News
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STATEMENT
LED Christmas Tree Outdoor Decoration
The Council purchased the tree to add to the range of festive decorations displayed in the town centre during the crucial trading weekends leading up to Christmas. This item is intended for use over many years to come.
Unbeknown at the time of purchase, but based on professional and technical advice received during the planning and implementation process, the tree, which is French in origin, cannot be left assembled unrestricted in public as the voltage is outside of prescribed electrical standards. Therefore, in the worst case scenario, it is conceivable that someone may be tempted to climb upon, or physically damage the tree, and as a consequence be badly, or even fatally, injured.
This was not necessarily a serious problem until it became apparent that the intended locations for display, i.e. on a balcony above the main street was subsequently ruled to be structurally unsound due to cracking in key weight-bearing areas and within a fenced area on the front street where it was determined that the type of fencing was inadequate for such a voltage.
With the public’s health and safety as the priority the Council has therefore restricted the use of the tree this festive season to controlled events such as the highly successful Christmas Lights switch-on festival last Saturday.
Modification work has been scheduled for January/February 2013 to ensure that the tree is fully operational in less controlled circumstances for many more Christmases to come and a range of suitable locations is being considered within the Council’s wider regeneration strategy for the town centre.
In the meantime the Chairman of the Council has instructed its Chief Officer to investigate the situation, and accordingly, the Council is unable to comment until this process has been properly completed.
Russell Morgan
For Stanley Town Council
Find out about the new initiatives going on in the Stanley area including the Don't Litter campaign and the Neighbourhood Warden Service.
New initiatives in Stanley
Wherever possible the Town Council is seeking to work in partnership with 'statutory' service providers to maximise the value for money it is able to derive for every pound it spends on behalf of the local community who funds it via a precept on the Council Tax.
Two current examples of the Town Council benefitting from the 'mainstream' capacity of the unitary County Council include the recently launched 'Don't Litter' campaign and the soon to be launched Neighbourhood Warden Service.
The Neighbourhood Wardens are an enforcement orientated service designed to address public concerns about littering, graffiti, fly-tipping, dog fouling, street-lighting, vehicle related nuisance and other forms of anti-social behaviour which you told us causes annoyance to the majority of residents who play by the rules.
The Wardens will also provide a friendly face to talk to and to help join different sections of the community together in a more positive and cohesive way.