I was attending significant planning and parish meetings concerning Little Paxton development after witnessing a serious collision at the top of Paxton Hill. This on another fine day the gardener has now managed to spread quite a lot of the compost around the beds.
I had commitments this afternoon and evening and so I tried to get on this morning and lay out at least some of the FOCUS copy. I had completed the centre section and then went on to the outside for the Eatons and had finished a draft of these by mid-afternoon. I popped a copy in to Derek and Ross and was then on my way to Percy when I witnessed a serious road accident at the top of Paxton Hill. A lady in a grey Nissan two cars ahead of me turned abruptly right onto the road to Graveley and another woman coming the other way in a blue Sierra braked as hard as she could but could not stop in time to miss her.
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There was wreckage and bits of car everywhere but thankfully neither of them seemed to be hurt, although the Sierra was no longer drivable. Mr Clapham (former Cllr Ruth's husband) came running out to help as well and seemed a bit disappointed that I was only a witness and not to blame! I left the ladies in the hands of a police patrolman who had arrived and left for Huntingdon, missing out on my visit to Percy and getting to Pathfinder House just a minute or two late for my appointment with the Director of Planning. The subject was as I had anticipated. There had been a development proposal submitted to the local plan inquiry to add an out-of-town retail area to Cosy Corner and also to abandon the concept of a new river crossing and to try widening Mill Lane instead. This would have major environmental consequences in my view and would be totally unacceptable to the village.
Home to see the last quarter of the opening match in the Rugby World Cup on TV between England and New Zealand at Twickenham - the European Champions and the World Champions - in which England were behind and trying to catch up but failing to do so. This is the first time that all of the Rugby Union countries in the world have come together for such a championship and it promises to be very exciting. Tea and then off to the Little Paxton Parish Council meetings with the first, the Planning Committee, at 7.00pm. I was elected Vice Chairman (rather against my wishes but on the strict understanding that I had no wish to be Chairman) and then we proceeded to consider the outstanding planning applications before I then briefed them about my discussions with the Planning Director in the afternoon.
Then the Full Council meeting where much good progress was noted and the only contested issue was the likely level of the Poll Tax precept for next year. The Finance Chairman wanted to keep it unchanged but there were a couple of voices from the Amenities Committee against that idea, but they were all premature as it will be this December's meeting that decides on the new budget. Home quite late and to relax in front of the TV before retiring to bed late again. It was another fine day, and the gardener has now managed to spread quite a lot of the compost around the beds.