Editor’s Comment August

ONE could almost feel sorry for Cheshire West and Chester councillor Karen Shore when she attended a meeting of Frodsham Town Council in her capacity as lead member for environment.
Almost, but not quite.
She clearly did not expect the barrage of criticism she got from local councillors. Indeed, she had not come prepared to deal with some of the complaints she received.
Cllr Shore brought along a CWAC officer for support – but members of the Town Council made it clear they wanted to hear from her, as the elected portfolio holder, not from a paid council officer.
We heard Frodsham described as a “grot spot” and compared with a Third World country – descriptions we admit we found it difficult to accept.
But when so many disparate voices, all belonging to local councillors well placed to know what they are talking about, sing a similar song, they have to be taken seriously.
In essence, they were saying that Frodsham, until recently regarded by most as a picture postcard town and winner of many awards in the annual Civic Pride competitions, was going down the spout.
We heard of rising piles of litter, fly-tipping, neglected trees, overgrown ponds, reduced opening hours at the recycling centre, parking issues, etc., etc.
And blame for everything was laid fairly and squarely at CWAC’s door.
Cllr Shore refuted some claims, denied knowledge of others, promised to look into some and, importantly, to visit the overgrown ponds at Saltworks fields which, it was claimed, posed a threat to children’s lives.
But her assertion that it was better to have reduced hours at the recycling centre than to have it closed altogether did not go down well at all.
CWAC attempts to blame it all on government austerity cuts were so predictable as to be laughable. Every council in the country can make the same claim – and with some justification. But they are not all subjected to the level of criticism that CWAC received at this meeting – and we all know that some councils, like some people, can make a pound go further than others.
That is one way of explaining the level of criticism CWAC received at the meeting. Another way would be to accept that those who argue that Frodsham comes at the back of the queue as far as CWAC is concerned, are right.