After a late night and a slow start to the day, I attended to my mail and correspondence; crafting motions and questions for forthcoming District Council agendae and then took Diana for lunch in Saint Neots before driving to my solicitors in Cambridge to discuss the Cow Lane, Godmanchester acquisition. Then to Huntingdon for a Planning Seminar for Members before back to Saint Neots for a meeting of the Southern Area District Councillors before visiting the Moughton’s of Lakefield Avenue about playing field disturbances. Directors of P&O ferries face prosecution over the sinking of the Herald of Free Enterprise and Thatcher faces railway, tube and dock strikes with GPs also discontent as the House of Lords defeats the government on its Child Benefit policy whilst the Bank of England spends reserves to try to maintain the value of sterling.
I was late to bed and slow to get up again and Diana and the children were already on the way and I showered and dressed on my own and then ate breakfast in the same way. This morning, I reviewed the papers and a large post and then typed out several letters on District Council business. I was putting motions and questions on the agendas of the next main Council meeting and to committees. Then lunch out with Diana in Saint Neots to compensate her for the lack of trips this week. I then embarked on a series of meetings. First, across to Cambridge to Vinters/Taylors, my solicitor, for a briefing on the contract for Cow Lane, Godmanchester. We are left with some queries on access and vacancy at possession. Then on to Huntingdon for a District Council Planning Seminar for Members. I stayed a short while in Huntingdon for a doner kebab and then drove to Saint Neots for a meeting of the Southern Area District Councillors, where the main matter was securing the election of a decent chairman after the disastrous chairmanship of Bill Longford last year.
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My conspiracy to get a neutral Tory elected ended up with last year’s Vice Chairman getting the nomination anyway – Mrs Pearson a Tory – but my choice was nominated as Vice Chairman in succession and I seconded him. Then a constituency visit to the Moughton’s of Lakefield Avenue, who were beside themselves with concern over playing field disturbances. I help them as best I could and only got home at 10:30 PM. Then a long time writing up my journal and delayed and distracted by Robin Day’s last Question Time and then highlights of play in the second test match. Australia bowled England out for less than 300 and it seems we may be in for another drubbing. The main news today is the decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions to bring charges for manslaughter against P&O ferries and seven directors and crew over the sinking of the Zeebrugge Herald of Free Enterprise when hundred and 93 people died when the bow doors were left open. There are to be two more railway and tube strikes on successive Wednesday’s, a dock strike and GPs are balloting as well in what promises to be a summer of discontent. An EC European Commissioner, Frans Andreessen, has use the election result to show there is no support in Britain for Thatcher’s stance against economic and monetary union in the EEC. The House of Lords have defeated the government on its failure to raise child benefit in line with inflation. The Bank of England are spending reserves to try to hold the value of the pound sterling against other major currencies to avoid further interest rate rise.