The Fifth Estate

THOSE OF YOU WHO LOVE DEMOCRACY

2012-01-12T12:33:00.003Z

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

2010-12-10T06:42:00.004Z

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

2010-11-16T06:45:00.002Z

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!!

2010-08-26T09:09:00.005+01:00

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

2010-08-17T17:19:00.003+01:00

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

2010-07-21T11:49:00.002+01:00

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!

SO WHY LIE?

2010-06-18T08:11:00.003+01:00

Transparency in the Planning process has always been, or so we are told, the aim of Local Government. A great deal of time was spent concocting a "Planning Code of Conduct" and all Councillors were required to sign up to this Code. The inference is that if Councillors failed to live up to the Code then they were either seeking an advantage for themselves, or others, or they were bringing the Authority into disrepute.
One of the sections of the Planning Code of Conduct deals with submissions by Council Members. Any such submissions MUST be brought before the Council for determination and cannot be Delegated. This is the basis for transparency. It eliminates the idea, however far fetched, that Cllrs can have their applications put through because of either pressure on Officers or a desire by the Officers to curry favour with Cllrs. Pretty straightforward and easy to understand, is it not?
Cllr Mrs Chesters of North Devon District Council submitted three Applications which required decisions by the Council. Somehow these three Applications were listed as "to be Delegated".
Why was this? Surely, as Chairman of Planning Mrs Chesters was well aware of the procedure? Surely the Planning Manager (who refuses to reply to enquiries on the subject) was well aware of the procedure? Surely one of the other Cllrs, who receive weekly lists of all applications, were aware of the procedure? Seemingly null points on all counts.
But here is the most disturbing thing. When a complaint was made, the Standards sub Committee met in secret to declare that Mrs Chesters was blameless. Furthermore, the Chairman of the panel, Mr David Clark declared that Mrs Chesters had stated on her application that she WAS A Councilor. Yet examination of the Application form shows that this was untrue. So why, given the usual way that complaints are dealt with by North Devon District Council (that is with liberal applications of whitewash) was it necessary for Mr Clark to tell a lie?
Mr Clark refuses to reply and instead hides behind the Council.
He should explain himself or resign.
Of course it really does not make any difference as to whether Mrs Chesters put "Cllr" on the form, if the Planning Officer was not aware that she was Chairman of Planning then all hope is lost.
I understand that Mr Clark has been making threatening noises about suing me....come right ahead!!
This story is not over yet as there are other matters of Planning which are causing concern and these will be commented on here.

SAMUEL JOHNSON

2010-05-15T07:08:00.002+01:00

Famously said that the last refuge of the scoundrel was Patriotism. MP's in the Con/Lib alliance have been issued with the phrase "In the Country's interest" and have used it at every opportunity to justify "working together" with those whom they despised just yesterday. How long will this cosy agreement last? Nobody knows and so I leave you with some more Johnson (Samuel NOT Boris):
"It is the quality of patriotism to be jealous and watchful, to observe all secret machinations, and to see publick dangers at a distance. The true lover of his country is ready to communicate his fears, and to sound the alarm, whenever he perceives the approach of mischief. But he sounds no alarm, when there is no enemy; he never terrifies his countrymen till he is terrified himself. The patriotism, therefore, may be justly doubted of him, who professes to be disturbed by incredibilities..."

STEP FORWARD THE HYPOCRITES

2010-05-10T07:07:00.002+01:00

The General Election is over. No one Party has the required seats to form a stable Government. The sleaze over the claims of snout in the trough politicians played a very small part in the Peoples ' choice of candidates. Some of us hoped that this would be a watershed in the Political life of our Country, instead we have been introduced to many new MPs. Time will tell if these are as corrupt as those they replace. Someone once said that we should never vote for any person who wanted to be a Politician and there is some merit in this argument. What really raises the hackles is that now we are being bombarded with the idea that these politicians, who tore lumps out of each other over their various Party Policies, are now cosying up "for the good of the Country" The biggest hypocrite, for me, is Lord Burnett (Lib Dem, lest he forget) who now says we should rise above "Petty Party Politics" He forgets that it is these Party Politics that put him in the House of Lords. Time, children to rise above, not only Petty Party Politics but also above those who change like shifting sands, always seeking to sun themselves on the best beach.
Let us have Proportional Representation or let us have death!

