Hadleigh's latest comings and goings

With the spring equinox now behind us, the season of change is in full-throated throttle. There are just so many comings and goings er, coming and going.

The most intense activity recently has been the comings and goings outside the Hadleigh Health Centre and the Mill Pharmacy (other chemists are also available). As the vaccination rollout has sped forward, your ghostly correspondent decided to turn up for his appointment.

I was rather expecting a somewhat dour queue of townsfolk, trudging forwards to receive what after all is a medical procedure.

I couldn't have been more wrong. The atmosphere was that of a (suitably appropriate Protestant) religious festival. There was a tangible sense of, well not so much relief, as unalloyed joy. There was chatter, laughter and general good cheer. All that was missing was those key components of an Englishperson's idea of a jolly day out: bunting and beer.

I did notice that there were in fact two lines of prospective injectees. At first, my theological mind saw these as the sheep and the goats referenced in Matthew's Gospel being separated out to await eternal judgement, but no - one was for the pharmacy and the other for the health centre itself. All we smilingly marshalled to their respective stabbing stations by the calm and reassuring volunteers on duty.

Once inside the consulting room, I was informed by the nurse that 'today, we have the Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccine. Is that alright?'

Choking back a quip along the lines of 'well, I'd appreciate having a light but peppery side salad and, maybe, a chilled glass of Alsatian Riesling, if that's not too much trouble', I gave my assent.

It was all over in a jiffy. The only disappointment was that I wasn't given a little sticker to proudly display. But then you can't have everything, including - hopefully - now COVID19!

A definite going is the political career of Bolter Ferguson.

Having failed to remain a member of the Conservative Group a while back when he wasn't offered the cabinet post he coveted, then failed to be re-elected to Babergh District Council in 2019, Bolter has landed the treble in failing to fight the county council seat of Hadleigh – for which he had been selected by the local Conservatives.

Glossy full page ads in a local magazine notwithstanding, it appears that Bolter's relationship with Generalissimo Ward and the Babergh administration he heads up was in sufficiently bad standing that he took the decision to relinquish his candidature, to be replaced with the man he was hoping to replace, sitting councillor Mick Fraser.

Bolter seems to, once again, have bolted.

Cllr. Fraser, who many think hasn't been a complete disaster over the last four years, must have thought that his political resurrection would guarantee another stint as one of Matthew Hicks' eternal backbenchers back at Endeavour House.

But he probably hadn't counted on Kathryn Grandon throwing her elegantly designed hat (with fascinator) into the political ring.

Like Bolter, The Grandone switched from the Tories to become an Independent, not only successfully winning her Babergh seat, but going on to be crowned as chairman/woman/person of said council.

Local political pundits think this could split the centre-right vote, letting in…….er absolutely no-one else. To date, the other parties seem to be treating the task of finding candidates, rather like the person before payday scrabbling behind the sofa for that missing fiver. It's all a bit last minute and being done in a bit of a panic.

Of course, in the good ol' days, the Liberal Democrats would have counted on the widespread affection in which long-serving councillor, David Grutchfield, was held and been reasonably confident of a victory. Whilst Grutchfield fils is back in town, the Reverend isn't sure if a political dynasty – a bit like the Kennedys, but hopefully without the same ill luck and unfortunate missteps – is in the offering just yet.

Labour's Angela 'La Pasionaria' Wiltshire is being spoken about as a possible contender from the left. She has certainly been busy recently raising her profile by laying into Hadleigh mayor, 'Maritime' Minns' brand new standing orders which seem to muzzle town councillors from raising questions during debates, even presumably rhetorical ones (see what I did there)?

Maritime's clarification to Hadleigh Nub News seems to confirm La Pasionaria's suspicions as he evades tackling the issue head on: "There is also nothing in the new rules which prevents councillors expressing in public session what they think of the supporting papers." Indeed not Mayor Maritime, but also nothing that expressly allows them to quiz you or any other councillors, should they so wish.

Maritime seems to be playing Battleships with, ultimately, his own reputation for reasonableness and fair play. This draconian decision may only serve to reinforce the growing sense in which Maritime is no longer the 'coming' man of the town, but could be one of the 'going' variety sooner, rather than later.