Darren wrote:Absolutely shocking turnout actually, i counted sixteen, not including kids, staff, 1 councillor(?) and the 3 who were actually hosting the evening..
2000 people signed the petition claiming there was a need for an all weather pitch and thats as many as can be bothered to turn up.
such a poor turnout is going to look good in the report about the level of support for an AWP, we have(?) a great chance to finally get one but will no doubt get what we deserve now - nothing..
Darren, thanks for the feedback it does raise a few very good points. (as you know I couldn't make tonight)
From speaking to PMR I certainly got the impression the attendance of the public meeting is not a factor with regards the AWP Campaign.
As a campaign we've had a substantial amout of input to highlight the need for an AWP and over the next couple of weeks will have a huge (and if not more important) opportunity to highlight the need etc. There was an excellent turn out of Sports Club last night at the invited meeting and afterwards for the separate football one. I also took the invited opportunity to meet up with PMR today so discuss the AWP Campaign and what needs to be done in terms of taking this to the next stage. (more on that later!)
PMR have also met with the schools, development officers, council officials, community councillors between yesterday and today (merely to highlight there has been engagement elsewhere). ON the note of the grammar school PMR could not honestly believe the facilities we have there and the state of the school.... (another thread...)
From a Sports Council perspective we were keen however, not to "hog the limelight" in terms of the AWP last night (and hence the separate football/AWP meeting) and again with tonight - as we were keen for this to be about ALL sports facilities and pitches and not just the AWP. So from the AWP perspective we didn't push it.
As a Sports Council however, we did push the meeting - on here, in the Courier, posters, e-mails etc and plugged the point that is an important opportunity. It would be interesting to know how many people attended due to reading this here or elsehwere etc (from the short time I was there before the meeting I know most people I saw were forum members...)
You are however, quite right to say the turnout is shocking and the one word that is used over and over again in Campbeltown is APATHY. Perhaps the turnout says more about what people think about our facilities and the chances of them being delivered? Perhaps like so many others we could all simply say "What is the point, because we get nothing here"?? (not nothing but catch the drift..) The public only have to look at the situation with regards the All Weather Pitch for Campbeltown as an example - a facility that was highlighted in the Councils playing field strategy in both 1998 and again in 2004 as a priority
ONE for Argyll & Bute Council area and here we are in 2010 with no AWP facility while this has been delivered to every other community listed as Priority 1 (and lower) in Argyll.....
It would be interesting to hear why people didn't attend. In fact it would be interesting hear people's thoughts in general!!
Anyway, I'll be off line until Thursday so look forward to catching up on it then. Got to play football in Glasgow tomorrow night.
