IN December you wrote a Blog entitled "Incandescent", in which you fairly summed up the growing anger of Berry Hill, Five Acres and, I dare say, Coleford and surrounding residents in relation to the potential bulldozing, and redevelopment of the Five Acres College site.

There had, you will remember been many rumours about the amount of housing to be developed on the site and the loss of jobs and amenities for the area, above all the lack of public consultation had been disgraceful.

On the back of your headlines in regard to Lakers possibly becoming a building site, in your issue of December 14, Dr Greg Smith the principal of Gloucestershire College covered the front page with a headline 'Campus rumours – the truth.' In the article Dr Smith put us all at ease by telling us nothing had been decided and these things were only options.

To relax all us silly little locals, I quote: "The Board, having considered a number of alternatives, has chosen to explore moving to the Northern Quarter as its preferred option or alternatively staying and developing the Coleford campus as its second option," he states. 

"It is extremely important to understand that we are currently only exploring options, have no finances in place and are many years away from achieving a solution to our inherited, ageing and 'unfit-for-purpose' campus."

He said issues around the Leisure Centre, swimming pool and rugby pitches will only need to be considered if the college decides to move. 

"If we do, it will be a number of years away. At that point the HCA, the site owners, the District Council, Lakers School and ourselves will then be able to consult with stakeholders to resolve any problems resulting from our move, if it ever transpires." 

And he concludes: "I am currently much more concerned with creating an outstanding college in Coleford, which changes lives and provides pathways to Higher Education and employment and of which our students and the community can be proud."  

Now as one of the West Dean parish councillors for Berry Hill, I had been sending the college questions that locals had requested I ask. I had received no reply until December 14 when Dr Smiths office kindly sent me a transcript of his article.

Well perhaps this puts a different slant on things I thought, and indeed to attempt to ease tensions further I replied to Dr Smith with the following correspondence,

Sandy: Many thanks, I read Mr Smith's article earlier with much interest. I thank him for taking the time to ask you to send it to me. My question was forged from many constituents asking me the same things.

His response is articulate and clear and should draw a line under the whole sorry saga. There is however an issue. I refer to Mr Smith's insistence that the move to Steam Mills and development of the current college land is merely an "option". This seems to contrast with the district councillor who told my parish council meeting that there were plans for houses "right up to the back of the rugby club".

This type of confusing information is the very reason we get the headlines we did. The people of Berry Hill are not daft and just want to be involved in the decision making that is so vital to the area. The Localism Bill may even aid us to work together in regard to the sports centre issue

I urge you to ask Mr Smith to engage with the people of this area. If he has any contact with district council I ask him to encourage them also to draw a line under this week and start with a new fresh honesty with the people of Berry Hill and Five Acres. Clearly members of the Cinderford Regeneration committee  stating publicly how such a move is so good for Cinderford does not help the morale of those already in Berry Hill

Mr Smith is clearly an educated and intelligent gentleman. I ask him to take a lead in getting us to work together, which it seems to me we all should have been in the first place. – Kind regards, Tim Gwilliam.

I sent that on the evening of December 14. I still await a reply. I should not be surprised I suppose, after all I am just a parish councillor. I am sure he is busy with district councillors and the like.

So I was, as others were, a little surprised to see in mid-January the same smiling Dr Smith on the front of your fellow local newspaper The Forester this time saying:?College principal Greg Smith can celebrate a year in the Forest with news that his plans for an eco college in Cinderford has official backing. 

Government inspector Nigel Payne has given his blessing to the town's £14.75 million regeneration project. 

But he appears particularly impressed with plans to build a brand new college at Steam Mills by 2015. 

Mr Smith has met with a senior figure in Further Education funding and was delighted when they said that although money was tight, he should press on with the plans. 

Mr Smith said the spine road was key to the proposals. 

"It's enormously exciting," he said.  

That was 37 days later ! An entire policy change in 37 days. I was not aware local politics worked so fast, especially over Christmas.

You will have to forgive me, Dr Smith, but I think it's time you admitted it was always yours and the district councils (or at least its cabinet's desire to move the college and develop the site into as many houses as possible. The funding for Cinderford is probably dependant on you moving to it. There is lots of information out there that leads to this anyway. Here is a quaint idea to all those involved, be honest and straight with your locals and your voters.

This Sunday,  my fellow Berry Hill councillor and I will be fortunate enough to hand a cheque over to the children and committee of Berry Hill RFC. Following an appeal to West Dean Parish Council, I am thankful to say my fellow councillors rallied to the cause with a generous donation to help the restock after the arson attack.

A proactive council, trying to do what the voters and people actually want. I am proud to say that the West Dean Parish Council aims to do that. We may get things wrong and disagree from time to time but I can honestly say that each member of that council is on there to do the very things the people that voted them in ask for.

How many members of District Council can say that I wonder? I would point out for reasons of correctness that these words are my thoughts and not necessarily councils.

I may stay and watch some junior rugby on Sunday. Sometimes there are some kids playing football on the fields.

For how much longer?

– Tim Gwilliam.