Transcript

ANNA

Hello, everyone. Right, let's crack on. Anyone got any ideas about what we can do?

ROGER

Sorry, I don't even know what this meeting is about. It just said urgent meeting on the letter.

ANNA

Oh, OK. Well, someone wants to bulldoze the wood at the bottom of the road and build a load of flats on it.

SUE

Right. So what are we supposed to do about it then?

ANNA

Duh, that's what we're here to talk about. Honestly, what a question.

BERNIE

Does anybody know anything about this company?

ROGER

Sorry, but who are you?

BERNIE

I'm Bernie. I've just moved into number 41. Who are you?

ROGER

I'm Roger from number 23.

BERNIE

Nice to meet you.

ROGER

Yeah, nice to meet you.

ANNA

Can we get back to the subject? I've got a few ideas about what we can do.

BERNIE

So if I can just go back to my question, do we know anything at all about this company? I'm wondering, perhaps, maybe someone at the parish council might know something.

ANNA

They never have the information you need. Maybe look it up online. Anyway, as I was saying, I've got a few ideas about what we can do. The first thing is to write to everyone in the village. Ask everyone to complain.

SUE

But complain about what? Everybody knows there's not enough affordable housing in the village. People might be glad of homes that their kids can afford.

ANNA

I'm sure people won't be happy about it, and they'll want to complain, and there's also the local newspaper. They'd be interested in the story, and actually there is someone on the parish council who'll be interested. She's called Miriam.

SUE

Shouldn't she have been invited to this meeting then?

ANNA

I'll give her the lowdown later.

BERNIE

Sorry, do you live around here too?

SUE

Ah, yes. I'm Sue from number 14.

BERNIE

Oh, nice to meet you.

SUE

Hi there.

BERNIE

I'm Bernie. 14, that's the one with the maple tree, right?

SUE

Yeah. Yeah, it is.

BERNIE

I look forward to seeing it in the autumn. The leaves turn that lovely shade of red.

SUE

Yeah, they do. I bought it from the garden centre last year, 50% off.

BERNIE

Oh, really?

ANNA

You have to be very careful, though, that they don't take over your whole garden. I bought one five years ago, and it's absolutely a giant now. In fact, the tree man's coming tomorrow to take off some of the branches.

SUE

I'll have to keep an eye on it then, tell it not to get too big.

ANNA

Anyway, where were we? Um-- I think we've got a few good ideas about protesting against these flats. Let's see how it goes.

BERNIE

Could I suggest something else we could do?

ANNA

OK

[PHONE RINGING]

Hold on a minute. Sorry, I need to take this. Hello? Hi. How are you? Is everything OK? Mm-hmm. Sorry, can I call you back? OK. Yeah, speak later.

Right. Well, it's getting late. Let's call it a day. I'm sure we'll stop this housing development in its tracks. I'll see you next time, everybody.

SUE

Thanks, yeah.