In the twin towns of Smalltown and Dullbridge there once existed a group of individuals known as the Smalltown and Dullbridge (SaD) Town Council Town Unimprovements (TUMPS) Committee. For years, they had twiddled their thumbs and gazed into space trying to think up projects to enhance the beauty and functionality of their beloved town.
However, as time passed, the once vibrant council meetings began to lose their spark. The councillors found themselves trapped in a cycle of uninspired ideas and repetitive discussions. The town’s progress stagnated, and frustration brewed among its residents. All the TUMPS Committee seemed to be capable of doing was spending more than was felt necessary on Christmas Trees.
One fateful evening, during yet another lacklustre SaDTC Full Council meeting, Dictator Dullard pounded her gavel with a heavy sigh. “It’s evident that we’re going nowhere fast with our current approach,” she declared, glancing around the table at her fellow councillors.
Squire Teflon nodded in agreement. “Perhaps it’s time for a change,” he suggested. “Maybe we should consider dissolving the Town Unimprovements Committee altogether, and leave any projects in the hands of my Same Old Smalltown (SOS) group instead. That way I won’t have to convince you lot that any ideas to bring change and enjoyment to residents and visitors by encouraging such activities as Intergalactic Craft, Food, Drink and Tat Marketfairs are bad and instead I can use my over-influence in SOS to get the outcome I want.“
The proposal sent murmurs rippling through the room. Some councillors exchanged skeptical glances, while others leaned forward with curiosity. After a heated debate, the decision was made: the Town Unimprovements Committee would be disbanded, and its responsibilities redistributed to the Same Old Smalltown and Our Dullbridge groups.
Several Councillors admitted they were confused by the decision, with Illiberal Town Councillor Catty Staring asking “So now there is no longer a SaD Town Unimprovements Committee, when is the next meeting of the Town Unimprovements Committee meeting?”
At first, there was a sense of liberation among the councillors. They relished the newfound excuse to carry on doing nothing and eagerly embraced their roles as Councillors who no longer had to attend boring old Council meetings.
Yet, as weeks turned into months, it became apparent that Squire Teflon’s unelected Same Old Smalltown group was shedding members faster than the Squire shedded his underpants when confronted by the sight of his close-friend and employer Mistress Bones bending over to pick up a stack of newspapers.
As resident after resident resigned from the group only the Squire, Mistress Bones, who fellow Smalltown Shops (SS) leader, Lady Brassy of Easton-under-Water and SaD Town Councillor Banish Barracuda were left.
Without the collaborative spirit and diverse expertise of the community, ideas floundered and projects faltered. Attempts to yet again revitalize the White Elephant Enclosure resulted in chaotic construction delays and budget overruns. Plans to upgrade the aging infrastructure led to confusion and miscommunication, leaving residents frustrated and disillusioned.
Meanwhile, the once bustling streets of Smalltown grew eerily quiet as businesses shuttered their doors, unable to weather the storm of indecision and neglect. Parks fell into disrepair, and essential services struggled to meet the needs of the community.
In the face of mounting criticism and public outcry, the councillors were forced to confront the consequences of their hasty decision. With humility and determination, they reconvened and decided to talk and think about reinstateing the Town Unimprovements Committee, acknowledging the invaluable role it played in guiding the town’s development, especially when it came to commissioning ‘Welcome to Smalltown‘ signs and gold plated pavements. For who could forget the many projects and schemes which had been greeted with such great optimism over the years, only to fall by the wayside due to conflicts of interest and bruised egos amongst Councillors.
And so, the folly of forgetting was not in the dissolution of the Town Unimprovements Committee, but in underestimating the power of collaboration and the importance of shared purpose in shaping the destiny of a town. And most certainly NOT allowing one man to make all the decisions.