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Governments not only do things badly, they often do things that private individuals would be perfectly happy to do for nothing, and then demand taxes and award themselves grants for the privilege. The following is a small example of a local council displacing private environmental activity. The people of Lower Slaughter, tucked into a fold of the Cotswolds beside the twisting River Eye, were proud when their picturesque hamlet won a best-kept village award. So, too, was Ray Vaughan, a local hotelier who believes his unstinting efforts in making sure grass was mown and litter collected played a significant part in beating dozens of other villages in Gloucestershire to the title. Mr Vaughan was therefore surprised to receive a letter from the parish council informing him that his voluntary help with the lawn mower was "unnecessary". The grass was so neat that it looked like a "bowling green", wrote Ronnie Watson, chairman of the council. And that was "undesirable". It was quite sufficient for the grass to be cut every two weeks by a council-paid contractor who "makes a very reasonable job of it", Mr Watson added. The council had "resolved" to ask him to desist from further grass cutting. However, Mr Vaughan has responded by saying he will take no notice of the council edict and intends to instruct his workman to continue to cut the verges. "They are infuriating and will have to get a court order for me to stop. The parish council pays someone to do work that we do for them for free. You would think they might be grateful." Mr Vaughan insisted that the village won the Bledisloe Cup for the best-kept small village in the county "thanks to us". But when the parish council used one of his two hotels to celebrate, he said, he did not receive an invitation. "In the growing season, the grass needs to be cut twice a week," he said. "But the council chap does it about every fortnight. We make sure we do not cut it too short and it is rubbish to say it looks like a bowling green." He said he only cuts verges near his hotels, Lower Slaughter Manor and Washbourne Court, and has been doing so for six: years, without complaint. "Obviously I want the areas around my hotels to be neat and tidy, but we are doing this for the good of the village as well. The council is so narrow-minded." Mr Watson refused to comment. In a letter to Mr Vaughan he said the contractor cut the grass to the satisfaction of most residents. " Any additional cutting by your men is likely to achieve an undesirable 'bowling green' finish resulting in quicker wear and tear and need for restoration work." The letter adds that the Council has received a grant to carry out a restoration programme on grass in other parts of the village and maintenance should be left to the contractor. "Would you therefore ensure that no further instructions are given for cutting grass in this of the village. The council is grateful that you should have undertaken to organise grass cutting of this area in the past." By STEWART PAYNE, Daily Telegraph August 28 2001. |
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