Story Told

Research Task

• Gather a range of pressing issues that are being discussed in your local area.
• Consider the forms of communication that are being used to raise awareness about these problems, what methods are working and what could be done better?

Sewage Discharges

Southern Water's old infrastructure cannot cope with the size of the local population, which continues to grow with more houses being built.

• Mentioned before in GDE710 (Cross, 2022) where Chris Pearsall Photography's Drone footage attracted attention to address the issue of sewage discharges. It was difficult to ignore or dismiss being able to witness a discharge in progress. Local TV news took up the footage and gave the issue more exposure and Southern Water had the pressure to resolve the issue turned up a notch.

• Blue plaques appeared adorning the name of a local councillor and the words, …’Supported and allowed Southern Water to dump sewage in these harbours and adj beaches for 15 years’ (Griffiths, 2023). They only lasted a few hours situated in several popular seaside towns. Not the publicity usually welcomed and not the best way to turn the screws, as it would be tantamount to slander. This is reflective of the anger that many locals have carried for far too long.

• The Southern Water protest poster in the form of a blue plaque (Robbins, 2023) works much better, as it does not target an individual who is not responsible for the discharges directly but the company responsible.

• Green flag to indicate to local sea users that the water is safe(ish) to use and there have been no sewage discharges within the last 48 hours. Locals have argued for some time with the number of discharges, how can one of the tourist beaches retain its blue flag status year upon year? It is not just people that have been made sick from exposure but also dogs! With their new flag they are trying to create a flag that locals can trust! These flags have been confiscated by the council worried about liability (Buncle, 2024). The activists get their data from Southern Water’s “live” discharge data, which doesn’t instil confidence when the council remove these flags. Maybe they do not trust the data? An article from the council about the ‘well meaning’ flags was then circulated to their emailing list, website and social media accounts. In the article they have released their plans for digital signs to be erected with a live data feed from Southern Water, so water users can be confident in water quality (Havant Borough Council, 2024). A sign system was promised some time ago but due to seemingly lack of progress, local activists created their own. There will still be a wait, as the idea is still only at consultation stage. But at least there seems to be some progress albeit slow. HBC have put up signs with a QR code along the seafront to direct beach users to the data available. I would guess the council do not want to draw attention to the issue and lose tourists and therefore, would like to keep the issue discreet.

• Protest banners and plaques - There have been protests (Paine, 2022) and some protest banners were left on display on the Emsworth round-about, but sadly the signs left did not give the full story leaving passers-by a bit perplexed unless you knew. I seem to remember one had a big poo on it with a slogan similar to 'full of s*#t', leaving the question who, what, where, why? I understand these symbols of protest are ofter made hurriedly but they do need to communicate effectively, especially if seen out of context or the message is lost.



Library Cut Backs and Closures

Library cutbacks and closures – Emsworth Library was saved in the last round of closures in 2020 and instead was relocated to the community centre to reduce running costs with reduced opening times. This time it may not be so lucky.

Image: The Ems Newspaper, Winter 2024.



Litter - Keeping Britain Tidy!

Images: 2 Minute Foundation, 2024.



• According to the local council, ‘an estimated 25 million tonnes of litter were dropped in the UK’, (Havant Borough Council, nd) and it is a growing problem. The council offer support for community litter picking, which in turn helps them keep area tidier.

• The local Green Party councillor organises a weekly Litter picking meet at the local park. A local charity, Final Straw Foundation, organises beach cleans around the area.

