312 replies to this topic

[Sebastian-Smythe]

spyglass, on 03 October 2010 - 09:40 AM, said:

If a Bradford District Councillor cannot get information out of Bradford Council then what is the point of having them? Are Bradford Council staff not answerable to the Councillors and through them to us all? Is the tail wagging the dog? Is the monkey grinding the organ?

Both and a lot more besides!

The simple answer is departments just don't take to each other. Even when their office doors are on the opposite side of the same corridor. A solar powered floodlight has been requested for one of the council's out of the way buildings for the past FOUR years. I heard about this last weekend. Various excuses have been given like having to send to Germany for a spare part and somewhere else for another. Three txt messages were sent to three departments yesterday pointing out the required unit could be purchsed from Tool Station for £29.99 and delivered within 24 hours. We shall see what happens now.

[appropriatebridge]

At last I have carried out the rewrite of the Save Our Stones website. I have reduced the number of pages and hopefully it is now more succinct and flows better. It has been quite complicated to do and if anyone has the time and inclination to view it and express any views this would be appreciated. In particular, I would not be surprised if I have missed the odd link so if any do not work please let me know. For all those who have supported this campaign so far, my continued thanks. Please try and recruit new supporters both for Save Our Stones but also as contributors to this forum. Considering the number of Burley residents, there are not a huge number of active posters.

[Sebastian-Smythe]

appropriatebridge, on 05 October 2010 - 08:18 PM, said:

At last I have carried out the rewrite of the Save Our Stones website. I have reduced the number of pages and hopefully it is now more succinct and flows better. It has been quite complicated to do and if anyone has the time and inclination to view it and express any views this would be appreciated. In particular, I would not be surprised if I have missed the odd link so if any do not work please let me know. For all those who have supported this campaign so far, my continued thanks. Please try and recruit new supporters both for Save Our Stones but also as contributors to this forum. Considering the number of Burley residents, there are not a huge number of active posters.

That doesn't surprise me and I believe weirdmusic would agree with me too.
But keep up the work even if it's just to inform folk what they were there for in the first.

[appropriatebridge]

An article about the Save Our Stones campaign features in the October edition of the Burley Parish Council Newsletter. The main purpose of the article is to prompt Burley residents to see if they have any old photos of The Stones amongst to provide evidence as to their condition in the 1950s or 1960s, a condition to which Bradford Council have acknowledged a responsibility to maintain them.

[appropriatebridge]

I have only just come across the response from the West Riding Ramblers Association to the SOS complaint about being misrepresented in their journal in April. Their October edition states:

"The recently formed “Save Our Stones” (SOS) has contacted the West Riding Rambler over the April 2010 article “Burley Bridge Might Be a Footbridge After All”. SOS wishes to point out that it “supports the concept of a bridge but one appropriate to its surroundings and proportionate to need – i.e. a simple footbridge.

However, as any bridge has virtually no chance of success due to difficulty in securing landowners’ consents and in the absence of any local authority commitment, SOS is pressing to have The Stones at Burley restored as the only realistic way of achieving an improvement to the Right of Way crossing.”

The Ramblers’ Association considers that a bridge across the River Wharfe is essential, but is not against improvement of the stones until a bridge is built. The design of the proposed bridge is currently under review and revised proposals are likely to be drawn up and made public in the near future."

A change from the previous over-designed monstrosity is to be welcomed and it is to be hoped that any revised design takes account of the Save Our Stones view covered in the article. However it is hoped that when the inevitable publicity heralds the new design, it also addresses the unavoidable landowners consent issue.

[appropriatebridge]

The Parish Council are doggedly pursuing the issue of The Stones - see website or Parish Council minutes. I note Ilkley recently received a grant of several thousand pounds to hep repair a paddling pool. I don't begrudge Ilkley their pool but it shows money is available for projects the Council thinks are worthwhile. The question is how to get Burley projects such as The Stones on that list before we are all pushing up daisies!

[Sebastian-Smythe]

appropriatebridge, on 19 February 2011 - 03:40 PM, said:

The Parish Council are doggedly pursuing the issue of The Stones - see website or Parish Council minutes. I note Ilkley recently received a grant of several thousand pounds to hep repair a paddling pool. I don't begrudge Ilkley their pool but it shows money is available for projects the Council thinks are worthwhile. The question is how to get Burley projects such as The Stones on that list before we are all pushing up daisies!

I'd stick to pushing up daisies if I was you.

[appropriatebridge]

Some positive news about The Stones - see website.

[ex-user]

do we need a bridge?
the stones were navigable today
a bit icey
but the ford was shallow.
the hydro has moved the goal posts
reversed them
a bridge isn't needed.

[Sebastian-Smythe]

That brings joy methinks to the riders, or will once they know.

[catbazza]

And I still think that they will be talking about building a bridge 50 years hence.

I have for many years walked down to the goit bridge & stood admiring the view over the stepping stones, & although a bridge across the river would make it always a safe crossing I think that placing a bridge in that area would ruin that wonderful panorama.

[Lucerosie]

catbazza, on 19 December 2011 - 09:49 AM, said:

And I still think that they will be talking about building a bridge 50 years hence.

I have for many years walked down to the goit bridge & stood admiring the view over the stepping stones, & although a bridge across the river would make it always a safe crossing I think that placing a bridge in that area would ruin that wonderful view.

Here, here. My thoughts exactly.

[Sebastian-Smythe]

I've often said I'm not against a bridge if that is what can be proved both sides of the river really want. But I am against putting it at the bottom of Leather Bank which in so doing denies riders their only place to safely cross the river between Otley and Ben Rhydding. Walkers by comparrison have plenty of places to walk. Our bridle paths etc are getting less and less. If it were the other way round walkers would be kicking up a mega dust cloud at losing what we have lost.