We and our politicians are out of touch!

Almost daily politicians are making decisions that would not be ours.

An Academy for Barrow, no Post Office in Greenodd, no interest (by the politicians) in Skate Boarding in Ulverston, housing for the rich, very little for those on everyday incomes. Cars and obstructions on our pavements making walking difficult especially with a pram or invalid chair. Bobbies on the beat a rare occurrence.

House prices go soaring up and up. Government sits back and grunts. House prices going down – banks in turmoil - shock horror.

Roaming gangs, broken park benches, parents, teachers and politicians unable to cope and out of touch.

I tried to get some interest in some of these issues by going to the Town Council and the Neighbourhood Forum run by the County Council. Both give the impression that they welcome the participation of the public but in fact this is a charade.

I have challenged the Neighbourhood Forum to put housing on the agenda in Ulverston. They refuse and think that a meeting on a winter’s evening in Swarthmoor Hall was good enough.

Issues are evaded, politicians avoid getting involved. They attempt to reply with hollow statements of mock interest but look for excuses for inaction.

We lose interest and face the consequences.

It is great to find that some of us won’t put up with this behaviour.

What it does mean is that we have to spend time and effort to get what we want!

Some of us are learning that we need to get involved in what happens around us and stand up and be counted. The Our Schools Are Not For Sale campaign is a good example. Our children’s upbringing is extremely important and is served by people not things.

A major problem is finding the will power to take on yet another problem.

My solution is live simply and not get satisfaction from things: cars, gadgets, clothes and food but rather in what I do.

Our government has got its priorities wrong. Improve quality not ‘our standard of living’, control profiteers, enable us to be able to make quality choices even if it may appear a harder life.