TO BE OR NOT TO BE- THAT IS… THE SHIREBROOK
If you would like our town to change for the better – this article is addressed to you. Therefore, I hope you will take its contents to heart. If, however, you are not interested in the crime rate and how the highest taxes in the District are spent, and you are not bothered by the lack of investment in Shirebrook: you can skip this article entirely.
Local elections are coming up, and they will be a ‘to be or not to be’ election for our town. For the first time in years, residents will have a choice- to stay on the current course (ignoring crime, raising taxes and spending most of the money on ‘leisure’) or to elect someone new who offers change and will focus on what residents want.
MAKE YOUR TO-DO LIST! UPDATE IT! FULFILL IT!
When I became an STC councillor, I quickly realised that the current authorities and town “leadership” were more preoccupied with fighting to maintain their privileged positions in the BDC than developing our township. As I slowly began to discover the extent of the neglect and mismanagement, I also began to understand that I would not achieve anything on my own.
Maybe my blog opened a few people’s eyes, but from what I saw- residents had known for years about what was happening. However, residents lacked the belief that something could be changed. So I have added another item to my “to-do list” for my first two years as a councillor: to find more like-minded people and convince them that we CAN CHANGE our town for the better. My biggest dream is that I won’t be alone in the STC chamber after the next election.
The funny thing is that I found dozens of people noticing the same things as me. However, when I tried to persuade them to stand up for a better Shirebrook along with me, I failed repeatedly. It was as if the people of Shirebrook were afraid to take responsibility for anything more than their own four walls.
A COURAGE- SO RARE THESE DAYS! SO NEEDED!
Yes- taking responsibility is an act of courage. However, I would never have thought that the people of Shirebrook were so fearful and timid! All I’ve heard are excuses like: I don’t have the time; I don’t want to fight them; I like politics, but I’ve never thought of myself as a politician; I’m too old; I’m too young; my job; my family; I can’t speak in public; I’m going to retire in two years; I’m already retired; I need to focus on my business; on my career; I’d rather do my hobbies.
I understand this. Everyone has their own priorities. But I’m surprised that in a town of 10,000 people, so few residents have the courage to do more than complain. Where are you, brave people?
WIND OF CHANGE- CAN YOU FEEL IT? IT’S SO REFRESHING!
If residents come out on election day and support the plan for change- the new STC line-up will ensure that, for the first time in decades, Shirebrook will be on the lips of the whole region in a positive way. I admit- our ranks are growing steadily, so if you’re sitting on the fence- today is the time to make a decision. If you make it at the last minute- there may not be any more places available. The truth is that we need an army to change the approach to township affairs in STC. Here’s an example.
75 000 POUNDS GRANT- NO ANSWER
If you are a regular reader of S247, you know that I was a key figure in getting STC a £5,000 grant from the Police and Crime Commissioner to develop a CCTV system. Of course, many elements of a councillor’s job are rewarding and give a sense of duty well done, but the news that the application had been accepted was a special moment for me. This grant only stimulated and irritated my ambition. I decided to find more money for Shirebrook.
I found several grants that would be suitable for STC. Of these, one stood out – the government is offering £75,000 for renovations to the Village Hall. Our Village Hall needs refurbishment like a desert needs rain (especially the roof). As soon as I saw this opportunity, I sent the Town Clerk the following email:
Email sent on 3 January 2023. To date – no response. The deadline passed on 20 January. Proposal to sponsor an account on the “grantonline” website- unanswered. I wonder why I am even trying. How much proof do I need to finally understand – the current township management is not interested in working for the benefit of the township and the residents. They just want to be there, to wallow, to make money, to feel important, and to make sure that no one looks into the financial documents of the township.
“YOU MISS 100 PERCENT OF THE SHOTS YOU DON’T TAKE.” Wayne Gretzky
Writing is my hobby. I have met several people who have told me I have a talent for it. Personally, I don’t think I have talent. I’m very persistent and like to work on a text until it sounds good. More often than not, that’s enough not to be ashamed of the words left on the screen. Sometimes it was good enough to achieve something I wanted- among those things were several grant applications for charities I volunteered in the past. Why not use this skill for the betterment of my town???
The fact that we didn’t try to write and submit that grant application is a sin of omission. I have experience with grant application writing. Therefore, I am willing to sacrifice my private time to make another attempt at grant writing. I want to write and work for the betterment of Shirebrook, but that sentiment is unrequited. Current STC leadership is way too used to “do-nothingsm” and “that will do” approach.
To date, I have published around 180 articles on the blog. If I had concentrated on grant writing for a week, Shirebrook wouldn’t have collapsed, and we would have had a CHANCE of extra money in the local economy. We lost that opportunity. Irretrievably.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
That’s why- I and everyone who wants to turn Shirebrook into a regional leader: we need to step forward or at least go to the polls and vote for fresh blood. Some time ago, I read a book written by Congressman Dan Crenshaw (a very interesting character- I recommend research). In it, I found a few sentences describing how people change when they take up the fight to improve their surroundings.
Quote: “You will be someone who takes care of his man (residents), gets to know them and puts their needs before yours. You will be someone who does not quit in the face of adversity. You will be someone who takes charge and leads when no one else will. You will be detail orientated. Always vigilant. Attentive. You’ll be aggressive in your actions but never lose your cool. You will have a sense of humour because sometimes that is all that can get you through the darkest hours. You will work hard and perform even when no one is watching. You’ll be creative and think outside the box. Even if it gets you in trouble.“
If this does not convince you, let me add something from myself. Good and evil are like waves on the surface of the water in a pond. It doesn’t matter what kind of waves your actions cause: these waves will eventually bounce off the shore and return to you. So it is up to you whether you want to cause good ripples, bad ripples or whether you want to remain completely still, invisible, with no impact on what is around you and take on the chin every wave that comes to you from others. More good ripple-making people- the better. Question: how many bad ripples are you ready to take on before you decide that this is the time to act?
DON’T BE SCARED TO CHALLENGE YOURSELF
Everyone is different. Everyone has something they are good at and can offer to the world. Everyone becomes better when they strive for something they believe in. However, to start, you must first believe in yourself.
I want everyone in Shirebrook to believe in themselves. You know very well what potential you have/we have. We only need more bold people stepping up to do something. So don’t miss out on the greatest adventure of your life just because you’re afraid to start it!
Sylwester Zwierzynski info@shirebrook247.com
