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MAY 2007

When I originally requested a polytunnel there appeared to be no rules (as bought up by an allotmenteer in a letter sent in April 2008, notes a) and b), also noted in the following extract from here paragraph 2)for the running of the allotments, but thought that I would follow polite protocol and make a request to the Parish Council, after all they have always been helpful in the past. At this point there was no reply other than 'we do not like polytunnels'

JUNE 2007

I attended the Parish Council meeting in June and having had no reply asked again if I may have a polytunnel, I was informed by the chairman again that 'we don't like polytunnels, therefore the request is denied'

JULY 2007

I had to wait until July for an official  reply. On receipt I immediately took advice and appealed against the decision and received an acknowledgment together with a copy of the petition as mentioned in my appeal, however, there are now no names on it. To be honest this was not the reply I expected! The same letter was sent out to other allotmenteers at the same time, however I do believe not everyone received them, nor the copy of the said proposed rules. They were made by the Council, as pointed out by some of the allotmenteers, without reference or assistance from them. Please read this extract from the Code of conduct for parish councils, I suppose though, that this part does not apply to Buckland Brewer parish Council.

N.B. The new rules were to take effect from March 2008, not before.

AUGUST 2007

As I did not receive anything for a month I decided to 'remind' the Parish Council and also to ask for further information again after receiving legal advice. Funnily enough on the same day I received my reply from the council. None of my questions had been answered, in fact they had been completely ignored.

Meanwhile a fellow allotmenteer asked the council some questions himself regarding the new rules.

SEPTEMBER 2007

I attended the meeting armed with some information regarding the Code of Conduct for Parish Councils. At the meeting this month I asked once again the reasons why I could not have a polytunnel, again the answer was no, with no reasons given, so I sent in another appeal challenging the decision. I also decided to go and see my local MP for advice and received the appointment for October.

OCTOBER 2007

Things did not get any better for me in October at the meeting, in fact, one parishioner was most amazed at what took place when I tried to ask the question once again as to why I should not erect a polytunnel, as advised by the legal consultant, Bryn Pugh BA (Law) LL.M. I wrote to the standards commission, I also informed Geoffrey Cox MP what I had done and why

NOVEMBER 2007

By now the parish council had not spoken to me or had any form of conversation that led to answering my questions so whereby I had been conferring with Mr Pugh on the phone, it was time to make things official with Mr Pugh, I received a reply almost immediately. It was suggested that I also start to build what ended up as a plastic covered greenhouse as this might open a channel of communication.

DECEMBER 2007                             

My family wanted to buy me a new shed for my allotments for Christmas, however, I was worried about the threats I had received to pull down anything I might put up on the allotments, so I advised the local constabulary of my fears. As the council were not talking to me, or allowing me to ask questions in the meetings, I decided a different approach

JANUARY 2008

A new year and hopefully and end to the troubles. Wrong, once again I was not allowed to address the council. It was at this time that Mr Pugh wrote to me again. I was also approached by Mr Hewitt on my allotments and complained, once more, to the Board of Standards.

FEBRUARY 2008

The council wrote to Mr Pugh, informing them of the reasons as to why they would not allow me to have a polytunnel, he replied to said reasons. My family came up and we covered the wooden frame we had put up over the months. Within moments four members of the parish council arrived and there was an exchange of words, including one female council who made reference to my late wife. I received yet another letter from the parish council, this time referring to their visit back in December, thing is, it still does not say why! Not was there an apology for their behaviour to me. It was during this month that rumours started to go round and it was suggested I put people in the picture. The allotmenteers were also invited to a meeting to 'discuss' the new rules, translated, we got there, sat down, were all given another set of the new rules, informed that they would commence on the 1st march 2008, kindly sign them, return ASAP or lose our allotments. Put like that I had no option, I do NOT want to lose my allotments and I felt pressured into signing them as did the others, we all felt that we were trapped in a catch 22 situation. I also received my reply from the standards board. It apears that despite the Code of conduct for parish councils which says 'no bullying', this does not apply to certain members of Buckland Brewer Parish Council. Mr Pugh sent a letter this month to the parish council pointing out that they might be breaking laws if they carried out their threats, for some reason, they did not see this as advice but as a "threatening stance" as well as, as long last, the reasons for not allowing me a polytunnel, however, I have not built one, just  a plastic greenhouse. Also they state that 'twice made incorrect allegations about one councillor to the police.' I would like to point out that after the first time Mr Hewitt approached in his offence manner, he was told by the police to stay away from me, on the second time he approached me, he was removed by Larry Davies, who reminded him that 'the police have already told you to stay away from Mr Harvey'. personally I do not feel this is incorrect!

MARCH 2008

We have no records for this month other than the councillors still refuse to talk to me. However latest news, extract from the reasons for not having a plastic greenhouse, might blow away in the wind. NEWSFLASH!! Gales on the 9th and 10th had winds of over 80mph, high vehicles stopped from going over Taw bridge, JIMS PLASTIC GREENHOUSE STILL STANDING!!

April 2008

Other allotmenteers had had enough by this point and two of them sent letters to Mr Pugh, outlining some of the events that had taken place over the past year. I had the strength for the first time to tell my daughter Suzanne what had been happening and she and her fiancé Philip Croft came out to see me and we had a long chat, the spoke to Mr Pugh as well as Peter, Pete and Patrick, then they sat down and made a plan of action to get the council to talk to me.

MAY 2008

The plan was set in motion, first I had an interview with the North Devon Gazette, then came ITV on May 14th, and in the evening they went to the Parish meeting with me, and this is where they were shocked at the way in which the council conduct their meetings. They came home with me, collected my papers and left.

This site was updated on the 20th May 2008

This site is being built by Suzanne and Phil who are documenting all the information, this is time consuming and there is some more to come, please, come back and keep reading.

thank you

Jims Family