CHICKENS HOME TO ROOST. Mistakenly always thought that foresight was the first requirement of good governance. Once again the very air of Tisbury throbs with election fever. Three vacancies on our Parish Council need to be filled by co-option, and within months another General Election is to be held.

As to the latter , everyday one hears tell of promises, which might better be described as bribes were it not illegal to bribe an electorate. Unfortunately there are no votes in telling things the way they are, so not for a moment should one believe that a majority will vote for UKIP. despite that it reflects the despair of many dissatisfied with the impotence of members of Parliament, each of whom is burdened with their Party's detritus of yesteryear. At every election one has to decide either not to vote, or if voting which Party, its incompetency not withstanding, one is to support, doing so on the basis of fearing something worse. Is the non participating electorate minded to' put a plague on all their houses?'

Maybe voting should be obligatory, with the option of voting for 'none of the above'. If one doesn't vote one doesn't have a leg to stand on when it comes to complaining. One likes to believe that the norm is that one person has but one vote in any election, however such isn’t case. Until very recently everyone in Tisbury had two votes to cast in our former Salisbury District Council Elections, whilst some wards had as many as three. That skewed the results of Council Elections in favour of established Political Parties to the detriment of any individual Independent. Such a matter could have been rectified had every voter been allowed to cast all his or her, two or three votes, for but the one candidate. Maybe though as a late Speaker of the House of Commons said, if one is to succeed in politics, first join a Party, doesn’t matter which one, anyone will do.' Maybe we Independents have a death wish.

What of well intentioned would be Parish Councillors? Are retired Grandees better suited to dreaming up the like of 'Marjorie' the compost heap. Last year our first elected P. councillors for over twenty years immediately 'put down' that extravagance. ( One notes that even so, last year it cost us £1512.00.of Community Charge payers money, so rounding off previous expenditure of other thousands which included a seed money grant, from a differently named local government account).

What is our fascination with cricket in not only our village, but too on Lord Margadale's Fonthill Estate. £40,000 of money arising from the Fry's Development off Hindon Lane was expended there. I am yet to see a notice in the village inviting anyone to go and watch a cricket match, though there was mention of an associated charitable marathon. There was a suggestion that the Pavilion would be available for hire, who knows maybe it is, unless of course its become a club for the boys. Not sure where one might have seen such a notice had there been one, for still our village has no Notice Board with Public Access.

What of our recent enough expenditure of nine thousand pounds (Plus) on the re-erection in Tisbury, of a gifted second hand structure for use as a Cricket Pavilion on our own playing field. Might it have been an idea to have provided drainage for for the Tisbury United Football Pitch which is owned by the Village instead ? (The Tisbury Social Club did get a grant from the Fry source, but one understands the Village actually owns its structure) Who is for Playing illuminated Tennis at the Parish Council's expense? What of the Community Garden or come to that the water charges on the Allotments.

What of the continuing pressure for the building of houses on the Old Parmiter, Station Works site. TisVis was advised via its questionnaire that it should remain a place of work. Surely there is no call for revisionism.

The other day chatting to a local craftsman, who along with his wife is of an aboriginal family. My suggestion was that maybe his wife might consider offering her services as a Parish Councillor. It seemed possible that she might do so. His accompanying comment was to the effect that the Parish Council was over weighted with new comers to the village who didn't appreciate its peculiarities.

Great to have new comers, but not one of our eight remaining Parish Councillors is raising a family in the village. One doesn't know who will be volunteering their services this time around, however would it not be an excellent idea, given the opportunity, to co-opt younger people as Councillors in preference to more of the same? One notes that the specification of eligibility are being at least eighteen, and either living or working in TISBURY PARISH. Recently enough one was advised that living within a RADIUS of the Parish qualified one. That surprised me recalling that things never used to be so. Was not the working qualification abandoned in the 1960's to the grief of many Reading Town Councillors. Maybe that has changed.