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neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Jul 2015 : 17:32:00
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Nearly two years' ago, I raised the subject on these Forums of the lack of any public toilets in the village centre see:http://www.angmeringvillage.co.uk/forums/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=1465&SearchTerms=toilets
Two years on and, despite being included as the first item in the Community Action Plan in Angmering's Neighbourhood Plan, what has the Parish Council done about it. Absolutely nothing! It has not even made it to any agenda item for discussion.
Residents are desperate (quite often literally) for public toilets but our councillors are sticking their heads in the sand, preferring to spend their time and our money on ego "vanity" projects. Just take a look at the agenda for this week's monthly parish council meeting at: http://www.angmeringparishcouncil.gov.uk/mediaFiles/downloads/87806654/20150713.pdf
For example, what on earth are APC doing in paying for WiFi to be installed in the Village Hall. This surely is the responsibility of The Angmering Village Hall Committee. Why are they trying to effectively sabotage the annual Traders' Christmas Evening? And don't get me started on the iPads and additional staff necessary to handle these vanity projects.
Actually, we do have publicly owned toilets in the village - in the Parish Council offices. We, the public, pay for these so, any resident caught short while in the village should go into APC's offices and ask to use them. If they are turned away, go onto the Angmering Village Facebook page (it's not mine) and let villagers know! It has over 2000 registered members.
I do not blame the new councillors as they will not know the background to many of these matters, but they must rapidly get up to speed and question the validity of some of these minor projects. |
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Pansy
Senior Member
United Kingdom
172 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2015 : 18:03:12
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| Agree with your comments, Neil. Fail to see why the Village Hall needs Wi-Fi but perhaps the reason behind this will be explained at the next meeting? As to the lack of public toilets, well, we'll just have to keep our legs crossed should we be unfortunate enough to get "caught short" when in the village! |
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neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
Posted - 17 Jul 2015 : 19:39:21
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Pansy, it's not just that we perhaps cannot see a need for WiFi at the Village Hall -although this may be explained/justified later - but this is an entirely independent trust not connected with Angmering Parish Council, although they do provide a representative, probably for having paid for the building of the King Suite some 30 years' ago. So can any village organisation get APC to pay for its WiFi or other services!
Hang on, I've just looked at the Charity Commission website and who do I find as one of the Village Hall trustees? One "Mrs S Francis". Is this not the chairman of Angmering Parish Council?
I think some explanations are due and pronto! |
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AngmeringAl
Junior Member
United Kingdom
26 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jul 2015 : 22:32:03
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| Who are all these desperate people walking around the village with their legs crossed haha why would anyone want a stinky public toilet in the village ! |
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Robinf
Senior Member
105 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2015 : 11:06:59
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| WiFi at the village hall is probably to allow Parish Councillors to use their iPads during PC meetings. This after all is nothing new, it's been happening in Parliament (both the upper and lower houses) for a number of years. But let's face it playing computer games on their shiny new iPads during some of the less scintillating debates / discussions would provide much welcome relief for some of the councilors!! |
Edited by - Robinf on 19 Jul 2015 11:13:19 |
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neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2015 : 14:48:35
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Surely, documents from APC server could be streamed through 3G/4G tablet or smartphone to projector in Village Hall. That's £460 per year for something that is just occasionally used. Most of the time, councillors would already have appropriate documents downloaded to their iPads prior to meetings.
Alternatively, if all APC documents are additionally saved to a 2TB portable hard disk which could be taken to meetings, there would be only the small cost of the drive itself (say £70) and no ongoing costs. This would save us about £2500 over 5 years.
So why is APC wanting to install WiFi in the Village Hall when financially it does not make sense when there are other alternatives? |
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neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2015 : 15:04:53
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AngmeringAI, there are many "desperate" adults/children who need this facility. Some have medical conditions necessitating the urgent need for such facilities. There is not a day that goes past without many asking to use the facilities of shops or The Lamb who are under no obligation to let them use their toilets.
A number of years' ago, APC thought the matter so important that they leased The Lamb's outside toilets facing The Square, which have now been converted to an additional bedroom. If APC thought it so important then, why the change?
Every day, children (or sometimes adults) living or passing through Bramley Green ask to use the Community Centre toilets. |
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Robinf
Senior Member
105 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2015 : 16:47:05
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Perhaps someone should ask the Parish Clerk if a cost/benefit analysis has been undertaken to present to the Parish Council to enable them them to make an informed decision.
quote:
Originally posted by neil
Surely, documents from APC server could be streamed through 3G/4G tablet or smartphone to projector in Village Hall. That's £460 per year for something that is just occasionally used. Most of the time, councillors would already have appropriate documents downloaded to their iPads prior to meetings.
Alternatively, if all APC documents are additionally saved to a 2TB portable hard disk which could be taken to meetings, there would be only the small cost of the drive itself (say £70) and no ongoing costs. This would save us about £2500 over 5 years.
So why is APC wanting to install WiFi in the Village Hall when financially it does not make sense when there are other alternatives?
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AngmeringAl
Junior Member
United Kingdom
26 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2015 : 21:13:51
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Neil , so you are happy to spend our money on the up keep of toilets , they need daily cleaning ( no one is going to do it for free ! unless you are offering ?? ), they need maintenance , toilet sundries etc , someone will have to open them up and lock them . And just like the Wifi in the village hall , they will only get used occasionally .
If you want public toilets , the only solution is the village hall toilets , existing and already maintained .... plus you will soon be able to use your laptop while having a crap  |
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neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2015 : 21:53:15
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On that basis, we should close down public toilets throughout the country! Costs for toilets in village is not new - you previously paid for them and their maintenence.
WiFi is, of course, unnecessary. And who said public would be able to access WiFi? |
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BFA
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
410 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2015 : 23:39:04
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I don't know about the only solution but the village hall is a good one, it's central enough and a deal could be set up just the same as the Lamb's when the loos were there. There may be a few adjustments needed, like exterior access. It would bring a regular income to the hall and they could use some of that to pay for wifi!
I've never known the PC to organise fairs and fetes before, let alone sabotage established ones, I wouldn't have thought, being short of a couple of councillors and with all that's going on with development etc - which should take far more priority, they'd have the time ... and if public loos are not even on any current agenda, they obviously do NOT have the time!
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Edited by - BFA on 19 Jul 2015 23:47:54 |
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derekdainton
deleted
579 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jul 2015 : 10:43:58
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| On the subject of loos, clearly we need to get to the bottom of this! |
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BFA
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
410 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jul 2015 : 13:42:14
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There's been no movement for some time but the way our PC throw money about they must be quite flush.
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Edited by - BFA on 20 Jul 2015 13:43:28 |
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neil
Forum Owner / Moderator
United Kingdom
2623 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jul 2015 : 15:38:10
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| If APC stick it on the agenda now, I think they will just be going through the motions. |
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roosterbri
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
553 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2015 : 06:29:19
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Groan!!!!!
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Paul
Advanced Member
319 Posts |
Posted - 21 Jul 2015 : 17:49:26
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| I think some of these comments are taking the P. |
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Public Toilets
