September 2006 - Posts
Firstly, my thanks to the man or woman in the know who kindly leaked me a confidential email from Adrian Waite.
Who he? Well Adrian is the tenants' independent representative tied in with the proposed transfer of Fenland's 4,000 council homes to a housing association. Mr Waite's email is quite critical of some aspects of the transfer, or, as he more accurately puts it, some of the perceptions tenants are gleaning about the transfer.
Words like tenants fed up with having it "rammed down their throats" , becoming "hostile to the idea", and tenants being "bulldozed" are quotes taken directly from his email, which followed a meeting of the Ivy Leaf Tenants' Association in Whittlesey.
With a limited circulation, Mr Waite is probably on the trail of the mole in his midst who did the evil deed, and ensure yours truly came into possession of a copy only days after he'd written it.
Or maybe not? Negative perceptions, again Mr Waite's words, not mine, are key elements in the hearts and minds battle as Fenland moves towards a transfer vote. Perhaps it's no bad thing that those pushing for transfer receive a wake up call about what the public, ie in this case the tenants, truly feel about it.
Fenland may have a smoother, and definitely more integrated, campaign at their disposal this time round compared to 1999, but opponents know they hold the trump card- an opportunity to say no in the ballot box.
As a working journalist, I have no view either way on the issue of transfer. Not for me to offer an opinion. However what I can offer, and do frequently offer, is a platform for all sides to air their views. And it's also the duty of newspapers to ensure a fairness and transparency in procedures.
Certain aspects of the transfer process worry not only me, and obviously are beginning to worry Mr Waites, but also Councillor Kit Owen, portfolio holder for housing at FDC.
For he expressed to me this very day his concern about repairing the damage to the shadow board, that will ultimately take control as the housing association Roddons, following the departure of two independent members. He believes these vacancies need filling as a matter of some urgency.
The shadow board is not meeting in public, not publicly making their discussions or decisions available, and had it not been for another leaker this week, we may not have been aware of discussions from their last meeting .
So, we rely on leakers for information that some may argue, legitimately, ought to be in the public domain anyway.
As the transfer vote moves ever nearer, there will be some hearts pounding not only over the end result, but over any more emails offering such injudicious remarks.
Confidentiality is vital within our democratic processes, and some things are best if they remain so.
I will leave it to those in possession of such interesting and stimulating emails or documents to decide what to do with them: my email is, as ever, john.elworthy@archant.co.uk or you may, if you prefer, opt for my alternative, and altogether more private address, pje9j@yahoo.co.uk.
Goodness me, what a job application that was! I refer to the meeting of Fenland District Council held last night at which we witnessed the re-emergence of Councillor Alan Melton from exile, partially self imposed and partially the result of a mendacious ruling by the Standards Board of English.
But never mind the past, what of the present and the future? Well I must confess to enjoying myself, watching as a large number of councillors sat in wonderment and amazement and this aparition that had once again become a reality.
Melton was in splendid form, launching into a debate on car park charges, and Fenland's reluctance to take up the mantle, with typical gusto.
But it was his intervention on the future of hospitals at Huntingdon and Kings Lynn that saw Melton at his fluent, and passionate, best. My goodness by the end we even had the Labour leader, Councillor Steve Cawthorne, finding approval for his suggestion for a lobby of Parliament on the issue!
Without wishing to sound too gushing, heaven forbid, but this was a performance of remarkable maturity and even, dare I say it, touching on statesmanlike. Of course Melton is no longer leader. Of course there is no vacancy for said post.
But, as ever, there will be again one day, and maybe, and who knows, as early as next May when Councillor Geoff Harper might decide to withdraw to the more quieter pastures of Fenland's political landscape.
A week, a month or even six months are remarkably long periods of time in politics.
Melton was simply assuring those of his colleagues left with any doubt that here was his marker, once more, for the crown of Fenland.
On oratory skills alone he has no rival, and sadly Councillor Martin Curtis's bold attempt to 'do a Melton' with a speech on Government interference in local politics was as dull as it was worthy. It helped not at all that Curtis read from notes, and foolishly lost his way and told listeners he was returning to the beginning of a sentence which he had delivered incoherently.
There are precious few opportunities in Fenland these days to shine amongst your peers. That Melton knows this, and picked such a judicious occasion to do so, shows he has lost none of his political acumen during his temporary absence.
IN response to many requests, here’s quick update on the ‘If I can, you can’ initiative which aims to see this wizened provincial hack shrink by at least two stone in time for Christmas.
To the miserable sods who say it can’t, or won’t be done (and I do hope deputy town clerk of March, Les Denzey you are reading this), I can assure you that I’ve never been more determined of anything for years. That I will achieve the goal is not for negotiation.
That’s the trouble with people who start to keep fit, of course. They begun to become dogmatic and terribly pompous about their achievements.
I hope not in this case. In fact I’ve gotten to the stage where I try to keep my own personal targets just that, personal. It probably doesn’t help that I’m now going to be writing about them as part of the ‘Fit of the Fens’ campaign we are jointly promoting with Fenland Council.
But that aside the ambitions I hope to realise, though modest to many, remain important to me.
