Driving early from Paxton to Horning to host the Heronshaw Planning Site Visit when, despite village councillors against, the District councillor was in favour and the North Norfolk and The Broads Authority Planning Officers calmly identified the actual planning issues and then recommended approval subject to a Section 106 Agreement.
This accomplished, and after mending the fence, I set off home and stopped for a snack lunch at Snetterton before calling in on Mum. She had quite enough of staying with Freda for the time being and being told me of the rows between Freda and Alf over Christmas about the money I am lending and giving them so that they worry however they are going to pay it back etc given their performance in managing the business in which I can only agree.
I received Mum's wishes over her will and drove home to do some writing this evening and then a fairly early night. The stock market has been recovering and the sterling coming off the bottom as the Governor of the Bank of England earns a future knighthood
I had a very poor night's sleep with my mind active over the problems of yesterday, the plans for today and further thoughts about Freda accommodating Mum at Redgrave. Awake early even then and layed with Diana for a while talking, until I moved myself and got ready to leave for Norfolk. I made good progress and drove on to Wroxham to use the public toilets and have morning coffee at Roy's Cafe whilst writing notes for this morning's site visit. Whilst waiting for the arrivals, I prepared the property by taking down the chains, opening the garage and gates and putting my car and that of my architect behind the garage to enlarge the plot and provide space for as many cars as possible.
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I was just re-fixing the sign of the property when a long procession of cars arrived. I had written to each of the members of the Broads Authority Planning Committee and this had helped to encourage just about all of them to come along and we had to park some ten cars in all; which we managed handsomely. They gathered in the garage (sharing it with two boats which was funny to see) and my architect ran over the plans and answered questions. Then the Horning Parish Council representative spoke highly against the application, seeing no merit in it at all but in terms, I thought, that overstated the problems to a committee well-briefed by my letter.
Then Cllr Greenhill, the North Norfolk District Council ward member spoke in support of my application in all respects, having absorbed and understood my letter. The Chairman then realised that he ought to have asked the officers to speak first and let them.
The North Norfolk and The Broads Authority Planning Officers calmly identified the actual planning issues and then recommended approval subject to a Section 106 Agreement. They all asked a number of questions and then took a very good look around the place.
It will now be for them to decide at their next meeting on the 17th January 1991 and there must now be cause for some guarded optimism. Even if they refuse, I would stand a very good chance on appeal.
Poor old Jack was trying to drive down the road as the members were leaving and kept reversing up as each of them kept a coming which was funny to us both! After setting the property back to rights and mending the fence, I set off home and stopped for a snack lunch at Snetterton before calling in on Mum. I was pleased to find her well and in good spirits and pleased to be back home. She had quite enough of staying with Freda for the time being and is now no longer in such a hurry to leave her bungalow in Stanton. She told me of the rows between Freda and Alf over Christmas about the money I am lending and giving them so that they worry however they are going to pay it back etc given their performance in managing the business in which I can only agree.
They talk in argument about getting a valuation and selling the place. Mum and I spoke frankly about Freda and money and agreed on all aspects together. Now I will pay her against invoices for the conversion work and we will both take our time so that Mum will visit there from time-to-time but will leave off a decision about settling there until it is absolutely necessary. This all content, she also gave me some papers which set out her wishes in respect of the settling of her affairs by last will and testament and I undertook to show them to my solicitor and get his advice on making a proper instrument of them.
As a non-beneficiary, I got her to agree to me being the executor as Freda would make another mess of that, given the chance, having no head for money. Some time writing this evening and then a fairly early night. The stock market has been recovering and the sterling coming off the bottom as the Governor of the Bank of England earns a future knighthood (or the boot if Labour wins the next election) and fires his first defensive salvo. This one was to talk up the market and support the government but next time he will have to put our monetary reserves where his mouth is!