• Several litter picking stations were also setup some time ago, but have since disappeared possibly due to vandalism or equipment not being returned. I tracked down the creators, The 2 Minute Foundation (The 2 Minute Foundation, 2024). They produce litter picking stations in the form of an A-Board with a holder for a pair of litter pickers and refuse bags. The picking station in Emsworth was sponsored by one of the local pubs, so passers-by could do a pick while on their walk. The problem with this is often people want to do a pick but the pickers are already out and there’s no telling when they might be returned or no-one has topped up the refuse bags. Other issues are vandalism and theft! Fantastic idea though. Other incentives I have seen is an app related to a Cornwall locale, where local businesses reward litter picking with discounts. This in turn encourages custom. I learnt of the app at a charity 7k beach run, which also involved a beach clean. Lots of people took part in the run but only a handful of people joined the beach clean, but at least it raised some awareness. We even found an old crisp packet dating back to the 1980's, demonstrating our continued problem with a lifetime of plastic!

High Street Shop Closures

Like most high streets across the country, Emsworth is no different as it struggles to retain businesses. High rents and the cost of living crisis have hit here too, although shops don't seem to stay empty for long here. I believe the Stonecrest premises has been snapped up and the previous newsagents in the square is due to open soon, as the Naked Pantry with a modern, bright and vibrant design. This will just leave what was once, Citrus Flowers, left vacant, and a gift shop that is due to close left vacant.

PO10 and Co-working Emsworth are businesses that have diversified into collaborative efforts and will hopefully stand the test of time. PO10 as it says on their sign is a lifestyles and interiors outlet for local artists and creatives. Also masquerades as a gift shop with jewellery, children's books, bath additives the list goes on. Being on the corner of a side street, they utilise the side window, by renting out the window space for a 'artist of the month' feature to give the artists/creatives more exposure (another revenue stream). They also take a percentage of sales from items sold. The old library site, now Monster Creative and Co-working Emsworth is another example of using other revenue schemes. Monster moved from a smaller premises with less transport links to here. Being a small team they do not require a huge amount of space but benefit from having a meeting room that probably not required so often. Queue co-working where other individuals or small companies can rent space or hot desk bringing in another revenue stream, plus the meeting room can also be rented out for meeting or even workshops. Co-working together reduces running costs while benefitting from all the perks of a bigger premises. It is also a low cost solution for those working from home and that human need for company.

Images: Ellie Cross (except those labeled)

Utility Misery

Utility companies digging up the roads and pavements over and over. Adding to pothole misery, traffic congestion and damage to other utilities. This is what most locals are chatting about. Many asking why utility companies can’t communicate and work together, so the same road doesn’t get dug up time and time again. For context the roads were dug up by Giganet to lay their full fibre network throughout the area during 2023 and now City Fibre is doing the same. During the Giganet install both gas and water utilities also dug up some of the same roads! From a creative point of view, I love the short-lived bright squiggle pavement artworks. A local councillor has investigated the ‘ working together’ possibility and sadly this is impossible to enforce by councils, but what they have been looking at introducing is a ‘lane rental’ scheme that will possibly bring more control to councils (Kennett, 2024).

The other issue here is the short notice given to residents that works are to take place or lack of it. I received a flyer through my door two weeks prior to works commencing, yet it stated 7 days without an actual start date. Therefore, my car was barricaded on my drive and I had to find a workman to release me! Just a knock on the door the day before would have been helpful, so I and the rest of my neighbours could park elsewhere.

I love the bright, colourful, spray painted instructions detailing the location of other utilities. Viewed upside down or anyway other except the intended, they're just colourful, whimsical, squiggles making a long elongated repeat pattern.

These markings and squiggles in this instant are pretty easy to decipher, labelling an underground network of pipes including water, gas, along with other networks (VM= Virgin Media, BT = British Telecom, G = Giganet). They are even colour coded with a different coloured spraypaint for each utility (Cawley, 2014). An unknown network beneath our feet, which isn't so well hidden these days with our roads and pavements looking more like a patchwork quilt of asphalt.

Photos: Ellie Cross



Conclusion

These issues are reflected across the UK and are not just a local issue. I believe all issues are victims of austerity and privatisation. Create competition and watch the degradation of goods, services and infrastructure. 

