Why Did They Resign?

I saw Harriet Snookes of the Bucks Herald talking to Fiona, the Parish Clark, and Mrs. Green, a Wendover Resident in dispute with the parish over a square meter. Harriet has a really hard job there, to sort out the facts about the dispute. But that is only the Casus Beli. I hope she does not loose the plot there. The real question is not who is right (in this case everybody is right and everybody is wrong) but why was this not settled in the usual amicable manner that characterised the Wendover Parish Council until now, and what was the straw that broke the patience of the councillors who voted with their feet.

I obtained copies of some of the resignations letters under the Freedom of Information Act. There seems to be a similar theme running through them. I read in them the pain of having been forced to divorce from a long standing commitment to serving Wendover with love.

When Norman Western read out his letter of resignation, what impressed me the most was not his words - powerful as they were - but his voice. It conveyed deep anger and hurt. He said that he had hoped that he would be able to contribute something of value to benefit the community of Wendover as a whole. That, he wrote, has proved a vain hope. He blamed the corrosive environment: ‘Council meetings have become totally emasculated, due to the continuous, “nit picking” as part of the ongoing vendetta against the Parish Clerk.” This, he said, caused him considerable emotional distress.

Another who displayed exasperation is Angus McKechnie. He stormed out of the meeting when he realized that the ‘appalling and dreadful behaviour’ of Councillors Gregory and Ballantine was to continue to sandbag the proceedings. Others have pointed out these two as the ones who have put the sticks in the wheels of the Parish Council. Eileen Mckechnie goes further to mention Councillor Clayton.

Now I would not hasten to tarnish Councillors Gregory and Ballantine with the same brush. When I started to listen in to the Parish Council meetings, I knew no one and did not know their political affiliation. Up to the unfortunate eruption of the Mrs. Green Issue the council was ticking along very nicely and I formulated my opinion of the councillors based on what they said, how they said it and what was reported that they did. Some impressed me very much.

I tended to agree with most of what Councillor Gregory proposed and my impression was of an experienced sharp councillor. When I met her and her sister, Mrs. Green on several occasions they were always warm towards me and I could imagine them coming over for afternoon tea and scones in my wife’s wonderful garden (Plug: http://www.acercorner.com/). So what went wrong? Impatience, temper, involvement of lawyers, and single mindedness. I can see how constant pressure and bad advice have slowly wrong-footed this otherwise good councillor. Originally the general mood of the council was that this issue should be resolved fast and if possible without bad blood. But as it dragged on and more heated words were said, Mrs Gregory found her support was dwindling. That made her actions more desperate. And this is where the rest of the council is to blame. They should have resolved it. I do not know what went on outside the Parish Meetings. But I think there was an attempt to clear the water. That seemed to have done the trick for a meeting or two. I could see the pressure she felt and that she truly believed she was right – a hand should have been extended to pull her out (I know, it is easier said than done). I felt for her when I realized her only ally left was Councillor Ballantine.

Councillor Ballantine? She might have been an excellent councillor in the past. But almost from the word Go, I marked her in my mind as a Liability.

Alas, the vote of no-confidence the resignation letters convey does not compel their subjects. I hope they read the writing on the wall. For the best of Wendover, I plea to all the rest of the councillors that have not resign yet, to do so to help save face and open the way to the resolution of this affair.

Writing this saddens me. I would prefer to end with a positive note. Allow me to quote from Dr. Sheila King who was the first casualty of this saga:

“I would like to acknowledge the enormous support and sound advice I have received as Chair of the Council from two Councillors in particular – namely Ted Wilkinson and Eileen McKechnie. I would also like to acknowledge the excellent work of some members of the Council – most notable Stephen Worth and Joel Stevens – who have quietly and productively gone about what I believe to be the true business of Councillors ie significantly improving the environs of Wendover for all.”

May we always see the full half.

