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Elderly couple forced to mow son's grave

6:12pm Wednesday 25th June 2008

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A COUNCIL'S maintenance of a Darlington graveyard has been criticised after an elderly couple revealed they have been cutting grass at the site themselves for more than five years.

John and Muriel Davies grew so tired of complaining about the state of West Cemetery that they started visiting every week with gardening tools to tidy up their son's grave.

Mr and Mrs Davies, both 73, even mow the grass and polish the headstones of the six surrounding plots to keep the place looking presentable.

Mr Davies, of Pilmoor Green, said Darlington Borough Council's Street Scene workers strim the grass but leave piles of rotting cuttings lying on the graves.

"I dont want to get anybody into trouble but it is terrible what they are doing," he said.

"They only want their pay cheque at the end of the month, they don't take any pride in their work.

"We have been going to the cemetery for years and it was lovely at one time. Now it is in a terrible state."

Mr and Mrs Davies' son Bryan died in 1966 because of a hole in the heart. He was three years old.

"It's not something you ever get over, so we still visit and we like to keep the place as tidy as we can," said Mr Davies.

"The council use strimmers to cut the grass and they blast the cuttings all over the place. "Grass ends up sticking to the headstones, and when it's left in clumps it begins to smell.

"I used to go down to the Town Hall to complain and I was always told something would be done about it. In the end we just asked them to leave it alone so we could do it ourselves.

"I used to use a push mower but it got too much for me as I got older so I use an electric one now.

"My wife and I will be buried there one day, and when we go there will be nobody to keep the grave tidy. It will all go to rack and ruin."

A spokeswoman for the council said: "We are aware of problems in this area and are working to solve them."

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Your Say YourThe Northern Echo

Brian, Darlington says...
7:36pm Wed 25 Jun 08

Excuses again and again, that is one thing this council is good for.

To treat this elderly couple, with utter contempt for over 5 years, enshrines this “Listening Council’s” attitude towards the elderly and the electorate.

Shame on the council and its pride less employees

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jonathan, darlington says...
7:01am Thu 26 Jun 08

I fully agree with brian's comment. I also believe councils should be named and shamed as they are quick to do with other people. This council has no respect for anyone but themselves

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owen robinson, hartlepool says...
8:33am Thu 26 Jun 08

shows how socialism has been so twisted, that these honest, hard working and still grieving people are treated with total and utter contempt - absolute total mismanagement for 5 years. You should all hang your heads in shame!

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Charlie, Darlington says...
12:42pm Thu 26 Jun 08

Yet another example of our caring council.Showing once again all gloss in that they have "Street Scene" but no substance in that the job is sub standard.I suppose as usual no one will stand up and be counted for yet another "service" provided by the council being in this instance useless

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fred, darlington says...
8:44pm Thu 26 Jun 08

I think the problem is that there just is not enough Street Scene workers.
Half Ad Burns' salary, get rid of some pen pushers, and let us have an MP who actually lives in Darlington.

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dean Ball, Darlington says...
9:29pm Thu 26 Jun 08

Its ironic that the council can manage to sweep/clean it's precious High Row every day isn't it?!

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trailertrash, north east says...
1:00am Fri 27 Jun 08

My neice's headstone has subsided. After complining to council,still nothing done.People spend a fortune on these things. Believe me, if i went up to the cemetery and started doing my own thing with our relatives headstones,the council would be on my case faster than "Wally Wallace" says......."It's not my fault!"

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amanda, says...
11:28am Fri 27 Jun 08

I passed the roadabout next to Homebase on Tuesday to find 7 men in council uniform.3 planting and 4 observing. Following major damage to my home for the past 7 years during the rain(due to drain blockages) Street Scene were asked by the highways dept to flush the gullys outside of my house often. This has happened once since August 07 and despite calls and Emails (I have kept the proof) no one can be bothered to carry out the work.Once again I find myself last weekend scooping 2 buckets of debris from a drain in the street. I pay council tax so would assume this is not MY job.But it appear to be the only way to save my floors and carpets etc from further damage. Come on Street Scene answer my calls....

