Fancy a Facelift for your Road?

Cracked and Damaged Road Surface 

Residents in Shamblehurst Ward are currently seeing one of the advantages of a by-election which the ruling Lib Dems are desperate not to lose (judging by the number of leaflets they are delivering). 

Moss Covered Pavement

Grass and Weeds Growing in Gutter

The by-election in Shamblehurst was formally called on 26th January, and at the very next meeting of the Lib Dem cabinet, they agreed to open the corporate coffers to fund a £130,000 facelift for Grange Park Mobile Homes.

It's a rotten coincidence that makes a planned and necessary improvement project look like a piece of blatant electioneering.

Blocked Drain 

New Vacancy on Town Council

People living in another part of Hedge End might want to consider if a by-election in their ward might bring a similar coincidence and facelift to their roads, as a vacancy has been announced for the Town Council Ward of St Helen's, following the death of a sitting councillor.

Damaged Grass Verge 

Broken Utility Cover

If ten people who live in that ward petition the Returning Officer at Eastleigh Borough Council, a by-election will be called to fill the vacancy.  Alternatively the Town Council has the power to co-opt a new member until the next planned elections in 2015.

If a by-election happens, it will take place on the same day as the Borough Council elections in May 2012.

Neglected Roads and Pavements

As these photos (all taken this week in St Helen's Ward) show, there are plenty of opportunities to improve the condition of the roads and pavements.  In fact it makes you wonder what "Team Lib Dem" actually get up to between elections and leaflet deliveries.

Rough and Uneven Pavement

If there is a similar, or worse, example of pavement or road neglect near where you live, send me a photo (hedgeendblogger@gmail.com), including the road where taken, and I will add it to the Hall of Shame.

St Helen's Ward

Broken Kerbstone

You can send me a photo from anywhere in Hedge End, but only people who are on the electoral register for the ward of St Helen's can call for a by-election.  St Helen's is the south-eastern part of Hedge End.  Its boundaries are St John's Road, Freegrounds Road, Tanhouse Lane and Heathouse Lane and it includes Bursledon Road, St Helen's Road, Cranbourne Park, Woodstock Close, Yardley Road, Sherwood Avenue and Tanhouse Close.  

There is a map showing all of Hedge End's electoral wards on the Town Council web site.

Sunken Utility Cover

Neglected Utility Cover

Damaged Kerb