Letter to Editor: What is Harlow Council doing for the people of Potter Street?
Politics / Sat 28th Oct 2023 at 01:11pm
ONE of our readers, Mr Gary Roberts has written to the leader of the council regarding left behind neighbourhoods.
Dear Cllr. Swords,
I hope you are well.
Please could you read the following article on levelling up left behind neighbourhoods and then explain to me why the council has not acted on its pledge to do so in Potter Street:
Levelling up ‘must be led by England’s left behind neighbourhoods’
Levelling up ‘must be led by England’s left behind neighbourhoods’
Report by all-party parliamentary group says policies must be guided by local needs, not a ‘national template’
Potter Street as you know does not have a doctors’ surgery and has not had one since 2018. It has no local council services despite having an office that was built to provide them. Indeed the building has been empty for over twenty years. It also does not have a local bus service. In short an area that has been left behind on any levelling up criteria.
Finally, was your pledge just more empty rhetoric for short term political gain? I suspect it was given nothing has happened to the area since I last contacted you earlier this year and where you stated plans were/are being drawn up for the area. Playing politics with local residents’ needs only lasts for a while until they realise they have been shafted again by the council.
Keep well.
Yours sincerely,
Gary Roberts
Luke Burton
2023-10-28 21:57:28
Always best to assume every politician is in it for themselves and are not there to help you. That way you will never be disappointed.
old harlow vigilante
2023-10-29 09:35:56
the same as other areas nothing, take our taxes and do nothing, speak to to your local councillors what do they nothing take their salary and make excuses
Kim Oconnor
2023-10-29 09:52:58
Well said. There only interested in there own, there own regeneration, while the rest of Harlow falls apart. This council has no interest in public opions, there not working for us, there working only to benift themselves.... 7,000 signatures and counting, against the destruction of the river stort valley, proved that to many people that live here... And as for housing repairs, I'm telling you from experience, there bodging jobs , I needed a whole new toilet system, they replaced ball cock. 😂, so we have gone out and bought one our self's,, is this what Harlow council plans for repairs, that it gets so bad we have to do it our self's... I look around this town, I see guttering overflowing, I see bins everywhere, which now we have to be careful what goes in black bins, last week stickers all on black bins.. soon we won't be able to put any thing in them, the bin men will love that,even less work for them ,is this a ploy so we have to go to the dump. . I see cables failing down over people s windows, Mouldy windows, because this council never replaced with double glazing, and still haven't, mine included.. . This list for housing repairs goes on.. and when are doing it ,it's done on cheap.. There all for there own regeneration, while rest of Harlow falls apart. But like to pat themselves on the back ,with awards. This government, theses councils do not want to listen to public options, as all the strikes have proved.
Bruce Downey
2023-10-29 09:54:22
The most rudest communist on here! No wonder you get ignored..
gary roberts
2023-10-29 10:16:47
It is always nice of Mr. Downey to respond. Never dealing with the issue just making offensive remarks about the comment and author writers. He really should grow up and actually comment on the issues raised rather than offend people with nonsense.
Kim Oconnor
2023-10-29 10:27:34
I wouldn't worry to much Gary, Bruce Downey, never has much to say,only rude comments. I've learnt to ignore.
gary roberts
2023-10-29 12:23:21
Hi Kim, I was told once that I cared too much for my community - I was naturally offended being a cockney! Gary
Kim Oconnor
2023-10-29 12:47:23
Gary 😂, never can care to much.
Nicholas Taylor
2023-10-29 20:05:40
Gary, in the past we have had our differences on these pages but in this instance your letter is spot on. Much of the Conservative Government, the local Party and indeed Labours ideas of levelling up are at best misguided and indeed a waste of money, doing nothing to improve the life chances of those living in deprived areas across the Country. Spending millions of pounds on a new bus terminus does nothing for anyone living in an area where there is no buses, building a live music venue which many in the town will never be able to afford to use, spending yet more millions on re-paving the town centre and planting trees and shrubs achieves nothing for those at the bottom end of the financial ladder or those without a home. Common sense suggests that getting the former neighbourhood office or getting Osler House back in use as a community hub would be a far better way to spend money on helping level up those living in Potter street.
James Leppard
2023-11-06 10:00:36
Plans for Osler House were divulged at the Harlow Common Residents Association on Wednesday 1st November.
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