Your letters
This year’s springtime
was differentTo the Editor
The older I get the more I look forward to this wonderful season. But this springtime proved to be very different from any one I can remember.
After a great deal of rain, sudden snow, late frosts, April started with blue skies and lovely sunshine and it continued and nature responded with blossom and flowers in an exuberant explosion of celebration.
But as it steadily became more and more hot, the bluebells shrivelled, disappointed, the carpet of celandines scorched, the blossom of the wild cherry trees blown to destinations unknown.
The soil is very dry, cracked, crying out for rain. The crows are eating their fill on the ungerminated barley. Almost all the trees are back in leaf, even the oak trees which are generally the last. Yet the holly tree in Strawberry Hill’s garden is still covered in berries. For weeks there has been no rain. I watched a squirrel digging the dry mud of the dew pond in search of a drink. It was in vain. Later on, when I passed the same spot, he was dead, killed by someone in a hurry. Neither have I seen the two roe deer with a young one.
Yet because there has been no late frost we can look forward to a bumper crop of cherries, nature’s solace to the birds, the fox, the badger. And although it was only short, spring again did reappear.
In spite of all the conferences on global warming, all kinds of regulations, even laws, man is unable to bring on the rain. Who is well able to do this?
I think we all know the answer.
Reina Free
King’s Ash
Farewell
To the Editor
Our removal date is approaching and we expect to move to the New Forest
soon after the Lee Flower Show. We moved to Lee Common in December 1983 with
our three children (Laura, James and Simon) and have all relished our time
here.It is a wonderful community in which to bring up a family. Each one of us has made life-long friends, through the countless activities we have been involved in. Laura took it one stage further by marrying John Simpkins from ‘Rose Cottage’ in August l998; a memorable village wedding.
We shall treasure our memories of Lee Common, from the outstanding events such as the Golden Jubilee celebrations and Millennium events, and from our regular involvement in the Flower Show, the Parish Hall, Parish Council and from our church life. We sincerely wish the community well for the future, and will keep in touch. Above all we want to thank you all for the part you have played in our life here, and to say “good-bye”,
John and Gill Chudley
Lee Common
A pothole anniversary
To the Editor
I thought readers may like to share my anniversary. Almost a year ago to the day, whilst driving along Potter Row I suddenly hit an enormous pothole in the road, buckling the two nearside wheels on my car. I thought I’d worked out where all the potholes were and was used to weaving along the road to avoid them like many other local drivers. This one caught me out!
I reported the pothole to the highways department via the emergency number and the hole was repaired promptly. I wrote to the council, explained the situation and set out a claim for two replacement wheels (almost £800) along with photographs of the substantial pothole itself. Soon I received a claims form which I duly completed and returned. A few weeks went by. I phoned to chase the claim to be told it had been passed to the council’s insurers. So far so good. I was being taken seriously and after all it was a valid claim – all I had to do was wait for the wheels of local government to turn. Later in August I received a letter from the council’s Corporate Risk and Insurance Manager (heady stuff). He was sorry to hear about the incident and assured me the matter was being investigated. He did ask me to advise the age and mileage of the damaged tyres which of course had never figured in the claim – the wheels were buckled but the tyres were fine – did he read the claims form? I should have smelled a rat then but, no, I’m an optimist.
By the end of September I heard the council were not going to honour the claim. I quote: “the council has a duty to inspect and maintain the highway, and this duty is fulfilled by regularly inspecting the highway and repairing any hazardous defects”. Since then I have written to the council repeatedly blaming the potholes on their systematic failure to maintain the roads to an adequate standard over a prolonged period of time. I have also pointed out the very real threat to the health and safety of both motorists and cyclists alike. All my protestations have fallen on deaf ears – not one reply from the council. I have written to our MP but no reply yet. I am now about to write to our local councillor – wish me luck.
I see the council has used my anniversary to celebrate by making repairs to Potter Row. About time but too late for me and many others. I’ll keep toiling away. There must be justice somewhere – in a pothole perhaps?
Tim Bridges
Lee Common
Stop Press!
This space was reserved for Cllr Letheren’s reply. It was received too late for inclusion in this Newsletter, but the topic of potholes will be revisited in the next issue.