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peter, darlington says...
12:44pm Fri 27 Jun 08

i dont think it is fair to blame the staff in cemeteries they tell me that there hands are tied. no work force to work

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angela, says...
1:06pm Fri 27 Jun 08

peter wrote:
i dont think it is fair to blame the staff in cemeteries they tell me that there hands are tied. no work force to work
I ALSO HAVE FRIENDS AT NORTH ROAD& GENEVA ROAD CEMETERIES. HAVE A LOOK AT THEM THEY ARE A DISGRACE

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Matt, Darlington says...
5:40pm Fri 27 Jun 08

I think the problem is the budget for the wages within the council, The staff are paid too much instead of paying one person 30k, pay 2 of them 15k each, Ive seen jobs advertised and the wages they offer are ridiculous eg a person working at the dolphin heating up frozen food gets 18k a year, a worker doing the same job in say mcdonalds gets 10k a year, thats definitly one of the problems within the council.

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Matt, Darlington says...
5:42pm Fri 27 Jun 08

Sorry i ment the dolphin centre.

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angela, darlington says...
3:24pm Sat 28 Jun 08

Darlington cemeteries are in poor maintainance, but why do Councillers sit back and watch. Street Scene is a joke i agree, but these people with power dont give a dam, but believe me if it is there parents grave it is sorted out immedietly, by STREET SCENE. Director of Community Services is to blame, He must be aware how bad things are in the last 3 years. SHAME ON YOU. MR BROWN shame on YOU

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Pete, Darlington says...
3:45pm Sat 28 Jun 08

I work for the council and agree that they need to do much more to keep these areas clean and tidy,but what Matt has said about council employees being paid to much is not true. The job i do is in a professional capacity, however i could do the same job tommorrow working in the private sector for 50% more than i get at the council but i chose not to, i'm sick and tired of people saying that all council employees are lazy and cant be bothered etc etc, the council is no different than any other large organisation in that it has good people and bad people,the majority of council employees go to work with the same sense of duty and professionalism than our private sector counterparts, and dont get me going about Mcdonalds, my god some of the muppets i've come across in their restaurants

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I'm a believer, Darlington says...
10:54pm Sat 28 Jun 08

I work for the council ... dont get me going about Mcdonalds, my god some of the muppets i've come across in their restaurants
... Used to work for Darlington Council.

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Jeremiah H. Flywheel, Darlington says...
7:51am Sun 29 Jun 08

They should get the ghosts to do a bit for themselves, they do nothing but float about all night, at least what I've seen of them.

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Ian james, Darlington says...
4:52pm Sun 29 Jun 08

Nevermind folks, there's an Elton John concert happening this weekend at D.F.C. so why don't you all get yourselves down there and let your hair down and have a boogie as it should be good, and its being sponsored by the council to i think, and am sure all the towns councillors will be there to trying to get off with Elton and his boyfriend, lol.

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Lucy, Darlington says...
2:04am Mon 30 Jun 08

Jeremiah H. Flywheel wrote:
They should get the ghosts to do a bit for themselves, they do nothing but float about all night, at least what I've seen of them.
Nice One- I'm still laughing!!!!!!!

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J.H. Flywheel, Ferryhill says...
10:31am Mon 30 Jun 08

Thank you Lucy, it's nice to know that some people are taking this issue seriously.

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Jeremy Thompson, Darlington says...
12:51pm Mon 30 Jun 08

It's the same story. Labour councillors will think nothing of authorising high levels of ground maintenance for areas outside their homes but if it doesn't affect them directly then they don't want to know. (Unless this sort of thing happens and they are held accountable in public)

Just look at the number of times street cleaners pass by councillors houses and the number of times the grass is cut outside their properties. Labour dominated councils are rotten to the core!!

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trailertrash, north east says...
12:09pm Tue 1 Jul 08

Too late, I've done it myself. Mixed the sand and cement in a bucket in the boot of the car. Thankyou DBC...I'll never forgive you for this...

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