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Brian Izzard Chairman MVA |
All Change …
As widely predicted, Labour won a landslide majority in the UK 2024 election increasing their seats in Parliament from 203 (31%) to 403 (62%). Interesting to note that this was achieved with just a 1.5% increase in the overall share of the vote from the 2019 election which speaks volumes about our ‘first past the post’ electoral system. The Reform party got more votes than the Liberal Democrats but secured only 5 seats compared with 72 seats for the Liberal Democrats. Planning note for party leaders at the 2029 election – forget the seats you can’t win or are certain to win!
As I finalise this contribution to the Newsletter, Donald Trump will be the next US President, so not only ‘all change’ but also ‘as you were’. We wait to see how this might impact the UK, and the world conflicts mentioned below.
The UK flirted with the possibility of changing its electoral system in 2011, but this was roundly defeated in a referendum on the proposed ‘Alternative Vote’ system. It seems that our major parliamentary parties are quite happy to have all of the action some of the time rather than some of the action all of the time!
I don’t know what changes our new administration will introduce over the next five years but the relentless march to prevent live human contact is worthy of reconsideration. Every time I want to interact with someone new, I need another online account – I reckon I have well over 400 now and it keeps climbing. In one sense, your Committee has succumbed to this trend – most of our meetings are on Zoom which started during Covid but we still have one face to face meeting a year. What we won’t be doing anytime soon is to have an online Annual Reunion! When our guest speakers are not in action, the constant buzz of background conversation tells me there will never be a substitute for good old personal contact.
On the economic front, interest rates are now moving down which may not be good news for those of us who have any reliance on savings interest but will be excellent news for those who are trying to get on the property ladder. Most of us will have lost our Winter Fuel Payment but we are lucky that the so-called Triple Lock on the State Pension is still in place.
Sadly, conflict still continues in Ukraine and the Middle East and has escalated since I wrote this article last year. Fortunately, I am young enough to not be personally aware of the effects of war in the UK, but I shudder to think about the personal and economic devastation being inflicted on the civilian population – especially the children.
Following on from my comments last year on RMS Titanic – the BBC published an article in August entitled Rarely seen Titanic artefacts kept in secret warehouse which reported on items retrieved from the so-called debris field. I had not realised that items have not yet been recovered from the ship itself, but the article mentioned a desire to retrieve the Marconi radio equipment which transmitted the Titanic’s distress calls on the night of the sinking and noted that surveys had captured the current condition of the Marconi radio room. I registered the interest of our Association in future developments with RMS Titanic Inc. which seems to own all the rights to the wreck.
Essex Shire Hall Trust (ESHT)
Many of you will be aware that the Shire Hall in Chelmsford has been largely unused for some time. My first visit there was to a disco/dance (remember them?) in about 1961 when I was a student apprentice.
Largely thanks to the dedication of the Chelmsford Civic Society, ESHT was formed in August 2023 and its objectives are:
- The preservation and restoration for the public benefit of the historic Grade II listed building known as the Shire Hall Chelmsford and the education of the public in its heritage and the heritage of Chelmsford and the county of Essex.
- The advancement of the arts for the public benefit through the public display and exhibition of painting and artwork of artistic merit at the Shire Hall, Chelmsford.
- To provide or assist in the provision of facilities in Chelmsford and the surrounding area in the welfare recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances with the object of improving their condition of life.
In October 2023, Essex County Council granted ESHT exclusive rights to prepare a business plan and terms of a lease. This had to be completed by the end of July 2024. In the event, the plan was submitted one week before the deadline. At the same time, architectural plans were prepared and presented to the City Council. ESHT had to secure planning consent. A pre- application review led to a positive response.
The next step is for ESHT to gain leasehold ownership of the building. If all goes to plan, I am sure the Marconi heritage will feature significantly in the final result. I should be able to provide an update at the 2025 Reunion.
Reunion news ...
Moving on to the Annual Reunion – we received some complaints about the meal which was disappointing but, in any event, the planned redevelopment of the area where the Pontlands marquee was located meant it would not be available for our 2025 Reunion. We spent some time looking at alternative venues with our key requirements being cost, capacity, parking, location and public transport. In the end we opted for the County Hotel in Chelmsford which ticked all these boxes but is very much an urban and not a rural location. I look forward to seeing you all on Saturday 12 April. More details will be included in the usual invitation which will be mailed to all our current members in addition to full details being posted on our website.
The theme for the 2025 Reunion will be The Present and the Future and I am pleased to welcome Christopher Axcell, Senior Vice President of Leonardo UK as our President for 2025.
Our guest speaker will be Adam Wood, Trustee President of the Chelmsford Science and Engineering Society (CSES) and Systems Engineering Lead for Teledyne e2v.
Accordingly, our 2025 coaster will also have a Present and Future theme.
And finally ...
Once again, I must thank Leonardo UK for assistance with our newsletter printing and postage costs. This ongoing support is invaluable and very much appreciated.
I could not fulfil my role without the support of the Management Committee and particularly Colin for all his hard work as Secretary and to Mark for his diligence in editing this Newsletter and keeping our website up to date.
See you all at our next Reunion on 12 April 2025.