My column in the Herald Express 6th March 2014
Sometimes I simply want to hold my head in my hands and weep
with frustration. I suspect that many readers often feel the same way. The
frustration, for me, is usually watching events unfold over which I have no
control. World events obviously fall into that category and in this age of 24/7
news escaping from that reality is hugely difficult. These days even events on
my doorstep too often happen that have me scratching my head. In this case it
is not the overwhelming catastrophic happenings that dominate world news but
the smaller things that occur without the community questioning events.
Perhaps I have always taken it for granted that those in
positions of leadership are working for the greater good of all and yet in
truth my trust is perhaps misplaced too often. But then I ask myself whether it
is a trust or more worryingly my failure to fully engage in the hope that
someone else will pick up the sticky stick and sort things out! Of course if
you don’t hold a position of power then attempting to make sense of a situation
is often difficult because you simply cannot gather all the facts. For those
that do hold power locally speaking up can also be a worry, especially when you
rock the political stability of a particular group.
Two events locally made me reflect upon the impact of
speaking up when others would rather that you did not. The first was a public
meeting which included local councillors and council officers. Something was
said by a speaker that seemed untrue to me. I didn’t have all the facts and
asked later whether what was said had been fact or a spinning of truth. It was
at it turned out a misunderstanding by the speaker but it worried me that
neither had spoken out to balance what was said because of the political
landscape. The point is that decisions had been made about the fabric of our
community based upon that misunderstanding. How often does that happen?
The other was the chopping of Nick Bye from the list of folk
seeking election as a councillor locally. From what I have read it seems that
the decision was made because of views that he publically expressed that didn’t
reflect the political appetite. It is for me always a worry that balanced
opinion is too often supressed because it doesn’t fit the agenda of a
particular group. Of course it doesn’t do to rock the political boat
unnecessarily but when points have been well made it is a worry when they get
stamped upon. Whilst I may not have always agreed with Nick’s opinion I have
always thought his words to be balanced.
It seems to me that in these seemingly troubled times we all
have a duty to make our views known without fear of taking a hammering! It is
hard to do too often and that is a shame. Of course I am not talking simply
about being critical of something or someone all of the time. If we are not
happy with something that is happening then what we have to say must be
balanced and factual. Gossip tends not to work that way but neighbourly debate
does, if allowed to flourish!
This brings me neatly on to a new acronym that popped up the
other day. I was sharing a meal with a friend when he told me that he was now an
IMBY! Now I knew that a NIMBY was an acronym for not in my back year but IMBY
was a new one on me. He then told me that an IMBY meant that something was in
his back yard! As it turned out what he was talking about was also not quite in
my back yard but was now impacting upon my view across Torbay.
What is in his back yard is the new huge block of flats and
the giant crane at the edge of the Oldway Mansion estate. This development is
located where once the little Furnham Wood nestled next to the derelict council
owned retirement home. He wasn’t too worried when under the redevelopment of
Oldway Mansion because the thickly treed Furnham Woods stood between him and
the new building that would replace the small demolished retirement home. In
the past when he had wanted to lop limbs from trees that crept over his garden
he had to get the permission from the council. You can imagine his surprise
when many of the trees suddenly got the chop removing the woody screen. He also
hadn’t quite got his head around the actual size of this new build and nor had
I! That is why he has now become an IMBY!
I did read the other day that the folk redeveloping Oldway
Mansion have yet to sign the lease and so sought confirmation. I’m still
waiting to hear but did read that the signing has yet to happen. I guess that
means that Torbay Council still pick up the tab for keeping it all together for
the while. The only development that has happened is the new block of flats and
ownership of that plot seems to have changed hands a few times. Hmm.
So sadly in the home town of former tennis star Sue Barker
the numerous tennis courts at Oldway will remain closed for another year. It
saddened me that as Andy Murray dominated Wimbledon in 2013 Torbay’s
contribution was to close twelve tennis courts. I’ve been given all the reasons
for that but the fact remains is that they were closed. New courts were to be
opened at Oldway Mansion for the summer of 2014 but that seems unlikely now.
Frustrating! Hopefully the Oldway Mansion lease will be signed soon; but what
happens if it is not?
Keep the smile!
