​​A Vision
​(with apologies to Coleridge)

​In Honiton E.D.D.C.
​Says its new offices shall be –
​Far from the town where, as we know,
​The office workers like to go.
​No longer all Knowle’s greenery
​But superstore and factory.
​An Exmouth office, too, a place
​Where few will find a parking space –
​The building looks like an old barn,
​Not like the “dome” in “Kubla Khan”.

​But, Oh, the waste of public money –
​The ratepayers don’t think it funny:
​To build a glass and concrete shed
​And trash the park and Knowle instead,
​For “Our Great Leader” and his crew
​Have no care for the public’s view;
​Nor badger-setts, nor many a tree;
​Nor office blocks, built ’83;
​Nor Chambers, used by you and me;
​Nor weekend tourist-parking, free;
​Nor jobs and trade Sidmouth will lose;
​Nor all the lovely parkland views –
​All sold to builders for a fee –
​And all for what? For vanity?
​This Council, with no Local Plan,
​Lets builders build where’er they can.

​Yet in my crystal ball I see
​A new look for E.D.D.C.:
​Independents there will be
​As councillors for you and me,
​Come from every town and shire
​With the Wright One to remove Swire,
​Who all will cry: Please be aware:
​We will not relocate somewhere
​Based on false claims that there will be
​“Big”(?) savings made in energy.
​We come to bring Democracy,
​And Probity, Transparency.
​You all know there’s a better way –
​It’s signposted by E.D.A.* ,
​So, all you readers, lend a hand
​And save our green and pleasant land.

​(*EDA is East Devon Alliance)

​by Mike Temple, Sidmouth (with permission of author)