Lost for Words

The wonderful weather the last few days has encouraged us to get out to the garden and spend some family quality time preparing the garden for its opening on the 25th of May in aid of the Ian Rennie charity, see http://www.acercorner.com/. However, for some the enjoyment of this wonderful spring has been tarnished. No, I am not talking about the Labour party. I am thinking about our Wendover Parish Council.

Yesterday I was given a compliment (paraphrasing): “We have been checking your blog for a comment on the Parish Meeting last Monday. Why have you not written anything?” Well, I could say I was very busy with my work (which is true), my wife gave me a lot to do in the Garden, I was working on my contribution to the Chiltern Writers Group Anniversary Anthology, or just that I did not want to spoil my excellent mode induced by the eruption of spring in the Garden. But this would not be true. When I came home Monday I was itching to bang into the blog my anger but when I put fingers to keyboard I just could not find the right words. I was shell-shocked, flabbergasted and dumfounded.

I sat through the meeting in sheer agony. There are several dimensions to the calamity the parish is experiencing. The most important in my mind is the tension between certain councillors (and their “advisors”) and the Parish Clerk, Fiona. I suppose this is another reason I got stuck with writing an entry on Monday. People expect me to ‘declare’ on what side of this issue I fall. I do not really want to be dragged into this murky swamp. I do however fear that one of the casualties of this sorry state of affairs might be Fiona.

Loosing Fiona, or just loosing here enthusiasm for the job will hurt the Parish much more than loosing certain councillors. We have already lost councillors I have learnt to respect and appreciate their immensely important contribution to the Parish. It started with the resignation of Dr Sheila King and now we face an avalanche of resignations. To-date:

Ted Wilkinson
Eileen McKechnie
Angus McKechnie
Norman Western
Steve Bowles
Brian Prior

Those of us who follow the Parish Council will appreciate the severe blow this loss is. It was brought home immediately in the last meeting where Councillor Ballantine made a pigs breakfast of her attempt to step into Steve’s shoes.

But I digress from the main issue, Fiona. My outsider’s impression of Fiona is that she is dedicated, hard working, friendly and professional. The parish has invested in her training and until the ‘Green Affair’ flamed up last year, she was chugging along very nicely, thank you very much. Yes, she is on a learning curve. The business of keeping democracy ticking is very complex. The training Parish Counsellors get is mainly of how to find the right rule or regulation. This ‘lawyer’ type thinking is critical to the correct running of the Parish. The Chair and Councillors have often sent Fiona off to check the correct way of approaching issues. But when she sticks to the letter of the rule book (her bible) there are those who see parallels to Sir Humphrey manipulating the government machine. That is not what I see. What I see is a good Parish Clark who has our village good at her hart and that has the potential to become an excellent Clark. What will make her excellent? Experience. Experience and seniority provide one with the perspective that allows one to operate without constantly referring to the Book. This leads to a more relaxed and mature approach to doing ones job, handling the takes and duties, and interpreting the Councils decisions.

Last Monday the leaking Ship hit a debilitating storm, lost its second captain and many good hands. Whatever measures are taken to keep it afloat, in Valen’s name, do not execute the chief mechanic. We need the engine running. First to work the pumps and then to get back on course.

There, I think I managed to get through this entry without getting involved in the ‘Green Affair’. I want to keep myself impartial on this one.

