PLANNING MEETING - NOT

WHAT FOLLOWS IS A STRICTLY PERSONAL OPINION.
IT DOES NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF SHAFTESBURY TOWN COUNCIL NOR OF ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL SERVING ON THAT CIVIC BODY.

Well, so much for our 9am planning meeting on Abbey Walk to discuss urgent parking proposals with a North Dorset District Council official this morning.
We - that is five (unpaid) Town Councillors - plus Shaftesbury Town Clerk taking precious time out from her in-tray - all duly assembled as arranged on Abbey Walk at 8.55 for a 9.00 prompt start.
After 20 minutes of kicking our increasingly frozen heels due to the continued non-appearanceof the officer from North Dorset District Council, we retreated to my house, handily also on Abbey Walk, to have a cup of coffee and get warm again.
The Town Clerk rang NDDC (again).
The officer said she had been too busy to attend.
Totally high-handed and disdainful treatment of our Town Councillors, including the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, all of whom had taken time out from their businesses and jobs to attend this meeting.
But financial imperative is not something that a local government employee seems required to understand.
Money is just something that appears magically as a "stream".
Much time is spent on self-justification to maintain this "stream".
The concept of earning it becomes ever more distant to this class of what the French call "fonctionnaires". (possibly "non-fonctionnaires" in our case).
When did it become acceptable to not show up for a meeting because you're a bit busy??
Meanwhile, the parking question remains in abeyance.