I've walked on the common for many years and hate to see what's happening, it looks like carnage, I have a horror of the coloured marks on the trees which mean that beautiful aged trees have the kiss of death!
The common is now a dog walking area and as such is a very valuable and much needed space for people and dogs to socialise. I've noticed that as soon as any non council notices go up they are torn down, do the those in charge not want free speech? They seem to have a conscience about the damage they are doing and want to stem the tide of opposition.
I attended the meetings when the council outlined their plans, the second one was packed yet when it came to asking questions of 'the experts' we were not allowed to ask from the floor we were parcelled up into the groups where we were supposed to ask questions in isolation, there were a great many protests to no avail - if the questions were asked in front of everyone we would've learnt more and it would have been much fairer to us who felt so strongly that we turned out to hear the case for and against. Why were the powers-that-be so frightened? Maybe they knew as they must that this is a very unpopular move and they would come in for a great deal of flack - quite rightly. I also attended the appeal and was disappointed to see that not many of the dog walkers attended, but then it was held on 2 week days meaning that those working couldn't attend. The council had 8 people on their side including a barrister, presumably being paid by the tax payer? We who were there to oppose the move didn't stand a chance. As everyone said at the public meetings - it was a done deal! So much for democracy and localisation!
Why has the common been left for so long without being managed? Were they being paid to manage it and just didn't until it became a real issue resulting in the horror we see now?
Also There are notices telling us to pick up our dog mess yet there are only a few receptacles in which to put the bags - in response to this request I've seen a lot more plastic bags left by the side of the paths and by the gates - presumably to be preserved for posterity (it takes upwards of 500 years for plastic bags to break down) - could the council not supply more bins and maybe bags and then empty them regularly? No-one wants to walk that far with a bag of poo!