The Golden Path

I remember when I read about the first cars. A rule was imposed that required a person waving a red lag walking in front of the noisy stinking Automobile. Ridicules isn’t it? Stop and think, what is the number one killer nowadays? It’s road accidents. So they had a point. But being conservative, sticking to only what you know leads to absurdities and stagnation. Was the industrial revolution good or bad? Should have Britain embrace it or reject it? Should all slaves be freed? Should women get the vote? We take for granted change that previous generations foght tooth and nail for and against, predicting the end of the world and Utopia. I expect that in a few generations Genetic research will not be so controversial as it is today and the objectors would be regarded as outdated as those who could not fathom the radical idea that the earth is round or thought the Eifel Tower is a mistake. I expect that in a year or two people will not even remember that once we had to campaign for eight years to get a cycle path along Aylesbury Raod.
It takes a good dollop if intuition and open mindedness to judge whether a change or innovation is worth the risk it carries or even to guesstimate the relevant risks. We all take these risks, telling ourselves rightly or wrongly they are calculated. We get married, we take a mortgage, we drive a car, we change jobs, we replace the ruling party and so forth.
We are very bad judges of risk. We over exaggerate the odds when the result might be calamitous and underestimate when it is inconvenient. The probability of being injured in a terrorist attack is miniscule compared to the likelihood of being hit by a motor vehicle. What do you fear more? Where is more money spent?
So does a path shred by pedestrians and cyclists pose a mortal threat? A disaster waiting to happen? Yes, if you envision a Tour-de-France rally whizzing down, expecting the path to be pedestrian free. No if you are more realistic and expect the cyclists to be casual bicyclers, who respect others and ride responsibly.
So courteous and lawful behaviour is the key. A two prong approach is called for: education and enforcement. The ‘Get Wendover Cycling’ Group will help promote the former and I hope the Parish council will guide the PCSO’s to keep an eye out for the latter.
The picture is similar to the one published in the Bucks Herald. It was a really cold day and very windy but we came because showing support for cycling in Wendover in general, and to cycle paths in particular, is important to us. But cycling is not the aim. It is the mean towards several personal & environmental benefits. I will not insult your intelligence by listing them.

revision of the planning application for the development at the Princess Mary’s Hospital Site

A revision of the planning application for the development at the Princess Mary’s Hospital Site has been published (http://eplanning.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/tdc/DcApplication under the same application code of 07/03446/ADP; look for documents with recent dates on them).
The highlights I picked up are;
The four story houses will be now 3.5 stories and lower by 1 meter.
Overhaul of the design and parking allocation for the MS centre.
The Cycle route along Wood lane has been redesigned. It is now alongside the road which is good news but it does not seem to follow Wood Lane all the way in nor do I find any other cycle paths marked within the development (look for CT1 and CT2 on the drawings).
The developers will contribute towards a cycle path to the John Colet and a Toucan crossing. The responsibility for the work stays BCC’s. I could not find detailed design or a the amount agreed. It could be just that I could not download much as the AVDC planning website is not stable.
The Bin/Cycle stores have been redesigned to prevent shared storage (hurrah Brian).
A detailed discussion of the merits of a two way system.

What was missing (or I could not find or download)?
Reduction in the density.
Cycle paths inside the development.
Cycle paths between the wood and the development.
A reference to the bus service or its extension into the development.
The promised diversions of the bus service at certain hours to the train station (as mentioned in the Conservatives leaflet).

Wendover Train Station is not Accessible to All

The Wendover News editor was kind enough to place the folowing in the April edition:

If you ask for assistance to cross over to or from the far platform at our train station you will be told to travel to the next station up or down the line. Thus many are discouraged from using the train. This affects many potential commuters: wheel chair users, people with pushchairs or luggage, and cyclists. Many say they can walk (slowly) to the station but cannot negotiate the stairs. And for the fitter amongst us, a cycle friendly station will not only benefit Wendoverians but also encourage visitors to come with their cycles rather than their cars. In particular I have in mind the expected increase in visitors to Wendover Woods that worries the residence of Hale Lane who fear it would become congested. Chiltern Rail and Bucks County Council need to see there is a real demand for a solution such as a lift or a swivel bridge to justify the high expense associated. I would like to set up a campaign group dedicated to this issue. Please do consider volunteering to help. I prefer to be contacted through my email: eli_kling@hotmail.com. You may call 01296 696 017 or drop a note to Acer Corner, 10 Manor Road, Wendover HP22 6HQ.

