Who are we? What we are not

I'm off to Parish Council this evening for the first time in three months following a break due to pressure of professional commitments. Somebody in London recently wanted to know what we were and what we do. It was hard to explain so I thought I'd say what we are not, challenging her TV-influenced stereotypes.


First of all we are not Dibleys. There may be eccentrics in the VOD but we do have our own characters too. However, the Telly never quite spells it out that in Dibley you are looking at the Parochial Church Council. This, with Dawn French or Hugh Symes Thompson runs the church. It is distinguished from the Parish Council, part of a system set up in the 1890s to look after local facilities - cemeteries, street lights, play areas and to comment on planning. 

Secondly we are not Last of the Summer Wine. We do get out and we should get out but just aimlessly rambling around Cranfield will probably not achieve anything. There are a lot of people on the council who know a lot of people and lot of places around here but there is also plenty of paperwork and some pretty intense discussions, carefully recorded and acted upon. So, Cleggy, Compo, Foggy your application for co-option to the PC is rejected as you just tend to mutter on non-stop and not pay attention. OK, OK one or two of our members do that.

 

Finally we are not the League of Gentlemen. There are wild men on the PC and also some wild women (they know who they are) and we are pretty committed to local quality of life. But there are limits,  though a few Mid Beds/Central Beds council officers might think differently. You are welcome to come to Cranfield and to leave it and hopefully you will have pleasant memories whether you came for half an hour or 25 years.