An English Heritage spokesman said, “This year there are about 20,000 people and last year it was about 35,000 – so that is quite a bit down which has meant the operation is a lot easier.”

It’s always “easy” if you allow this (opening photo and about 25 seconds in). This and this (third and fourth photo) to happen. How come no-one can get away with that (stand on and climb the monument) 364 days of the year?  Is it because being drunk or leaving vast quantities of litter is seen as a valid expression of spirituality? Or is setting up consultations, arranging for stewards and issuing pleas considered adequate excuse for failing every single year to perform the statutory duty of care of keeping people off the stones and treating the area with the respect it deserves?

Has anyone considered reporting this prima facie case of repeated maladministration? What’s maladministration? Well, take your pick from these possible elements:

  • delay
  • incorrect action or failure to take any action
  • failure to follow procedures or the law
  • failure to provide information
  • inadequate record-keeping
  • failure to investigate
  • failure to reply
  • misleading or inaccurate statements
  • inadequate liaison
  • inadequate consultation
  • broken promises
  • and of course, failure to apply one’s OWN rules on one day but not on all the others!