Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
16 September 2010
21:3771238After attending the LRCF meeting tonight ( I was invited along to answer questions about the river Dour )
I thought I would remind everyone of how the Dour was 5yrs ago.
To be honest it hasn't changed and in some areas it has got worse.
For new members or those that would like to see the film again, please go to Youtube and enter.......State of the River Dour.
Sit back and enjoy.
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
Guest 658- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 660
16 September 2010
22:2571251Come on Ian get real the experts are in charge now you know the sort, a degree a laptop and no chuffing idea. The only way forward is for the people to get stuck in and stuff them.

beer the food of the gods
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
16 September 2010
22:3171259i never realised that ian was interested in our river.
takes all sorts i suppose.
Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
16 September 2010
22:3471261I don't know how to reply to that one Howie.
Did you watch the film Howard? If so would you like to make a comment?
I know what you mean Guz but very unlikely to happen.

grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
Guest 658- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 660
16 September 2010
22:4871270Come the revolution

beer the food of the gods
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
16 September 2010
22:4971271sorry ian, just being my facetious self.
Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,316
18 September 2010
19:2071484I must admit that I didn't spot this topic, I expect it was over shadowed by all the Pope bashing!
As Ian quite rightly points out the river is as bad today as it was a few years ago. Given that we are in for cutbacks it can only get worse.
Check out the video and weep. [URL][/URL]
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
18 September 2010
20:4171499I thought the blokes in white suits were coming back to smarten the thing up for us, and DDC blokes in yellow suits were going to carry off all the rubbish?
Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
19 September 2010
00:0171539Thanks for the link Terry, never have fathomed the link thing out yet.
I noticed the thread had a good 122 hits but NOT ONE person gave a view of the state of the Dour.
Did anyone actualy look at it? I doubt it.
Get real Sid, any thing with AGENCY after the title is just money grabbing.
Your river people and it is just being spoilt.

grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
19 September 2010
17:2971573i looked at in when it was first posted here ian, to be honest i think it has gone slightly downhill, the only part that i know has improved is the culvert near the sea front. that seems to be cleared more regularly by sita.
terry has rightly intimated that when the cutbacks from government come then environmental things will take a back seat.
Guest 644- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,214
19 September 2010
17:3671576Next public WCCP Dour clean up is scheduled for 29th September. Meet 10:15 Morrisons car park - all welcome!
Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
19 September 2010
18:3271600When are theWCCP going to tackle that lot shown in the film Phil?
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
21 September 2010
08:2471814Without knocking the hard work done by the volunteers I have questioned, and still do, the effectiveness of doing the clean-ups on a Wednesday. Apparently they have to do it then because their staff are Monday to Friday and they could not change anyone to Tuesday to Saturday and yet how many working people and families can do voluntary work mid-week?
Apart from that we all know only too well that whatever is cleaned out on Wednesday will be thrown back in on Thursday until the river is properly monitored, the vanishing litter bins are restored (and regularly emptied) and people are encouraged to take a pride in the town.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
21 September 2010
13:4671849it does seem to be a never ending story, we all know that we pay our taxes so that these things are done.
any voluntary work is a bonus to the town, the environment agency seem to show little interest now and for the next 5 years they will have a valid excuse for doing nothing.
until there is a river warden with instant fines powers nothing will change, education will not help as we see adults casually littering it.
therefore youngsters think it is o.k.
Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
22 September 2010
20:5572032PHIL?
Hmmm I wonder what will happen when the new Cycle path goes in?????
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
Guest 676- Registered: 1 Jul 2008
- Posts: 521
22 September 2010
21:1572037Ian
Just a thought, how about doing another video showing that the river is in just as bad condition as before, proving that the EA have done very little?
Million-to-one chances crop up nine times out of ten.
Guest 644- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,214
22 September 2010
21:3372048Sorry Ian, I'm not going to get involved in a debate about the river as I'm only an unpaid WCCP volunteer as you know. As such I don't think it would be appropriate for me to comment on the capability or politics behind the WCCP as I do not have the knowledge or background. I, and the others, just turn up on our days off, hook out what we can for the good of the town and go home.
All I will say is that if the WCCP weren't there, the difference in the Dour would more than noticeable in a very short space of time. Under the current arrangements the rubbish at Pencester, Barton Path, Dover College and elsewhere would just build up and up as opposed to being cleared each month, and no-one wants that.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
22 September 2010
21:5672056phil
nobody would denigrate what the volunteers of our town do, whether it is in the river or somewhere else, i have found from bitter experience that the authorities see it as excuse to do nothing themselves.
previous posts on this thread confirm it, whilst there is nobody employed to issue fines to litterers and illegal anglers then all the work done by the volunteers is wasted.
i am banging an old drum here but the fact remains that a warden would pay many times over his/her wages and ancillary costs.
Guest 644- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,214
22 September 2010
22:0272060Totally agreed with you Howard on all your points! Why am I experiencing deja vu?

Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
22 September 2010
22:2872069Sorry if I came across the wrong way Phil, I have nothing but admiration for the present volunteers cleaning the river.
My argument is with the so called authorities in charge, two hobnobs with different views doing the same thing and letting it all go to pot. AND getting paid for it.
since an official body has been in charge, nothing has got better, it has got worse.
Give the river back to the town and let the public look after it free of charge, you know we can do it.
A bit of back bone is all that is needed and we have the people to do so including you.

grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.