Wisbech Community Forum

I AM NORMALLY A GREAT FAN OF OUR LOCAL PAPER, ‘The Wisbech Standard’, and more particularly of its editor, John Elworthy. He has a great track record of campaigning journalism, and in particular, he has been the scourge of what he sees as local political buffoons, skulduggery in the council chambers, and misuse of public money. With this week’s edition, however, I am reminded of the following lines from ‘Silver Blaze’, a Sherlock Holmes story.

Gregory (Scotland Yard detective): "Is there any other point to which you would wish to draw my attention?"

Holmes: "To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time."

Gregory: "The dog did nothing in the night-time."

Holmes: "That was the curious incident."

In the light of the recent lurid accounts of Wisbech in Daily Mail, I would have expected TWS to take a long hard look at the town, and examine whether or not there was any substance behind the hysteria, and perhaps talk to ordinary local people about their perceptions. Instead, what did we get? Pages of bland waffle, led by Steve Barclay, MP, Alan Melton, leader of Fenland District Council, and Nick Clarke, leader of Cambs County Council. Oh, and I nearly forgot – there was a reassuring letter from Councillor Simon King, telling us that The Bramley Line was safe in his hands. Followers of John Elworthy’s Twitter feeds will know that he has been a considerable thorn in the sides of some of these gentlemen, and yet now, they are wheeled out to make comforting statements about what a wonderful place Wisbech is. Are there any conspiracy theorists out there? Contact me, please, if you have your own theories!

Readers of this blog, and followers of my posts on Twitter and Facebook will know that I have a great deal of affection for Wisbech and its eccentricities, but they will also know that I am not delusional. If it quacks, has webbed feet and paddles about in the pond, it is probably a duck. Therefore, I recognise there are serious problems in Wisbech, which actual residents of the town are well aware of. These need discussing and addressing, not submerging under a blanket of political ifs and maybes.

INCIDENTALLY, who noticed the little visual irony in the photo-montage under the masthead?  A little picture of Mrs Strudwick, Head of Thomas Clarkson, shaking hands with Mr Barclay. It was only in the last fortnight that the following sequence of events unfolded.

• It was announced that Mrs S was going to have to apply for her own job
• The Brooke Weston partnership says “No thanks.” to Mrs S, but they have made an appointment
• TCCC announced as 16^th worst school in the land
• The ‘new appointment’ mysteriously disappears
• The Grande Fromage of Brooke Weston, Sir Peter Simpson, to take over as Head

Ah well, only in Wisbech!