Back
Cllr Val Dixon to Jim and Exeter’s MP, copied to ECC Councillors and certain ECC & DCC Officers.
Extract from Email dated 22nd May 2007
To put matters straight, Mr Harle is not an official of the Summerway Junior LTC.
Commentary by Jim:
This extraordinary sentence shows the extent of Cllr Dixon’s delusion. In the real world, at the Club’s Annual General Meeting in November 1984, I was elected to the office of Honorary Membership Secretary. This is a post to which I have been annually elected ever since, and in which I have served continuously to the present day. I have also been a member of the Summerway Committee since the AGM in December 1981 up to the present.
Related Emails on the following day
Emails dated 23rd May 2007. Please see headers for senders, recipients and times.
From: Jim Harle
To: Summerway Committee
Cc: Cllr Val Dixon ; Ben Bradshaw MP
Sent: 23 May 2007 11:55
Subject: Fw: Cllr Val Dixon email
x
Dear Committee Member,
x
Cllr Val Dixon has circulated the following email which I am forwarding to you. It's frightening to see how far some of her impressions differ from reality and truth. It is clear that Cllr Dixon shares the Club's and my own care and concern for the local community, but it is equally clear that she has not read my emails and website, or is unable to understand the meaning of words. I doubt that the Councillor has any real understanding of the Club, its history, the cause of its present circumstances, and the value of the Club to the community. It seems that Exeter City is being governed by impressions nowadays rather than by a thorough and detailed examination of all the facts. Perhaps I should flag up this point on the website, as we have so much evidence to support this view.
x
I will need to respond to this email, and to circulate my response to those who have received it. I have other matters of higher priority, not all related to Summerway I might add, that demand my time before I can give this my full attention. It is interesting to note that Cllr Dixon has never suggested that she meets with me informally, face to face, to try to improve her grasp of the Summerway situation. Should this ever occur, a lot of misunderstanding might well be dispelled.
x
All best wishes,
x
Jim.
x
x
x
x
-
From: Cllr Val Dixon
To: Jim Harle ; Summerway Committee
Cc: Ben Bradshaw MP
Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 12:18 PM
Subject: RE: Cllr Val Dixon email
x
Mr Harle,
You seem to have a very short memory. I did meet with you face to face and also with members of your committee. If you had wanted the Summerway LTC to survive, we would have had a much more proactive approach from your Committee. Unfortunately, it was your Committee who handed in the keys and left ECC with the provblem of the Pavillion. I forwarded your message to all Cllrs so you need not have bothered!
Cllr Val Dixon
x
x
x
x
-
From: Jim Harle
To: Cllr Val Dixon
Cc: Summerway Committee
Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 6:06 PM
Subject: Re: Cllr Val Dixon email
x
Dear Cllr Dixon,
x
Please would you read my email to the Committee again. I think you may have missed the "with me" and the "informally". The occasion to which you refer was a formal meeting between representatives of the Club and Councillors and Officers. Unless my memory really is going, I don't think just you and I have ever met informally for the purpose stated in the email. Unless we have had such a meeting, you can see why a person with less patience than myself would become extremely frustrated by the responses received from City Councillors and Officers.
x
I am a reasonable person of goodwill with real concerns which are not being addressed. ECC's statement in a letter to Ben Bradshaw dated 21st May 2007: "we do not intend to continue with such correspondence", is unlikely to
x
• Encourage greater openness and accountability
• Help increase levels of public trust
• Encourage improvements in our dealings with the public
x
Refusing to deal with me and refusing to address my very real concerns is hardly helpful. Deliberately ignoring its citizens, for others share my concerns, is not the way forward for ECC. At some stage, ECC should listen to the Club, including myself, with an open mind, rather than trying to impose inappropriate terms upon it.
x
Yours sincerely,
x
Jim.
Unanswered and Unacknowledged Emails from Jim to Cllr Val Dixon.
Emails dated 18th January and 11th February 2008
-
From: Jim Harle
To: Cllr Val Dixon
Cc: Summerway Committee
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008 1:15 PM
Subject: Slur on Summerway's Status
x
Dear Cllr Dixon,
x
There are a few loose ends which need tidying up, and I would be grateful if you would supply me with the information I need to resolve this one.
x
In the following email,
-
From: Cllr Val Dixon
To: Tony Cobley
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 1:31 PM
Subject: RE: Does anyone care enough to DO something?
you state, “I am so glad that your children had the privilege of being able to use the services of the Summerway Tennis Club. It seems it was not so readily available for all as has been stated. A Councillor colleague's daughter wanted to join, but when they discovered where she lived, she was turned down. I have only just discovered this issue, so it was not a part of any decision making process”.
x
In Mr Cobley’s response,
-
From: Tony Cobley
To: Cllr Val Dixon
Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2007 8:38 PM
Subject: Re: Does anyone care enough to DO something?
he comments, “I am sorry to hear about your friends daughter, but is this any reason to try to close a community facility monitored free by local parents and at such a small cost to ECC?”.
x
Subsequently,
-
From: Cllr Val Dixon
To: Tony Cobley
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 8:39 PM
Subject: RE: Does anyone care enough to DO something?
you repeated your disclaimer by saying, “By the way my fellow Councillors daughter's experience has had nothing to do with any decisions taken regarding the STC. I only heard about it after Mr Harle's latest missive”.
x
I am not concerned here with any side issues, and unreservedly accept your assurance that your Councillor colleague’s daughter’s experience played no part in any decision making. What is concerning me is the accusation that this young person was eager to join the Summerway JLTC, and was turned down. The suggested reason was that it was on account of where she lived. The Club has very detailed membership records, including those who request membership, and I wish to check this out.
x
Please would you tell me the name of this young applicant, and give me a rough idea of when this incident is supposed to have taken place? There are so many vague impressions surrounding and impinging upon the Club, that it is important to be specific to determine what is fact and what is unfounded aspersion. I would appreciate your help in resolving the category to which this particular claim belongs.
x
Yours sincerely,
x
Jim.
x
x
x
x
-
From: Jim Harle
To: Cllr Val Dixon
Cc: Summerway Committee
Sent: Monday, February 11, 2008 7:29 PM
Subject: Request for Details
x
Dear Cllr Dixon,
x
On the 18th January, just over three weeks ago, I sent you an email requesting details of an application to join Summerway which was reportedly turned down.
x
To date, I have received neither reply nor acknowledgement. Please give this matter your attention so that the issue may be resolved.
x
Yours sincerely,
x
Jim.