CARRY ON COUNTY COUNCIL

I was in two minds this morning about whether to write a post on the current shortage of cycle parking in Central Worcester, or something on cultural anthropology, and have decided upon the second option.

Some readers may be aware that the creation myth for this blog is an E-Pantomime entitled “Carry On Communities” written during the Saturnalia of 2006.

Roman civilisation is also relevant to my post of today which, I have to confess, is partly inspired by the news that Silvio Berlusconi has replaced, using the public purse, the male member on a statue of Mars, together with a hand on the accompanying statue of Venus.

Having concluded my previous post on a cautionary note – “When in Worcestershire don’t behave like Silvio Berlusconi” – I nevertheless feel obliged to continue on the subject of the male member because a new leader of the County Council was appointed yesterday, Mr Adrian Hardman.

The appointment of Councillor Hardman, no doubt a “Big Man” in the anthropological as well as the physical sense, was required because the “Silvio Syndrome” contracted by his predecessor had offended the sensibilities of female council employees.

A “County Hall Coup” followed with the council chief executive, the head of legal services, and Councillor Hardman himself apparently giving Dr George Lord no choice but to resign.

If all this sounds more “Carry On” than “Satyricon”, I think we may have hit the cultural genre – and indeed the story – on the head.

For instead of the lecherous gerontocrat and worthy triumvirate, in my mind’s eye I see Sid James as the old leche, Hatty Jacques as the chief exec, Kenneth Williams as the head of legal services and Councillor Hardman* as himself, for reasons I shall explain in a future post… the gods willing.

*Also I can’t think of a male member of the “Carry On Team”  big enough to play him.

Political Correctness & The New Worthiness

Some readers may assume from my previous post that I’m a follower of the modern doctrine known as “political correctness”, much embraced by local authorities.  This is most certainly not the case as “The New Worthiness”, as I shall call it, has a shadow side just as pernicious as the old sort.

So as one who likes to embrace pluralism, I’ll provide an alternative take on the recent resignation of Worcestershire County Council’s “gerontocrat” leader.

For it seems to me that Dr George Lord may have become over-excited at the prospect of  a large phallic symbol being erected by the M5 Motorway, as it passes to the east of Worcester, in the form of a giant pear tree. Indeed one of Dr Lord’s last public pronouncements was to offer spiritual support for this proposed erection, which was reported again in yesterday’s Worcester News.

At this point, I have to confess to a personal surge of political incorrectness because it has also occurred to me from time to time that Worcester’s M5 corridor might benefit from the erection of a large phallic structure. However, mine would be only temporary and biodegradable, something akin to “The Wicker Man” (see picture), and serve as a warning to those who fail to consider the consequences of their pronouncements, proposals and other Promethean tendencies.

Finally, let it be said : “When it Worcestershire don’t behave like Silvio Berlusconi !”….and yes, officer, I will go quietly.

Shadow Side of Worcestershire Worthies

This is a statue of Carl Jung in Liverpool, a city about which the psychologist had his affirming “pool of life” dream, as recalled in “The Red Book”.

Yet Liverpool, like many major urban areas, is a city with something of a mixed reputation, of the kind which seems to make many middle class people seek out  places like Worcester and the Shires.

Now it so happens that this particular Shire is reeling from something of a scandal just now as the former County Council Leader, one Dr George Lord, resigned last weekend following allegations of inappropriate behaviour by female members of staff.

Colleagues have expressed profound “surprise” at this development, and, I have to say, that I’m surprised that the Council has been struck by a sex scandal rather than the sort arising from too cosy a relationship between senior members and officers and some private  firms.

However, a sex scandal is what we have and the Dr in question – not sure whether medical – is 78 years of age. What would Dr Jung of made of this fall from grace, I wonder ? I suspect that he would have cautioned those holding public office and their executives against excessive worthiness, of the kind which pushes uncomfortable matters “under the carpet”.

It should also be remembered that places which on the surface look pleasant enough possess a “reservoir for human darkness”, to quote Jung’s description of the shadow – a very good account of which can be found in Wikipedia – every bit as dark as the River Mersey, and many people might find the “pools of life” of our major cities preferable to provincial life.

In short, the problem of “Big Fish in a Small Pond” tends to be rife in places like Worcester, a stultifying experience for some, and one in which shows of worthiness can easily become a cover for the baser instrincts of lust and gluttony.