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Councillor denies gritting row claim
Reporter: Marina Berry
Date online: 29 December 2009
A SNOWED in motorist is angry after he claimed a local councillor told him to “sod off” in a heated conversation over gritting.
Carl Wilcock-Chadderton had to dig out his own vehicle and help neighbours free their cars from the town centre Lord Street car park three days in a row.
They use a section reserved for Henshaw Street residents, and the 40-year-old made several pleas to Oldham’s Highways Department to clear and grit the car park.
But after seeing no action he contacted Councillor Mohib Uddin, who he believed was his representative, but in fact covers Coldhurst ward.
The councillor e-mailed highways bosses on Mr Wilcock-Chadderton’s behalf, but his frustration mounted when the situation was not resolved.
Mr Wilcock-Chadderton said: “The Highways Department said they were dealing with primary roads, so I explained people couldn’t even get off the car park to get on to the roads.
“I rang Councillor Uddin to complain, things got slightly heated, and I asked how the council could afford to spend £100,000 on a logo which a four-year-old could have come up with, but can’t find the money to grit roads.
“He told me to sod off and put the telephone down.
“I am very unhappy about this. I understand the pressure the snow has brought, but I don’t expect to be told to sod off by a local councillor,” said the Scottish and Southern Energy electrical engineer.
Councillor Uddin said he did not accept Mr Wilcock-Chadderton’s claim, saying: “After five minutes of him complaining about everything, it came to the point where there was no point in continuing the conversation, it wasn’t going anywhere.
“I told him that and cut him off. If he is upset in any way I apologise, but we all need to take a step back and appreciate the tremendous job our Highways Department is doing.
“We have had some of the worst snow for a good few years and staff are working 12-hour shifts at a very difficult time.
“I appreciate people are frustrated and everyone wants their own patch doing, but we have to be realistic. We have a good set policy and primary and secondary roads are our priority.”
Comments
Typical councillor response, he should resign if he did tell a member of the public to sod off while carrying out his job, after all any other public employer would have been disciplined for this form of behaviour.
"Carl Wilcock-Chadderton had to dig out his own vehicle"
I'm sure there are thousands of Oldham residents that had dig out their own vihicles, so why should he be demanding special treatment - my street still hasn't been gritted, but thats life.
Mr Wilcock-Chadderton posed a reasonable question to the Councillor. Perhaps he touched a nerve, hence the invitation to er (leave). Interesting that the OMC winter weather policy appears to be dated 23rd December 2009. Back of cig packet job?
So why did this silly man not spend time digging himself out rather than begging other people to get him moving? I fail to see why OMBC should spend our cash on gritting car parks, even if they are for the used of council tenants.
The council has a good set policy? Oh no it doesn't. I sympathise with this man. I received a stream of verbal abuse and threats of physical violence from an Oldham Council employee who was causing a problem during the second major snowfall.
Keith - Only bothered about this Councillors patch, remember Cllr Shoab complained about lack of gritting on his patch and he was picked on. Now a Cllr defends Council policy and he's picked on by you, wonder why!
Amazing! another case of I don't want to do anything what so ever to help myself, I want public services to do it for me!
I wonder if this silly man has bothered to buy winter tyres or snow chains? I suspect the answer is no because that would involve him taking some kind of self responsibilty.
I had to dig myself out of my council house driveway a couple of times last week at 5.00am to get to my work place in Leeds..If the council could come round to my house at 4.30am in the morning clear the snow from my driveway. defrost the car and wake me up gently with a cup of tea and a hobnob. it would be greatly appreciated...
fightback - so what you are actually saying is that Cllr Shoab is a hypocrite he "complained about lack of gritting on his patch " yet when Mr Wilcock-Chadderton complained he was allegedly told to "sod off".
Sounds to me like double standards, but then again he is a politician, so I guess it comes with the territory - makes me wonder if he's got the only duck house in Coldhurst !!!!!
Fightback - Councillor Shoab knew the gritting policy of Oldham, and did not raise any significant objections to it at the time, yet when the snow came suddenly he's asking for special treatment for one area. Can you tell me why one area deserves this over another? Would you like to offer an explanation to the people of Saddleworth why Werneth should be gritted & they shouldn't?
