Today's sermon, soz article, is about contrasting approaches to commitment and service in the town - and how they are acknowledged.

The first could be titled the mysterious case of the disappearing democracy.

Even when hosted in a foreign land, aka Ipswich, or in a virtual land, aka YouTube, Babergh's full council is a useful means for us hoi-polloi to hold councillors and their exceedingly well-paid staff to account.

Yet there hasn't been a meeting since June. 

The reasons for the subsequent assemblies being cancelled veer from the understandable (the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II did for September's) to the lame (July's was postponed because it was too hot outside; Endeavour House clearly not being blessed with working air conditioning) and onto the frankly risible.

You see next Tuesday's meeting has been shelved for two reasons at the level of the pet ferret ate my homework:

a. it clashes with Town's game against the colossus that is Cambridge Utd and 

b. because Conservative councillors would rather spend time nibbling Kwasi Kwarteng's nuts and being transported into orgasmic delight by Thick Lizzie Truss' GCSE-level grasp of economics.

It is this latter that concerns me the most. My contact suggests that this wasn't only at the request of the opposition rump Tory group, led by Toad Barrett, aka Onan the Barbarian.

Rather, Generalissimo Ward, the council's very butch leader and frontman for the even rumpier, aka smaller, Independent Conservatives, has also requested time off to do a runner to Brum.

Cons web page header

I'm beginning to think that the great schism between Toad/Onan and Generalissimo might be about to be resolved. 

Clearly the latter still considers himself part of the bigger Tory project. And interestingly, the former as South Suffolk Conservative Association chair, still allows Generalissimo and at least one of his Indy Tory members to share their homepage picture, where they all look very chummy and chirpy.

Rumours abound that a reconciliation might be in the offing - just in time for next May's elections.

In contrast to the lack of commitment shown by the team in blue, there is one Hadleigh resident who goes above and beyond nearly every single day.

Most folks will know of Robert Dawson. He's the fantastic chap who, in a voluntary capacity, wanders around the town picking up litter and placing it in a little wagon, donated, I understand by Jilted John Macleod's Hadleigh Town Council.

I know of Mr Dawson by sight and understand that he lives with a condition that causes him to suffer periodic, but very short-lived, fits. I believe that he carries instructions with him requesting that an ambulance is not called, except in exceptional circumstances.

But now I read that he's been up before the Magistrates', castigated for excessive calls to the emergency services and fined.

I can help thinking that the amateur judges that comprise the bench in question have failed to take into account Mr Dawson's circumstances and the enormous social good which he delivers, day in and day out. 

What a tragically wrongheaded society that allows councillors to evade scrutiny, whilst damaging the reputation of one who serves his community so lovingly.

Aka hypocrisy.

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