Councils Flagrantly Flout Green Policy

Here is an unbelievable breach of national Government policy and an act of gross irresponsibility.  At a time when we are all trying to reduce our carbon footprint, Exeter City Council and/or Devon County Council have installed six extra street lamps to light an ill-advised cycle-cum-footpath and a further four more to floodlight a Multi Use Games Area (MUGA).

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Floodlighting the MUGA is justifiable, but six extra street lamps for the track across the park are the direct result of the Councils’ failure to consult the Club about its 1999 plans for expansion, and the wilful imposition of ECC’s own destructive ideas.  A lack of foresight and a reckless failure to be rigorous have resulted in actions directly opposed to Government policy in several areas.

These six extra lamps, which only became necessary because of the domineering and insensitive attitude shown by the City Council, were switched on last week.

Many years ago, Devon County Council erected a high fence to protect the school playing field from the dangers of Pinhoe Road, and prevent troublesome pedestrian traffic across the field.  This safety feature was largely successful, and only failed in the case of youths who climbed over the gate or broke through the fencing.

In direct contrast, Exeter City Council has removed this safety feature, reinstating the original problems and creating new dangers for the local community.  These need to be enumerated elsewhere on this website in due course, as do the City Council’s various actions resulting in breaches of national government policy.

We, the public, are being persecuted out of all proportion by local government for the slightest error regarding litter, parking, rubbish collection, recycling, and so on.  In an ideal world, these mistakes wouldn’t happen, but heavy-handed oppression of those who don’t do everything to perfection doesn’t help, and is frequently a display of injustice.  The best of us make mistakes, sometimes in complete innocence or because there is no reasonable alternative, and have been bullied by the authorities into accepting an unjust punishment (usually a fine), often in support of a jobsworth.

Meanwhile, the Councils can do what they like with impunity.  In this instance, local government is burning hundreds of watts of electricity because of its intransigence, while I am being urged to save less than a single watt by not using standby on my television.

Exeter City Council has flouted green policy by increasing the City’s carbon footprint.

It has imposed additional light pollution on the locality, and unnecessarily increased the demand for precious electricity.

Taxpayers, directly or indirectly, are having to foot the costs of installation, the costs of energy, and the costs of maintenance.

We, the citizens of Exeter, are having to pay for the City Council’s failure to consult which resulted in such a damaging scheme being foisted upon us.  It seems the Council has chosen to ignore a far better solution!