Hampshire – Page 5

White Elephants ?

I don’t know about anyone else, but I am embarrassed for our Royal Navy. Especially for those currently deployed aboard the aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales .

My perception may be wrong, but it seems to me that these carriers have spent more time in port than they have at sea since their initial launch in 2014 and 2017 respectively.

Just 18 months ago, HMS Prince of Wales broke down off the Isle of Wight. A fault with a propeller shaft coupling took nine months to resolve.

HMS Queen Elizabeth was due to participate in a major naval exercise, but the February 4th sailing, from Portsmouth,was cancelled due to a mechanical fault discovered during pre-sailing checks. This new fault is said to be propeller shaft based but not related to HMS Prince of Wales’ earlier problem.

So HMS Prince of Wales was scheduled to replace her sister ship and set sail on February 11th. At the last minute, this sailing was cancelled. The MOD has not divulged the reason for the delay, but HMS Prince of Wales did, in fact, set sail yesterday, 12th February.

There must be many red faces in both the Admiralty and the MOD.

HMS Prince of Wales cost around £3.2bn and does not appear to be good value for money. The Admiralty, MOD, British Government should be pursuing Babcocks, the ship builders, for a refund or some form of compensation.

It is not acceptable that the British taxpayer should fund these repairs. If Babcock have supplied substandard quality product then they should be held liable.

The government needs to get a grip before the RN and the UK become a total laughing stock.

https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/2024/02/12/royal-navy-hms-prince-of-wales-and-hms-queen-elizabeth-branded-unreliable-as-ex-chief-calls-for-refund/content.html

Stupid Suggestion

https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/2024/02/10/portsmouth-sewage-flick-drummond-slammed-as-mp-says-people-should-not-flush-toilets-when-its-raining/content.html

It’s no wonder MP Flick Drummond has been criticised.

She has suggested that Jo and Joanna Public should stop flushing the loo, taking a bath, or using their washing machines during times of heavy rain.

Her ridiculous comments are just taking the focus away from the real issue, which is that the water companies are doing very little to prevent the discharge of sewage into our rivers and coastal waters.

Since the start of 2024, there have been 23 confirmed occasions of sewage being released into the Langstone Harbour area.

23 occasions in less than two months. What this shows is that fining the water companies isn’t working.

In 2021, Southern Water was fined £90m for deliberately dumping billions of litres of raw sewage into protected seas over several years for its own financial gain.

Just last year, 2023, Southern Water was instructed to return £43 million to customers by reducing bills for 2024.

And rubbing salt into public wounds, the water companies paid out £65.9bn in dividends to shareholders in the years up to 2022.

So somewhere between paying fines and paying dividends are the huge profits they are making, enabling them to pay huge salaries to their management.

Ian McAulay, CEO for Souther Water, was apparently paid a bonus of £550,900 in 2020/21. This is in addition to a £435,000-a-year salary and with pension payments and benefits secured a £1.082m pay package.

It’s time that these company execs were hit in their personal pockets. Then, maybe, they would feel inclined to take positive action.

So Flick Drummond, perhaps instead of blaming the public, you could target the true people responsible, the water companies, and their execs.

Perhaps you could also look at the decision-making of the planners, which surrounds the many developments in this area and apply pressure to ensure that the sewage infrastructure is set in place BEFORE building starts.

The public voted you into your position to speak on their behalf. They can easily vote you out.

Poor Standard Of Care

I moved into my current home in 1986, and one of the primary selling points for me was the green space at the front.

This green space, owned by the local council, had two large, over 80ft, mature Beech Trees, a mature Yew, and a number of other trees.

Under the trees, there was a grassy area maintained by Havant Borough Council (HBC).

The council employees would turn to several times a year to cut the grass and generally keep the area tidy.

So pleasant was this area that children used to gather in the shade of the trees, to play and on occasion picnic. Our own children and grandchildren used to play there too.

https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-19-1949/content.html

Over the years, the nature of this green space has changed. One of the great Beeches got sick and had to be taken down. Some branches on the remaining Beech had become so long and heavy that they had to be cut off lest they break under their own weight and cause catastrophic damage to the main trunk. All the tree surgery managed by HBC.

