OK lets do Grove House. When Cllr Colbert presented her motion to the new Town Council on 5 June, they simply refused to discuss it.
I refer you to a letter from Cllrs Colbert and Howes published in the Fenland Citizen on 20 June 2007:
We find the whole matter of Grove House highly perplexing.
As we understand the situation, Grove House was owned by Chatteris Urban District Council, who transferred its care to the newly formed Fenland District Council in 1974.
The Chatteris Town Council met in the building right up until the mid 1990s and the Museum was housed there.
We understand that in the mid 1990s Chatteris Town Council asked Fenland District Council for the building back, but FDC insisted they would have to pay £250,000 for it (!) so nothing happened.
Then, in 1996, Fenland District Council sold the building to the Isle College for £6,000, under conditional terms and it being used for education for 10 years.
According to the article by Cllr Alan Melton in Citizen Extra, the building was in a poor state and the Isle College undertook a “massive refurbishment” of the building and educational use started in 1997.
First, there are two questions.
(1) Why did Fenland District Council let the building get into such a poor state of repair?
(2) Why were Chatteris Town Council asked for such a huge amount of money only shortly before the sale to Isle College?
Now we move on to the present time, and we are told in Cllr Melton’s article that the building is in a very poor state now and that it cannot be used as a public building “as there is no lift and is not ‘disabled and disability acceptable’”.
This raises further issues.
(1) Why is again in such a poor state if the Isle College had it “massively refurbished”?
(2) Why should it have to have a lift? We have never noticed one in Fenland Hall, or the One Stop Shops.
(3) How about using just part of it as a public building?
(4) How about using the small side building for something like the Youth Cafe that everyone seems to agree that Chatteris could do with?
A motion for the reacquisition of Grove House for the benefit of the people of Chatteris has now twice been put before the Chatteris Town Council, but the majority group will not even discuss the matter.
Surely the Town Council has a duty to the people of Chatteris to fully investigate the condition of the building, and all its possible uses rather than ignore the matter.
And surely the Chatteris community is entitled to some substantial recompense from Fenland District Council for what looks very much like mismanagement of a substantial Chatteris asset.
This was in response to an article in the Chatteris Extra edition of the Fenland Citizen the previous week by Conservative District and County Councillor Alan Melton (and party colleague of 8 out of 12 of the Town Council) Cllr Melton wrote: "... the hope is that some private developer will save the building for domestic use, just like Chatteris House.”
During the life of the previous town council, Cllr Melton stood before them and promised that if at any point in the future Grove House was no longer required for educational use, it would be returned to Chatteris. Well I suppose that a couple of years is “a long time in politics” !
Funny thing though, while Cllr Melton hopes for a ‘benevolent’ developer to ‘save’ Grove House, Chatteris is full of rumours that it has already been promised to a developer. Perhaps Cllr Melton became converted to the idea while working as project manager for a local developer during the restoration of Chatteris House ?
Walter Burnett is a pen name.
Wednesday, 20 June 2007
SHOOT THE MESSENGER !
I must apologise to my many readers (both those that like the blog, and those that love to hate it) for my silence. Following the reports I received of the 5th June meeting of Chatteris Town Council, I was so disillusioned / disappointed / disgusted / outraged / despairing that I felt I had to hold my tongue.
To say what I think would likely invoke a civil action for libel. Now we all know that a remark can’t be libelous if it is true, but on the whole I’d prefer not to have to spend time and money discussing it in Court.
Well what’s been happening ? I’ll deal with Grove House in a separate blog. A source of considerable expectation at the last meeting of the toy council was Cllr Murphy’s anticipated answers to the questions asked him at the inaugural meeting of the new council on 8th May 2007. (previously reported on this blog as More Stuff - yawn). Would the good district councillor be able explain the £17 million reduction in the FDC revenue account ? Could he promise that any of the £507,000 that FDC had received for the sale of land formally belonging to Chatteris, would be re-invested in Chatteris ?
