Have you seen the Pot Hole Moles down your road yet? Rumour has it they are coming out of hibernation to blitz the many dangerous potholes in our roads. I have never understood, though, this need for a sudden flurry of activity – surely what we really need is a proper continuing programme of road repairs and regular maintenance.

Did you know that if a vehicle suffers damage as a direct result of a pothole, it is possible to claim compensation? However, if a resident reports a pothole, the Council are quick to spray an orange ring round it. They are not so quick to actually mend it though, as nothing usually happens for weeks after. Could it be that this is because once a pothole is highlighted the Council is not liable for compensation, or am I being cynical?

After a very bumpy journey last week, Stephen Holland, Stockport’s Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, was amazed at the lack of joined up thinking at the Council and told me that he supports proper maintenance of our roads.

Another place where there seems to be a lack of joined-up thinking is at Royal Mail. Sadly it now looks inevitable that the Hazel Grove delivery and sorting office will close. Instead it appears all services will be provided from Green Lane in Heaton Norris. I find it frankly unbelievable that Royal Mail think it reasonable to ask people to travel all the way from Hazel Grove to the Heatons (that’s two buses for those without a car) to pick up parcels. With the growth of internet shopping, you might think Royal Mail would want to improve performance and compete for this business not meekly give in and close delivery office after delivery office. It looks like a once great public service is being allowed to disintegrate before our eyes.

Cllr Les Jones
Conservative Group Leader
Heatons North

This article, by Cllr Les Jones, was first published by the Stockport Express on 16.09.09.