Crunch time

HAVE you noticed the crunch starting to bite?

We`ve read all the headlines about Sub-Prime mortgages, the rising cost of the barrel of oil, felt the pain at the petrol pumps, seen the warnings about the increased cost of food and stared in horror at the weekly shopping bill.

But is it actually affecting our way of life?

I must admit to having seen worrying signs that it is beginning to - certainly my life.

First sign came with the plan for a night out at the cinema - three of us off to see Sex and the City. Now normally we go to Kilmarnock Odeon rather than Ayr - better choice of films, more cinemas and more comfortable seats. Then one friend said, why drive all the way to Kilmarnock with the price of petrol, let`s just go to Ayr Odeon. So the rot begins.

(It turned out to be a bad choice as Ayr decided not to show Sex and the City that night - not enough demand - so we had to make a rushed trip to Kilmarnock anyway only to discover the show was sold out. So much for the no demand at Ayr - or maybe Kilmarnock was filled by all those Ayr turned away. Reminds me, I was going to write to the manager and complain. But I digreess)

Driving to Edinburgh last week I found myself sticking to under 60mph - better for fuel consumption - only to find every tanker and lorry on the M8 flashing me then thundering past at 70mph. Now if their businesses and owners are finding it tough with the increased cost of diesel why don`t they impose a 50mph limit on all freight transport? Would take the terror out of morotway driving for the rest of us and save them cash .

Then on Saturday I was heading to Glasgow and went by train! Nothing unusual you say? It is for me. I always drive to Glasgow but on Saturday on calculating the petrol cost, the wear and tear on the car, the parking charges (always rising) I decided to let the Scotrail take the strain. Though still not as clean and efficient as the Glasgow-Edinburgh train, the journey was uneventful, not too many mobile phone chats and I arrived on time, both ways. So I may well do it again and cut down my carbon footprint

These are small things I know, but if we all start doing it; going to the nearest supermarket instead of driving; choosing a different restaurant or cinema; switching off lights, cutting down on heating, etc. it is slowly going to have a huge effect on the businesses we are no longer going to and the economy as a whole - and I don`t think the politicians nationally and locally have realised it yet.


And speaking of politicians we have reached the end of our first year and looking back what have we done?

At first sight it seems not a lot and negative things spring to mind - shutting public toilets, the Pets Corner at Belleisle, putting a two mile restriction on school buses, failing to make much of an improvement on roads.

The list could go on.

But we have done a lot of good things too in public safety, trading standards. efforts to make the streets and beaches cleaner. A lot goes on behind the scenes that doesn`t hit the headlines. We are going to try and change that next year and let you know the good along with the bad.

It has been the first year of a four-party council, with the minority administration having to work closely with the others to get measures passed. And it has worked. There is more of a spirit of collaboration within the County Buildings and that can only be for the good