Well surprise, surprise, Cllr Murphy failed to turn up, so the questions remain unanswered. Readers may not be aware the a councillor only has to attend one meeting every six months. Cllr Murphy has already failed to attend two meetings (and apparently neglected to even offer his apologies). He doesn’t actually need to attend again until November. Please Peter, don’t make us wait that long for the answers you promised !
This blog has attracted a healthy number of comments. The majority welcome it and read with interest what our council is doing (or perhaps not doing) on our behalf.
A small (and often barely literate) minority are terribly upset (why do they read it then ?) and have posted hostile comments. However these criticisms centre on speculation on this author’s identity, and criticism of specific councillors that dare to think for themselves, labeling them with that ultimate insult of the reactionary and small minded - ‘new comers’ !
Funny thing is, all the criticism is of the fact of the blog itself. Nobody has suggested that the content is anything other than accurate. A classic case of shoot the messenger ?
Walter Burnett is a pen name.
To say what I think would likely invoke a civil action for libel. Now we all know that a remark can’t be libelous if it is true, but on the whole I’d prefer not to have to spend time and money discussing it in Court.
Well what’s been happening ? I’ll deal with Grove House in a separate blog. A source of considerable expectation at the last meeting of the toy council was Cllr Murphy’s anticipated answers to the questions asked him at the inaugural meeting of the new council on 8th May 2007. (previously reported on this blog as More Stuff - yawn). Would the good district councillor be able explain the £17 million reduction in the FDC revenue account ? Could he promise that any of the £507,000 that FDC had received for the sale of land formally belonging to Chatteris, would be re-invested in Chatteris ?
Well surprise, surprise, Cllr Murphy failed to turn up, so the questions remain unanswered. Readers may not be aware the a councillor only has to attend one meeting every six months. Cllr Murphy has already failed to attend two meetings (and apparently neglected to even offer his apologies). He doesn’t actually need to attend again until November. Please Peter, don’t make us wait that long for the answers you promised !
This blog has attracted a healthy number of comments. The majority welcome it and read with interest what our council is doing (or perhaps not doing) on our behalf.
A small (and often barely literate) minority are terribly upset (why do they read it then ?) and have posted hostile comments. However these criticisms centre on speculation on this author’s identity, and criticism of specific councillors that dare to think for themselves, labeling them with that ultimate insult of the reactionary and small minded - ‘new comers’ !
Funny thing is, all the criticism is of the fact of the blog itself. Nobody has suggested that the content is anything other than accurate. A classic case of shoot the messenger ?
Walter Burnett is a pen name.
Monday, 4 June 2007
COMING SOON TO A BLOG NEAR YOU ........
Tuesday 5 June is the 2nd meeting of the new Chatteris Town Council. Your blogger can hardly contain his excitement !
Will Cllr Murphy don his District Council hat and give full and informative answers to the questions asked him at the first meeting ( faithfully reported to you in my 18 May blog - MORE STUFF) ?
Cllr Colbert has resubmitted her Grove House motion that was disgracefully voted out by the last Council in March 2007:
"Following the cessation of the education use of Grove House, Chatteris Town Council calls upon Fenland District Council to secure the return of Grove House from the College of West Anglia at a figure deemed appropriate given the terms of the sale agreement. Chatteris Town Council further calls upon Fenland District Council to return the building to Chatteris for the benefit of the community at nil cost to Chatteris."
As my ‘Grove House’ blog related, this motion endeavours to give Chatteris the opportunity to have our former building returned to the people it once belonged to - us ! Will we be thrilled to learn that the Council has astonished us by supporting this fine motion, or will it instead bury its head in the sand, ostrich like, and rule out the opportunity of regaining a Chatteris asset?
The fun starts at 7pm with an opportunity for the Public to speak - a few places in the gallery still remain - apply on the door! (If you can’t make it, watch this space)
Walter Burnett is a pin number.
