ROTTEN TO THE CORE

This week our local newspaper carried yet another story of fraud and corruption amongst our local councillors and their operatives. Time and again during these last few months there have been sackings, de-selections,investigations and all manner of enquiries in many areas of council business.

Whenever I read of these atrocious goings on the same names crop up over and over again. They are people with whom I have had dealings with over the years and most particularly to do with strange decisions as to planning applications in the conservation area in which I live.

Time and time again I have questioned these people as to why they chose to ignore their own regulations in favour on a wealthy developer. In the past few years we have seen one green space after another built upon and always by the same few names.

I have never once received a straight answer to any of my questions in spite of the fact that I have made it very clear that I more than suspect that the entire Planning Department is up to its neck in

some pretty dirty business. I have uncovered some pretty unholy alliances between council, , land owners and conservation groups, which can only point one way.

I have been outspoken throughout my investigations and I am obliged to wonder why these errant individuals have not even so much as threatened my with the law if I persist. That in itself is odd.

The timing of these latest revelations comes at a time when the my orchard and kitchen garden are about to be bulldozed to make way for yet more houses and parking spaces. This in a borough which constantly trumpets its refusal to allow people to pave over gardens to make car parks or build extensions. Ah ,but they are ordinary people and not super rich developers and others powerful men.

I have never been resigned to loosing the important wildlife site which out orchard contains and now having read the latest in the disgraceful saga I feel that it would be a pity to stop now and then have the truth come out when it is too late.

In the coming months Pa and I face between us a series of major surgical procedures and time is short. Even so I feel I must fight on. I know I am right and just for once it would be nice if right managed to defeat might in a matter such as this.