To the barricades

Apparently the citizens of Roundswell are on the verge of making an historic unilateral declaration of independence or UDI as it was called in the old Rhodesia. (This incident still fresh in the minds of many of the folk up there and they are no doubt partly inspired by it) They are discontented with being lumped in with Fremington parish Council and they feel that the time has come for them to secede from this historic structure of local government and go it alone and make a sustained bid for autonomy. In some respects I can understand this with regard to the recent shenanigans at Fremington Parish Council however,  I do find it a little surprising that such murmurings of discontent should come from of all places a place like Roundswell a commune which to many who live in the area has no sense of community. A suburb in the true sense of the word, sharing those values associated with such areas. A population of at least 7000 people who have no pub, no school, no recreation ground, no local shop apart from a Sainsburys superstore, Comet and Staples and Edmunsons Electrical wholesalers and not only a drive through McDonalds but also  a Wimpy and a Travelodge all of these quite a trek from the centre of the  estate, no doctors surgery and last of all quite an essential factor when trying to establish a new parish council no parish chuch. In any other community of this size people would have been up in arms to rectify this dire lack in communal facilities but not in Roundswell you always get the impression that they just don't want them. Happy with their lot being situated close to retail park and a Peugot showroom with views over the Link Road. To my mind the area is a strange old place, mysterious even being as it is a giant warren of neat little Barrett boxes all roads twist and turn end up in cul de sacs each one in turn looking like the other, a veritable bleddy maze if ever there was one.

Breaking news I have just heard that plans for secession have been put on hold due to a groundswell of apathy! Now there's a surprise.