Lack of response from MP should be remembered

✒ JOYS Green is a part of the Lydbrook parish but has a distinct identity of its own.

Over the past years it has lost its village shop, its post office, its community room and its primary school.

This has added to the deprivation which exists in that community and the sense of isolation.

The Pupil Referral Unit that had been occupying the old school buildings has relocated and the building lies empty.

On May 26, Terry Hale, our County Councillor, fellow parish councillor Sue Vincent and I met at the primary school with Richard Pitts from Gloucestershire County Property Services.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the possibility of securing the building for community use.

On June 4, I wrote and emailed Mark Harper MP asking for his support and advice. All I received was an automated acknowledgement of the email.

In August, having heard nothing, I called into Mr Harper’s Cinderford office and spoke with his office manager.

He promised to follow up the issue and get Mr Harper to respond. I heard nothing.

On September 12, I raised the issue at the meeting of Lydbrook Parish Council. Terry Hale was in attendance and undertook to raise the matter with Mr Harper (a fellow Conservative).

On October 5, for good measure, I again emailed Mr Harper and received the automated acknowledgement.

On October 10, at our Parish Council meeting, Terry Hale reported that he had not heard back from Mr Harper.

I do hope that the electors of Joys Green and the wider Forest community will bear this in mind at the next election when Mr Harper asks for their vote.

Bruce Hogan