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the addreses of who to contact or write to. Their efforts terminated
in a mass demonstration which was carried out in a carnival
atmosphere with hundreds of marchers and several floats. A
T34 tank which someone had access to was proposed to be in
the cavalcade but some political question or a legal matter prevented
that. Instead the march was headed by a JCB.
So it was all very creative and above all held on a Saturday
when everyone was able to be present. It was the Town Clerk
Mr Colin Sivell or his delegate who had to appear at the Town
Hall on his day off in order to receive the petition. No doubt he
was designated for that task by the leader of the Council Mr
Keith Brown, a here today, gone tomorrow local politician. Left
to his own devices what a legacy he would have handed down.
The Temptations of Office
Even though we realise the planners, planning committee,
inspectors are, after all, only human. Neither they nor public officials,
developers, councillors nor council employees can safely
be openly accused of bias or even corruption. Corruption is a
topic which it would take a brave or foolhardy person to raise
without concrete evidence. But ask some members of the public
how building a certain structure or demolition of an important
landmark or the felling of a swathe of trees ever achieved approval
and one may be met by a nod, a wink a knowing look,
a rubbing together of the forefinger and thumb, or a wry smile.
People know well enough the way of the world but cannot with
legal safety actually elaborate upon it.
Occasionally we get to hear about people in power who have
succumbed to temptation and been caught. There must have
been plenty of cases when the public has been hoodwinked by
corrupt practices across the political spectrum. The Poulson
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