Bad decisions have been made in Hunstanton but things are looking up

In his weekly Turnstone column, Hunstanton writer John Maiden discusses conservation…

According to a report in (the Lynn News sister publication) Your Local Paper for October 16, businesses are being urged to join Lynn's town team. Having been a member of Hunstanton's Advisory Group, for its first two meetings, the difference between Lynn and Hunstanton was immediately apparent.

To the best of my knowledge, there was no shortage of business owners wanting to have their say on Hunstanton's future. It appeared to me that the only justification for my removal from the group was because my main business, since I retired from a career in education 22 years ago, has been concerned with suggesting ways of improving the poor performance of West Norfolk Council.

In case anyone thinks I am joking, let me quote from the Lynn News feature 'On this Week: June 16-22 2004' which reads as follows: "West Norfolk Council is wasting nearly £4million because of overstaffing, weak management and low productivity, it has been claimed. A report by external consultants Knox D'Arcy, costing £50,000, was given to members of the cabinet scrutiny committee and it said that between 51 per cent and 77 per cent of work time was lost on unofficial 'tea breaks' and other stoppages and that seven to eight per cent of the council's 900 strong workforce would have to be axed to achieve savings. Although some councillors were sceptical of the figures and wanted to see more details, council leader John Dobson thought the Knox D'Arcy figures were 'robust' and broadly correct".

If any readers are surprised by John Dobson's acceptance of the figures, it is worth remembering that his Conservatives did not replace Irene Macdonald's Labour administration until May 2003.

I could be wrong, but in spite of granting planning permission for Lynn's rather characterless shopping centre, Lynn has removed more eyesores than it has permitted. This is well illustrated by King's Staithe Square and along the riverside. It therefore seems only reasonable to give parity of esteem when dealing with Hunstanton's Conservation Area.

One of the reasons things are looking up, as far as this corner of West Norfolk is concerned, stems from the excellent work done by John Selby when he was conservation officer. Bearing in mind how difficult it can be for the council to rid itself of inept members of staff, it was surely a great mistake to let John leave when there was no one as well qualified to replace him at the time.

On a related subject, I attended a service in memory of local historian John Smith whose death earlier this year came as a shock, followed by a deep sense of loss for someone who contributed so much time and energy to the Hunstanton Society - especially in recent times as a member of its History Group.

He also helped with some of the words and pictures on the interpretation boards in the Esplanade Gardens and along the clifftop. During his time as a town councillor, John put the case for the town to revert to the name given to it by Henry le Strange - Hunstanton St Edmund's. Perhaps someone else will take up that cause before we put up the station's name when the railway line from Lynn is finally restored.