Bus stations and Seagulls
You never know what's going to come up on the doorstep when one is fighting a local election on conducting a resident's opinion survey.
Of course, the most frequently raised issue of concern at the moment in West Cumbria is the future of our local hospitals. We have been running a petition on this subject which has secured hundreds of signatures. But a number of other issues have also been raised.
Two interesting issues were mentioned to myself and my colleagues Alex Carroll and Alan Mossop on the doorstep in Bransty ward at the weekend.
More than one person told us they were concerned about the proposed new Bus Station site in Whitehaven. They considered the original bus station site to have been far more suitable than the proposed new one.
The other issue concerned seagulls - there are a lot of these birds in Whitehaven at the moment. You always expect some on coasts and around a harbour but the population is such that some are coming further inland. They can be noisy and aggressive, and in areas where rubbish is still collected in black bags rather than wheelie bins, seagulls have caused an environmental health hazard by tearing the bags open looking for food, and thereby strewing rubbish over the street.
Copeland council is responsible for pest control; is it time for a set of measures to be taken to check the seagull population in Whitehaven?
I would like to see an investigation into the environmental impact of the seagull population at it's present level, which should establish whether there is a case for a humane programme of population control.
I would be interested in any feedback from Whitehaven residents, especially in Bransty, on either of these issues.
Of course, the most frequently raised issue of concern at the moment in West Cumbria is the future of our local hospitals. We have been running a petition on this subject which has secured hundreds of signatures. But a number of other issues have also been raised.
Two interesting issues were mentioned to myself and my colleagues Alex Carroll and Alan Mossop on the doorstep in Bransty ward at the weekend.
More than one person told us they were concerned about the proposed new Bus Station site in Whitehaven. They considered the original bus station site to have been far more suitable than the proposed new one.
The other issue concerned seagulls - there are a lot of these birds in Whitehaven at the moment. You always expect some on coasts and around a harbour but the population is such that some are coming further inland. They can be noisy and aggressive, and in areas where rubbish is still collected in black bags rather than wheelie bins, seagulls have caused an environmental health hazard by tearing the bags open looking for food, and thereby strewing rubbish over the street.
Copeland council is responsible for pest control; is it time for a set of measures to be taken to check the seagull population in Whitehaven?
I would like to see an investigation into the environmental impact of the seagull population at it's present level, which should establish whether there is a case for a humane programme of population control.
I would be interested in any feedback from Whitehaven residents, especially in Bransty, on either of these issues.
Comments
The worst thing is if people would stop feeding them they'd stop associating humans with food! These people aren't doing the birds any favours; they're forgetting how to hunt!
Interestingly, the subject was raised by residents at the Bransty and Harbour neighbourhood forum last week. One of the points that was made is that the council should put up signs asking people not to feed the seagulls.