Volunteers deserve respect

ONE sad flashback of Christmas 2018 comes from Rotarians running an impressive and illuminated Christmas float at Holywell.

They had given up cosy nights sitting around their fires, only to be targeted with "obscene verbal attacks".

Angry parents cursed them for keeping Santa’s float rolling and not stopping.

Reflections was told: “Our slow-moving float had a tight schedule to get round the town, so we announced our stopping places in advance. Some parents abused us because we would not stop outside individual homes.”

These volunteers brave the cold to take Father Christmas to the children – to spread the Christmas spirit in an act of goodwill – and had hoped it would be a two-way gesture!

Get it sorted!

PLANS to pump £9.3million into roads in the Oswestry area now looks as though it is to be concentrated only on our rogue roundabout at Mile End. It’s been deemed that spreading the cash across hitherto other hopeful improvements will spread the jam too thin.

Shropshire Council cabinet member for Whittington, Councillor Steve Charmley, said that the final design for the Mile End roundabout was currently being costed.

This latest ‘correction’ is to see this bosh of a roundabout become capable of greater volume to accommodate more housing.

But just for the record, this is the FIFTH attempt at getting the Mile End sorted, which means it probably won’t be – just like the other four bids!

Thanks, Mr Taxman!

THE taxman gave Llanymynech Golf Club members a wonderful pre-Christmas fillip enabling £80,000 to be ploughed into the dual-country hilltop course.

It’s one of north Shropshire’s most-loved golf clubs, which spreads from Shropshire into Powys.

The HMRC refund to golf clubs from overpaid VAT on green fees in 2016 will be put to good use over the next 18 months.

Janice Stanistreet, head of marketing at the club, said the cash will ensure members and visitors continue to enjoy the club’s facilities.

It was first invested in 15 new buggies and now the focus will be on improving the greens.

Recycling quandry

IT’S hardly the best way to face the new year with Shropshire Council considering shutting some satellite recycling centres – as they’re attracting fly-tippers.

It always puzzled me as a teenager when lay-by litter bins were removed, ‘so they no longer attracted litter’.

Isn’t the solution here surely to supply waste bins and empty them more often?

Shropshire Council’s concern is small recycling centres, like the one near Oswestry’s minor injury unit, encourage illegal fly-tipping.

But it also demonstrates there’s a huge demand for extra waste collection.

And I can let you in on a wee clue about the motive behind the decision – that removing the sites altogether will save the council £230,000!