Axminster town councillor Douglas Hull tells the “whingers” to get off their backsides and do something to help

VETERAN Axminster councillor Douglas Hull blasted a message to the town’s “whingers” this week – “get off your backsides and do something”.

He took along a trowel, fork and paintbrush to Monday’s town council meeting and offered them to anyone complaining about the untidy state of the town.

He said the small band of constant moaners should roll up their sleeves and help make a difference - rather than just demand other people put things right.

Fellow councillor John Jeffery had a similar message. He said: “Perhaps some of the people who like complaining could come and help. If they have time to complain they have time to do something about it.”

Their comments came after recent complaints about Axminster’s run down appearance – including the derelict former Websters garage, the overgrown Anchor Hill roundabout and the “shabby” Guildhall frontage.

Cllr Hull said: “We have people nit-picking all the time, like saying the ‘Welcome to Axminster’ signs aren’t clean. But when this happened before I took my bucket and washed it off – I can supply a bucket.

“I am fed up with people coming along, writing in papers and whingeing when you have so many others in the town doing so many good things. It is just half a dozen people ready to pick holes.”

Earlier Cllr Hull told the Herald of his dismay at people moaning about the scaffolding being put up outside Websters ready for the giant community mural to be put up across the fa�ade.

“This is a piece of art being put together by a group of people with no axe to grind simply trying to beautify Axminster,” he said.

“The complainers should get on their bikes like them and do something to help.”

Cllr Hull stressed that his remarks were aimed at only a very small minority of people and he praised groups like Axminster Care Service who got on and did so much good for the town.

He also pointed out that people needed to keep within the law and establish whose property it was before embarking on any DIY clean up operations.

Meanwhile Mayor Andrew Moulding said a party of volunteers had agreed to help spruce up the overgrown Anchor Hill roundabout.

He confirmed the go ahead after meeting with concerned resident Peter Bunce, who has been campaigning to rid the town of the weed-infested eyesore.

Cllr Moulding said that highways chiefs had given permission for the work to go ahead and they hoped to have it completed in time for the town’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in June.