How is the ex-Leader doing?

It is probably well within the memory span of most readers that our jet-loving ex-Leader of the Council Ian Clement left to join the new London Mayor he helped to promote during his campaign to become elected.

Ian Clement joined to work full-time as one of the Deputy Mayors leaving his job at the Post Office.

To bring readers up to date there was a By Election and James Spencer took his place as a councillor in the Christchurch Ward.

Ian has since continued his former jet-setting ways as a part of his new role with visits to China for the Olympics and Malaysia, he has enjoyed visits to Twickenham and has been a guest of Gazprons, Philip Dewhurst. He has net worked with the Evening Standard and the BBC and has become something of a stamp collector and strengthened his connections with the USA as recently as January this year.

So while us sleepyheads in Bexley have been slogging our way through the worst economic times in our history it's good to know our past Leader is slaving away on the international scene and hopefully keeping a wary eye open reminding his new colleagues about a place called Bexley on the outskirts of the capital. It still has no tube or Crossrail, just ancient buses and loads of cars polluting residential streets.

Emmanuel church is in the news. The former Minister Mike Williams has left and gone to Birmingham and ex-banker, the Rev. Malcolm Wright has taken over the Sidcup church which, like St John's has had a complete new electric rewire.

Lark Rise to Candleford

This is a delightful programme screened by the BBC on a Sunday evening. The central character is the post mistress called Dorcas. She is everyones friend. At one time she was keen on the local squire who was married but made discreet assignations with Dorcas. Now she is charming an old resident of the village who left to make his name in London and has returned as the owner of the local hotel. 

Poor Dorcas hasn't seen the squire she was so fond of for ages. He just seemed to disappear from the scene. The question on everyone’s lips is what happened to the Squire?

Bob Chapman

We were sorry to learn that after fifteen years solid service in the youth sector Bexley Council has decide to decommission Bob Chapman. I wrote that he was 'sacked' in the last issue but I'm told decommissioning him and the BCVYO is different! He offered to carry on doing the job for less than a councillor gets paid for attending twelve meetings (or less) a year. If Cllr. Windle goes ahead with his decision it will not go down well with the many youth groups who have come to rely on the service Bob Chapman provided. Will the council perhaps make some award to him for services rendered?

Spring arrives

What a difference a week makes. One minute it threatens to snow again and within a few days the gardens and parks suddenly blossom into something quite different. The familiar whine of lawn mowers echoes around and gardeners discover long hidden treasures like forks! Our doves are laying eggs again and small birds skim around our newly cut lawns enjoying the warmth showering down from blue skies and lighter evenings. Our Irish setter, Rocky was out and about amongst the daffodils and Derek Hope from Kent Photonews was on hand to take some snaps.