Notts County Council bears down on its electorate over buses

Oh this is good.....

Protesters were threatened with eviction from a Notts County Council meeting today as the cabinet voted for the controversial bus plugs to stay.

Labour members were jeered by a packed public gallery as they voted through the recommendations.

The plugs - which restrict all traffic but buses, pedestrians and cyclists entering part of the A612 Burton Road and Stoke Lane - were put in to relieve congestion at the junction with Shearing Hill in Gedling.

Council officers warned if the plugs were removed more than 11,000 motorists would return to the road.

As this was read out to the cabinet meeting at County Hall protestors shouted "rubbish".

Council leader David Kirkham threatened to evict those shouting from the public gallery.

Cabinet member for environment Stella Smedley pointed to the gallery and said: "The jeering shows a lack of good manners."

Outside the meeting, Margaret Pollard, 62, from Burton Joyce, said she was "incensed" with Coun Smedley's comments.

Several protesters left voluntarily. Pauline Reffin, 69, of Gedling Village, said: "They said that everybody in Gedling is supposed to be for these bus plugs. We want it removed.

"The traffic to me is exactly the same. It just comes around a different road."

Who do Nottinghamshire County Council's councillors think they are? I am surprised Lynn Davis from East View, Bridgford didn't show up and tell them all to "go home and do as you are told....NOW!" Just like she usually does when people assert their rights.

As for David Kirkham, he is the totalitarian, slave driving Labour leader of Nottinghamshire County Council who clamped down on absence and sickness levels amongst council staff as opposed to facing the music over the extremely bad pay and conditions that make his staff ill in the first place.

Regarding meetings he attends, Cllr Kirkham says on his web page:

The Deputy Leader and I also continue to hold fortnightly meetings with a representative from the Nottingham Evening Post and Corporate Communications, where current and forthcoming areas of interest are discussed. I also meet with a representative of the CHAD to discuss similar matters.

I also continue to hold fortnightly Communication Portfolio update meetings with the Deputy Leader and officers to discuss how we can best we can keep the people of Nottinghamshire informed through County Council channels about our plans.

What a sinister man! Not a mention of meetings with community groups or listening to people what so ever. Does he seriously expect to win another election?