Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Yesterday “The News” (Portsmouth) carried an article about Christmas lights being banned in Havant (Hampshire, UK), or, rather, it being decreed that the Christmas Lights will be known as Festival Lights to avoid upsetting no Christians.

Today the story is on page 31 of the “Daily Mail”. Presumably, Andy Dolan, the “Daily Mail” reporter, took the story from “The News”, local to national being a common route.

The culprits were, of course, the Council Officers who are the real power in Havant Council, though they ran for cover when “The News” tried to interview them.

They did not seem to have considered that they might offend Christians as well as non-Christians with their stupidity.

The Council Leader, David Gillett, is reported as begin vociferously against such lunacy, though, Councillors in general have let vastly more serious matters pass, including those beyond the civil context. I have one removed personal experience of Councillors being sent packing” by Council Officers and Agents of the Council.

The general level of incompetence, illustrated by the Christmas Lights fiasco, runs right through the Council, including, especially, relating to business: see my other Web Sites, especially the older ones --- the My Other Web Sites page on any of my Sites will guide you to the others (e.g. http://www.rlkassociates.co.uk/RLKA_mows.htm).

Contrary to the impression given by articles such as that in the “Daily Mail”, Havant and the surrounding area is a very pleasant place to live. Unfortunately it is ruled by a “we know best” Council which is beyond the control of and unresponsive to the Residents.

That apart, I would strongly recommend this part of the Country as a place to live, though not, at present, a place to which to bring a business or attempt to establish one, nor much of Hampshire or the local Business Link region for that matter. Sussex and east, Surrey and north, or west of Dorset is much safer.

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