Seven months have elapsed since the Conservative-UKIP
coalition took control of the Council chamber in Southend-on-Sea. On their
watch one has seen a distinctly indifferent performance across a variety of
sectors. Perhaps it has been worse in the area of waste collection.
When the leaves began to fall, and then stay for some
time clogging pavements and gutters, it began to look like another failing.
However, whilst the council contractor was slow in clearing them, clear they
eventually did. Well, mostly. There are still some patches where piles of
leaves can be found.
The slowness did make for dangerous pavements and roads
(I skidded on a large pile of leaves made slippery by heavy rain); they also
obscured parking bays. The leaves hid also sorts of hazards whilst they awaited
clearing.
This was not just my experience, but of the many
residents who reported their concerns to me.
I accept that instantly cleared streets everywhere is not
possible, but I struggle to understand why many roads lay buried under autumn
leaves for several weeks.
What has been noticeable over a far longer period is the
foliage that adorns our pavements. A few will doubtless welcome nature's brief
triumph. Many will wonder why the borough has allowed to become so scruffy.
A short-term period of growth is sometimes difficult to
manage, but sustained neglect over many months takes some explaining.
Scruffy Southend now appears to be home to a plague of
litter-bugs - or perhaps litter clearance is another example of a slow and
inefficient service overseen by the Tory-led administration.
