20 YEARS YOUNG!

The topics with which the Chronicle has dealt over the past 20 years have reflected both elation and sadness. There have been so many community concerns in our columns since 1978. One of the most serious has arisen in very recent editions - namely lack of confidence in democratic government at local level.

The loss of beech trees at the old Grammar School site goes not merely to the roots of the trees but to grass roots respect for local government. After village surprise that the advent of development coincided with the large beech tree becoming dangerous (years after the branch drop listed as evidence), the loss of two further beeches brought assurances by HDC of strong effective action after public consultation.

Last week this turned out to be loss of the remaining beech, again with danger being invoked. So a public meeting, which had been followed by weeks of silence, resulted in a letter to residents just days before decision time.

The letter offered no time for effective feed back, no detailed reasons for rejecting schemes put forward at the public meeting, and no reference to HDC's platform of possible court action as a future deterrent. The view that Kibworth wants the matter tidied up quickly is true, but not at any price. Kibworth, not developers nor District nor County authorities has to live with the solution. This whole business is possibly the most disturbing covered in 20 years, with many asking if local government accepts that it is the public's servant.

© Roger Garratt. Editor, Kibworth & District Chronicle 1998

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 © Kibworth & District Chronicle 1998