Cllr Colbert has resubmitted her Grove House motion that was disgracefully voted out by the last Council in March 2007:
"Following the cessation of the education use of Grove House, Chatteris Town Council calls upon Fenland District Council to secure the return of Grove House from the College of West Anglia at a figure deemed appropriate given the terms of the sale agreement. Chatteris Town Council further calls upon Fenland District Council to return the building to Chatteris for the benefit of the community at nil cost to Chatteris."
As my ‘Grove House’ blog related, this motion endeavours to give Chatteris the opportunity to have our former building returned to the people it once belonged to - us ! Will we be thrilled to learn that the Council has astonished us by supporting this fine motion, or will it instead bury its head in the sand, ostrich like, and rule out the opportunity of regaining a Chatteris asset?
The fun starts at 7pm with an opportunity for the Public to speak - a few places in the gallery still remain - apply on the door! (If you can’t make it, watch this space)
Walter Burnett is a pin number.
Thursday, 31 May 2007
BETRAYED
District Council ‘stab in the back’ for veteran Chatteris Councillor !
Early this year Ray German announced that he would not be standing for re-election to his Chatteris Mills Town & District Council seats. He felt that the time had finally arrived for well deserved retirement. Ray served for 4 years in the RAF during WWII which must make him at least a venerable 84 years old !
However it seems this proposed retirement posed Ray’s Conservative ‘lords & masters’ a problem as the Liberal Democrats were shaping up to give the Tories a real run for their money in the 2007 elections.
So, seemingly against his wishes, Ray German was forced to stand again and was re-elected.
But did the Tories appreciate Ray’s unselfish support of his Party?
Certainly his treatment by his Tory “bosses” has been less than caring. Ray German has been a long-standing member of the District Planning Committee, and sometime thorn in the side of the ruling elite, speaking out for Chatteris and against the party line. Notably he argued passionately against a recent unpopular development in Chatteris, putting the Chairman of Planning ‘on the spot’.
Instead of rewarding Ray for his loyalty in standing again one final time, he has been kicked off the Planning Committee, and his place given to Florrie Newell. Apparently Cllr German is considered ‘no longer suitable’ because he doesn’t own a computer, and so is unable to receive e-mails, but you wonder if the real reason may be Ray’s single mindedness and his temerity in standing up to the Chairman of Planning.
It is notable that since May the Chairman of FDC Planning has consolidated his position. District Councillors on this committee had long been paid a small extra allowance (about £10/week) to reward them for the extra duties. This allowance to Committee members has been scrapped and instead the Chairman’s allowance has increased by 25%!
Will Cllr Ray German put up with this considerable snub ?
Rumour has it that Ray may be offered deputy chairmanship of Chatteris Town Council’s planning committee, but how well might that ‘consolation prize’ be received?
Do we smell the whiff of by-election in the air ?
Walter Burnett is a pen name.
Thursday, 24 May 2007
WHAT PRICE FREEDOM OF SPEECH ?
It seems from a new comment that there is an anonymous critic of this site who seems to positively leap to conclusions! One wonders if this has been penned by the same individual who made ‘mature and considered’ remarks in certain election literature about the threat of a “virus” being introduced into Fenland Hall?
Anonymous has left a comment on your post "GROVE HOUSE":
“I think the actions of anyone who ridicules the body to which he/she has been elected insults the people who voted for him/her and are contemptable”
4 years ago, the last Town council set up a working party to establish a Town Council web site. This could have included agendas for meetings, minutes of the ensuing meetings, and a bulletin board for residents to ask questions or report concerns and problems. The working party delivered its recommendations to Town Council, who duly ignored them. No web site. And still no web site.
This blogger believes that the residents of Chatteris have a right to know what goes on at Town Council. After all residents pay for Town Council !
