Statement: Border City Steam Rally cancelled

[ttp2011]

Originally Posted by Burning Oil

It’s a sad fact that councils are making bad decisions throughout the land just to add a few quid to the coffers so the same morons can waste it on utterly stupid schemes and over paying themselves!

Please do not tar all Councils with the same brush - not all Councillors are paid.

I am a steam enthusiast, I write for Vintage Spirit and I am currently working on two books, one about engines which I have seen in Devon and Cornwall over the past 40 years and the other about Tritandem Road Rollers.

I am a UNPAID Town Councillor on Ivybridge Town Council ( as are my fellow Councillors) and I am only too aware of the problems being caused to Local Councils by the continuing lack of funding by Central Government. Councils such as ours have two options, either to raise the shortfall by using facilities under their control to generate revenue to pay for essential services or, raise the level of Council Tax to make up for the shortfall. Under these circumstances probably most councils would choose the former route however unpopular it would be. It is unbelievable how much time nowadays is spent at Council meetings trying to decide the best way forward for the community when we are faced with such large funding cuts so that the Taxpayer can pay for Polish Children to come over to the UK for two days to have sibling contact with their 4 year old half brother after their mother has been banned from being with children unsupervised due to her abuse of them. This is costing the Tax Payer £500 for a two day visit. This is being arranged by Social Services for a ex Devon family who now live in Sussex.

I am sorry that the actions of Carlisle Council have resulted in the cancellation of a popular rally and I am sadened to see Charities being deprived of vital income as a result. However, I am not sticking up for the Council concerned as no doubt the situation presented to them made the final decision quite difficult. And yes, we do take all facts into consideration before making a decision and yes we do look at the knock on effect to the local community etc.

Regards,

Councillor Thomas Bowden.
Ivybridge Town Council.

[Burning Oil]

An interesting point of view, and one that is well put, however when you see county farms being sold off along with any small piece of land that was in the main given to the local councils by past generations of local people for the people it does not stack up.
Keep up the good work on those meetings, its a tough job but someone has to do it.

[chairoplanes]

well what can i say my heart goes out to graham and mel and all the other voluntary workers who put on a first class show .The public are going to miss it as everybody that came to it throughly enjoyed it it was a good show to be at as the youngsters had never steam engines and fair organs .i attended several years with my 1937 dodgem ride and was gutted that it had been cancelled .how can the council do this in my opinion it was a number 1 show givivg family entertainment at its best
god bless you all who help and organised the nimber 1 attraction

[chairoplanes]

well what can i say my heart goes out to graham and mel and all the other voluntary workers who put on a first class show .The public are going to miss it as everybody that came to it throughly enjoyed it it was a good show to be at as the youngsters had never steam engines and fair organs .i attended several years with my 1937 dodgem ride and was gutted that it had been cancelled .how can the council do this in my opinion it was a number 1 show givivg family entertainment at its best
god bless you all who help and organised the number 1 attraction