in 1988, Buckden Marina started challenging planning laws and 30 years later, this rural location is littered with accomodation cabins
in 1988, Buckden Marina started challenging planning laws and 30 years later, this rural location is littered with accomodation cabins

Concerned how my FOCUS deliverers would manage on a very cold and frosty morning, I dealt with a few council queries and then spent much of the day on my history book computer files, designing my contents and preliminary pages. Off to an HDC planning committee meeting in Huntingdon this evening gleaning information that will help colleagues with their own FOCUS newsletters. The Tories are easing regulations for building dwellings on farms (which will suit their agricultural councillors) and the owners of Buckden Marina are getting away with evading planning laws.

A children’s school day and everyone up and dressed and in good time for breakfast. I was expecting the builders and electrician to arrive today but there was no sign of him all day. Pete was here, raking leaves on a cold and frosty morning with some snowflakes still hanging on. The weather had stayed very chilly and I wonder how certain of my FOCUS deliverers will cope, particularly the old ones or those with small children. Had a call from HDC officers today, trying to get me to withdraw my ‘St Neots Sports Hall’ item from the Southern Consultative Agenda. Must have got them worried! I cleared a few council and odd queries out of the way and then spent time on my history book computer files, structuring the Preliminary Pages and setting the format for the Book Proper.

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Had to break off after tea, when I was due at the HDC Planning Committee in Huntingdon. Arrived in time for a 7 o’clock start and watch proceedings all evening until 10:30 PM. There were many items affecting Buckden and Abbotsley and I took good notes to aid Percy Meyer in his FOCUS newsletters. The evasion of planning laws by Buckden Marina is nothing short of a scandal and now the HDC of allowing a much more liberal regime for building dwellings on farms. I met some SLD supporters there also and it was worthwhile – even if it took all evening. No time for the news tonight.