1 July - Lead astray by false profits
If
you read about the
regeneration of Bexleyheath Broadway you will know that Bexley council is
intent on taking over the precincts of Christ Church. The scheme was first put
to church members in October 2010, nearly two years ago, and they rejected the
idea. What changed their minds?
It seems that the Parochial Church Council (PCC) were bewitched by a freebie
extension of the red and pink setts right up to the church door.
“A God-given opportunity to make the church building
more welcoming and more obviously part of the community” said the Reverend
Francis Jakeman. Very possibly true but why give up valuable land for ever for
the price of a few paving slabs? The scrap value of the railings would have
offset the cost of laying their own.
Reverend Jakeman invited church members to discuss the plan after the morning
service exactly one week ago. I imagine that they may have been less than
impressed by the council’s plan which ignorantly referred to the “War Memorial”
in the church grounds when the memorial is to its first vicar, the
Reverend William Pincott, hence Pincott Road not far away.
Most of the congregation stayed behind after Eucharist to listen and there
were things not to like. The removal of the hedge that prevents wedding parties
trampling the flower beds for instance, but it turned out not to be a consultation
to allow "the PCC to be better placed to know how the congregation feels”. It was
more of a presentational fait accompli. A done deal. It had to be thus, council staff
had presented the scheme embodying church land at the Public Realm Committee meeting
three days earlier. Christ Church PCC appears to have allowed Bexley council’s land
grab in exchange for little more than a small patio. What on Earth possessed them to sanction
such a giveaway? Certain parishioners have a theory.
Where else would you expect questions to be brushed aside or unanswered or the shutters
run up leaving some unable to speak at all? It sounds a bit too like a Bexley council
meeting chaired by the mayor; and maybe it was. Who is the big-wig
on the Parochial Council most enthusiastically pushing for the scheme? None other
than former mayor of Bexley, Bernard Clewes who lost his Erith seat in 2010.
John, Chapter 11, Verse 35. The devils get everywhere!