Formby First

Three Green Gyms Installed in Formby

Two of the new green gym items of apparatus just installed in the grounds of Formby swimming pool. This is the third gym to be installed in Formby recently.

The other green gyms are to be found next to the car park in Lifeboat Road and the other is in Duke Street Park.

So far the 'twitterati' reception appears to be mixed. Some have raised the questions of cost at a time of cuts others have welcomed them enthusiastically.

My first brief experience suggests they will be an attractive and useful contribution to the community encouraging more exercise by all.

What are your views? Use #formbygreengym to share your views.

Sean Brady. FormbyFirst and @formbyvillage

Village Improvement: What would be your Priority?

Final up-dates posted at 7.00pm on 27 March

There are 4 choices, participants are invited to order their choices 1-3.
Here are the results so far to the question.

Q. 'What can be done to improve the village' what would be your priorities?

Make Chapel Lane a 'shared space? 31.4%

Replace and re-site the village benches?  25.7%

Improve the village noticeboard? 25.0%

Upgrade the cycle stands in the village?  17.9%

 

Formby Parish Council Loses Funding Opportunity

Mary Portas and her report

Last February I suggested Formby Parish Council should become a 'Portas Town' Team. This would have enabled them to submit a bid for Central Government funds.

In the end Formby Parish Council did not submit a bid.

You can find the original posting here: "Parish Council Should Bid for a Town Team" as well as other stories that describe the progress of the suggestion.

The Portas Town scheme was popular and oversubscribed and some of the successful original applicants included Parish and Town Councils. Since then applicants that formed Town Teams and more importantly made a bid, even if it failed, have been awarded a sum of £10,000 pounds in a second funding award. This was given by central Government to each official applicant. Formby Parish Council missed out on this second award because it did not apply for the first one.

As a result Formby Parish Council is now ineligible for yet another large grant.

Sefton Cabinet members meet this week to discuss  the ‘High Street Innovation Fund'. The document in front of the Cabinet member’s states:

"To note the current Town Team partnerships that exists within Crosby,  Maghull, Southport and Waterloo and their agreed activities... Agree that the £100,000 High Street Innovation fund be allocated as follows;  Crosby - £17,000, Maghull - £17000, Southport - £49,000 and Waterloo -
£17,000"

The Council document goes onto comment:

"By allocating the above amounts to the Town Teams it will allow partners to create community and economic resilience within the Town Centres, while also allowing the Town Teams to implement a number of their activities. The funding combined with their already allocated £10,000 Portas Pilots monies will allow the Town Teams to plan a sustainable model that will enable them to co-ordinate future activity and map out the future of their Town Centres."

As a former member of the Parish Council I can only express my bitter disappointment at the inertia shown by our local Council members. Their failure to be proactive in the first place has led to the loss of considerable funding that Formby could ill afford to lose. Perhaps as much as around £22,000, the equivalent of half the annual precept.

In my view this failure ought to be acknowledged, the Council should resign. The citizens of Formby deserve an opportunity to elect others more willing to be active for the common good.

The Parish Council began in 2003 and initially received praise for its energy and actions. It is sadly merging into obscurity and anonymity. With the honourable exception of a couple of members, too many of the Council seem to be content to be members in name only.

 

Epiphany Sunday

It's Epiphany Sunday today and is being celebrated as such in Christian Churches throughout Formby, essentially it is the official end of Christmas.

Epiphany, the 12th day after Christmas, celebrates the visit of the three kings or wise men to the Christ Child, signifying the extension of salvation to the Gentiles. What is the date of Epiphany 2013?
(Source: http://catholicism.about.com/od/2013calendar/f/2013_Epiphany.htm) 

So I hope you've taken down all your Christmas decorations. In my view there's always something slightly forlorn about decorations and lights that linger on into the new year. On the other hand I find the local Waitrose shop's decision to display Easter Eggs at the checkout astounding. What do you think?

I like my seasons celebrated properly and at the right time. For all we know yet we still face a harsh winter with snow rather than rain. I prefer my life to reflect the natural rhythms of Nature and Season. Life is not about one constant stream of 'sales and promotions'.

I trust that some day soon the remote retail giants will 'see the light'.

 

 

A Sound Reflection on The PCC Elections

Rather than write a comment I thought you might like to hear a short personal reflection directly on last Thursday's elections for the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner.

 

Do you have any comments of your own, please add them using the 'Your Letters' link above.