Help the Hospices

Two things caught my eye the first time I saw my to-be secondary school. It had bars on the windows and it had a proper oval running track. I was more concerned that the school looked like a prison than to think about the other feature. I did not know much about what happened at this big sports field. The bars on the windows became invisible to me as the school suited me very well thank you very much. But that time slot in the schedule marked as ‘PE’ was torture. The only time I was the head runner was when the rest of the class was on their second or third lap whilst I was pretending not to walk the first one. I hated running and my hate grew in Basic trainings and Officer’s course. Only much later did I learn I had asthma.

Thus I appreciate doubly anybody that pushes himself to running against their natural inclination, such as Tom Lloyd. Here is an email he sent me:

I am running the London Marathon on April 13th in aid of Help the Hospices. It is a really wonderful charity and you can find out more about their work at http://www.helpthehospices.org.uk/. We are now about 7 weeks away and until last week the training was going well. Unfortunately I have been struck with "the bug" so am limping around a bit. I did it 2 years ago and remembered actually enjoying the training, but I'm that much older and not a lot wiser (why else go through the freezing 6 am three hour Sunday morning runs, not to mention the rest of the weeks training).

So please make me feel that it really is all worthwhile and sponsor me at www.justgiving.co.uk/tomlloyd . Many of you sponsered me last time, which was fantastic as we managed to raise an awesome £3000. Let's see if we can get near to it this time.

Best Wishes

Tom (Lloyd)

All I can say is ‘Don’t give up Tom’ you are a better man than me. And to you: 'Go on, help him break that £3000 target.'

The tree savers grow up to community proactivety

Some idiot wants to cut down the trees on Aylesbury Road!

Did that put your back up? A similar case got my mother campaigning many years ago – the Tel-Aviv city hall wanted to widen King George Street. I think I was about six or seven when she put a petition in my hand: “Get as many signatures as you can”. The truth is that I did not appreciate what it was all about and I was annoyed I could not stay at home and read. Those trees were planted almost together with the corner stone for Tel-Aviv and they are still there, but for one that was killed by a terrorist bomb alongside several men, women and children.

It seems very British to get all worked up about saving trees. In fact that is probably the issue that got most community activist going in the first place. Holding back the chain saw hanging over the Aylesbury Road trees was the community spark the resulted in the Wendover Society in 1965.

The Society had its AGM yesterday. The guest speaker discussed another community body: The Wendover Community Trust. Both organizations have done lots of good and continue doing so. I went to the AGM mainly as a show of support. I admit I was also curios to hear about the proposed constitution as the Wendover Cycling Group (temporary name) is grappling with its own.

I did notice the same names being mentioned in connection to different organizations. This was accentuated by the fact that there was no new face nor any change in office proposed at the AGM. Don’t get me wrong. Well done to them all. Most of the people in question did a very good job up to now and I expect they will carry on in the same positive spirit. I just want to point out that there is this clique of people who are doing a lot for Wendover, fighting our corner, propping up those who need support and doing good in general. And you’ll encounter almost the same faces in what ever meeting you go to. I suppose that this has something to do with the fact that most people are just engrossed in the fight to keep their head above the white rapids of life.

Once you volunteer your sense of responsibility is awakened. It feeds on your activities and drives you on to more in an ever strengthening feedback cycle. You start noticing things. You start caring. And worse of all, each time you hear of a position that is not filled YOU feel guilty for not putting your name done or worse you say you will do it even if you are over committed. I never realized this before. I have now more respect than ever for these unsung community heroes, but it would be nice to see more new faces. Not only to spread out the burden but also to introduce novel ideas and approaches. Naturally I would prefer if they were not conservative (with and without capitalization). For now I count myself as a new face.

To end in a positive note: I have put myself forward for the elections for parent governors at the John Hampden. I was delighted to here that six parents are ‘fighting’ for the two open positions. That bodes very well for our community.

By the way, check out the new Wendover Society website or even better take part in the discussions in the forum.