St Osyth Community

Dear Editor,

Re: The Priory

The Sargeant's say that they wish to ensure that “our generation can responsibly pass on this historic legacy in a condition that neither places an even greater burden onto the next generation of society….”. Why should it place any burden on society either now or in the future as the Priory is in the Sargeant's private ownership?

Public involvement seems to be limited to merely contributing to the cost of repairs to their property whilst not being able to have any meaningful access to it for the public at large.

As for there having been under investment in essential repairs for almost 100 years, this may indeed have been the case but surely this would have been evident to a family involved in the building industry. If this was overlooked in the headlong rush to buy the Priory, during which time the Sargeant's saw fit to “gazump” another purchaser, then it shows either an alarming lack of knowledge of buildings or a cynical belief that in due course, the taxpayer would pay for the upkeep of their property.

I note that, due to government cutbacks, English Heritage has no further monies available to assist the Sergeant family. Given the general economic downturn which is affecting the whole country, many may feel that the Sargeant family have already been very fortunate to have received as much money as they have. Perhaps they would be good enough to tell the residents of St. Osyth how much, in total, they have already received from English Heritage and how much more has been agreed and guaranteed. (I am sure that the residents of St. Osyth would be more than happy to reveal how much they have received from English Heritage!)

In conclusion I would like to ask:

1. Why did you buy the Priory?
2. Why did you not have a survey carried out before you bought the Priory which would have revealed the deficit?
3. Why did you gazump another purchaser?
4. Why do you feel that the Sergeant family should receive special treatment?
5. Why do you feel you can inflict a massive and detrimental change to the village with which you have a very short history and, at best, tenuous links?

I look forward to a full and honest answer to each of the questions.

Bill Handscombe
Lifelong resident