A day concentrating on the problems and priorities of others as it started and ended with Michael Pope's resignation news and continued with the successful organisation of opposition to the wild Little Paxton development plans. This culminated with a successful village council meeting these plans were rejected and Police Inspector David Amps confirmed that constable Phil Moores is to be our village 'bobby'.
The conflict deepens in Georgia with a bloody stalemate as the President remains surrounded in his parliament bunker and problems after Israel expel Palestinian activists from the occupied West Bank. Stormy weather reported in the Highlands with severe gales and torrential rain: Hope my trees are all right!
I started out intending to balance today's activities between a number of competing priorities but was quickly dragged into a day of voluntary work. A bit slow to get started and was attending to the conservatory when the first call came through from Celia Chignell of the Citizen to sat that she had received Michael's press release and wanted me to comment. I briefed Percy and undertook to draft a press statement for our colleagues to approve and then was reviewing my priorities when the phone went again with another problem.
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A new planning application for fifty dwellings had been filed that would result in a existing semi-detached house being demolished in Little Paxton and the owners of the other attached "semi" were besides themselves with worry as can be imagined. Within minutes, the couple owning it were sitting in my office and I was advising them and then getting in touch with Parish and District Councils to get fast delivery of the plans for it to be discussed at tonight's meeting of the Parish Council. All that over with and the morning gone, I eventually identified what I should be doing and went through my in-tray accordingly. I just got the urgent admin. out of the way and then settled down to draft a couple of press releases for this evening's meetings - one about Michael Pope and the other as the opening political salvo of the year for my District Group.
A quick meal with the family and then off to this evening's meetings. First at 7.00pm, the Parish Planning Meeting where I got the committee to agree to oppose the major application until they could design a more acceptable access. Next the full meeting of the Parish Council at which the new Police Inspector David Amps from St Neots Police Station attended and briefed us on his plans for rural policing. There will now be four rural officers, based in control cars and one, P.C. Phil Moores will be given the task of policing Little Paxton which is good news. As soon as he left, I had to get going to join the Liberal Democrat Branch Meeting at The Priory Centre and was already late. The meeting was overshadowed by Michael's decision to resign from Town and District Councils and, in his absence, Vice-Chairman Percy Meyer, sounded quite depressed getting through the agenda as I arrived.
The meeting picked up and became quite constructive and then continued quite late as we agreed a lot of action items. Later still in the car park afterwards with Sally offering her my moral support and advice before driving home. The conflict deepens in Georgia with a bloody stalemate as the President remains surrounded in his parliament bunker. Conflict also as the Palestinians postpone attendance at the peace-talks with Israel after they expel Palestinian activists from the occupied West Bank. Stormy weather reported in the Highlands with severe gales and torrential rain: Hope my trees are all right!