WELCOME BACK, I HOPE ABSENCE HAS MADE THE HEART GROW FONDER
ABSENCE, as they say, makes the heart grow fonder- and judging by the comments I've received over the lack of regular updates on this blog some of you have sorely missed them. Well that's about to change- and in no particular order of events here's a perspective on the current state of Fenland.
With elections for Fenland Council imminent, spare what consolatory thoughts you might have for Geoff Harper, the current leader. He sits above what has begun to look like an unedifying pile of detritus: the bewildering spectacle of his authority being usurped both by his own colleagues and the ruling elite of executive officers makes for unpleasant viewing.
Take for example the extraordinary state of affairs over something as simple as the decision to film the last meeting prior to the elections of a full council meeting. The cameras were in place and an unedited version was expected to be broadcast on the FDC website within days of the meeting.
With Fenland nothing surprises anymore, so no surprise that the film has never been shown, and can you find out who is responsible for this non event? Heaven above should anyone claim 'ownership' of the project, procrastination flourishes to the extent that IT blames democratic services, the PR spinster Terry Brownbill promises to find out (but true to form never returns your calls) and Councillor Harper himself is left in limbo, neither able to explain or justify the decision not to screen the film. How much was spent? Who knows, and sadly there's an element of who cares, since spending seems in freefall judging by the growing army of staff recruited in recent years. Whilst most local authorities have few if any vacancies the list at Fenland seems unstoppable - who after all sanctioned the newly created £25,000 a year post of environmental smoking adviser, a post likely to appeal to those of a masochistic tendency who fancy trawling the hostelries and businesses of Fenland hoping to catch out anyone puffing away after July 1 and handing them a £50 on the spot fine.
Comings and goings there are aplenty- did you know several councillors I've spoken to didn't even know that the architect of much of the council's eco policies, and a multi award winner to boot, Bruce Pittingale has left the authority? Now working for an eco charity in Peterborough many of the same councillors who didn't know of his departure, now wonder why he left? Surely a man so well respected and so often the recipient of awards handed out in the council chamber might have merited a more public departure?
What of the assistant chief executive who left suddenly last year- and what indeed of the real reasons for Councillor Pop Jolley's abrupt departure from the council? Did he fall or was he pushed remains a pertinent question, given the comment that has followed in his wake.
Pop remains glued to the comings and goings at Fenland, even proffering advice and certain bits of information to Cllr Harper.
Pop says he's too busy to consider a comeback- after all he recently bought a £1 million piece of land at Wisbech, said he was keeping it as an investment, but then promptly sold it on. But he hankers for finishing off what he says he started, i.e. reducing staffing levels, bringing the executive more to account, and questioning all areas of expenditure. Will he be able to resist any opportunity to return? And what of the supposed letter handed to him prior to his resignation by a quartet of Cabinet members detailing complaints about his relationships with staff, an issue which prompted his sudden resignation? Again plenty of silence, and plenty of comment from those so inclined to do so, but sadly not much in the way of hard evidence.
Over then to Councillor Peter Skoulding, vindicated by a determination hearing of the Standards Board but still being ruthlessly pursued by the demon wannabe district councillor from Chatteris, Chris Howes. Cllr Howes is nothing if not thorough and his illuminating insights into Cllr Skoulding's land holdings- gleaned through records kept by the Land Registry in Peterborough- are busy doing the rounds of the Fenland chattering classes who like to be kept up to speed on such matters.
Then, of course, there remains the issue of former leader Alan Melton, ruthlessly dispatched to political oblivion despite being found not guilty of any misdemeanours by the Standards Board but suspended for four months simply because he told the press (i.e. me) too early that he had been cleared.
I come clean. At one time I thought stories which abounded about Alan merited the kind of investigation I subsequently undertook. In retrospect I don't regret the work I did, but I do regret the outcome. The man's a triple FFF - fanatical Fenland fenomenon. His qualities of frankness, commitment and enthusiasm are sadly absent from the tepid qualities offered by many of his colleagues but talk of a come back is premature. His terms are quite clear- he will never serve in a Cabinet alongside Cllr Skoulding, which makes for an interesting juggling act for Cllr Harper should he, as expected, remain leader post May.
Cllr Harper does, I believe, protest too much about the inequities of the standards board (he says the Tories, once in Downing Street will abolish the system) but as I take great delight in pointing out, his accession to leadership was a direct consequence of Alan Melton's forfeiture of the job following a Standards Board ruling. Arguably Cllr Harper could have left the seat warm for Alan, but the fact he didn't speaks volumes for party politics at local level.
So onwards and upwards and forward to the May elections- if not in the print version then here on this blog, I promise you unfettered coverage of the weeks ahead.
Of course feel free to email me discreetly with relevant gossip (best to reach me on pje9j@yahoo.co.uk) but the work of this zealous hack goes on.