I fail to understand which part of my Grove House blog “ridicules” Town Council. It merely records the facts. Readers may feel that the refusal to support Cllr Colbert’s motion of 6th March 2007 was short sighted and ridiculous, but that’s their judgment based on the facts I have published.
The suggestion inherent in the anonymous comment is that I shouldn’t report the activities of the Council, be they successes or failures. This is the philosophy of a totalitarian state, where freedom of speech is forbidden !
The many people who are regularly logging in, and who have expressed their support, need not worry as a bit of old fashioned, blinkered and reactionary criticism won’t silence me.
Walter Burnett is a pen name.
Anonymous has left a comment on your post "GROVE HOUSE":
“I think the actions of anyone who ridicules the body to which he/she has been elected insults the people who voted for him/her and are contemptable”
4 years ago, the last Town council set up a working party to establish a Town Council web site. This could have included agendas for meetings, minutes of the ensuing meetings, and a bulletin board for residents to ask questions or report concerns and problems. The working party delivered its recommendations to Town Council, who duly ignored them. No web site. And still no web site.
This blogger believes that the residents of Chatteris have a right to know what goes on at Town Council. After all residents pay for Town Council !
I fail to understand which part of my Grove House blog “ridicules” Town Council. It merely records the facts. Readers may feel that the refusal to support Cllr Colbert’s motion of 6th March 2007 was short sighted and ridiculous, but that’s their judgment based on the facts I have published.
The suggestion inherent in the anonymous comment is that I shouldn’t report the activities of the Council, be they successes or failures. This is the philosophy of a totalitarian state, where freedom of speech is forbidden !
The many people who are regularly logging in, and who have expressed their support, need not worry as a bit of old fashioned, blinkered and reactionary criticism won’t silence me.
Walter Burnett is a pen name.
Wednesday, 23 May 2007
GROVE HOUSE
GROVE HOUSE
The continuing rape of Chatteris and the Town Council’s refusual to act !
Once upon a time, Chatteris was a proud market town with fine Civic Offices which in modern parlance provided a ‘one-stop-shop’ service to the town. Then in 1974 along came local government re-organisation and Chatteris’s assets were gifted to the fledgling Fenland District Council in the 1970’s, including the former offices of Chatteris Urban District Council - Grove House.
The historic records of quite how much this golden gift package contained are strangely illusive. FDC’s paperwork was apparently lost years ago in a flood. The County Archive is sadly unable to help. One can only speculate at the current value of this package of assets, but FDC this year sold of one small parcel of land in Chatteris inherited from the U.D.C. for over £1/2 million. The total value of the assets they inherited from Chatteris must now be far in excess of the current costs of both a Leisure Centre & Country Park !
It would appear that the thinking behind the gift of assets was to give the embryonic District Council financial reserves to guarantee its financial health through these initial formative years. But 33 years on from this restructuring, Chatteris remains desperately poor in resources, and FDC has become fantastically wealthy. Despite a £17 million decrease in the consolidated balance sheet for 2005/6 FDC still record assets of £172 million !
In the 1990’s FDC found that the former civic centre of town was no longer required to provide a ‘one stop service’ for Chatteris and decided to get rid of Grove House. Thinking then was that it was better to ‘centralise’ services in March.
But when, at that time, Chatteris Town Council inquired about buying Grove House back, FDC outrageously demanded £250,000 to return our asset, then flogged it off cheap to the Isle of Ely College for £6,000. Despite this obvious scandalous financial inconsistency, at least the building continued to play a diminished role in the community life of Chatteris. Unfortunately it appears that the college had little funds for maintenance, and our building has been neglected and allowed to deteriorate for years.
In 2004 FDC finally realised that centralising services in March had been short sighted and launched its flag ship policy of returning services to the Market Towns. Hundreds of thousands of pounds were poured into the privately owned new ‘one-stop-shop’, while the original (and still the best) potential civic centre stood by.
