From our Reporter at the Parish Council Meeting
I ENTERED THE MEETING ROOM, and nonchalantly, leaning in his chair at the back
of the Public Gallery, was Geoffrey Woollard, in what appeared to be his white
tuxedo, and it flashed across my mind just how beneficial had been John
Prescott's Code of Practice for all concerned with Parish Councils, until I
remembered that John Prescott has now lost office. We must hope his departure
does not lead to any decline of standards. All Crier reporters will be
watching.
As there had been no full ECDC meeting in the last month Alan Alderson took the opportunity to take the night off though he will be heard at the General Assembly in the following week. Hazel Williams covered events at CCC and reported that the CCC are holding desperate meetings in the hope of resolving the Òfree busÓ problem. The trouble is that South Cambs is both broke and capped so it may be difficult to find a solution unless we subsidise South Cambs (does anyone know why South Cambs has no money?). Hazel blamed Gordon Brown for the bus fare fiasco and said that 34 other counties were having the same problems with the scheme. But you all now know what Gordon says - "Hoots man, nat t'do wi me."
Hazel also announced that CCC had just signed a huge highways maintenance contract with W.S.Atkins, worth millions, covering the period 2006-2016. She and others were dismayed to have learned that the CCC Cabinet had passed this through following a two sided report. I applaud the good news that any report can be condensed to two rather than 200 pages with endless repetitions which often defy comprehension. But her caution is welcome and she and others were allowed to set up a scrutiny committee which after some hours of examination agreed that it was a fair deal which allowed for probable engineering and work changes during the next ten years.
Hazel also mentioned the financial difficulties of our Primary Care Trust, especially in regard to Fulbourne, and said it was not surprising PCTs were in trouble as they had been tinkered with so many times over the last four years. And lo!, within a few days of Hazel saying this it was announced on 17 May that the number of trusts is to be reduced by half. So, rather than trying make things work, the Government just announces more costly radical changes. It may be more insidious than just inept evasive fiddling as I gather that the major Management and IT consultants have had an undue influence on government policy, and within departments, and have grown very very fat on such changes. It appears to be a scandal which is an open secret, but more next month.
There is bad news about the Recreation Ground. Bidwells, so it is reported, appear to be determined to get their pound of flesh over what should have been relatively simple as all the principals had been agreed for months. To some extent Bidwells have nothing to do with this but "acting in the best interests etc etc" they continue to poke their nose into the arrangement and are now possibly racking up fees of £5,500. There is often a dilemma in reporting - does one report a topic with the risk that one party will take offence and make matters worse - in this case Bidwells. Unless reports are incorrect Bidwells do appear to run the risk of behaving inconsiderately and unethically.
Later in the meeting occurred the same dilemma for a reporter and the same issues of inconsideration and ethics. This concerns the application of 5 High Street for an extension at its rear. The application was opposed by the two neighbours and also by the PC, but it was supported by the then Crier Reporter not only at the meeting, but also in the Crier, and also in a letter to ECDC. The application was approved by ECDC. The PC were annoyed that their views had been ignored without any explanation. But they were stunned by the circulation of a copy of an advertisement from the Web which showed the reporter in question to be not only a developer but also someone who claimed "If anyone can get you planning permission I can," etc. It seems that the letter from the developer swung the ECDC's decision. The PC members were not amused.
On a lighter tone later in the meeting Henry Hardiment asked when they were going to make their annual drive round the fen to make sure everything is in order. It really is a very large parish which is why we never beat (i.e. walk - is this a challenge to Oliver Ginn?) the bounds anymore. The Parish Council has agreed to meet in the Village Hall car park at 7.00pm on Wednesday 14 June. But times have changed. Not only have they agreed to share cars (!!) but they have abandoned the custom of travelling by tractor and trailer, chewing the odd bit of straw. And they cannot blame the inability of getting hold of a tractor and trailer as many would offer the use of one just for the photo in the Crier. More seriously this journey is very useful, because many new PC members have no idea what exists in the nether regions of our parish and this circuitous exploration was one of the year's highlights for some members in the past.
Our Parish Council now offers two wonderful opportunities to members of the public. Before our ECDC and CCC representatives leave the meeting, members of the public are allowed to put questions to them. Also, after the meeting is closed, members of the public are allowed to ask questions. At this meeting I asked a couple of procedure questions and then passed the floor to Geoffrey Woollard who was still sitting in his corner, immaculate, almost like a shining saint. "I have nothing" said Geoffrey. "Nay, Nay Geoffrey", I said, "It cannot be that you have nothing to say". I never thought Geoffrey would cap me, but he said "I have nothing useful to say." It was good to hear Geoffrey admit this at last.
PS. For those new to the village, Geoffrey and I have had a spirited contest over the years and if he ever offered to join the PC, the village could only benefit - I think.