THE OLD POWER STATION SITE AT YELLAND

2010-02-25T08:35:00.003Z

The proposals for the "Atlantic Array", a huge offshore wind farm project has sparked debate about two pieces of land in Fremington and Yelland, North Devon. The electricity would have to come ashore somewhere and possible sites include the Old Power Station at yelland which has plenty of space to accommodate the necessary infrastructure for such a huge undertaking. The Local MP, Mr Nick Harvey has put forward the proposal that the Army Camp at Fremington, now in mothballs, should be used to house , albeit temporarily, the workers who would be employed in constructing the buildings at the Power Station Site.
The promotion of both sites comes down to a few questions, one of which is: "Do we want jobs for local people?" for here is a chance to make sure that we have training in new technologies for local people who are otherwise destined for the rubbish heap. I do not subscribe to the view that the Army Camp will become a sort of concentration Camp for itinerant workers and the person advancing this view is quite wrong. As in all things if we take advantage of the situation, as this Country used to, then we will advance. If we sit back and let others take advantage then we will continue on our downward slide.
The redundant site should be cleaned up and developed, for the good of North Devon.

WOT NO LOGO?

2010-01-15T06:43:00.006Z

Through the post came an interesting item, yesterday. The glossy paper was titled: " North Devon Today". Whilst this publication used several shades of yellow, nowhere was to be seen the Lib/Dem Logo. The publication was obviously the opening shot by Mr Nick Harvey in his battle to retain the Parliamentary seat he holds. I won't go into the leaflet in detail, it bore (the right word) all the hallmarks of Brian MacBeth, someone for whom I have only the slightest regard and to whom the absolute truth seems merely to be a basis for negotiation.
The back page has an article by Paddy "Pantsdown" Ashdown. Paddy makes some interesting comments about the war in Afghanistan. Given his experience one must listen to what he says. As a former Royal Marine and MP he is in a unique position. Someone once said that war was too important to be left to Generals and wherever the prosecution of war depends on our present idea of civilisation with its Holy Grail of fairness and human rights then we will fail. Of course that is not the fault of Nick Harvey but I do question his attempt in this publication to gloss over his participation in the Great Expenses Scandal. Were there any "Innocent bystanders" ? I think not.
I certainly will NOT be voting for Mr Harvey over his part in the cover up of a dirty tricks campaign against those who sought to express a view different to the main political parties. For details see previous postings.
What is the first lesson at Political School?........DISSEMBLY

ELECTION COCKTAIL RECIPES FOR NORTH DEVON

2010-01-04T13:53:00.003Z

By the time that the first week in May 2010 arrives we shall all be driven to drink by the antics of the people who have put themselves forward to be "Primus in Troughis"
So here are a few recipes to help you get through the tough time ahead.

1/ THE NICK HARVEY WALLBANGER
Take an ample measure of orangeade, preferably with more froth than substance, add a Liberal dose of the trademark "we will do it all once we get into power!!" and then gently stir...do not shake as this flimsy concoction will turn into smoke and drift away on the wind.

2/THE PHILIP MILTON BLUE LAGOON
A fainthearted concoction, commonly called a "fence sitter" because of its inability to either intoxicate or induce sobriety. Difficult to stomach, even in a small measure, like the German drink, "traffic light" this drink changes colour from deepest blue to cowardly yellow when subjected to any pressure. It will be unable to stand up to the strong lights in Westminster and will wilt rapidly, whilst, all the time agreeing with everything, providing it is not called on to stand up for our interests.

3/ THE RODNEY CANN EGO TWISTER
Ideal for that first taste of adultery,

To make this heady brew, take a large measure of Ego, don't bother with any ability, add a twist of HYPOCRISY, like making a big splash about limiting Councillors' expenses then making yourself eligible for a 25% rise by becoming the Leader of a small Council Group, consisting of one proper Independent, one Green Party member (who presumably knows no better) and one rejected Tory. Marvel at how the drink changes colour when subjected to heat.
more to come

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

2009-12-02T15:13:00.003Z

FOR THE OVERSPEND (up to now) of £750,000 on the Direct Labour Unit?
Last year, the Executive Member RESPONSIBLE for recycling etc, trumpeted that there had been savings of £400,000 on the DLU project (part one presumably) He basked in the limelight, claiming the credit. Now it turns out that the project is £750,000 over budget. Suddenly everyone else is to blame...