Although sadly neglected, the building is fortunately protected by ‘listing’. The College has recently decided to follow FDC’s unfortunate 1990’s precedent, and centralise its activities at March. Grove House is now surplus to their requirements, and presumably will be disposed of.
In March 2007, Cllr Christine Colbert put the following motion to Chatteris Town Council: "Following the cessation of the education use of Grove House, Chatteris Town Council calls upon Fenland District Council to secure the return of Grove House from the College of West Anglia at a figure deemed appropriate given the terms of the sale agreement. Chatteris Town Council further calls upon Fenland District Council to return the building to Chatteris for the benefit of the community at nil cost to Chatteris." In one of its most remarkable ever demonstrations of short sightedness, the old Town Council , lead by the then Chairman, voted down the motion.
Instead Chatteris Town Council invited the Principal of the College to Council to discuss the future of Grove House. This invitation was declined. The then council leader (now deputy mayor) appeared on the front page of the Fenland Citizen Chatteris Extra demanding that the building shouldn’t be allowed to become an ‘eye sore’.
How about Town Council actually stopping wingeing and doing something about it themselves ?
Last week the Cambs Times reported the close cooperation between the College and FDC in setting up the new campus west of March. Chatteris needs its 4 newly reelected District Councillors to ensure this cooperation extends to Chatteris, and saving Grove House for the people of Chatteris.
The building belongs to Chatteris, and mustn’t be flogged off just to finance the March development. Chatteris is so short of facilities this key building simply can’t be squandered.
Below is a comments box. During the recent election campaign, many opinions were expressed by residents on the future of Grove House, but not one person seemd to feel it should be flogged off to fund building the March college!
Youth Centre, Civic Centre, Museum ? Please use the comments box to say what you think. Or e-mail me at walter.burnett@googlemail.com I promise to pass your opinions on to the Council.
Walter Burnett is a pen name.
The continuing rape of Chatteris and the Town Council’s refusual to act !
Once upon a time, Chatteris was a proud market town with fine Civic Offices which in modern parlance provided a ‘one-stop-shop’ service to the town. Then in 1974 along came local government re-organisation and Chatteris’s assets were gifted to the fledgling Fenland District Council in the 1970’s, including the former offices of Chatteris Urban District Council - Grove House.
The historic records of quite how much this golden gift package contained are strangely illusive. FDC’s paperwork was apparently lost years ago in a flood. The County Archive is sadly unable to help. One can only speculate at the current value of this package of assets, but FDC this year sold of one small parcel of land in Chatteris inherited from the U.D.C. for over £1/2 million. The total value of the assets they inherited from Chatteris must now be far in excess of the current costs of both a Leisure Centre & Country Park !
It would appear that the thinking behind the gift of assets was to give the embryonic District Council financial reserves to guarantee its financial health through these initial formative years. But 33 years on from this restructuring, Chatteris remains desperately poor in resources, and FDC has become fantastically wealthy. Despite a £17 million decrease in the consolidated balance sheet for 2005/6 FDC still record assets of £172 million !
In the 1990’s FDC found that the former civic centre of town was no longer required to provide a ‘one stop service’ for Chatteris and decided to get rid of Grove House. Thinking then was that it was better to ‘centralise’ services in March.
But when, at that time, Chatteris Town Council inquired about buying Grove House back, FDC outrageously demanded £250,000 to return our asset, then flogged it off cheap to the Isle of Ely College for £6,000. Despite this obvious scandalous financial inconsistency, at least the building continued to play a diminished role in the community life of Chatteris. Unfortunately it appears that the college had little funds for maintenance, and our building has been neglected and allowed to deteriorate for years.
In 2004 FDC finally realised that centralising services in March had been short sighted and launched its flag ship policy of returning services to the Market Towns. Hundreds of thousands of pounds were poured into the privately owned new ‘one-stop-shop’, while the original (and still the best) potential civic centre stood by.
