After clearing up and delivering a letter to David Townend, the structural engineer. In Norwich, I got back in time for this afternoon's full meeting of Huntingdonshire District Council for a good meeting but one where I was to find my Tory political opponents genuinely shocked and sad to hear that I was not seeking re-election.
Afterwards, to Southoe for more canvassing with Percy, Derek and our candidate John to a playing field meeting that I had instigated in the village hall. After some misunderstanding, I chaired an impromptu public meeting first after which we could have our private meeting. After all this activity today, I stayed up late watching TV and relaxing from the tension of it all
I was up and ready to leave Heronshaw by around 10.00am after working my round the bungalow clearing up, wiping surfaces and then packing all of the things that I was to take. It took around an hour and three-quarters to get home, allowing for the extra time needed to call in at Norwich and deliver a letter to David Townend, the structural engineer. This meant that I could unload the car again, have some lunch and get washed and shaved before getting along to this afternoon's full meeting of council. It was a quiet meeting with no notice questions or motions having been put down, but I led my group and Jim Lomax led his Labour group to ask a lot of verbal questions on the committee reports as we went through.
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I was approached my many of the other councillors during the refreshment break who expressed themselves sad and shocked by my decision not to stand again for re-election and I begin to believe them rather than take their comments as mere compliments. Sally reports to me that the Tories were expressing shock at their group meeting and speculating vigorously about the reasons for me going and many of them were still asking why. Considering that I lead the opposition to their activities, this is quite a phenomenon, and I can best explain it by thinking that I raise many of the things that they would like to raise were it not for the constraints of their own political group procedures.
I said to them that they will have to take on a more critical and constructive role themselves rather than leaving it to others! After the meeting, Derek Giles drove back to Southoe with me and we helped John Brown canvas half of Lees Lane. After tea, I returned to Southoe with Percy and John, and we attended a playing field meeting that I had instigated in the village hall. It turned out to be a remarkable meeting for the incident and fervour that it created. I had asked the chairman of the newly formed playing field committee to arrange for those also interested in the problem of getting this recreational facility to meet me and my colleagues to discuss how to proceed.
He took this to be a private meeting between us and the committee, but I had encouraged John Brown to discuss this issue on the doorstep as he was canvassing the village thoroughly. In the event, the door of the village hall was thronged with the good citizens of Southoe, trying to get in with Alan Parsons trying to keep them out! Then the Tory agent and his candidate, Nicola Kay, turned up, having this day also started to call on Southoe houses and heard about the meeting. When the chairman would not let them in, a right scene developed with him being referred to me and refusing to be drawn into this!
In the end, I persuaded everybody that we should have a public meeting first and then myself and colleagues would meet with the committee afterwards. I chaired the proceedings, started with an apology for the confusion and it then went off very well. The Tory candidate turned up but said and did nothing except had to contribute to a collection for the cost of the room that I organised! All very remarkable. After all this activity today, I stayed up late watching TV and relaxing from the tension of it all.