Mad/Flake- Its not the Cllrs who are the hypocrites, its you lot who complain about a Cllr who takes on constituents complaints to the Cllrs who run this town, and you also complain when certain Cllrs dont take on complaints to the Cllrs who run this town.
I'll repeat, Cllr Shoab complained anbout the change in gritting routes and complaints he personally received, he never mentioned Saddleworth, that was the usual hypocrites making their "usual" points
How about we all remember that councillors are like most elected officials in the job for the perks not the work.
I think mr wilcock-chadderton had a right to question the councilor after all it was us the people who voted these people in to power. and its not about me me me its about getting the service we pay for in our taxes. which also pays these fools!!
As I did not hear the conversation between the two of them, I will take Carl Wilcock Chadderton's comments with a pinch of salt. What I will say is that the five minutes or so he spent whingeing, would have been better spent making a path to get his car from the reserved spaces he and his neighbours enjoy on the car park, after all your picture suggests he is a relatively fit and able young man, the exercise would do him good.
Carl Wilcock Chadderton (Cont.)
If I or my neighbours want to travel in our cars after a fall of snow, we first of all have to clear our drives by hand, whilst we would like the council to do this for us we do not expect it, get real Mr. Carl Wilcock Chadderton and remember your pecks would really benefit from the exercise.
Fighback As I'm sure Mr Shoab realises, the gritting resorces are finite, gritting one area will mean not gritting another, and as the worst hit area is usually Saddleworth, perhaps they should have left Werneth completely ungritted and done the worst areas. I wonder how many people know that the council did eventually grit the back streets of Werneth,I saw them They didn't bother to do my area.
Having read these comments, it never surprises me how fickle most people are.
Yes the Gritters have been doing a marvellous job, when the actually grit the roads. I have seen 3 on my street, they have driven past, with the backs loaded with gritt, and NO THEY HAVE NOT GRITTED the road at all - yet we are on the route.
All Cllr's should, of all people, be very carful what and how they say things.
Most drivers do not expect to "have their cars dug out", but do expect our Council to ensure the roads ARE SAFE TO USE, and car parks which do fall under theire care, be gritted and or cleared of snow!
Is anyone else getting as tired as I am with fightbacks unending 'racist' comments? He constantly seems to be trying to play the race card & one wonders what his motives can be?
Fighback - Councillor Uddin stated "everyone wants their own patch doing, but we have to be realistic. We have a good set policy and primary and secondary roads are our priority.”
So why was he not "realistic" and complained when his "patch" was not gritted?
I also wonder if you would have sprung to the defence of (for arguements sake) had Councillor McMahon made this statement.
Either way, racist, political or just for the sake of it... WE PAY TAXES THAT EMPLOY SAID COUNCILOR AND THE BOSS'S OF OLDHAM M.B.C all we want is a service thats acceptable we dont expect brilliant.
Sounds to me me judging by his comments, Wazzarsa must be a neighbour of Mr. Carl Wilcock Chadderton and has the use of a priviledged car parking space also (perhaps on the same car park)?.
Never had a problem in coldhurst.Then again I do not live there.
Ididsaythat! - I too am fed up with fightback's comments - always so one sided - yawn yawn - whose side is he/she on???
i live just off a main road which is the 415 bus route which is usually cancelled at the first sign of snow so this snow fall for the first time ever i left my car at home and walked like a lot of other people did to lees road to catch a bus. For the cost of a bus ticket for the day my car was safe because in oldham drivers drive like idiots in the snow so leave your car at home snowed in and walk to a bus stop
ididsaythat , I agree with you fightback seems to be a trifle one sided !!
dispair/idid.../mad...- represent the side you hate, and I'll continue as long as your racist, bigoted and prejudiced comments continue- or would the fascists like to end my right to defend myself?
Well said Fightback, couldn't have put it better myself.
Here is the deal. You pay Council Tax and Road Tax. The companies you work for pay Non Domestic Rates (for which they don't even get a bin emptied). This is all on top of the taxes you pay to central government. You have a RIGHT to expect your patch - and everyone elses patch - to be cleared. You have PAID for it.
Have Your Say
Tremendous job our Highways Department is doing, well I think most of us would totally disagree with uddins totally baseless claim. But was his patch done?
By Keith @ 29/12/2009 12:59:40