After a remarkably productive inaugural meeting of the Riverside Community Forum in December, I paid a visit to the district council depot on West Marsh Road in order to discuss some items raised.
Not only on that very day but also in the weeks previous, members of the team had been fighting an ongoing battle with vandalism to bins and benches along the river.
While at the meeting, I was provided with an overview of the plan on how to prevent vandals from “uprooting” bins and rolling them into the river.
Needless to say, I found I have good news to report at the next meeting of the Riverside Forum in February.
Following this discussion, I had the opportunity to feel the weight of the concrete bases being painstakingly recovered from the river, and more disturbingly having been thrown in.
I can compare this to the weight of the large steel industrial size bins that had been thrown in the river in late November and again in December. Not merely to push across a road but to lift from the river while submerged in water.
In part, I had seen some of the work going into the recovery, refurbishment and replacement of the bins. It was only later that same evening that I had read online of local people angry over one bin left on the bank.
The sentiment I wished at the time to express, is just how important it is that we don’t forget exactly whom we should blame.
I recoiled at the sight of blame on those working to resolve an act of needless vandalism, but regret I did not enter the debate for knowing it had previously proven to be futile.
I urge anyone that cares about these issues and wants to be part of progress to join the next meeting on February 26 at 6pm at the Pennygate Foundation.
We have a number of plans for the next meeting including looking at a new leaflet to go out to residents and businesses aimed at improving the environment in small ways.
We are even offering sponsorship and advertising opportunities to businesses in return for support funding projects.
It is all about coming together behind a common cause, working alongside all authorities not against them.
Coun Jack McLean
South Holland District Councillor, Spalding St John’s Ward
