All I was short of today was a dog, writes Peter Malpas, but as it turned out I came across two gas leaks, one on Rawlinson Lane in Heath Charnock, and another in Westhoughton Road. Both were reported to the National Grid by the way; the one in Rawlinson Lane turned out to be two the engineer told me.
But that wasn't the reason I was walking around Heath Charnock this afternoon. A resident wrote to me yesterday complaining about the number of blocked road side gullies in the Chorley Road, Rawlinson Lane and Westhoughton Road areas of Heath Charnock. Perhaps he has a dog?
So today I walked along Wigan Lane to Rawlinson Lane, then up to Chorley Road then back to walk the full length of Westhoughton Road, and finally I walked Chorley Road. Yes he was right, and far too many to report individually.
But we taxpayers have already paid for the vehicle and the crew, so all I ask on behalf of the local resident is for Lancashire County Council to divert a team for a day, maybe two and sort them out. Let's see if the county council will rise to our call? I hope positively.
When I was county councillor for the Charnock Richard, Chorley NW, Coppull, and Heskin I prided myself in getting around and covering the detail on the ground and looking for problems, and that's really my approach.
Peter Malpas is our candidate in this May's Lancashire County Council elections. Please take part in our survey:-