Equality for all or accepting others

“Representation of the world, like the world itself, is the work of men; they describe it from their own point of view, which they confuse with the absolute truth.” – Simone de Beauvoir

Caroline Criado Perez opened her book, “Invisible Women”, with this epigraph from de Beauvoir’s, “Second Sex”.

For an enlightening exposé of today’s society, such as the design of safety jackets for women police officers or why snow clearance is a sexist issue, it’s well worth a read.

EV charging points

Devon County Council are supporting the provision of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points and provide a map at https://www.devonclimateemergency.org.uk/taking-action/electric-vehicles/ A screen grab is attached (though without a key). There is a ‘rapid’ two-vehicle charge point at Glanvilles Mill car park in Ivybridge. It was funded by Highways England. EVs should have an 80% charge within 30 minutes. These details taken from the DCC website.

DCC map of charging points in the South Hams

Voting Liberal Democrat

The following is an extract from the Preamble to the Constitution. Liberal Democracy is not just about self but about caring for others.

“The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity. We believe that each generation is responsible for the fate of our planet and, by safeguarding the balance of nature and the environment, for the long term continuity of life in all its forms. We champion the freedom, dignity and well-being of individuals, we acknowledge and respect their right to freedom of conscience and their right to develop their talents to the full. We aim to disperse power, to foster diversity and to nurture creativity. We believe that the role of the state is to enable all citizens to attain these ideals, to contribute fully to their communities and to take part in the decisions which affect their lives.”

For more, see https://www.libdems.org.uk/constitution

From the New Statesman archive

I receive emails as adverts using previously published articles. This was in today’s (7/7/21). Do you remember Aitken and his ‘sword of truth’?

Following an investigation by the Guardian and the now-defunct Granada TV, questions were raised about who picked up the £1,000 bill for former Conservative MP and cabinet minister Jonathan Aitken’s Paris Ritz hotel room in 1993. Aitken, a government minister in charge of defence procurement at the time, had a close friendship with a businessman who had strong links to the Saudi Arabian royal family, whose aides paid for Aitken’s hotel. Strongly denying the claims, Aitken sued the Guardian and Granada for libel, but was proved to be lying, and was later jailed for 18 months for perjury and perverting the course of justice. Writing at the time when the first details were emerging, the writer of this editorial sees Aitken’s case as a small part of a greater “rot” endemic within the Conservative Party; likening it to the “Great Stink” of 1858. It is a “rot” many people still see today, following accusations of cronyism in Boris Johnson’s government.

Standing for the County Council

I have represented Ivybridge as a District Councillor for two years and I want to bring a joined up approach to these two similar bodies – the District and County Councils.

I want to work on the challenges posed to our Town by the increased number of our residents. These include the roads (partly a County issue), the Schools (partly a County issue), and the Medical Centre. I intend to build on the Town Council’s proposals for a southern relief road.

Yet underpinning my whole reason to stand is justice and fairness. Largely, we all muddle on with never quite enough money, trying to stay healthy, complaining about politicians. Yet justice and fairness does apply at the margins – the elderly, the poor, the ill, those in challenging families or with no family.

The principal theme on my leaflets has been the potholes (and why cannot the Conservatives get the administration on this right with an underspend of about £1m a year?). But the injustice lies with County provision for the Care Homes, children’s care, mental health, and public transport.

I’m standing on local issues but of course there is an influence from the behaviour of national politicians. How do you want to be seen and be represented? Can you be generous and vote to support both yourself and others? Vote Liberal Democrat. Vote Victor.

Councils and their work

Open commentary has become much easier through social media. I had not paid much attention to criticism of our District, Town and County activities before standing for election – Council activities largely passed me by. Yet, over the last two years I’ve been able to meet many staff (traditionally, termed Officers), have seen them at work, and received help for residents, presentations, paperwork, and training.

Officers are members of our society. They live amongst us, use the same services we do, pay the same Council Tax, and likely hold opinions about their colleagues and Councillors. Many enjoy their work and are pleased they can make positive contributions to society. I have come to know them as interested in their work, interested in the role of public service, hard working, of wide knowledge and experience, and tight-lipped on the comments from members of the public and elected Councillors.

There is no great conspiracy to work inefficiently, or to spend residents’ Council Taxes without due concern. Comments or even attacks by residents through social media would be better phrased as questions to their Councillors on why the Council works with any particular approach or outcome. Indeed, Elected Members (the Councillors) set policies and the Officers implement them – so any complaints should be directed at Councillors (I’m on victor.ivybridge@gmail.com) and we can either answer, find out an answer, or liaise with others to solve a problem. If we don’t respond to you, you can elect someone else after four years.

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Council

We’re moving towards the next Full Council at South Hams. Thursday 25th will start with a briefing on how the Council staff are working towards us coming out of lockdown. For many Council staff, Covid has increased their workloads, forced working with restrictions, and involved supporting people in testing conditions.

The Full Council meeting is in the afternoon. We will have entered the pre-election period (often referred to as ‘purdah’) the previous day. Everyday business can continue but we mustn’t associate staff activities or Council actions with anything party political. There is a restriction on some Motions that have been submitted and these will reappear at the following meeting.

Litter, flowers

The litter along the A38 is really bad at the moment but it’s not something one can do anything about. The section with an adjacent footpath, Lee Mill to Ivybridge, is pretty clear, so some kind people have been tidying up there.

It’s been interesting to pick up litter as I take my walks. Interesting, annoying, off putting, overwhelming at the amount there is. Yet interesting because when you say to people what you’re doing (Facebook, Twitter, Next Door), it turns out other people are clearing litter too. The photographs are not very pretty; there’s really no sign you’ve been there because it’s now just a car park, not an untidy car park. Yet there are tens of people in Ivybridge and the surrounding area picking up litter.

Nicer still, I met Mr and Mrs Christophers at the Railway Station Car Park the other day. They walk their dogs and they plant flowers. How nice is that! Note to self: take pictures of the flowers not just record bags of litter.

Litter, litter everywhere

Seems like I have a new hobby and it’s keeping me on the streets. I had a very belated introduction to the work of Tim Poate (Plastic Free Ivybridge) who has been arranging litter picks along the Erme for some time. Eventually, I joined in on the September 2020 collection.

I had been following some ‘Rubbish Friends’ in East Anglia who do litter picks. It was time to do my own.

The sad thing is, how much is there. I only utilise my short walks with my wife but the amount just at the railway station would take half a dozen people a good hour. It would also need the grippy ‘litter pickers’ (available for free from South Hams District Council). Currently I just use the ‘other side’ of the plastic bag I’m using as a receptacle. It does mean I’m a little choosy about what I recover, though there’s plenty of ‘bigger’ stuff such as bottles and (twice) one trainer!

Well, I can say I’ve added bending down to my walks – must be doing me good. Also good to see others litter picking: a man and his daughter on the Lucerne Fields estate.

Mother of Parliaments

It’s not true, of course, since there were earlier parliaments. It’s also inherently frustrating as a voter for a minority party. And no, I don’t want to join the others as they don’t represent my views. It’s odd being in a party which favours inclusivity, and two parties wish to force others to one extreme or the other. They’re really happier being out of power occasionally (or, in Labour’s case, more often than not) rather than having to compromise. A dirty word? Not in every day life, where it’s the norm; just in politics apparently.

Is our system more democratic; is it democratic at all – not in the views of almost all other countries. We were once offered a vote on a system that was not Proportional Representation. The majority of the country voted against. Shame the case was not made better. Currently, the Conservatives have an 80 seat majority on 43.6% of the popular vote.