The Dragon Says: There Should Be No Barrier to Considerate Treatment of Our More Vulnerable Fellows

Published on: 22 Sep, 2018
Updated on: 25 Sep, 2018

“The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.” So said the great Indian statesman Mahatma Gandhi. This week, our society in the shape of Guildford Borough Council has revealed an unpleasant face.

While some of us were pledging money to allow one little Guildford girl suffering from a debilitating disease the funds needed to provide something as basic as a bath, someone in the over-bureaucratic chain of command in charge of the Tunsgate barrier, through incompetence, indifference or design, trapped two elderly residents, who suffer from their own severe medical conditions.

Of course, they should not have had their blue-badged car parked there past 11am but we all make mistakes and we all miss signs and instructions. Those enforcing rules and laws need to show discretion. They normally do.

Police stopping a car for speeding and finding a woman in labour use common sense to turn their blue lights on and escort the car to hospital. It is a humane judgement we expect.

Council employees hearing the predicament of those blue badge-holders stuck in Tunsgate should have issued quick instructions for the barrier to be unlocked. Such an action should not have required clearance from on high, nor, almost unbelievably, consideration of whether it was a county council or borough council matter.

Surely someone must have considered this scenario when the barrier was introduced? If not, there is a serious problem of planning competence.

Those with disabilities have already been dealt a poorer hand in life or sometimes they are simply getting older and less mobile. Should we not try to make their already challenging lives a little easier? Should we not treat them with a little extra consideration and compassion?

Most of us think we should. This country has a proud tradition of generous charity donation and schemes such as the blue badge have been properly introduced by the government.

When The Guildford Dragon referred the story to councillors for comment the reaction should have been swift and unequivocal. To be fair, there was an apology buried in Cllr Matt Furniss’s response but his priority seemed to be further political promotion of the refurbishment. Humility and empathy were not visible.

He made the claim that the barrier was unlocked 30 minutes after GBC officers learned of the problem but it is impossible to believe. Witnesses stated Tony and Clare Cox were stuck there for three hours.

But at least Cllr Furniss did respond which is more than can be said for his close ally on the GBC Executive, and local councillor for the Coxes, Cllr Graham Ellwood. Mr Cox, who had referred the matter to him, said his main concern was: “Who gave The Dragon the story?”

Could there be a clearer indication of where this council’s priorities lie?

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