It’s a lovely evening in Dinnington, and as Maggie Thatcher dominates the evening news we turn our attention to another fantabulous Town Council meeting!

The lovely Lyric Theatre welcomes us as we settle down, Mr Lewis is the only heckler present and he seems in a mellow mood, The news of maggie’s passing hasn’t devastated him too much. Some wag asks if the bar will be open later, memories of maggie run deep here.

The public seats are packed with myself, Mr Lewis, one lady from the press and two councillors from over the border in Anston. It’s a bit depressing that no one else is here.

We kick off with two questions, one from Clive which I didn’t catch, must ask him what it was when I see next time! My question is on buses and whether SYPTE should be invited to a meeting in the near future to discuss improvements.

All present agreed that the current service is inadequate, a recent consultation at the bus station seemed to have been ineffective, and we are left wondering what is the point of a bus station with no decent buses. My thoughts are that we need to see a better service into Sheffield in particular, I think the young unemployed of Dinnington would perhaps be able to benefit from the jobs I see there so often snatched away by East European migrant workers,

We are continually told by RMBC that we are the principal town in the borough, but this is usually when they are interesting in building houses. When it comes to essential services we are too often left with a distinctly rural service.

The state of the roads is discussed and we are told that RMBC plans no road repairs in Dinnington this year. Quite depressing as all local residents will agree as our potholed roads take on an almost Sheffieldesque appearance!

RMBC are also criticised for dodging their responsibilities in the area of street cleanliness. It’s a recurring theme at Town Council meetings, the borough should be doing this but they aren’t, or the borough won’t do that, very frustrating,

The public session closes and I leave feeling a bit depressed, what is the point in paying our council taxes to a borough council who struggle to provide the most basic services to 10% of their population. Surely we are entitled to receive the same 10% of the budget for road repairs, cleaning and public transport?

I for one am getting sick of the broken relationship between Dinnington and the Rotherham Borough who seem to treat us as some kind of forgotten outpost. They are always so eager to plunder our countryside when they have a housebuilding quota to meet, but hesitate when we need buses, street cleaners, libraries and highway maintenance.

Something is rotten here and change is needed!