The image today offers an impression of work at the end of week two of the Dunhill Road drainage, pavement and road renewal programme. This is the sort of much needed, basic work which is long overdue on many of Goole’s streets, and if it is done well, will be very welcome.
Goole has recently had some high profile visitors for the official opening of the Siemens factory. If the promised full number of apprenticeships and well paid jobs become reality, and are given primarily to Goole residents, then that is good news for the town.
While there are definite positive developments, many residents are still not feeling the benefit in their own circumstances so a great deal still needs to be done for all Goole citizens to be experiencing the levels of joy that our councillors seem to be experiencing according to the ongoing outpourings of PR.
Speaking of Councillors, following on from the last update, some research has found that a notice was put on the Goole Town Council web site that vacancies had arisen for two town councillors caused by resignations, but that if the public wanted an election they would have to request one: https://goole-tc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Vacancies-for-Councilor.pdf
Clearly nobody requested an election, but how many Goole citizens new it had been posted there so they could request an election?
In due course, a further notice was posted on the Town Council’s website saying East Riding Council had given permission for the town council to co-opt two members and gave a deadline for applications: https://goole-tc.gov.uk/vacancies/
How many Goole residents saw that notice in time to apply?
Two certainly did apply, and were accepted unanimously by the Councillors. That fact was announced by the current mayor on the All About Goole FB page, of which the mayor is an administrator. However there does not seem to have been the same effort to publicise the invitation to request an election as there was to announce that the councillors had co-opted two new councillors. Would the public have requested an election if it had been better publicised? We will now of course never know.
This is all legal. The councillors perhaps feel very pleased with how they have managed things. Is it healthy democracy? How does the public feel, not about the two new councillors, but of how this has been handled?
Your writer has been told of further antisocial behaviour after football matches. One incident apparently involved a youth taking a half a brick and banging it along properties which have doors and windows on the street rather than a margin of safety in the form of a garden. There has also been further stand banging after 9pm on school nights.
The fact that the three West Ward councillors voted in favour of the Victoria Pleasure Grounds plans despite knowing the concerns of those they supposedly represent has been experienced by those unhappy with the plans as a considerable betrayal. There is still time for a rethink, it’s not too late, but will resident’s concerns about VPG (and the library) be acted on, as concerns about the state of Dunhill Rd have been (pleasing residents)?