However, there are always creative people and their communities in which they live, that manage to evolve and prosper WORKING TOGETHER!

References

Bundle, J. (2024), Hayling Island campaigners "shocked" after Havant Borough Council removes sewage spill warning flag from Beachlands. The News Online, 11th January. Available at https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/politics/hayling-island-campaigners-shocked-after-havant-borough-council-removes-sewage-spill-warning-flag-from-beachlands-4474752 [Accessed 3rd February 2024].

Cawley, L. (2014), Your pavement squiggle markings decoded. BBC News Online. Available at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26745534 [Accessed 20th February 2024].

Cross, E. (2022), Message and Medium, Pencil, Pixel, Performance, Packaging. elliecross.co.uk/blog, 14th November. Available at https://elliecross.co.uk/week-9-message-delivered.

Forero, N. (2023), Libraries across Hampshire could see more cuts made in a bid to save money. The News Online, 16th November. Available at https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/politics/libraries-across-hampshire-could-see-more-cuts-made-in-a-bid-to-save-money-4413242 [Accessed 3^rd February 2024].

Forero, N. (2024), Library cuts return. The Ems, Winter 2024. p.8.

Griffiths, S. (2023), Hayling Island Official [Facebook] 20th February 2023. Available at https://www.facebook.com/groups/636187076515173/permalink/2833103696823489/?mibextid=K35XfP. [Accessed 3^rd February 2024].

Hampshire County council (nd), Planned Maintenance. Available at https://www.hants.gov.uk/transport/roadmaintenance/plannedmaintenance?fbclid=IwAR1VBm6q8h38GNHu3TEH1CzlXVeQtJbyu5enXiey7Inc7YR71Zyz_E4W_yQ. [Accessed 5^th February 2024].

Havant Borough Council (2024), Unauthorised water quality signs being installed on Hayling Island. Havant Borough Council Online, 8th January. Available at https://www.havant.gov.uk/news/2024/unauthorised-water-quality-signs-being-installed-hayling-island [Accessed 3^rd February 2024].

Havant Borough Council (2024), The Waterlooville Festival of Ideas begins at 6pm [X] 22nd January 2024. Available at https://twitter.com/HavantBorough/status/1749401737478172740 [Accessed 8th February 2024].

Havant Borough Council (2023), Have your say on Waterlooville Town Centre Masterplan. Havant Borough Council Online, 22nd November 2023. Available at https://www.havant.gov.uk/news/2023/have-your-say-waterlooville-town-centre-masterplan [Accessed 8th February 2024].

Havant Bourough Council (nd), Community Litter Picking. Available at https://www.havant.gov.uk/street-cleaning-and-litter/community-litter-picking [Accessed 5^th February 2024].

Kennett, R. (2024), Emsworth Matters with Councillor Richard Kennett [Facebook] 27^th January. Available at https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=370753265555943&id=100078638178300&mibextid=WC7FNe. [Accessed 3 February 2024].

Paine, T. (2022), Southern Water: Protesters ramp up pressure as Chichester council says it also doesn't trust firm's figures. Available at https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/politics/southern-water-bosses-grilled-on-pollution-in-chichester-harbour-and-wastewater-capacity-3993498?fbclid=IwAR1i4qe9NX5C7S76jrYEfIlUenrICfg1z5ya6_du29DzjLTDxRy07mgLa4w_aem_AUm2vwp6nnkPP8gw4ySIcRhH5TADBH4tOsWEJi_gKPuf-wt2Q90BgMXQfEmoBJHRH8g#hw51s1n23i. [Accessed 3^rd February 2024].

Robbins, H. (2023), Hayling Sewage Watch [Facebook] 3^rd July. Available at https://www.facebook.com/groups/407566053035490/permalink/1729779927480756/?mibextid=K35XfP [Accessed 3^rd February 2024].

The 2 Minute Foundation (2024). Available at https://2minute.org/Stations [Accessed 5^th February 2024].