Mr & Mrs Red's Day of Reckoning has arrived......

[tikay]

Tom's gonna be well cross with me about this thread, but however misguided it may be, it's well-intended, so I know he'll forgive me. Eventually.

Most of you know the battle Tom & Mrs Tom have had with the Planning Authorities.

Well, on Thursday (tomorrow) at 4pm, it may be all over, as the Hearing takes place at 4pm.

Some detail for you.

The Council & Govrnment Departments wil give evidence, they want Tom evicted. To make their case, they will give spoken evidence. For 5 minutes, half an hour, 3 hours, 3 days, whatever it takes. And British Justice being what it is, Tom is allowed to give Evidence too. For 3 minutes. Maximum. Not a second longer. Equality does not apply when we are dealing with Instiututional Racism, see?

The possible outcomes are.....

1) He wins. Tom rates this as 0%.

2) He loses. Tom rates this at 80%.

3) Tom is given a 3 year "temporary" right to live where he does. This is the outcome Tom fears most, as it means that once again, after 7 years of struggling, he still does not know where his & his Family's future lies.

I saw Tom on Sunday, at Cardiff, & he was his normal cheerful self. On Monday, at Luton, he was different. I walked into Luton, Tom was sitting alone, face like a seaside donkey, & never managed a smile when we met. "What's up Tom?" bought no real answer, "nothing much, da de da". I rung him today - he's best left awhile when he has problems, & he confessed the Planning Appeal was troubling him & Mrs Red terribly. An objection had been made by a local resident on Monday, it was insulting, disgusting, racist, & clearly a "plant". There had been objections when Tom first moved in, 7 years back, "gippos not served in this shop" sort of thing, but he's won everyone over since, just by being himself, ditto Mrs Red.

They had an Audience with Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace last year, so Mrs Red could be thanked for her tireless work on behaf of the Gypsy Liasion Group, & she now works pretty much full-time on a voluntary bsasis for disadvantaged folks of all denominations. Tom is a Member of the local Village Environmental Group, & helps out with their Projects, again voluntarily.

And their home? Well, it's a bunch of fields, almost invisible to passers by, but Tom's made it into a place of beauty, a mini wildlife park. The grass is trim, there are lovely bushes which they have planted, they keep the hedgerows the way nature intended, & they've cleaned up the little brook which runs through the property. In the next field - also Tom's - the Shetland pony prances around. Don't take my word for it, ask the numerous blondes that have visited Tom - we all adore it there, & would swap wtih him, given half a chance. Not a piece of rubbish or litter in sight either, the place is spotless. Of course, the Council won't empty his bins, as they don't recognize his existence, & won't accept Council Tax from him, so he empties his own wheelie-bins, & does not benefit from any Council services. So he does not cost anyone a penny piece.

His Daughters & Grand-Daughters visit regularly, you've never seen a happier family unit. One day, Mr & Mrs Red hope, the land they own will pass on to their Daughters.

So what's this Post all about?

Well, Tom & Mrs Red do NOT want your sympathy, they don't, it achieves nothing, so please dont give any. Nor does Tom believe in all this daft "public protest" nonsense. It's never once achieved anything.

But as Gypsies, living their life in a tight-knit community, they love blode, & the blondes, for the community spirit & good moral standards it has, which echoes their life.

"I assume you'll not be at Luton tonight Tom" I said to him today, thinking an early night would be in order. "Well, I won't be sleeping tonight, so I might just come down, as long as Mrs Red is gonna be OK, as she's feeling the pressure too". It's a disgrace that these good, solid, folks should be subject to such mental torment. I ache for ethnic minorities - for that's what he is officially classified as - when they are treated so shabbily by Britain.

We all know Tom, either in real-life, or via blonde. He has almost no enemies, has never borrowed a penny off a soul, is a champion of the underdog, & has entertained us regally with his splendid anecdotes ever since blonde began.

He was once offered a Sponsorship Deal to defect from blonde to a "rival" Forum, but he stayed with us. And has never been paid a penny.

