“WHAT is this life if full of care We have no time to stand and stare”

It is a fact that I spend a good deal of my leisure time reading and seeing what events unfold before my eyes – both at home and abroad.

Needless to say, it gives me no pleasure to witness how fickle human behaviour manifests itself in society nowadays.

In my honest opinion the single biggest problem lies with the fact that public apathy accounts for a great deal of our problems.

The vote to leave the European Union was made some twelve months ago, by the adult voting public in the UK, yet it was not followed up with the necessary parliamentary majority for out Prime Minister to be placed in a good position to negotiate a fair exit arrangement for us all.

What a shame.

Quite apart from this, the recent tragic loss of life in the tower block fire in London has come about simply because politicians, at both local and central government level failed to address the need for sprinkler systems to be installed in the building, rather than expensive cladding, to improve its insulation, reduce its overall energy cost.

What a shame.

Turning to the more parochial topic of the local Conservative MP Neil Carmichael, losing his safe parliamentary seat here in Stroud (4,000 majority beforehand) comes as no real surprise to me at all.

He had been repeatedly advised/given clear warning signals this would prove to be the case.

What planet does this man live on, if he seriously thinks the Conservative Party would wish to endorse this candidacy a second time around?

Attempts can be made, to improve matters, by concerned individual citizens, of course.

In my experience, they are largely ineffective.

A letter of mine, published by the SNJ in recent months, highlighted the fact that large sums of council taxpayer’s money in this area was to be wasted in attempting to reduce the risks of flooding in some houses nearby.

My letter drew no response from anyone, believe it or not!

On the contrary, the money was spent and the contractors completed their work.

Three days after the job was finished, a heavy rain storm occurred and some of the houses at risk were flooded.

Surprise, surprise!

At a parish council meeting held in the Rodborough Community Hall, I learned that the county council propose to spend even more of taxpayers’ money to overcome this problem, following the same/completely wrong route.

When will the lessons ever be learned, I wonder?

John Pycroft

Rodborough