For days I’ve been tempting myself back into a suit I haven’t worn since I bought it nearly three years ago. It was a little tight even then, and got progressively tighter, so it stayed in the wardrobe.
Today it came out and went out, and the ease with which I was able to tighten the belt convinced me it was ready to wear.
Another notch on the road to improved fitness- and within the past week I’ve been to the gym on four occasions, three for inductions and last night I was left to follow the programme that had been worked out for me by staff at the George Campbell Leisure Centre in March.
It’s a great, friendly and uncritical outfit. Friendly staff, some great people using it, and above all providing the support, encouragement and, of course, the machines to do the business.
I’ve already met one chap who has lost eight stone in a year! Not that I’m contemplating anything quite so dramatic but the centre offers the environment in which to do your own thing, to do it well, and to be offered the support should you be tempted to backslide.
Onwards and upwards - and ironically downwards (in size!) we go.
Pity the cadets who trusted him. Pity the townsfolk who he duped. Pity Bernard Keane, for whom the act of betrayal was as deep and as wounding as anything you could imagine.
Pity the ATC who remain dumbfounded by what he's done. Pity the innocent victims- and there are thousands- who entrusted him with cash, only to see it used to prop up a hedonistic lifestyle that included flash cars and personalised number plates.
This, dear readers, was the world in which Michael Eke lived. His greed, and the townsfolk's gullibility, will make a novel few would or could dare invent.
The characters come straight from an age of innocence. Trusting rural people who thought they had found in Eke someone of whom they could be proud.
Instead, and to their cost, they have found out too late they had amongst them a thieving, conniving and malicious crook who has fleeced them not only of their hard earned money and good standing, but also of that most sacred of principles, trust.
You will, I assure you, hear much more of Eke. I have been busy compiling the evidence, in its totality, of Eke's fraud and deception. Your eyes will, assuredly, hardly believe what's put in front of them.
The double conning of The Queen - both over the MBE and his refusal to give up the secret of the Queen's Jubilee Award- are rich enough pickings in themselves.
But how he set up and operated multiple bank accounts from which he siphoned off thousands of pounds remains, to date, untold. His guilty pleas have meant the full story is yet to be told.
But we have it. Every damnable moment of his damnable five years of persistent deception is being compiled.
You can read it soon, I promise you, not only here, on our website, but in the Cambs Times.
Watch and wait - the full truth, when it gets to you, is mind blowing.
For those intrigued by my attempts to lose weight, allow me a brief update. After seven days I had, quite miraculously in my opinion, shed 5lb. Confirmation came last Saturday when I popped into my local Boots but this time strode purposely to the scales, with my 50p ready, and awaited news of the first week's efforts.
Not only do I feel better, but for the first time I was able to wear a shirt on Saturday evening that had previously felt tight and uncomfortable. This time it didn't. I also stopped in at Tesco's and picked up five bags of sugar to get some idea of my modest achievement.
The energy levels, too, are rising: last night, after getting home late from a town council meeting, I had a light supper, did some work on the computer, and then, when everyone in the house was asleep, spring cleaned the kitchen and at 12.30am, just before going to bed, scrubbed the kitchen floor.
Apart from people like the unhelpful assistant town clerk, Les Denzey, who continues to ridicule my plan to lose two stone by Christmas (sorry, Les, but expect to lose our wager!), most people have been supportive.
Another week or so and it'll be time to tackle the cigarettes.
Meanwhile my first day in the gym is imminent - and I'm sure my two dogs are warming even more to me, sensing perhaps that longer walks are afoot.
The interview with former Fenland council leader Alan Melton, now up on our website, came after I met him a couple of weeks ago for coffee in Chatteris. Time certainly has been kinder to Alan than for many, the birth of a new baby and his suspension from the council (both, in their own way unexpected!), has rejuvenated him. Clearly, though, as the interview makes clear he remains in an unforgiving mood towards some of his colleagues, but not so towards new leader Geoff Harper or to council chief executive Tim Pilsbury.
And thereby hangs the intrigue, dear readers, for the rumour in March Conservative Club of late (ok, so I drink there, but the beer's cheap, the company's friendly, and it's the best place in town for political gossip) is that Geoff Harper is planning a dignified exit next May not only as leader but from Fenland District Council.
So here's the scenario: Geoff Harper quits, Pop Jolley takes over his vacant seat, there's a new election for leader, Mac Cotterell (once again) proposes Alan Melton. Simon King thinks not, so stands against him. Fred Yeulett, current deputy, has a look at the field, and backs off.
Martin Curtis thinks he might be in with a chance, so puts his name into the ring.
In a secret ballot, Alan Melton is once more leader, having never publicly criticised either Geoff Harper or Tim Pilsbury, so can take, what he thinks to be anyway, his rightful place back at the centre of the political table at Fenland.
His first speech as leader offers a five year vision for Fenland. His colleagues cheer. Now there's no looking back.
Those familiar with the movie Ground Hog Day may spot the similarities. The King is dead, hail the King.
And who could be the 'kingmaker' in all of this? Step forward Geoff Harper, who has clearly felt uncomfortable for sometime with his position and will, no doubt, relish the opportunity to spend more time advising despot dictatorships across the globe on the merits of democracy.