HYPOCRISY UNCHAINED

The Devon and Somerset Fire Authority have voted themselves a 25% "pay rise".

I briefly mention the forgotten notion of public service and the reason for allowances and expenses. These were (allegedly) given so as not to stop ordinary people being on Councils etc. One full time Cllr, Cllr Malcolm Prowse of North Devon District council, once said that without allowances then "all" we would get would be retired Soldiers and Civil Servants who could afford to donate their time to the public cause (anybody see anything wrong with people with a lifetime of service giving freely of their retirement time for the continuance of that goal? ) No this would go against Mr Prowse's snout in the trough philosophy, which made him the highest "paid" Council Leader in the Country. Fitting then that he was the Leader of NDDC when the Members voted for a 63% rise in the basic allowance some years ago.

One of Prowse's chums was none other than Rodney Cann, who is a full time Cllr, paid an enormous sum of money and motoring allowances, to be on the various Councils that the people of Fremington have been stupid enough to vote him on. So it beggars belief that the said Rodney, friend of the disgraced Ex Cllr, Mrs Joanne Bell, had a soundbite for the press when he spoke against the 25% rise. Hypocrisy indeed. We wait to see if Mr Cann will take his allowances and expenses for the Fire Service....

Meanwhile I spotted a strange comment on the North Devon Journal website. It was affixed to an article about the soon to depart Editor, Mr Andy Cooper. The article was a glowing tribute, so glowing that I wondered if the writer was on some sort of medication... a different person, surely, to the one who conducted through his paper, a vendetta against anyone who dared to challenge his favourite Cllr (Mr Rodney Cann).

The comment talked about telling the truth about the Editor's resignation. I wonder what the truth is?

Meanwhile I heard somebody whistling that old Carole King song

"Will you still love me in Truro"

If I hear any more then you will see it here (but obviously not in the Journal)

THOSE OF YOU WHO LOVE DEMOCRACY

Keep the tear stained rag away from your eyes for just a while longer, whilst this terrible story unfolds.
At a recent meeting of the Cabinet(or Executive) of North Devon District Council, the subject of Development at South Molton was brought up. This long running saga centres around Tesco's bid to build a supermarket "somewhere" near the main car park. Apparently Tesco owns the old Norrington's Yard, a derelict area to the side of the Car Park (owned by the District Council)
Cllr John Moore, who for many years has been the Voice of the People of South Molton through thick and thin, reflecting their views at both Town and District Councils, and fighting their corner with the tenacity of a Jack Dempsey, attempted to debate the issue. It was most fitting that he brought the subject up here as, by political trickery, he was not allocated a seat on the Planning Committee which would, in due course, grant (or not) any application for Planning submitted.
Unfortunately, his speaking out was not to the liking of the Leader of the Council, Mr Brian Greenslade. Mr Greenslade refused to allow Cllr Moore to properly represent the people who put him, Cllr Moore, in that position, precisely to reflect their views.

Now is the time then to dab the tears from your oft blinded eyes, all those who love Democracy.

Interestingly Cllr Prowse did not declare an interest although he has in the past declared
interests over this land.....is their a time limit for one's interests?
Or is it that he thinks people have short memories?

MR NICK HARVEY MP

As I write this the Student Demos in London are tailing off. Prince Charles has seen the acts at the Royal Variety Performance and Mr Nick Harvey MP must be pondering exactly how much damage has been done to his reputation and his standing.
The old Gilbert and Sullivan lines come to mind
"I always voted at my Party's Call....
AND I NEVER THOUGHT OF THINKING FOR MYSELF AT ALL"
Except in this case it was not HIS Party that called but another's. The people of North Devon who divide every election into Lib/Dem and Tory must be bemused by what is happening...a bit like the two kids in the Hollywood playground. One says to the other.."My dad can beat your Dad!!" "Don't be silly" says the other.."My Dad is your Dad"
From personal experience I know Mr Harvey is more true to Politics than he is to the life of ordinary people. His support for the errant Cllr who produced a Poison pen Website, with the help of a Mentally deranged couple from Yelland, is proof of his perfidy to the old saying "To thine own self be true"
Of course we should have got an inkling of this when, after declaring support for Nuclear test Victims (when in opposition) he suddenly changed course (when in power)
Mr Harvey voted with "his" (but increasingly less, "our") Government, over the Student Fees issue.
I suspect that the next MP for North Devon will be a Conservative.
Incidentally, I understand that UKIP asked Mr Rodney cann to be their candidate for the last election.... no comment

