“CASH IS KING!”

I must have written a few hundred letters to the papers in my time and signed dozens of petitions, but truth be told, I can't think of one that has changed anything.

Which is why I felt that once the rebuilding of the amusement arcade on Hunstanton Green began the cause was lost. When money and local government get together protesters are powerless.

Much though I admire John Maiden for his persistence and energy, he and others put their faith in justice, fairness and the law. These proved - rather than the standard bearers of local democracy - to be more like the three little pigs who ( to reverse the tale) huffed and puffed at the wolf's lair, but were unable to blow the Town Hall down.

However all is not lost because - to quote the ever-brown, David Dickinson - “Cash is king!” And while I think that it must be accepted that the loss of a view isn't high in most peoples' list of concerns, paying taxes is!

As I recall, it was stated by the previous owners of the arcade that the 3 months delay in rebuilding brought about by the protesters had cost them half a million pounds. So clearly the business is a nice little earner and would support a reasonable rent.

It was also estimated that had the building been let out at the normal rate it could have commanded an annual income to the Community of about £300,000. Over the 800 years of the current lease that amounts to a loss of more than £240 million! Instead they raise our Council Tax year after year.

Although I understand why the Council are reluctant in the short term to engage in expensive legal proceedings, such costs must be judged against this long term potential income.

In any case, my reading of the local government web site suggests that there is a clear legal duty upon councils to maximise the income from property assets. How do the Borough Council square the present situation with that?

The noble, but apparently futile efforts to save the Green and the various schemes for piers, harbours and railways have deflected public pressure away from forcing the Council to fulfil this duty to collect the proper rent from this publicly-owned asset.

Perhaps now is the time to turn from God to Mammon

Edward Wheatley

Both venues offer significant opportunities annually to young people in West Norfolk, it is our only youth theatre, and provides arthouse cinema and visual arts exhibition opportunities.”
To sign the petition go to http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Norfolk-Arts-Cut/

Hunstanton breathes a cynical view

Of King’s Lynn’s spiteful, mindless few,

Who banned the placing, gratis, free

Our Newsletter in the TIC

We know that they have lost their touch.

Their understanding isn’t much

For what we need, here in the north

Is regeneration coming forth?

They make our gardens beautiful.

Attracting tourists, is the pull.

They profligately spend our tax

Leaving cemetery on unmade tracks.

We realise the Borough too

Is centralized for just a few.

Our voice is very oft ignored,

Its Lynn’s own Councillors they applaud.

They’ve no Town Council to represent

Their feelings. They are solely bent

On being nasty to us in Hunny

While screwing us for car park money.

So carry on, we’ll have to pay the bill.

Keep on, I’m sure you no doubt will.

One day I hope you will be buried

And we’ll be totally Unitaried!

John Crisford

 LEST WE FORGET

I would like to take this opportunity to offer belated congratulations to all who took part in the “Return to Rationing Concert”  -  an excellent show. It was also good as a community, to remember together those who had given their lives during WW1 and WWII, and those who have, and still are, giving their lives in the fight against evil.

“Lest we Forget” reminded me of a line in a hymn I used to sing many years ago; “Lest I forget Gethsemane lest I forget Your love for me, lead me to Calvary”.

At Christmas we remember the birth of the One who came  to lay down His life at Calvary to give us freedom from our sins; the freedom to have a relationship with God during our lifetime, and a promise of eternal life afterwards.

This relationship was broken when sin entered the world, but Jesus came to lay down His life on the cross at Calvary to restore that relationship. But we must personally accept His sacrifice by asking God for His forgiveness and accepting Jesus into our lives. For, “If we could earn our salvation, Christ would  not have had to lay down his life to provide it.”

Mrs M Hodson

BALLAD TO A NASTY COUNCIL