I can't believe it's been 11 weeks since my last contribution here.
But there has been Christmas in between so that must have accounted for at least 6 of them.
I thought an update was due on the Acorns matter and the seemingly unnecessary destruction of trees, and the attendant expense, by Swan Pool.
Of course, I had hopelessly misjudged the Sandwell experts and should have realised that they would have had at least one compelling and expert reason why these trees should be hacked away or completely removed.
For this I apologise, and seek to put the record straight immediately.
Round Swan Pool runs a pathway, made by feet over many generations.
A few years ago, in fact, quite a few years ago, there were some 24 hour cycle races, part of the route of which was this path.
It always had had it's ups and downs but the cycle races exacerbated them significantly and rendered a couple of places virtually impassable after periods of wet weather.
And so it has been for, well, quite a few years - must be at least 10.
That is until now - or rather last November.
It was then that Sandwell put in hand the 'fixing' of this path.
Quite why Sandwell's experts waited until mid-November to start such works is, perhaps, something that should not be enquired into by ordinary people, as there is doubtless at least one compelling and expert reason why it should have been so. But November is usually part of the wet UK winter season - last year it was snowy and icy as well for 3 weeks.
Anyway, that aside, if the Sandwell experts want to dig up earthen paths in the middle of Winter, when one can more or less count on them turning into quagmires, rather than in the Summer, when there is at least a chance that they won't, then that is up to the expert Sandwell mind to determine.
The result of these soggy Sandwell labours is a rather messy strip of gravelly-type stuff about a yard wide where the foot-trodden path used to be.
Sandwell have, of course, taken the opportunity to chop out a few more trees and dig up ground yards wide either side of this strip in places.
They have also done something similar to part of a somewhat wider path which runs parallel to Park Lane. This has been partly treated to a covering of 'gravel' but largely dug up and had the gorse bushes; blackberries etc removed.
Without the benefit of an expert mind I haven't been able to reason out why only part of the path has been 'processed' but I suppose we should all be grateful that there a still a few blackberry bushes where the Sandwell works have not been carried out.
I also fail to understand why so many of the shrubs have been taken out. I mean, this path being so close to Park Lane has meant that you could always hear the traffic going past. Now you can see it as well, just a few yards away - and Sandwell call this place a 'Country Park'.
Believe me readers, Sandwell Valley has, over the last 10 years or so, become less rural and more urban as each year has passesd.
It bristles man-made intrusions such as warning signs; notice boards; dog waste bins; alarmed lifebelt posts; CCTV cameras; 4 x 4's etc etc. And while the man-made content has been increasing year by year, the number of trees, young and old, have been reducing as also have the hedgerows all of which have been either reduced in height to 4 or 5 feet, or cut down completely. In fact, Sandwell have, since last Autumn, cut down so many trees and so much mature hawthorn hedge that they have resorted to burning it. Even Sandwell's proud fleet of wood chippers apparently couldn't cope with the volume - there were 6 separate sites where the fires were made.
Yes, Sandwell is producing a wonderful 'Country Park' - and it has a Green Flag to prove it!!!!.
However, and this is no more than a thought, not in any way intended to subvert the Sandwell intelligentia, but would not the interests of the Sandwell Council Tax payer be better served by doing away with the chippers and chain saws; the bonfires and sub-contractors, and instead replacing them with a few gallons of napalm.
This would, I guess, be a far cheaper alternative, and one which is no less destructive.
Great idea.
Everyone's a winner.
Oh! Except the layers of management and health and safety people and buyers and councillors and experts and .......
No. This idea's no good after all as it would start nibbling away at the Great Sandwell Job Creation Scheme.
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