GRASPING THE NETTLE

The rumours of cuts and more cuts flow through the ether like a fog which shrouds the truth. Bureaucracy at all levels has expanded until it is at bursting point. The Liberal Democrat Policies of Tax and Spend have been shown to be so burdensome that us lowly Taxpayers have to be seen as Serfs at the mercy of a new breed of Sheriffs of Nottingham.
The strange Case of the New Chief Executive of NDDC is a case in point. For the first time the actual pay of a Chief Executive has been disclosed. I can remember attending a Kangaroo Court set up by the Standards Board to persecute a Somerset Cllr for confirming to a reporter that the salary of his Authority's Chief was x number of pounds. The Cllr was suspended. So I suppose disclosing how much we pay is a step forward, but what actually are we paying for? Under the Local Gov Act 2000 NDDC set up a Leader and Cabinet system of Local Government. Basically this means that Elected members have charge of a Department. So what does the Chief executive do? Ask the question and expect the silence.
It is time also to put a stop to the "Independent" bodies who "advise" Authorities on levels or remuneration for Public Officials and Cllrs. These bodies consist of back scratchers and other toadies who go with the flow. Now the brown stuff has hit the fan we must sweep away this corrupt system and reward people for results and not compliance with those who sign the cheques.
We Pay whilst they Play...put a stop to it
The NDDC has announced Job losses...will the Chief Executive's pay drop when they are less other ranks....I think not

THE JOURNAL AGREES!!

The Editor of the North Devon Journal, in his comments of 26/8/10, agrees with the last posting here about the stupidity of not advertising the £120,000 a year post of Chief Executive of North Devon District Council. He is right!
The Editor mentions previous incumbents of this post, who also earned pop star wages for apparently singing in tune with Cllr malcolm Prowse, onetime Leader of the Council.
The Editor mentions no names, only that they were, like the new Chief executive, to be "selected internally". I will mention a couple of names. Firstly Mr David Cunliffe, whose "mistakes" over Tews Lane denied the Residents proper sports facilities, because the Council "forgot" to buy the land required by the deal with the Developer. He then tried, by spending over £150,000 on external Legal help, to nobble a Cllr who was on the Council for the good of the people and NOT, like Cllr Prowse, to push his snout deeper and deeper into the seemingly bottomless pit of Public money.
The exclusion of the one Cllr who tried to put right the Tews Lane fiasco, from meetings which he should have been allowed to attend was scandalous.
Then there was John Sunderland and my opinion of him is extremely low. A Chief Executive who calls the leader of the Council "Malkie" and does as he is told is a poor choice indeed. Of course when that choice is made by "Malkie" and the post is not advertised at all, then you can see the point that the Journal Editor is making.

AN INSIDE SOURCE

Has informed me that the new Chief executive for North Devon District Council has been chosen. The person selected is Mr Mike Mansell and I understand that the position is NOT being advertised. The reason for this seems to be to keep secret the salary of the new Chief Executive so as to thwart Public Concern at the overpaying of Chief executives. NDDC should publish the salaries and expenses of ALL Cllrs and Senior Staff. Then again, as we have seen over the whitewash of the complaint against Mrs Chesters, transparency is not the strong suit of this Council. How can the people of North Devon know that the Chief Executive selected is the best person for the job (and WHAT exactly is the job) when the post has not been advertised?

Under the new Cabinet system, the role of the Chief Executive is much diminished and the salary for this position should reflect this. It should not be the figure I have been told of £120,000 a year!!

TRANSPARENCY? I DON'T THINK SO

The complaint against Mrs Chesters, Chairman of Planning, who submitted applications which required a decision by North Devon District Council and which should have come before the Planning Committee and NOT been delegated, for reasons previously discussed, has now been dismissed after yet another secret meeting of North Devon District Council Standards Committee. I understand that "evidence" was produced which I have not seen ( and therefore cannot challenge) and that, together with a convenient loss of memory by the previous Monitoring Officer (The Obsequious Mr Pratt) the Committee of Yes men did as they were told yet again.
The submission that Mrs Chesters declared she was a Councillor on her applications, which proved to be false and for which matter alone the Chairman of the first secret meeting should be sacked, has now been amended, apparently it was not the actual application (as first declared) but a slip attached to the application (which is secret)
The casual observer can think no other than that this a District Council sadly in need of sorting out, from its overpaid officials to its officious Councillors and part time "worthies" who seemingly have no thought process or questioning ability of their own.
The question is why did Mrs Chesters expect her applications to be given the nod by Officers. She knew that she needed to inform the Monitoring Officer and that the applications had to come before Committee and be open, so what is there about these applications which demanded secrecy? Or has secrecy become the only way that NDDC can conduct business.
The Monitoring Officer considers the matter closed.....we shall see about that!