Castle Bromwich Community Website

I am disappointed at the numbers that attended this once a year opportunity for the community to voice their desires, aspirations & concerns that they voice all year long to each other, but not  to the council's senior members & their Clerk directly.

Are you aware of the councils finances & balance sheet for the coming year or for last year or for any year? Are you aware of the Community Plan for the next 5 yrs?

How can you moan & complain about what you think you have not got? You may be getting it, but maybe it is not what you want. How can a council know what you want in & for your community if you refuse to use your voice?

It may interest you to know that out of our community of 12,000+ of which over 8,500 are eligible to cast their vote a grand total of 15 people attended the Parish Meeting to hear the affairs of your community being reported & opened up for questioning. Of that 15...Nine were councillors...One guest speaker from Centro...One clerk to the council...One chairman of the youth council...All the rest were interested members of our community.

More people might attend if they knew about it. The Parish Council seems to think that putting a notice on the board at Arden Hall and hoping that the Gazette or Echo will publish details is sufficient, but large proportions of Castle Bromwich neither visit Arden Hall nor receive the local publications. As webmaster for this site, I would like to receive press releases from the Parish Council so that I could publish them and make people aware of what is happening, but I have never received one. Perhaps the Parish Council needs to do more to get in touch with the residents of Castle Bromwich and to establish dialogues with them? If there is a Parish Plan why hasn't the Parish Council contacted all the local community groups for input? Why have residents not been asked about their priorities for the area?

The days when people attended meetings at specific times in the village hall are gone, working patterns, family commitments and the pace of life mean that modern communication needs to adapt. Why does the Parsih Council not supplement its traditional Annual Meeting with a digital one? Many government agencies are now using online methods to communicate with residents and getting a far greater response.

How very true.  I'm, one of those that don't get to see the Gazette or Echo or pass by the notice board on the hall. However, I often browse the CB Parish Council web site but do not recall any mention of this meeting on the home or news pages.

I suspect few in the parish could answer the original posters questions and fewer still who feel engaged with the council or their plans. Some people may lack interest but not all. 

So come on councillors - engage us!

If only we had a website where things that happened in Castle Bromwich were broadcast to the community rather than the small minded rubbish and mis-information that we usually get on here and the other website.

I would attend more often if......the acoustics were better....if those who would seek to put forward ideas to improve our parish, would learn how to address an assembly, and not talk with their hand on the mouth, whilst looking down at the table.

If etiquette was observed, and Councilors would stand when replying......if a dress code by the men was observed....if the room was warm....if  inter-conversation was abolished...( chatting to ones neighbour, whilst procedings are in progress)

I would attend more often....if I felt I was not intruding on some covert clique.

Will this posting be read by ANY councillor...and replied to? 

NO!!! Such is the commitment  of our volunteer councillors to hand shake with the tax payers.

Parish Council? Its a white elephant.

"if those who would seek to put forward ideas to improve our parish, would learn how to address an assembly, and not talk with their hand on the mouth, whilst looking down at the table.

If etiquette was observed, and Councilors would stand when replying......if a dress code by the men was observed"

Better you keep away then!!!!!!!!!! A dress code!?! What  do you have in mind? White sheets and pointy hat or the black one with jackboots?

Remember this is the 21st century.

"Better you keep away then!!!!!!!!!! A dress code!?! What do you have in mind? White sheets and pointy hat or the black one with jackboots?"

What was that you were saying a few weeks ago about small minded rubbish in this website?

If people submitted interesting items to this webiste I'm sure they would be published. 

I think you are missing my point.

Proudfoot at May 27, 2012 at 11:47 AM

"if those who would seek to put forward ideas to improve our parish, would learn how to address an assembly, and not talk with their hand on the mouth, whilst looking down at the table.

If etiquette was observed, and Councilors would stand when replying......if a dress code by the men was observed"

 

Better you keep away then!!!!!!!!!! A dress code!?! What  do you have in mind? White sheets and pointy hat or the black one with jackboots?

Remember this is the 21st century.

We need not worry about our young society being accused of "dumbing down" with "adults" of  this mind set.

MINDSET is one word not two!!! Let's not dumb the forum down!!!!