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CLLR MHB BLOG

Blog 34 – What an MP should do – Vigil 92 – A Highways emergency – Bishops Tawton Tidy Up Team – Wildlife

Aug 17, 2025

We have an excellent Lib Dem MP, Ian Roome. He came up through the ranks of local govt – town, district and county councils – which is so much better than the parachuting in of a party ‘researcher’. The last (Con) MP was one of those and seemed to see her role as representing government to her constituents (including trying to defend SW Water against justifiably outraged surfers and swimmers). Ian Roome, on the other hand, represents his constituents’ views to government. He sent a letter to PM Starmer last week (extract above) listing the key points demanded by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (which, as chair of the North Devon PSC, I’d emailed him). Chief among these is ending all trade with Israel. What else could have any effect on the genocidal killing machine?

Our latest Vigil was attended by 40 people. Many of us prefer to be silent and simply bear witness on behalf the civilians who have been and are being slaughtered. Last Wednesday I read from the text left by the Al Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif (who was murdered with colleagues by ‘the most moral army in the world’): ‘I entrust you with Palestine – the jewel in the crown of the Muslim world, the heartbeat of every free person in this world…’ I also read, as I did last week, from Oh Big Blue, the book of poems by Palestinian children edited by Alice Oswald and her husband Peter. Some of the poems are intensely poignant. For a voice representing Gaza here in England I recommend Ahmed Alnaouq, who spoke outside Downing Street last weekend – you may already be following him on Facebook.

Speaking of Facebook, I realise I’m not using it enough to let residents in the villages I represent know what I’m doing on their behalf and encourage people to contact me if they think I can help with a problem. The picture above shows a recent one – damaged steps down to the main road in Bishops Tawton which are used by elderly residents. I was contacted about the damaged and dangerous steps on 18 July, reported it as an emergency to Highways the same day and was notified that it would be inspected or repaired by 8 August. The resident texted me on that day – no repair had taken place. I emailed our county cllr immediately and heard the next morning that the repairs had been done. The sudden turn of speed by Highways was not down to me – it was because residents had reported the problem again. Presumably the clincher was that a carpetfitter working in the house next door to the resident had fallen on the steps, hurt his hand and put in a claim. Right back at the start, on 18 July, I rang the Highways emergency number to avoid just such an outcome.

Photo by Bishops Tawton Tidy Up Team

The Bishops Tawton Tidy Up Team was busy on Saturday and Sunday morning preparing the playground for a large-scale make over. Old equipment and surfaces were removed, the hedge cut back and everything made ready for the contractors. I was one of fourteen who helped out on Saturday morning. It was fascinating to see how everyone found jobs, from sawing through old equipment to pulling up old surfaces to weeding the perimeter, etc. Glad to play a small part in it, to meet some members of the team for the first time, and to be rewarded with a cup of coffee and a tasty Quorn Sausage bap.

There are several wildlife highlights this week: returning from looking at the poor state of Berry Lane in Gunn on my bike last week, I saw and heard Swallows gathering in large numbers at Yarnacott, Swimbridge – migration must surely be fairly imminent. Coming up the hill from our local river after water-testing there for the Westcountry Rivers Trust, I came across a Partridge with five chicks that can’t have been much more than a day old. We live near the well-named Partridge Cross. The splendid Grasshopper above appeared on my leg when I was multitasking on Saturday afternoon: I was harvesting Yellow Rattle seeds in our meadow (to sow in the wildflower meadow in Swimbridge park next month), while listening to football commentary on Radio Five Live. The start of a new season, with all its fresh aspirations and many new players, is always a thrill. I was pleased for newly promoted Sunderland to start with a resounding win. Thank you for reading.