Unless you are particularly interested in our planning issues I suggest you don't need to read this blog entry today. It really is my way of getting something off my chest.....
What do Midlothian cuts have to do with woodland? Nothing direct I guess but I recently attended a meeting organised by Midlothian Council to review the extent of the local authority cuts. I am a worried person. How on earth are they going to save £25 million over the next four years? The meeting had a workshop session and I did suggest some possible routes to saving but really, I have no idea how they are going to achieve these cuts. Then again, I do have a view on saving money in general and maybe the principals are the same no matter the size of the budget.
I met with the head of a major business in Edinburgh this summer and I think he took a bit of shine to me. I explained my philosophy on finance and told him that I examine every single household expenditure and always make sure we spend within our means. I think that "good housekeeping" for finances can be applied to big business in the same way as in the home. Save a little wherever, no matter how small, and instil culture change that drives individuals to want to do more. The head guy said to me that he always advised his own managers of the same approach. I felt chuffed to have him endorse my philosophy.
On the back of all this thinking about the cuts, Gerry said to me "how much do you think our house build and planning application cost the local authority in dealing with all the complaints?" Hard to put an exact figure on it but we have 8 lever arch files of paper work; 3 are for plans and the rest is correspondence. A lot more files than one might expect for a small build project. We have referenced these files continually this last year. More worryingly we referenced back to our 1994 files after yet another false accusation of building the extension onto the cottage without planning permission. There it was - in black and white - our planning application and it wasn't retrospective. I digress - apologies - suffice to say that evidence of "collusion" was noted by our planning official.
Getting back to the cost of our recent build to the council, I have a feel factor that 50% of the correspondence was in response to complaints and challenges and within those challenges were a fair number which were not valid. Some of course were valid and I would agree with our local councillor that the Head of Planning has used a great deal of circumspection in preparing responses. You would be amazed at how many people in the council had to contribute to these responses. And of course, I asked for a Freedom of Information request which also has a cost. I am led to understand a single A4 sheet has a "cost" of between £50 and £100 and from our files we estimate the total to be in the order of £250K. If half is generated because this is a necessity that leaves a potential cost to the tax payer as £125K. Of course this is my own "back of a fag packet" calculation and it might be wildly out. However, if there are lessons to be learnt and savings to be made, my own duty and responsibility as a community councillor makes me want to raise awareness if nothing else.
At community council on Monday 22nd I requested time to put forward my case from the public side of the meeting. It went like this.
"Having heard the passionate pleas from a very stressed Head of Midlothian for budget cuts, I want this community to be aware of the possible waste of money in dealing with petty issues regarding our house build this last year". I went on to explain the possible costs as above. I then cited a number of examples -
1. Checking the legality of a perceived Right of Way - twice in 1998 and again in 2009. This had a cost.
Quite a bit of paperwork was generated on this issue - not to mention the character assassination that followed when we were accused of closing the public footpath down to Ironmills.
2. Requesting that a woodland path extension be made subject of a planning application. This has a cost.
Confusion reigns on this one that this path has "engineering" works. I wonder how many other woodlands rectify path slippage using simple means and are then expected to register for planning approval. Hell I was building a bridge in Vogrie with volunteers last week! There is still some way to go on this one but the visit of a planning enforcement officer to look at this particular issue gave way to an error which could give us favour with another. I wouldn't abuse this error but it does taste sweet that complaints yielded an own goal. Hamlet again comes to mind "The lady doth protest too much".
3. Requesting that simple steps cut into the steep slope of the woodland for access for tree planting and woodland management, be subject to a planning application. This has a cost.
To access this sloped area of the woodland we had cut some decent steps into the ground to stop me falling down into the River Esk. I have used this access to create wood piles for wildlife and to get ready for further planting.
4.Requesting a stop order on Bluebell planting despite no such thing happening. I read out the FOI statement that I found. (see previous post). This had a cost
5. Persisting with false accusations of illegal tree felling when the Scottish Power line was moved for very good reason* and taking up the cause with Scottish Power ad nausea - despite all tree felling being approved. This had a cost.
I blogged this earlier - *The power line was moved a few metres to the North edge (nearer to the public steps which carry on up to the left of the bridge in this photo) last year as part of a longer term approach to keeping the regular clearance under the power line closer to the public footpath and allowing the undergrowth to regenerate on the bank on the other side. Making the scar on the slope one single scar. I doubt I'll ever get this across to some individuals but I care not a jot now.
I must commend my previous employer here. I used to deal with the Medicines Inspectorate in my time and learned many valuable lessons in how to deal with "incidents" that might put patient lives at risk. I always researched well to determine root cause. I could do the same here and make a mountain out of this - if you pardon the pun. But life is too short to bother.
6. Missing A0 sized coloured plans that were copyright protected, one group stating that they had been copied at the local library when no such copy facility was possible, causing the council to investigate our loss. This had a cost.
The plans that went missing have a value of about £30 and they never turned up. We still don't know what happened to them. The cost of the plans per se is minor compared to the ensuing investigations.
Councillor Beattie responded to my request about costs at the meeting. Where there might be a breach of planning the council has a statutory obligation to investigate; that is understood and I agree the Head of Planning acted with personal judgement and circumspection. I applaud him for his responses thus far.
The councillor offered the possibility of an Audit Enquiry but I took the hint that this would just add to the costs and I should judge whether or not this would be a "reasonable enquiry". After some round-the-room discussion Councillor Beattie then said that she had seen success with mediation services and this might be a good case for mediation. Gerry agreed and asked who to contact. He sent a letter out the next day. We will see what happens.
So can I save the council money - Maybe.
Have I cost the council money myself this last year- Probably.
Have petty ill informed complaints cost the council money this year - Most definitely
Has the tax payer benefited from the debacle of our planning issues this last year - No in my opinion they have not.
At least this week I contributed 2 days of voluntary time working with the Ranger service and the pathways volunteers and I put something back. I intend to do lots more and am applying for a grant for a stretch of open ground on Cemetery Road that could be improved for the benefit of the public. These positive actions far outweigh the negative. Oh and I visited a lovely lady called Stella at Kevock Gardens. What an inspiration. I see an additional woodland management plan with a planting schedule in the very near future. Then I'll be able to get back to blogging something of genuine interest to gardeners and owners of woodlands alike.
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