Unfortunately, while the standard of tree care has been exemplary, the same can not be said of general care of the area.

The open area has become a bit of a wilderness, with brambles taking over to such an extent that they are encroaching on the driveway shared by me and my neighbours.

In fact, the overspill of the brambles is such that some of our ubiquitous couriers have refused to drive down to make their deliveries.

My neighbours and I have contacted the council in the past, and someone has come along and cut back the undergrowth. But they, the HBC, are reactive, not proactive.

In fact, after I had complained, one of the workers, clearly disgruntled at having to come back after a less than satisfactory grass cutting session, took it upon himself to inform me that he had been in the job for twenty plus years and that they had never maintained this area.

I pointed out that the council workers used to ride their sit on mowers in circles around the trees. The same trees that are hidden behind the wild scrub and brambles, which now prevents access by the mowers.

The untamed undergrowth has brought with it another undesirable activity. People have used the bushes directly in front of my neighbours living room as an impromptu toilet. Standing, urinating while staring directly into her lounge.

And, then there is the footpath that subdivides the open area, which is nearly always covered in detritus from the trees. Leaves, twigs, and beech mast all combine to make the path albut unusable. At night time it can be quite dangerous. More so since the new street lights have been installed. They may well be less light polluting, but the nearest light has little or no effect on illuminating this pathway.

So there in a nutshell, is my personal view on the deteriorating standard of upkeep by HBC.

It’s a shame that HBC doesn’t seem to want to reduce my council tax in line with the reduced services.

Right Now ..

What am I listening to ….

Assassing by Marillion from their 1984 album, Fugazi.

I saw this band live, back in the 80’s, at Portsmouth Guildhall. If my memory serves, they were supported by a local band, Rufus Stone.

Got Taken Short ?

The driver was obviously desperate to make use of the public loo, close to the Asda store in Waterlooville.

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/car-mounts-pavement-near-public-toilets-in-waterlooville-near-asda-4507578?fbclid=IwAR3l5ut2VDIxRRWkS750p34V5YOgtaf81-24FVwN044LedEwwNmZtw65hWU

Witness appeal after reports of a man indecently exposing himself in Havant

https://members.hampshirealert.co.uk/AlertMessage/ReadMessage/781D8C988ADCEF1D1242B42E0EF2853D

The following has been copied from this alert ….

The man the police are looking for is described as being white and aged 35-45. He was wearing black clothing, including a black hooded top, and a pink facemask.

The man was said to be stood inside an alleyway that connects Riders Lane and Ditcham Crescent, before walking away in the direction of Purbrook Way. The woman was not approached by the man and was not hurt.

If you were in the area and saw a man of this description acting suspiciously, or if you have any information that could help us with our investigation, please contact us on 101 quoting 44240042194, or go online to report via How to tell us about an existing case or report | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.

Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or visit their website, below.

Independent UK charity taking crime information anonymously | Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org)

Sky Park Farm

Today, we spent a glorious few hours with our granddaughter and great grandson at Sky Park Farm

While it is a working deer farm, it is also a great place to visit to keep the kids entertained.

Providing easy walks and opportunities to feed the various species of deer.

Also on site is a farm shop and restaurant along with a huge play area for kids.

We did the obligatory walk and fed the deer before heading inside for a spot of lunch.

Finally, once our tummys had been satisfied, we headed to the play area so that my great grandson could run off what energy he had left.

Such was the effects of all that walking, playing, and fresh air on arrival at home, Junior took himself off to his bed.

Sky Park Farm is a lovely place to visit, and we will return.

Little Shits

https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/full_page_image/page-4-2012/content.html

What pleasure do these little shits get from terrorising an old lady ? Did she have the temerity to speak to them about their behaviour, making herself a target.

Do they feel brave ? Obviously not, since they are launching their missiles from the cover of a wall.

Where are their parents ? Do they know what their little darlings are up to?

And let’s stop claiming that the police aren’t doing anything. The few police that we have cannot be everywhere at once, and at the first sign of a police uniform, the perpetrators will scarper. Someone out there knows who they are, turn them over to the police.

Shame on those that have no respect for the elderly.