So in 2013 Grainger plc published an expensive looking, glossy document full of fine words. It was called “Creating Value from Our Values”. It defined they way they did business. You can bet that SODC were given a copy. You can download it on their website.

Here is the central message:

“As a long term business we take a long-term approach to what we do… At the heart of all of this a mutual respect …. for … communities.” (Note the emphasis is theirs.)

In discussing these values Andrew Cunningham Grainger’s CEO said: “Our values set guidelines for behaviours and a framework to make good commercial and ethical decisions – in this way, they mirror our Corporate Responsibility programme.”

And Nick Jopling, Grainger’s Executive Property Director added, “I feel for the first time that we are getting tangible feedback on what we can do to improve. It may sound paradoxical, but what people complain about excites me most, because we can work on solving these problems.”

So do all of these fine words and paper commitments apply everywhere except to the communities of Didcot, East Hagbourne and South Oxfordshire? What have we done to deserve this kind of treatment?

There is absolutely nothing “long term” about their mad dash to close the chance for feedback in such unseemly haste. There is nothing “respectful” about their rejection of the residents and Councillors request to re-run the exhibition at Fleet Meadow. There is zero evidence that they are looking for “tangible feedback”.

Now to be fair this may just be the result of a rogue consultant. So we are writing to Mr Cunningham and Mr Jopling to find out. We’ll let you know what they have to say for themselves.

Although Grainger may not be interested in what you have to say, your Councillors and your MP most certainly are.