Declaring an Interest

I must declare an interest. I really must. Not in the way that councillors do when they have to declare whether or not they have an 'interest' in a given proposal, mine is that, well, I'm very interested.

Interested in the whole democracy thing as it is played out in the chamber of our town council.

Now I have been there before, but that was long years ago and never with a large number of people voting me in, by the way thank you, I hope one day you'll think it worth the effort.

No, this is all just a bit special.

All the new, or in some cases re-visited councillors were given a huge file full of 'interesting' facts we had to read and inwardly digest, like school again in a way.

This was from our town clerk, a very competent and friendly lady, called Sam, who is the person that makes the whole place tick, well her and her assistant Muriel who has been our council liaison on the events we run. This is the team that has responsibility for the council running within the law, and keeping up with the statutes and directives that regularly fall from government in soft brown lumps.

The mayor is a chap called Richard D'Arcy, known to many of you I know. I had never seen him in action; it was a joy to behold. A bit like a juggler balancing on a tight rope of 'procedure' while acting as a head teacher, magistrate and shop steward all rolled into one.

He teased the arguments out - balancing 'for' and 'against' seasoned with a few 'abstentions' into a coherent and concise judgment. He has a gavel and I'm told he's not afraid to use it, but last night it rested on his bench, mute but deadly.  
So here I was, part of a planning meeting.

If there is one thing that can raise a wind in almost any quarters it's planning.

You can understand why because at the end of a process someone, some family, or a business either gets what they want or are disappointed. That's not just 'disappointed' oh damn. It is disappointed costing money, time and hopes.

There were several cases up before the council last night all of them hugely important to the applicants and all of them really examined in great depth by all the councillors.

One of the real bonuses in a council that is 'of the town and from the town' is that it has members who have lived there all their lives. They know the bones of the place and can speak knowledgably about where the applications come from and the ramifications of a refusal or acceptance.

Its one thing to see a plan or a drawing but if you know how a place used to be, is now and what might be like if approval is given it is a huge bonus for those of us who are blow-ins like me. It's not a question of just aesthetics or of pure practicality or use. Precedent takes a part, so does the impact the building will have on the environment, traffic, access and of course neighbours. Every planning application is in some way a judgment of Solomon, without the benefit of a ruddy great sword to cut arguments in half.

Of course the real peach last night was the health centre, one of the most controversial issues to come before our community for years.

It was put before the town council again from a higher authority because of an amendment in the plans.

With over 1100 signatures on a petition, a public meeting and a common aim to do the right thing both for the good of the practice and the good of the patients this was a much-debated subject. Every one there knew that the status quo was just not acceptable, nor would that benefit the patients, for some of whom our health centre is literally their life line.

I heard some arguments I could agree with, some I couldn't, but none that wasn't reasoned and in some cases impassioned. I just hope that one day in the not too distant future I and every other user of our health centre will enjoy the benefits of a brand new, spacious and state of the art surgery and offer a little prayer of thanks to all, and I mean all, who have tugged, pulled, moved and striven to make it come to pass. But there is I fear still a long road ahead.

Next month it's the big all general, all-inclusive council meeting. (12th April) I hope to be there, I do hope some of you will be as well. I mean this is YOUR town after all, and who knows – the Gavel might come out!

Oh one last thing – all this is my opinion OK,

Not the council, not anyone, not official – just all mine.

So don't have a beef at other councillors if you don't agree with anything, have a beef at me.

Regards to all

Bernard Pearson

[EDITOR:] Anyone who wishes to have a beef just needs to email the Window.

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