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As
a relatively large Borough in the South of England, Havant should, in
principle, be as prosperous as other parts of the South. In practice it
is a somewhat deprived area with a Council that is forever pleading poverty.
The natural conclusion is that business would be welcomed and supported;
the reverse is true at least for small business, in practice if not in
theory. The actual experience is outlined in The
Background.
In my case the Council has denied me assistance since 1999, including
not providing information, ignoring letters and E-mails, giving a freelance
television reporter “the brush off” (in her words) rather than gain publicity
for the Borough from my esoteric side, etc.
Since 1998 I have been prevented from contributing to the Borough of Havant,
the County of Hampshire and, because of that, elsewhere.
The initial losses due to the demise of what would have become the Technology
Diversification Centre amount to at least tens of millions of Pounds.
A free second bridge to Hayling Island, paid for from European Funds as
a second generation technology demonstrator in composite materials, was
also denied the region by inaction by Havant Borough Council, the logical
reason being that being to deny me the publicity that would have resulted.
The greatest losses have been from my esoteric side, as pointed out elsewhere
(Richard's Journal, Tourism Page).
The Council has spent public resources against me; the actions, or inactions,
of Business Link Wessex and South East Hampshire Enterprise Agency (who
report to Business Link Wessex) just happen to have run parallel to those of Havant
Borough Council.
Tony Howard, of Howard’s Car Spares on Hayling Island, had to spend
“telephone numbers”, in his words, tens of thousands of Pounds by my understanding,
in litigation against the Council to develop and expand his business,
despite it making economic sense and being environmentally friendly.
Others who have developed their businesses by ignoring instructions in
planning permission given, or without applying for any planning permission
at all, have been allowed to get away with it.
My personal experience of Havant Borough Council, from the business point
of view, is that it is clueless. The Council
is, largely, bereft of ideas, other than grandiose ones and, going by
local news reports, etc., over the years, rarely, if ever, listens to local
business and residents to the extent that it complies with their wishes.
From a Resident's perspective, my experience had been much the same.
I have lived in Havant since June 1983 and have yet to meet a Resident
or owner of a small business whose opinions were any different to mine.