“Across the street where I live, there’s some people sleeping out, little ones, out in the cold. I’m worried, they’re my families too as well. What’s happening? This is the sort of thing that we, the people of this community, we need. We have to go through those stages until something is done. People will be struggling. We’re trying to work together. I’ve seen those people next door [sleeping outside], they’ve been there for maybe more than five days! Might be one and a half weeks! And they’ve got small babies, sleeping outside in tents. And it’s very cold outside. This is something that is an issue for us. This is the community where we live!”
A recent issue with the installation of new electricity metre boxes has highlighted how a seemingly technical issue about the maintenance of electricity boxes, is also an engagement issue. There was little communication with householders when the problem of new metres being faulty arose, and this resulted in damage to property as people tried to rewire their boxes to access power. If appropriate communication (i.e. a P&W representative working with a local person to speak to householders) had occurred at the time, this damage and associated safety issues may not have arisen.
