invited Susan Lawrence to my home yesterday for an informal discussion. I asked Susan Lawrence if ‘the ends justify any means’, she chose not to respond. Susan, as always, was not prepared to accept any of my opinions. Susan also commented, "Paul Faulkner is a committee member of Parks Watch and, if Parks Watch pull out of Looe Road Park or are asked to end their involvement, Paul Faulkner goes as well, taking any funding with him. Any requests for funding would then have to be made directly to Exeter City Council". Whilst this comment may be true, the tone in which it was delivered was again typical of the ‘browbeating’ stance taken if anyone has the temerity to raise unwelcome issues. As far as I am aware, Paul Faulkner is an employee of Exeter City Council, and not ‘joined at the hip’ to Exeter Parks Watch. I have always appreciated Paul Faulkner’s commitment and contribution to our community, something I’m sure he is well aware of. It is regrettable that my opinions of Paul Faulkner have since changed, it would seem that Susan Lawrence's threats of the Parks Department's departure with EPW became a reality.
There have been minor successes for which our community is appreciative; this has never been disputed. There have also been many failures and misrepresentations, but it is essential that, as far as CF/SDNP/SL/EPW are concerned, these can only be presented with a positive ‘spin’ or not at all.
Tuesday 29 December 2009
Fencing Around Part of Looe Road Park
Following on from a previous post relating to the football pitch.
This pitch is not full-size and had become effectively little more than a dog's toilet and was also used for the annual November 5th bonfire.
The single most significant improvement to Looe Road Park has been the erection of metal fencing around the main section of the grassed area that includes the football pitch, funded by Exeter City Council. This has resulted in a virtually dog-mess free zone that provides a healthier recreational environment for our community and for this we are grateful. A community survey revealed that provision of this fencing was judged to be a high priority by the residents.
I have been informed by two governors of St.David's Primary School that the only reason that this fencing was installed was to enable use by the school because their own playing field could not be used due to ongoing building work that made use of their own football pitch impossible. I have also been informed that considerable pressure was applied to Exeter City Council to provide this fencing for the school's benefit. Clearly, the school children couldn't use the park whilst it presented a potential health risk due to contamination by dog faeces.
As a community we have absolutely no problem with the local primary school using Looe Road Park but, please, CF/SDNP/SL/EPW, do not inform our community or anyone else that the fencing was installed only because we wanted it, because this is clearly untrue. The fencing was installed first and foremost for the benefit of St.David's Primary School pupils, and not for our community, as you prefer to publicise.
It would appear that, despite the additional fencing, the primary school have visited Looe Road Park on only one occasion, and then only very briefly. Could this have been because of the lack of suitable toilet facilities in Looe Road Park for the schoolchilden? St.David's Primary School have had to transport their pupils to an alternative park elsewhere in Exeter that, presumably, had adequate facilities for the youngsters.
This pitch is not full-size and had become effectively little more than a dog's toilet and was also used for the annual November 5th bonfire.
The single most significant improvement to Looe Road Park has been the erection of metal fencing around the main section of the grassed area that includes the football pitch, funded by Exeter City Council. This has resulted in a virtually dog-mess free zone that provides a healthier recreational environment for our community and for this we are grateful. A community survey revealed that provision of this fencing was judged to be a high priority by the residents.
I have been informed by two governors of St.David's Primary School that the only reason that this fencing was installed was to enable use by the school because their own playing field could not be used due to ongoing building work that made use of their own football pitch impossible. I have also been informed that considerable pressure was applied to Exeter City Council to provide this fencing for the school's benefit. Clearly, the school children couldn't use the park whilst it presented a potential health risk due to contamination by dog faeces.
As a community we have absolutely no problem with the local primary school using Looe Road Park but, please, CF/SDNP/SL/EPW, do not inform our community or anyone else that the fencing was installed only because we wanted it, because this is clearly untrue. The fencing was installed first and foremost for the benefit of St.David's Primary School pupils, and not for our community, as you prefer to publicise.
It would appear that, despite the additional fencing, the primary school have visited Looe Road Park on only one occasion, and then only very briefly. Could this have been because of the lack of suitable toilet facilities in Looe Road Park for the schoolchilden? St.David's Primary School have had to transport their pupils to an alternative park elsewhere in Exeter that, presumably, had adequate facilities for the youngsters.
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