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Update 2008 No. 8

 

Published 9th November 2008

 

Dear Summerway Friend,

I’ve been trying to compose this update all week, and am making a start mid-evening Saturday!  There’s so much to do, and only a single lifetime to fit it all in.  Here is the latest news, including useful links to click.

•  Nellie Elephant.  My new video on YouTube is somewhat disrespectful towards the City Council, for which I apologise, but the denizens of the Civic Centre are hardly trying to earn our respect.  The video’s sense of humour might be a bit sad, but its message is serious enough.  (view video)

•  Dorothy Harley.  John and Linda’s mum passed away peacefully on 1st November.  The funeral is at 2:45pm this Wednesday, 12th November, at Exeter Crematorium (St Peter’s Chapel).  Jenny and I hope to be there.  If you possibly can, please join us as we pay our last respects to someone so outstandingly supportive of the Club, and sympathise with Ray, John and Linda in their grief.  I have arranged for flowers on the Club’s behalf.  M.Sillifant & Sons of Holloway Street are the funeral directors if you wish to send flowers yourself.

•  Daily Mail Article.  We have received generous permission from the Daily Mail to reproduce a very relevant article on our campaign website without charge.  It warns that our ‘risk-averse’ culture is creating a cruel society, and its comment on role models is very telling.  This is definitely worth a look.  (view article)

•  Councils Increase City’s Carbon Footprint.  At a time when we are all being urged to conserve energy, the Councils have added six extra street lights.  Any suggestion that this is for public safety misses the point.  The newly illuminated cycle-cum-footpath hazard across the field, dreamed up by local government with seriously damaging consequences, might never have existed if the Council had consulted adequately.  An explanatory page has been added to the website.  (view details)

•  Campaign Website.  Four more pages have been added since the last update, and there have been a few minor improvements to existing pages.

(view update noticeboard)

•  Nets Video.  This video, which highlights the catastrophic failure of Exeter City Council’s plans for the Summerway courts, has passed the 1,000 viewings mark. (view video)

•  Meeting of the Exeter City Council.  I observed the meeting of the full Council held in the Guildhall on 14th October, and found it to be quite an eye-opener.  All the discussions interested me, but the most significant for us was the £70,000 Heavitree Sculpture project.  This was being recommended by the Planning Committee.  When brought before the full Council for approval, one Councillor (Cllr Philip Brock?) tried to speak, but was told by the Mayor from the chair that the matter was already determined and acted upon, and therefore not open for discussion.  Wow!!  Just imagine if that had been a citizen jumping the gun on a planning application, but as we keep finding out, some within the Council just do as they please willy-nilly.  Had the Councillors attended a Summerway Committee meeting and observed genuine democracy in action, they might have learned why the Club was so hugely successful.

Finally, I would like to publish an effective appreciation of Summerway Watchers.  I think this is probably best tackled by a page on the website, and sent (possibly abbreviated) to all groups as an email.  Yet one more thing that needs tackling, but certainly a very important one.

Warmest regards,

Jim.