Have your say on Knab plans

[Ghostrider]

^ You would get away with only having to flatten a few at the Sletts to take the worst of the corners oot, then widen Breiwick ta da sooth a bit before sending it up the Knab fae da corner abune da Warrie Geo to make landfall again in the vicinity of the Coastguard, would rid folk of virtually all the awkward stuff.

 

Head of the new road, God, or a listed building or something would need tearing down, and we'll all be pushing up daisies at the Knab or similar before that crap was ever settled.

[shetlander]

Surely there are going to be fewer traffic problems with 120 odd houses and the other things that are being proposed than a 900 pupil school? Back then, buses, parents and staff cars were all converging on the place at the same short period of time twice a day.

 

I’d have thought traffic would be a lot more dispersed in the future and just wouldn’t be enough to warrant any big new roadworks.

[Ghostrider]

^ You tell me. Bus times were always a nightmare around there, going back to whenever, and just how many staff did the place have that each brought a car, and how many pupils arrived by the taxi of Mom & Dad?

 

Last I had any real experience of the place staff vehicles weren't really a significant contributory issue to overall traffic, there was some certainly, but staff coming in on school buses and car sharing was common, a few had motorbikes (even if they were generally fairweather) and shock, horror, one or two even walked sometimes. Parental taxis were few and far between, pretty much everybody who didn't qualify for a bus walked or cycled.

 

If traffic numbers have increased significantly since then, I can't believe folk just accepted it quietly as 'the way it is'.

 

Fair enough, the school was half an hour of hell five days a week, and then it was over, unless there was a funeral on, and residential is spread relatively constant 24/7/365. Whichever option is the greater hell in the end is probably debatable.

 

It might be interesting to monitor how may traffic movements are in a 100-100+ housing development, say Nederdale, in any one 24 hour period, as thats potentially what you're adding on to the existing residential traffic using that road in any 24 hour period. At least with the school many residents never met with the school traffic as they'd left earlier in the morning and only came back later in the evening. Adding more residential means you're increasing the traffic level 24/7/365 meaning everybody is going to be affected constantly.

[Urabug]

I'm annoyed that our council has underestimated the demolition of the old AHS by some 260%.

Is our council offices full of "Abbots" I'm sure you all know the one I mean.

How could those calculations be so wrong,makes me wonder about the rents and community tax, are they correct !!.

I think we the public are entitled to a full explanation,after all this is public money.  

[admin]

A pre-emptive reminder from the forum T&Cs

On 01/12/2006 at 01:07, admin said:

Avoid sweeping statements and generalised moaning, particularly with regard to whole local authorities, political parties, governments or organisations - These activities translate as "blah, blah, moan, moan" and do nothing to encourage constructive debate. If you have specific examples and/or reasoning, please refer to them and keep them relevant to the topic's subject matter.

In summary

• Constructive critique and scrutiny = good
• Slagging off 'da cooncil' = bad

Remember that 'da cooncil' are just normal folk going to work and doing their best.

[Urabug]

So then let those who made the mistake admit it and explain why ,nothing wrong with admitting you have made an error but there is a lot of money in this one, and IMHO requires some explanation.

[Davie P]

I assume you're talking about this

• https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2021/01/20/knab-redevelopment-project-takes-step-forward-after-vote/
• https://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2021/01/20/sic-approves-2-4m-additional-funding-for-knab-redevelopment-amid-concerns-over-escalating-costs

From the Shetland Times article: "council officials agreed to give elected members more details on the history of the process" so it seems the Councillors agree with you that that it needs explanation @Urabug. Estimates are estimates - it's not an exact science and the estimates will become more accurate as the various cost factors are better understood and initial quotes come in.

I expect it'll be a complex overall budget due to the number of usages and funding streams involved.

[George.]

17 hours ago, admin said:

Remember that 'da cooncil' are just normal folk going to work and doing their best.

I wonder why they gave the Viking away for what appears to be no justifiable reason.

Of course, they're certainly doing a splendid job as normal folk do. 

Normal beyond belief.

[admin]

@George. ironically, we refer you to the section of our T&Cs above (Avoid sweeping statements and generalised moaning) from the post you have actually quoted. The council is a large organisation employing 1000s of folk across many departments - we assume you don't mean the Essey Kert drivers or teachers when you refer to 'they'

[Muckle Oxters]

I've worked for da SIC a couple times and wis aware o how aften folk would complain about 'da council' (or 'da coonty' in my day)

An interesting thing was dat if I ever brought somebody up on it and pointed out dat I was part o 'da coonty' dey wid usually be a bit shi*ten on and say 'I wisna meaning dee'. 

It wis always dis mythical managers dey pictured sittin in offices purposely wastin money on nonsense, takin backhanders, givin jobs tae dir pals and raking in massive wages, and dey wir likee fae sooth asweel! Dunna get me wrang, I worked we a twaree turds in my time dare but probably less so dan idder workplaces, and dir wis (and I'm sure still is) a lot o very capable and hardworking staff dare.

Anidder interesting thing was dat individual SIC employees wid get singled out for da praise (essy kert drivers and teachers, fur example seein as dey wir mentioned) but 'da coonty' wid get ony criticism, and quite aften da criticism wis for things dat had nothin to do wee da SIC. Rarely have I ever heard o onybody praising 'da coonty', and dir's plenty dey do worthy o a grain o praise noo and again.

I think it's joost dat da SIC is dat big dat folk feel dey can slag it aff withoot worrying aboot it. It's an easy target!

So afore slaggin aff 'da coonty' den tink fur a moment dat dirs a good chance its your friends and neighbours dat work dare dat will be readin whit you write.

Edited January 23, 2021 by Muckle Oxters

[Urabug]

When I refer to " the council" i'm referring to the appropriate department that is making this decision , not the council as a whole,but of course as in most of this HYS topics always one who has to make an issue.

But surely it would be the contractors who are interested in the demolition who would set the price .

Is it correct to tell the contractors how much you are prepared to pay,before getting in the contractors estimates.

Just a thought as usual I will be wrong.

[Muckle Oxters]

Whits a HYS topic? And by da wye my post isna directed at onybody or ony post in particular - merely an observation seein as dat's whit folk wir spikin about

-

Most likley a list o works required wid go oot tae competitive tender. Da potential contractors might have an idea of how much money is slooshing aboot a project by following media reports about budgets etc, dey will hiv a good idea of whit idder companies might be pittin in for, and how much idder wark dir is in da sector - dat will aa affect dir price. Whitever happens it'll likley be a lot mair expensive dan a similar contract on da mainland.

But ony kind o public procurement contract is a competitive process and very tightly monitored and controlled.

[Urabug]

I agree Muckle Oxters,but surely it would be best practice to let those wishing to do the demolition quote prices and then the council declare how much they are prepared to pay,or accept the offer.

Surely its prudent to keep how much you are prepared to spend a secret until all the quotes are in.

This after all is public money and should be spent wisely.

[Muckle Oxters]

I agree dat wid likely result in amore competitive price and dat wid by da wye o things in da commercial world.

But local authorities and idder public bodies hiv to set and publish budgets, and dat's in da public domain so contractors hae a good idea tae start wee. Da finer points o da budgets will likely be considered as 'commercially sensitive' and no be made public, and will be discussed in closed sessions by cooncillors and heads o relevant departments.

Pittin mesel in da shoes o a demolition contractor kennin dat Shetland is da richest local authority in Scotland and dat it'll be a logistic vergg doin da wark up here, I'd certainly be tempted to go in we a high price!

[Urabug]

Wish I wiz a contractor