Although sadly neglected, the building is fortunately protected by ‘listing’. The College has recently decided to follow FDC’s unfortunate 1990’s precedent, and centralise its activities at March. Grove House is now surplus to their requirements, and presumably will be disposed of.
In March 2007, Cllr Christine Colbert put the following motion to Chatteris Town Council: "Following the cessation of the education use of Grove House, Chatteris Town Council calls upon Fenland District Council to secure the return of Grove House from the College of West Anglia at a figure deemed appropriate given the terms of the sale agreement. Chatteris Town Council further calls upon Fenland District Council to return the building to Chatteris for the benefit of the community at nil cost to Chatteris." In one of its most remarkable ever demonstrations of short sightedness, the old Town Council , lead by the then Chairman, voted down the motion.
Instead Chatteris Town Council invited the Principal of the College to Council to discuss the future of Grove House. This invitation was declined. The then council leader (now deputy mayor) appeared on the front page of the Fenland Citizen Chatteris Extra demanding that the building shouldn’t be allowed to become an ‘eye sore’.
How about Town Council actually stopping wingeing and doing something about it themselves ?
Last week the Cambs Times reported the close cooperation between the College and FDC in setting up the new campus west of March. Chatteris needs its 4 newly reelected District Councillors to ensure this cooperation extends to Chatteris, and saving Grove House for the people of Chatteris.
The building belongs to Chatteris, and mustn’t be flogged off just to finance the March development. Chatteris is so short of facilities this key building simply can’t be squandered.
Below is a comments box. During the recent election campaign, many opinions were expressed by residents on the future of Grove House, but not one person seemd to feel it should be flogged off to fund building the March college!
Youth Centre, Civic Centre, Museum ? Please use the comments box to say what you think. Or e-mail me at walter.burnett@googlemail.com I promise to pass your opinions on to the Council.
Walter Burnett is a pen name.
Friday, 18 May 2007
MORE STUFF (yawn)
Following on from my report of the first thrilling meeting of the new Chatteris Town Council (The Queen is dead - long live the Queen), I thought I should mention the Annual Town Meeting which immediately preceded it. The Annual Town Meeting is designed to report to the public the Town Council’s remarkable achievements of the previous year.
The start was fairly confusing as the new Town Councillors (who had not at that time signed their Declarations of Office) settled down with those that remained from the previous Council, so the Annual Town Meeting consisted of the new Council and was chaired by the previous Chairman, Florrie Newell.
The meeting was favoured by the attendance of Chatteris’s two County Councillors, Messrs. Melton and Harper. Cllr Harper (also leader of the District Council) briefly addressed the Town Council, and spoke in glowing terms of Cllr Melton’s successful restoration of Chatteris House and murmured about the possible prospect of a Chatteris Science Park. (Which some of us will believe when we see it !) As to County Councillor Melton, those of you who know Alan won’t be surprised to learn that he wasn’t going to turn down any opportunity to speak ! And at considerable length !
Cllr Melton advised the congealed masses that:
* The suggested cancellation of the Christmas lights had itself been cancelled (and as two cancellations make a positive, the lights will now happen)
* He (Cllr Melton) had almost single handedly rescued that prominent land mark Chatteris House from dereliction. (A claim which had bizarrely been the central plank of Alan’s recent election campaign). This ignored the saga of the compulsory purchase of the building by the District Council and its sudden discounted sale (as featured in the Cambs Times on 6 May 2005). The question has been asked “why should his paid employment by a commercial property developer be a recommendation for Public Office ?”.
* Fenland District Council are now at last properly collecting community benefit from Developers! No more £1million black holes ! (Cambs Times 28.10.05). However no mention was made of the reason for FDC’s earlier ineptitude, nor the apparent difficulties the District Council appears to experience in actually spending the money in the communities where it belongs !
* Finally, Alan proudly announced his elevation to County Council portfolio holder in charge of Corporate Services.
