image credit: Westham Community News
The question of what to do about Westham Village Pond has entertained and exasperated the community of Westham in equal measure.
Campaigners have argued that Westham Parish Council has mis-managed the pond over many years.
In October last year the BBC came calling to investigate why the pond has not been dredged. At the time a neighbour who lived near the pond said, “morning everyone just been speaking to Steve from Radio Sussex and yet again they appear to be deliberately ignoring the advice of the Environment Agency”.
The debacle reached a low point at the October meeting of Westham parish council, attended by over forty parishioners, at which one of the councillors called the parishioners “clowns”. for their vociferous opposition to the council.
Since then, the fortunes of the pond have been restored to a certain extent with £66,000 spent on de-silting part of the pond.
Yesterday, a post on the useful ‘Westham Community News’ social media Facebook page, suggested that ‘the inlet has been found’.
The search for the inlet appears to have been a stumbling block in the progress in dredging the pond for many years. and something of a Holy Grail in the telling of the story, which is increasingly looking like an out take of a Monty Python film.
The head knight may have not acknowledged that “it is a good shrubbery”, but asserted that the knights cannot allow Arthur and his followers to pass through the wood because they are no longer the Knights who say “Ni!”.
We are yet to see the basis on which this record is noted in the minutes in the parish council and which councillor will be offering to play the part of Michael Palin.
The post suggests (16 February) “I have had some very exciting news my neighbour in conversation with the ecologist advising WPC learnt that he knows where the inlet pipe is and if he has time is going to get in the pond and put his arm up it (not sure I would be that brave) This is good news for the pond unless his arm gets stuck up the inlet. Come and join us this Monday at Stone Cross clerk office at 7.30pm to hear his report on the finding of the elusive pipe”.
A number of informed commentators question the finding and offer useful information. One commentator suggests, “I am very interested to hear about the elusive inlet whereabouts and how to best move forward hopefully with a better plan than just sticking an ecologist arm up it”
On a serious note, there are a number of public questions about the role of the the parish council in relation to the management of Westham Village pond. The community appears to be not just divided from the council but in near total opposition to their ‘management’.
Why the extensive body of knowledge in the village has not been utilised is something of a mystery in the on-going story.
The council has suggested that the problems with the pond are related to a dry summer. Questions over the managmenet of the pond though, records show, extend back to 2913.
The absence of meaningful contact and public dialogue between the the parishioners and the council, over many months, perhaps years, is perhaps indicative of a deeper problem than just the murkiness of Westham Village pond.
Clear water in relation to the communications and engagement of the community in the affairs of Westham, working in collaboration with the parish council, could do so much to restore some faith in the principles behind a parish council.
The depths to which the affairs of Westham Parish Council appear to have sunk in terms of reputation are marked.
Perhaps there is a bigger story here waiting to be told, particularly given the increasing importance of parish councils in the management of the affairs of rural communities up and down the land.
Perhaps what is stuck here is not just the question of how to restore the precious village pond, but also the tainted name of Westham Parish Council.
As the chair of another parish council in East Susses put things to us on hearing the on-going story of Westham Village pond, “the first task of any Parish Council is to listen”.
The monthly parish council meeting at Stone Cross tomorrow night (Monday 17 February), looks set to be an interesting episode in the continuing story.