So a few words of solidarity or support for the lovely couple from you guys would be appreciated - more than you can even begin to imagine.

My message to Tom is short. Persevere, you'll get there mate. And whatever happens, you will never be short of friends. We will always be here for you.

Good Luck tomorrow Tom. Even 7-2 can beat Aces.

xx

[ifm]

Good luck

[madasahatstand]

The best of luck tomorrow to you both. My spirit will be there with you at 4pm!!!!!

[MANTIS01]

Good Luck with your battle Tom.

Tikay tells of a strong character with a host of admirable qualities when he speaks about you. This together with the seemingly blissful relationship you & Mrs. Red share make me think the future is bright for you whatever tomorrow may bring.

[Ironside]

good luck red and mrs red

[KingPoker]

GL to you both.

[lazaroonie]

dont let the bastards get you down.

[Dingdell]

This has been hanging over their heads for too long. Good luck to you both, I just wish there was something we could do.

Tracey x

[kinboshi]

  - keep on fighting to the end, as any Yorkshireman would.

[Photurian]

The system is "screwed" its all geared wrong but sometimes they do see the, i'll be hoping that this is one of those times i shall hold a moments silence at 4PM and think of you both, you know we are all here for you.

Good Luck

Photurian.

[ripple11]

 All the very best for tomorrow.

 
 

[Photurian]

The system is "screwed" its all geared wrong but sometimes they do see the, i'll be hoping that this is one of those times i shall hold a moments silence at 4PM and think of you both, you know we are all here for you.

Good Luck

Photurian.

Should read "sometimes they do see the light"

[Flea]

Best of luck to you both and   here's hoping for a good result.

[Redbull]

Best of luck both. Fingers crossed for you.

[RED-DOG]

The local council have said that they can no longer find grounds to object to my planning application, but they have told the environment agency that if they were to object on the grounds that the land is within the floodplain, and also agree to fund any appeal. then they (the council) will recommend refusal.

IMHO, if the council believe their decision to be fair and just, they should not need to ask someone else to supply the funds to uphold it.

These are the points I want to make tommorrow.


1: I have had a comprehensive independent assessment of the flood risk to my property. It was carried out by an acknowledged expert and his report finds that the risk of significant flooding is minimal.
 
2: Local people testify that work carried out by Severn Trent to address the problem of flooding in Sharnford was very successful. The common consensus seems to be that I am at no significant risk from flooding, and that my home will not be detrimental to the function of the flood plain.
 
3: I have lived here for almost 7 years now, in that time we have had record rainfall on two occasions, the most recent of these being this summer, it was responsible for major flooding in many parts of the country. Even during this, the severest of tests, I encountered no problems.
 
4: I have a daughter who suffers from a condition called Tuberous Sclerosis. She is on the kidney register and it is important that she has good access to medical care by people who are familiar with her case and her condition. If we were forced back on to the road side, that would no longer be possible.
 
5: We have integrated well into village life, My eldest daughter is working full time, and my youngest daughter has made friends in the village and is furthering her education. My wife and I try as best we can to be useful members of the community and are involved in several activities, such as working with the environment group and fund-raising etc. We also have made many friends.
 
6: I have done my best to ensure that my site is always tidy and that it blends in with it's surroundings. For the benefit of the local people I allowed the footpath that crosses my land to be widened by 1 metre, and I gave permission for dog-waste bins to be sited along it.
 
7: Despite being obligated to do so, the local authority are unable to find a suitable alternative site for me, a fact that has remained true for almost 7 years. During that time, planning permission has twice been refused at local level, but has been granted by the inspector at public enquiry. Nothing has changed. Please don't put us through the mental anguish of going back to the inspector for the third time with exactly the same story.
 
8: This whole process has been a tremendous strain on both myself and my wife, we often feel that we can't go on. I understand that the planning officer is recommending refusal, but the final decision has to be made by you, the committee. Please allow this application