Memorial bench to nurse Maud Hatton outside RBS

I have just walked past the memorial bench to Nurse Maud Hatton outside the RBS on the junction of London Road and Heyes Lane and it is in a disgraceful condition.

Three of the wooden slats are missing, some of wood is damaged, there is no protective varnish left and it is covered in moss and fungus.

I would ask the AE Parish Council to repair or replace the bench since it is a complete affront to the memory of Nurse Hatton in its current state.

I await a positive response.

Dave, The parish council are far to involved empire building to concern themselves with matters of this sort , Why not repair it ourselves.

Nurse Hatton delivered me into the world (more fool her!) and I have seen the bench, yes Dave, it is a sad sight. I believe a note has been posted on here saying they will repair it…..(probably 2016-17!?!?)

The state of this memorial bench was brought to the attention of your Parish Council…it was discussed…the Parish Council voted 100% to fund repairs…the repairs have been put in hand…its all in the Parish Council minutes.
Duncan Herald

I reported the sad state of the Nurse Hatton memorial bench on Dec 28th 2011. Despite promises at the parish council meetings and self seeking publicity in the local press Alderley Edge Parish Council ( motto activity without achievement ) has done nothing.

Spot on with the motto, David.

I first reported the state of the memorial bench on boxing day . It is Easter Sunday and nothing has been done despite promises made by several parish councillors
The councillors are all talk no action and frankly an embarrassment to the people of Alderley Edge.
If they cannot repair or replace a bench it is scary to see these people in charge of the Festival Hall project

The bench has been discussed and eatimates for repairs were obtained. The contractor chosen then did not do the job. Costs were obtained for a new bench which as I understand it, is on order, and will be placed in the village as soon as received and the memorial to Nurse Hatton replaced.  Cllr Connor has spent a lot of time on this matter. It takes rather longer to do things when public money is being spent due to the many beauracratic proceedures that have to be followed to ensure, amongst other things,‘best value’  has been obtained. The PC find it just as irritating as anyone else!

From one Dave Clark’e’ to another this is great news in that a course of action has been taken to resolve the problem, however in the 21st century perhaps the PC should, like all bodies of this type, realise that it’s important to communicate with their electorate. If a wider communication had been undertaken perhaps less criticism would have been levelled.

Anyway well done PC (when we see the replacement bench in situ).

Just over 3 months seems like swift action to me….....I’ve known similar replacement issues take years Dave!

The new/replacement bench has at last been delivered…it will be given a few coats of preservative and then put in place..why has it taken so long? Firstly the original supplier let us down. Secondly since public monies are to be spent, there are hoops to jump through e.g. for ought the Parish Council wish to do, three estimates/quotes have to be obtained or the Audit ‘mob’ get onto us. Thirdly the new bench has to be of a nature to last years, so one cannot just pop down to the nearest store for an inexpensive flat-pack.
Are we truly ‘all talk and no action’? No! Yes we talk about things afore doing ought, but then it is your money that we are spending, so ‘best value’ has to be sought.
If you’d like lots of instant action and big-time spending, then be prepared to dig deep into your pockets!
By the way, Parish Councilors are all volunteers; no pay and no expenses. Oh yes, elected too!If some of you wish to ‘do’ for the village, then join the ‘Friends of the Park’  or other similar public spirited groups and get stuck in. Perhaps some of the critics of the Parish Council, in this forum, might care to list their activities/achievements in the village, so that I might applaud them?
If you’d like to know more of what the Parish Council are ‘up to’, then attend the monthly meetings of the Parish Council; circa 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm, next Monday (14th).
Empire building? What empire? Evidence please! And don’t mention allotments please; I was quite happy for them to trundle on as they were, until Cheshire East announced that they would throw the allotments onto the Parish Council. Further Cheshire East want to throw the Park onto the Parish Council,at some time, but without any monies attached…and the partially dipalidated cemetery…some empire eh?
Duncan Herald

Well I am sure the Emerson Group always appreciate the help and support they are given in the development of the village even if the residents are unappreciative of your efforts.
Well the allotment issue rears its ugly head again!  Why mention them if you know that this is a sensitive issue to the residents of the village.

Hi Fiona…why ‘pick on’ the Emerson Group? They are willing to build a new Medical Centre for the village in such a financial way that we (you) will eventually own the building without having had to pay for it…the design, size etc. of the Centre is between the doctors and the developer, not the Parish Council.
Yes the allotment issue is a sensitive matter, for all of us; but I can’t ignore it and hope the problem will go away…people have said that the Parish Council are not being transparent about the Hayes Lane allotments BUT the fate of those allotments is predicated upon the building or not of the Medical Centre…we can’t tell you what we don’t know!
Remember that there is a Parish Council meeting next Monday and as I understand it, the first part of the meeting is to be given over to discussion whereby the public can speak; come and lambast me!
Duncan Herald

I’m a simple soul and very confused.  When the plans for the Medical Centre were made available for viewing, the Parish Council was VERY clear that the future of the allotments was a completely separate and unrelated issue.  However, now you are telling us ‘the fate of those allotments is predicated upon the building or not of the Medical Centre’.  Which is it please?

I think you have hit the nail on the head Claire. Hence the reason that residents are frustrated over what is really going to happen. So if they back the Medical Centre Plan at what cost is that to the Heyes Lane allotments.
The Emmerson Geoup well I think we all are entitled to our own thoughts over their involvement in the village!

I’m even more confused.  I thought this thread was about the memorial bench outside the RBS.

Hi,
new bench in place…bright and sparkling in the recent sunshine…it was put in place by the Festival Hall Manager & Caretaker, so saving money…enjoy.
Duncan Herald

So glad Nurse Hatton’s bench has bee replaced at last.She delivered my first and second sons,Steve & John at home-(which was then “Ivanhoe”,Trafford Road),and was the most marvellous midwife.She deserves to be remembered with much gratitude and affection and a decent looking memorial bench!!!