It's the little things that count

Out in the ward, talking to people and listening to their concerns, not many people raise the big questions of the day - the fighting in the Middle East, the war in Afghanistan, the level of immigration or the cost of living.  Rather, they raise the things that matter to them right here and now, the things that make a difference to how they feel as they go about their daily lives - the state of the roads, the amount of dog fouling in some areas, the improvements to the play areas (thanks to the Parish Council on which I also sit) and so on.
Today I've had two very different issues.  First the grass cutting - like a child with blunt scissors was one description.  Why bother?  one person asked.  I have some sympathy for that view.  The lovely milkmaids on the bend of Carnoustie Drive have disappeared and instead there's roughly chopped grass and a few dandelions.  It's not really an improvement and doesn't really demonstrate that the team working here do "Care for your area".  Complaints are being made.
The other was much nicer - thanks for the ramp at Aspen Rd, enabling a young mum on a mobility scooter to get to and from Tesco a lot quicker in her words, so she doesn't have to rush round the shop when she gets there.  It might have been designed to aid cycling but I suspect that disabled people and pram pushers will find more benefit, given how happily the young cyclists seemed to bounce up and down the steps before the ramp was put in.  If only all improvements were as straightforward.