Scuttlebutt

Terrible isn't it when you have to rely on scuttlebutt for your information, even more so when nothing is coming to the surface like it usually does at some point or another.  I think I ought to go out more.

Which means I'll have to concentrate on what I do know.  Since the VI is now a done deal the money should flow into the  coffers shortly.  So what next.  Are they going to stuff it into the bank account and just leave it there to fester and  grow (pitifully slowly), give it away (means testing) or build something that might be useful to one and all.  What about this, suggested by a parish councillor many moons ago but still relevant and will always be of use and meet with the original terms of the trust.  Would probably get oodles of grant money to assist in the purchase as well.

Doesn't she look beautiful and very very useful.  Patented by the city of Portland.

Well don't laugh, you get down the street and feel the urge, where the heck do you go?

Demolition Men

Well from what I hear the Victoria Institute will be demolished and a residential building going up in it's place.  Based on what the refurbishment costs were, produced by the trustees, which to me seemed a load of rubbish for the size of the building, this would be the best way forward.  I do hope we don't get some whingers wanting it to look like VI Mark II because that would be a complete disaster.  Well they could always pinch a brick as a souvenir to four years of total stupidity and money down the drain.

Anyway good luck to the purchaser in the project.  With a fair wind we should get a good looking corner at last instead of an absolute eyesore.  I suspect we shall all watch progress with interest.

August should see even more demolition with our railway bridges being replaced at a cost of umpteen millions.  I wonder if Stobarts will fit them into place?  Especially given that the drivers know them well, too well, since they keep coming back and having to turn round when they can't get under, communication skills obviously not in their job description or they just don't talk to each other.

Nothing yet on that parish council meeting.  I suppose I shall have to wait like everyone  else until we get the parish mag to see if there was any blood on the carpet.

What Next

Despite my best efforts I have still not heard anything regarding the last parish council meeting. So don't know whether the male members through the towel in and let the ladies take over or whether we are going to have more of the same for the next four years.  Trouble with some men is they don't know when to fade into the background and play a supporting role.  Anyway I suppose bits will dribble out eventually, they always do.

Moving on.  Now we have sold the VI, what about the money?  Currently it seems we have a lot of 'friends' in charge of this pot and to me that does not seem right since they are not a public body.  They wasted money while they did have a hand on the  tiller prolonging the agony of not selling when they should have done.  What are they going to do with the money once it is in the bank account?  I can see it either festering for years with either nothing done because they can't make their minds up or being spent on something not fit for purpose in a village.  Perhaps they will apply for another grant for a feasibility study.

The right thing to do now is pass the trusteeship back to the parish council where it belonged in the first place, then at least then there is a structure in place locally where if it goes wrong we can show our displeasure at a public meeting instead of at a secret meeting held at someone's home.

Class of 2014

Well Tuesday night should be interesting, the Annual Parish Meeting with the new lineup of members.  The KMAV members have been put firmly in their place with the election of Hazel Brand to the District Council as well as top of the pops in the parish council election.  Gutter politics doesn't belong in a village like Misterton and perhaps the level of interest shown over the last few weeks and the  eventual results indicates what residents really feel about the attack on Hazel Brand.
 
So it should be an interesting night, although I suspect they will be an unrepentant bunch.  Still they want to think themselves lucky that things didn't turn out differently because you know what they say, hell hath no fury etc.  We might have finished up then with another election very shortly.

For a start they might think about a grovelling apology, if only to get themselves out of the mire.  Regrettably that is doubtful, but then it just goes to show what kind of people they really are.

Getting back to the Annual Parish Meeting, I was looking through the agenda and noticed something that was conspicuously missing, the chairman's annual report on what has happened during the year.  Where is it and if not why not.  Surely a few words could have been strung together from someone who is normally very verbose at promoting himself.  That's my description, the description I was given was even more illuminating.

Lets hope there is a good turnout for this meeting, like there used to be at the Annual Meetings under the previous administration when the room was full (and yes I have been so this is not all talk).

Enjoy!