In previous eras, men and women of honour in public office would think nothing about resigning for even the most minor and accidental indiscretion (say, farting after a hearty and sloppy kebab or two within earshot of the bishop. I'm not saying who it was, but I never, ever sit downwind of Father Derek these days....).

Such an attitude was based on an honour code that recognised both the importance of upholding the principle of correct individual behaviour and a recognition that institutions can all too easily fall into disrepute if they become too associated with an ever growing number of miscreants.

Most councils with an influence over the lives of the good citizenry of Hadleigh, are at just such a tipping point.

Too many elected representatives are closer to limpets who've binged on ketamine and are so indifferent to the world around them in their resulting K-Hole. Only a sustained and coordinated thermonuclear strike seems able to prise them away from their nice little sinecures.

And even then they - or their 'people' - normally issue a series of self-justifying excuses as to why it really wasn't their fault, after all. Most claim that they are more sinned against than sinning, which rather suggests that the 'Sinned Against Mountain' must be the tallest structure in the world, even more than the fabled Tower of Babel.

Matthew Hicks

Twins to that! (In case you've never heard this term, it's a sixteenth century imprecation that I've just made up, referring to the classical brothers Castor and Pollux, which we wags at theological college shape-shifted to Castrated Bollox and thence, whilst in politer society, onwards to Twins).

Which makes the decision of three Suffolk County Councillors to resign from their roles, and without blaming others, over the continuing crisis of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision, wonderfully recherche and old school.

Such a demonstration of rare decency, though, does rather ask the awkward question of their boss, Councilor Matthew Hicks as to why he hasn't buggered off to spend more time with his millions? 'Banker Boy' Hicks has been leader since 2018. Much of this chaos and the increasingly negative Ofsted reports have occurred on his watch.

Banker Boy, with his patrician airs and graces, rather reminds me of that young whippersnapper Harold MacMillan, a one-time prime minister. During a rather desparate mass sacking of a third of his cabinet - a reaction to dire mid-term opinion polls - the then Liberal leader, Jeremy Thorpe (himself hardly a paragon of honest virtue) quipped that "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his friends for his life"

I hear that a similar non-resigning calamity might be about to slap Babergh's political leadership around the chops. In spite of 'Generalissimo' Ward's 'move along, nothing to see here' reassurances regarding the fate of the Corks Lane mud bath, there is growing scepticism as to whether the whole development will be ever fully built out.

Corks Lane (Picture: Nub News)

Termed by those in the know, 'Adan's Folly', after the 7ft semi-mythical giantess and ex-Babergh and Mid Suffolk chief executive who helped push the relocation of both council offices to Ipswich, hence in one stroke removing the 'local' from local government, the development seems to be bleeding as much money as it is creating mess and muck.

Yet, good ol' Generalissimo has been an intractable advocate for the project, begging the question that if it is curtailed or abandoned, will he call it a day?

And finally, onto England's Most Useless Council (Emu), aka Hadleigh Town Council. Father Derek has reduced his little stubby fingers to the marrow with his typing up of the most recent shifty shenanigans suppurating out of the Guildhall complex.

EMU leader allegedly clashed with clerk Wendy Brame (Picture: Nub News)

Reports of at least one standup shouting match between well-paid but still under-qualified Town Clerk, 'Pirate Queen' Brame and Mayor Gordon 'Jilted John ' McLeod would suggest that at least one of them knows the game is up. 

The pressure is certainly mounting what with concerns about the costs and need for the over-specced Layham Road Pleasure Dome and Gin Palace, the fumbled handling of a personal data breach and a draft budget which has been nicknamed 'Gruyere' because of the number of holes it contains.

Just what will it take for someone, indeed any one of the Emus to do the decent thing?