After questioning from that ‘pesky’ Lib Dem Chris Howes, County Cllr Melton admitted that County Council had finally accepted that the requirement to achieve “best value” when disposing of assets, could mean “best community value”, not just “best financial value”. THIS IS TRULY GOOD NEWS AND EFFECTS SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT CHATTERIS ISSUES !
Next it was the turn of District Cllr Murphy. The good Councillor had only that day been volunteered to represent Fenland District Council at this meeting (despite the presence of both the Leader and former Leader of FDC ). He was questioned by Cllr Howes :
* When asked to explain the £17 million reduction to the FDC revenue account, he promised to “get back on that one”.
* When asked to advise exactly why FDC had halved its annual grant to Cromwell Community College, he promised to “get back on that one”
* When asked if any of the £507,000 recently received by FDC for selling land in Chatteris that formerly belonged to Chatteris UDC, might be spent on capital projects actually in Chatteris, he promised to “get back on that one”.
Well that’s an awful lot of “getting back”. Your dedicated bloger promises to let you know if and when answers arrive to these important questions. And inform you of the answers, or remind you if the questions remain unanswered. So much to look forward to !
The start was fairly confusing as the new Town Councillors (who had not at that time signed their Declarations of Office) settled down with those that remained from the previous Council, so the Annual Town Meeting consisted of the new Council and was chaired by the previous Chairman, Florrie Newell.
The meeting was favoured by the attendance of Chatteris’s two County Councillors, Messrs. Melton and Harper. Cllr Harper (also leader of the District Council) briefly addressed the Town Council, and spoke in glowing terms of Cllr Melton’s successful restoration of Chatteris House and murmured about the possible prospect of a Chatteris Science Park. (Which some of us will believe when we see it !) As to County Councillor Melton, those of you who know Alan won’t be surprised to learn that he wasn’t going to turn down any opportunity to speak ! And at considerable length !
Cllr Melton advised the congealed masses that:
* The suggested cancellation of the Christmas lights had itself been cancelled (and as two cancellations make a positive, the lights will now happen)
* He (Cllr Melton) had almost single handedly rescued that prominent land mark Chatteris House from dereliction. (A claim which had bizarrely been the central plank of Alan’s recent election campaign). This ignored the saga of the compulsory purchase of the building by the District Council and its sudden discounted sale (as featured in the Cambs Times on 6 May 2005). The question has been asked “why should his paid employment by a commercial property developer be a recommendation for Public Office ?”.
* Fenland District Council are now at last properly collecting community benefit from Developers! No more £1million black holes ! (Cambs Times 28.10.05). However no mention was made of the reason for FDC’s earlier ineptitude, nor the apparent difficulties the District Council appears to experience in actually spending the money in the communities where it belongs !
* Finally, Alan proudly announced his elevation to County Council portfolio holder in charge of Corporate Services.
After questioning from that ‘pesky’ Lib Dem Chris Howes, County Cllr Melton admitted that County Council had finally accepted that the requirement to achieve “best value” when disposing of assets, could mean “best community value”, not just “best financial value”. THIS IS TRULY GOOD NEWS AND EFFECTS SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT CHATTERIS ISSUES !
Next it was the turn of District Cllr Murphy. The good Councillor had only that day been volunteered to represent Fenland District Council at this meeting (despite the presence of both the Leader and former Leader of FDC ). He was questioned by Cllr Howes :
* When asked to explain the £17 million reduction to the FDC revenue account, he promised to “get back on that one”.
* When asked to advise exactly why FDC had halved its annual grant to Cromwell Community College, he promised to “get back on that one”
* When asked if any of the £507,000 recently received by FDC for selling land in Chatteris that formerly belonged to Chatteris UDC, might be spent on capital projects actually in Chatteris, he promised to “get back on that one”.
Well that’s an awful lot of “getting back”. Your dedicated bloger promises to let you know if and when answers arrive to these important questions. And inform you of the answers, or remind you if the questions remain unanswered. So much to look forward to !
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