Maggie Quinlan responded to Hadleigh Nub News columnist Rowland Taylor's ghost, who has mentioned former town mayor and Babergh councillor Jim Quinlan, in his musings on middling Hadleigh and its middling leaders

I was obviously interested in reading your article.

I feel that Jim must be turning in his grave at the present dismal state of affairs - he also was of the opinion that paid Officers of BDC ran rings around Councillors, and fought tirelessly to have Hadleigh's "voice" heard.

One of the battles he was particularly sorry to lose, when a BDC Councillor, was when BDC voted to sell off East House. He was bitterly disappointed but managed to get the motion passed that any monies from the sale would be put back into community use. A crumb of consolation.

He would have been shocked to hear, as I was, at a recent Zoom HTC meeting a councillor proposing that HTC abdicate from any involvement on planning issues and that these should bypass HTC and go straight to BDC. Talk about asking for the sand to be kicked in your face! Thankfully this proposal was defeated.

In the rush to throw out the baby with the bath water, it should not be forgotten that the "old" HTC did have some significant achievements. It oversaw the huge refurbishment of the Town Hall and Guildhall, and had the "vision thing" - long before the phrase was invented - to buy the land at Layham Road in order to provide a space for all the sports which now take place there.

In my opinion, far from being a "middling" town, Hadleigh punches far above its weight in the richness and the variety it offers both historical and social and its facilities.

In addition to the well documented links to the Reformation, and its importance as a Wool Town, it has one of the oldest Agricultural Associations in the country; one of the oldest choral societies in the country and one of the prettiest Cricket Grounds in the country.

It has had a swimming pool since 1971 (a result of huge community effort plus council and central government grants) with the new replacement swimming pool shortly to be opened – how many towns of similar size can boast a swimmingpool?

We also have a thriving Modern Jazz club; the outstanding Porch Project; the revamped Old School cultural venue, a community film centre and more clubs that you can shake a stick at.

With the decline in the appeal of larger towns, accelerated by the present crisis, it is time to capitalise on all the above.

The new Mayor, Frank Minns, brings a wider work experience to the role and has already stated his wish for the new intake to "stop pointing the finger and work together".

Perhaps they could also find a way of reaching out to past councillors, who have a wealth and depth of local and historical knowledge; and procedural experience to draw on, which could only benefit the town.

Perhaps also then, with the experience of the old, combined with the energy and drive of the new, the town will get a voice worth listening to.

Maggie Quinlan

If you missed it first time, here is Rowland Taylor's ghost: Hadleigh a middling place with middling leaders

if you have an opinion an article you would like to share use our unique black Nub It button above and add for free. Or, send it direct to Hadleigh Nub News editor: [email protected]