bent wheelies

Under the guise of combating international terrorism, western governments have spawned a raft of highly questionable anti freedom legislation upon the innocent.
Under the pretence of global warming, allied to unfathomable carbon footprint nonsense (at least to most laymen anyway), rafts of additional, burdensome taxes have been unjustifiably foisted upon everyone.
Currently the worthwhile object of waste recycling, where 9 out of 10 residents seemingly appear to approve, Brighouse Echo, Feb 21st; "Wheeling in the changes" is being "bent" in order to bring about the ghastly wheelie bin programme.
WW 2 wartime regulations were draconian I know, but at least the population were assured that come cessation of hostilities they would be lifted. And , for the most part, so they were. However, it is difficult to conceive, that todays loss of traditional freedoms, additional tax burdens and wheelie bins will not be with us in perpetuity!

The unedited version!

Councillor Nick Yates' letter, Echo 31st Jan; bearing the cautionary: "It's not over until it's really over" in respect of Sugdens and anticipated public baths provision, is both timely, noteworthy and commendable.
However, I should like to throw caution to the wind and introduce a number of more zany, satirical and machinate asides.

Financial viability of Calderdale/CDP preferred project for Sudgen's queried at Compulsory Purchase Order Public Inquiry.

Council's own expert witness agrees scheme to be " bonkers". Para.729, pg 144 of Inquiry Report.

Long standing divisive scheme for Sugden's finally crashes and burns. Thirty years of endless Brighouse winter morphs into early spring as warmth from glowing wreckage spreads.

Frantic search for old baths plans as previously impoverished Council reels. Labelled "scroungers" in enquiry report, they suddenly "discover" basketful of shekels.
Wonder of wonders! Is someone near you putting up for re-election real soon? Warning! Beware electoral promises. Those who put trust in 'em grow old disappointed.

Funds amounting to £6million revealed. Apparently sufficient for not one, but for three pools! Brighouse nominated a beneficiary. Apportionment of funds to remain close secret. Think. Sowerby £2.75million. Halifax £3.25million. Brighouse £????? Go figure!

Vilified and denigrated "dysfunctional." by Calderdale supremo, Mr Adrian Rose, for not toeing Council's line former Brighouse Regeneration Forum exhumed and exonerated.

Brimming with vision a ridiculed and maligned Brighouse Forward vindicated overnight.

A usually vociferous Brighouse Pride rendered mute as it swallows it's tongue.

Embattled developer, Bill Ibberson, emerges unscathed and elated from bunker 'neath twin silos and draws line in sand.

Mill Royd Street to become enshrined. Thunderous cheering throughout Rastrick reportedly heard in Leeds.

Absence of paroxysms of glee and ohbejoyfulness on West Park Street noted. Sugdens tin shed result a minor aberration. Big freeze set to to continue. Subliminality rules--"geddit?" No surrender!

Stunned, shocked and, yep, angry Coun Colin Stout jets back to mother earth from Fullers. Not usually given to having toffee snatched from his mouth he launches immediate rhetorical broadside and casts about for someone to blame. Brighouse swimmers take the hit. Evidently too busy playing water polo elsewhere to walk the walk in support of retail nightmare Colin always insisted was walled up and nailed on.

Seekers of who and what was really to blame for Calderdale's setback should scan pages 73/74 of enquiry report. Gory details of missile attack and exposure of those responsible for lighting the blue touch paper are glaringly revealed.

Overly ecstatic and almost beside himself Coun Craig Whittaker enthuses and whoops with extreme excitement. Echo letters Jan 24th. In his raptures, triggered by enquiry inspector's kiboshing of Mill Royd Street closure and associated Sugdens scheme, he calls for; "A serious debate going forward so that the people of the area can insist on the right development." But wasn't this precisely what group members seeking to represent people of the area, were endeavouring to do against his constant opposition and covert obstruction whilst he was Brighouse Regeneration Forum's chairman? Suitably guided and monitored by Council's man on the spot, Mark Aylward, of course. However Craig's recent disclosure forces me to admit that he sure had old George fooled. For there's silly me believing that he was gung-ho and rooting for Calderdale's ghastly retail mess on Sugden's all the time, irrespective of what people of the area thought!

In a further recent newspaper;" Don't hold your breath" prognostication, Calderdale's community services director, Kersten England, anticipates 2010 as the date for completion of a Brighouse pool. This and four possible pool site locations are also mentioned.

E-mailed efforts to secure identification of these sites have, so far, met with negative response. Oh dear! Here we go again. How does that chime with community engagement? Or is there a fear that if sites were now identified someone might turn up in the dead of night and cart them all away?

In an earlier Echo letter I wrote of Councillor Rogan foretelling of big happenings for Brighouse. The picture is now beginning to shape up. Urgent that readers should stay tuned to these columns for further mind warping revelations.