Local Government Failure
Please do not infer from the name of this website that its author wishes to denigrate or subvert either the Devon County Council or the Exeter City Council.
N.B. This website is NOT SUBVERSIVE
It would be wrong to assume that this website has been compiled in anger, or with any intention of getting back at either Councillors or Officers. No personal animosity is felt towards any individual. The author is a strong believer in, and has proper respect for, the authority of both local and national government. There is no suggestion that either the Devon County Council (DCC) or the Exeter City Council (ECC) have behaved illegally. Nevertheless, whether Local Government (DCC and/or ECC) have acted wisely towards, and given due consideration to, the community and the Summerway Junior Lawn Tennis Club (SJLTC) may well be another matter altogether.
The author is firmly of the opinion that local government has not acted in the best interests of the community it is supposed to be serving, and also wonders why it is perversely withdrawing support from a registered Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) such as the SJLTC when national government is trying to promote such bodies on grounds of the health of the country’s children. The author strongly deplores the procrastination, poor judgement and damaging decisions which have been exhibited by local government in his opinion. Searching questions need to be asked.
SJLTC representatives have been told on more than one occasion by persons in local government, “That was then, and this is now.” The clear implication of this statement is that the past is irrelevant. “Things have moved on since then,” is another statement SJLTC representatives have heard more than once.
Imagine the following scenario. A person robs a bank and seriously injures one of the bank’s employees in the process. The robber is eventually caught after a period of some years, and brought to court. In front of the judge, the robber pleads, “Your Honour, that was then, and this is now. Let’s forget what is past, and look only to the future.” Do you think that is a valid plea? Should it be accepted?
Local government may not have committed a crime, but if it has failed to act in the best interests of the community, and may well be continuing to do so, it would be wrong to attempt to sweep things under the carpet. Lessons may need to be learned. Unfortunately, it is almost certainly too late to restore the Summerway Club to its former glory following the damage which has been inflicted upon this superb CASC by local government. Should that indeed be the case, a fitting memorial needs to be created for the Club so that the principles and particulars of something so brilliant and inspirational are not lost to those who might benefit from them in the future.
Sadly, local government seems to have managed to destroy a hugely successful partnership by withdrawing its support. For decades, the community has been receiving ten times the value in SJLTC services than has been funded from the public purse by way of maintenance of the premises. This is value that is hard to beat. The purpose of this website is to present the historical facts of local government’s dealings with the SJLTC, and their consequences for the community. Every attempt has been made to give an accurate and balanced account of events, supported by documents wherever possible. The author is not attempting to do anything more than to bring everything regarding the SJLTC out into the open and under proper scrutiny. The hope is that other community organizations will not have to endure the woeful treatment that the Summerway Club has suffered in recent years at the hands of local government.
You are invited to judge the facts for yourself.
Clicking the yellow “Summerway Tennis” or red “Local Government Failure” heading on any page takes you to the Site Navigation Page.
The links to the right conduct visitors to the partially up to date original Summerway websites.
There is rather a lot of work “in progress” besides the day to day nitty-
There has been a unique Tennis Club especially for children in Exeter from 1972 until 2006. This was made possible by a PARTNERSHIP which existed between LOCAL GOVERNMENT and VOLUNTEERS.
Local Government has supplied and maintained the courts and pavilion. The Volunteers have organized the Club and provided the Tennis, including coaching, without charge.
Local Government is no longer willing to uphold its side of the partnership. The Club is now homeless. This website belongs to one of the volunteers, and shows something of the history and present circumstances of the Club as he sees it.
This is not the Club’s website. The official website belonging to the Summerway Junior LTC is at: www.summerway.com
LOCAL GOVERNMENT in this context means Exeter City Council and/or Devon County Council. Maintaining the Club premises has cost Local Government on average less than £1,000 annually over the period.
VOLUNTEERS are the parents and other family helpers, together with LTA certified coaches and referee who have used their expertise to help the children without charge. The services provided by the volunteers would cost over £10,000 annually if they had to be bought.
As a result of Local Government proposals, the locality has lost a facility with an annual worth exceeding £10,000 which formerly served the children of the community and their families. In the opinion of the Author of this website, Local Government needs to be called to account.