Political View: When the city comes together

Local politicians across the political divide turned out in force to attend both the Remembrance Sunday ceremony and Monday’s Armistice Day assembly at the City War Memorial on Bridge Street.

Along with my wife Jackie, I was proud to attend Monday’s ceremony and observe the two-minutes silence. It was rewarding to see a large public presence which was recorded at both assemblies, and the wide age group in attendance.

Remembrance Sunday, observed on the second Sunday of November, is a day dedicated to honouring the brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives in service to their country. This solemn occasion commemorates those who have fallen in conflicts across the globe, particularly those who served in World War I and World War II.

The Armistice Day assemblies are a solemn and important tradition the UK. Held on November 11th, they commemorate the end of World War I and honour those who lost their lives in other conflicts up to the present day.

A central element of these assemblies is the two-minute silence, observed at 11am to remember the fallen. This moment of reflection allows those present to pause and contemplate the significance of peace and the importance of honouring those who sacrificed their lives for freedom, and this year particular resonance with precarious nature of World Peace.

The poppy, a symbol of remembrance, is worn widely during this period. The tradition of wearing poppies began in 1921, when the Royal British Legion adopted it as a symbol of remembrance for the fallen soldiers. The poppy’s association with the battlefields of Flanders, where it grew abundantly among the graves of soldiers, further solidified its significance.

To show respect, leading up to the weekend, in my own ward of Eye Thorney and Newborough along with fellow Councillor Rylan Ray and Alderman John Peach we put poppies up on lampposts at locations in Eye and Thorney.

Alongside this It was uplighting to also observe excellent displays at private houses and public locations, in particular at Crown Corner in Newborough where the Parish had overseen the installation initiated by a parish councillor.

Unfortunately, the spirit of working together reinforced over the past week we may well have a rude awakening lurking in the wings, during the current week, when Cabinet is due to consider the option of granting the full authority to council officers to make final decisions with regard to the closure or disposal of public building and community facilities in our city.

This programme is already in progress with locations such as Bretton Library being vastly reduced in size to accommodate the dementia centre.

Realistically the consolidation (or disposal) of facilities in specific locations can make sense, but to see decisions delegated to officers rather than having full scrutiny by elected representatives is a worrying move.

Make sure your voice is heard to ensure your area isn’t about to lose a well-supported community facility