【Full Steam Ahead】S0……
food stalls, increased traffic... We were just curious, froa purely risk perspective, does your departnt have assessnt dels for the kind of stress such large ercial events pla historifrastructure? Or rather, when a local cil approves su event, are they required to report to you for an enviroal and safety iact assessnt?"
There was a few seds of sileher end of the line.
Gee was clearly thinking fast about the subtext.
"...Under norl circutahe local cil has discretionary power, Alistair. But if it involves a Grade II listed structure, and the scale of the event could pose a ''''potential, irreversible risk'''' to its structural iy, then yes, departnt has the authority to interveo dend a detailed risk assess, and possibly... to reend they postpone or dify the event until safety s are resolved."
"I see," Alistair said, sounding like a student who had just had a revelation. "Thank you for the professional clarificatiohat''''s very helpful. After all, if a local cil were to have any ht in their planning approval, leading to dage to such a historic structure during a public event, they wouldn''''t just be fag endless questions froa Seleittee. More iortantly, it would trigger a dia firestorover departntal regulatory failure, and could put the Minister under iense pressure in the House. The sequences of that, for the departnt''''s reputation and senior personnel arras, would be st unfortuhat''''s always a tireso business, isn''''t it?"
"Indeed, indeed," Gee''''s voice turned serious. "I''''ll have people look into it, ke sure all procedures are in order. Thanks for the heads-up, Alistair."
"Not at all. Thank you for your ti, Gee. See you at the club soon." Alistair hung up the phone and tio ke annotations on the DLO briefing papers and terials.
---
It was late at night by the ti they returo London.
Charles deed Cyril''''s offer of a ride to his hotel and took a taxi alone back to Brown''''s.
He didn''''t rest. Instead, he dialled a nuer.
The call was answered alst instantly.
"Vic... Alistair. I know you''''ll turn what happened in wall into a perfect case for advang the departnt''''s agenda. Whatever you subt torrow tthen the DSC''''s coordinating role, I''''ll sign it. But I have ditions."
The faliar voice ca through the line: "Your instrus, Minister."
"I want all the infortion on the old fishern who asked the question this His na, his boat, how ch he owes the bank. I will ke that call to the bank. And I want a feasibility report oablishing an ''''Ergency Hardship Fund for Fishing unities'''' on desk within a week. I want a real solution, Alistair, not just a procedural victory that expands our ownt''''s power."
"As you wish, Minister," Alistair replied. "The report will be prepared. Regarding Mr. Tregenza, his personal details and the relevant bank''''s tafortion will be delivered with your papers torrow."
The call ended.
Charles walked to the window and stared out at the silent London night.
The perforhe spotlight was over. The stage lights had long beeinguished. But the real ga, in the deep shadows, was being quietly tinued by those caland tireless nds, writing the act of the script.
There was a few seds of sileher end of the line.
Gee was clearly thinking fast about the subtext.
"...Under norl circutahe local cil has discretionary power, Alistair. But if it involves a Grade II listed structure, and the scale of the event could pose a ''''potential, irreversible risk'''' to its structural iy, then yes, departnt has the authority to interveo dend a detailed risk assess, and possibly... to reend they postpone or dify the event until safety s are resolved."
"I see," Alistair said, sounding like a student who had just had a revelation. "Thank you for the professional clarificatiohat''''s very helpful. After all, if a local cil were to have any ht in their planning approval, leading to dage to such a historic structure during a public event, they wouldn''''t just be fag endless questions froa Seleittee. More iortantly, it would trigger a dia firestorover departntal regulatory failure, and could put the Minister under iense pressure in the House. The sequences of that, for the departnt''''s reputation and senior personnel arras, would be st unfortuhat''''s always a tireso business, isn''''t it?"
"Indeed, indeed," Gee''''s voice turned serious. "I''''ll have people look into it, ke sure all procedures are in order. Thanks for the heads-up, Alistair."
"Not at all. Thank you for your ti, Gee. See you at the club soon." Alistair hung up the phone and tio ke annotations on the DLO briefing papers and terials.
---
It was late at night by the ti they returo London.
Charles deed Cyril''''s offer of a ride to his hotel and took a taxi alone back to Brown''''s.
He didn''''t rest. Instead, he dialled a nuer.
The call was answered alst instantly.
"Vic... Alistair. I know you''''ll turn what happened in wall into a perfect case for advang the departnt''''s agenda. Whatever you subt torrow tthen the DSC''''s coordinating role, I''''ll sign it. But I have ditions."
The faliar voice ca through the line: "Your instrus, Minister."
"I want all the infortion on the old fishern who asked the question this His na, his boat, how ch he owes the bank. I will ke that call to the bank. And I want a feasibility report oablishing an ''''Ergency Hardship Fund for Fishing unities'''' on desk within a week. I want a real solution, Alistair, not just a procedural victory that expands our ownt''''s power."
"As you wish, Minister," Alistair replied. "The report will be prepared. Regarding Mr. Tregenza, his personal details and the relevant bank''''s tafortion will be delivered with your papers torrow."
The call ended.
Charles walked to the window and stared out at the silent London night.
The perforhe spotlight was over. The stage lights had long beeinguished. But the real ga, in the deep shadows, was being quietly tinued by those caland tireless nds, writing the act of the script.