The person claiming the RESPONSIBILITY allowance for the job must be RESPONSIBLE.
For those who cannot see the wood for the trees, the clue is in the Title "RESPONSIBILITY allowance" That is, the sum of money paid to the Cllr to be RESPONSIBLE. Of course to Mr Cann this only means RESPONSIBLE when the propaganda is in his favour.

Obviously Cann is out of his depth and should be relieved of this portfolio before we are all broke.

AND WHY I WOULD NEVER VOTE FOR RODNEY CANN

2009-11-22T06:37:00.005Z

Back in the late 1990's, Mr Cann, who now portrays himself as an "Independent", was the Leader of the Tory Group on North Devon District Council. He was sustained in this position not only by the feeble people who made up the others of the Tory Group, but also by the support for him from The Leader of the Council, Malcolm "Snout-in-the-trough" Prowse and by the support given to Cann by Cllr Mrs Brown, to whom he had promised much but given little. The treatment of Mrs Brown by Cann displays the worst in human behaviour. Such a person should never ever be allowed to represent ordinary people at any level. Cann was allowed to develop his ego maniacal ambitions by the lack of courage of other Tories and the indifference of a Public who were rapidly being turned off to a system of Politics which has little to do with people and more to do with nest feathering and self promotion.
I am sure that more will come out about Cann and his supporters in the coming months...prepare to be shocked and amazed.

PETITION

2009-11-03T06:58:00.003Z

If you want to sign the petition "None of the Above", please follow the link

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/NoneOfAbove/

WHY I WILL NOT BE VOTING FOR MR NICK HARVEY AT THE GENERAL ELECTION

2009-11-02T12:19:00.002Z

It seems as if the next General Election is just around the corner. Already a parcel of hopefuls have declared or semi declared. I have explained at length why I will not be voting for Mr Philip Milton (although he refuses to understand) and now, in fairness, I will explain about an incident shortly after the last Council Elections which show Mr Harvey in a less than flattering light.
It was noised abroad that I would be running a blog commenting on Local Government in North Devon. Several of the "Senior" Cllrs of both Parties got together to thwart the threatened exposure of their wrongdoings. Cllr Chris Pascoe, then of Fremington Parish Council, but now a Unitary Councillor in Cornwall (no comment) started up an opposition Blog, but he did it under a false name..."Muffin The Mule" and he got his friends, Mr and Mrs Bell of West Yelland to post a series of scurrilous lies about myself and other previous Parish Council Members.
When Pascoe was found out, his wife threw him out and he fled to Cornwall, after writing a letter of apology to me. Pascoe's website did not appear on any search engine but its secret address was distributed by Cllr Rodney Cann and Cllr Mike Harrison.
I went to my MP, Mr Nick Harvey and he agreed to inquire into the matter. Mr Harvey concluded that Pascoe, who he described as not "being the sharpest knife in the box" had acted entirely alone. This I know to be false. Mr Harvey also promulgated the lie that Mrs Pascoe had been suspended from her job (as a Nursery Teacher) because of my complaint. This was entirely false and good enough reason never to vote for Harvey. If you approach your MP you expect him to be honest with you and in such cases rise above Party Politics. Sadly Mr Harvey has proved to me that he is unworthy to be our representative in Westminster.

"DESPERATE OF CROYDE"

2009-11-02T12:03:00.002Z

I have received a few e-mails from Mr Philip Milton, seeking to repudiate my assertion that he lacked the courage to deal with an errant member of his flock. His lack of action and lame excuse making reminded me of the Policemen in The Pirates of Penzance....
My assertions were correct, but in the interest of fairness, I will say exactly why I will not be voting for the other Candidates.....
watch for the next blog on Mr Nick Harvey, MP

TREACHERY IN BLUE

2009-10-29T13:21:00.002Z

The North Devon Journal prints yet another "scoop" on its favourite son...Cllr Rodney Cann. This time it publicises the startling news that Mr Cann is to run for the Westminster Seat for North Devon at the next General Election. At the time of print he was a member of the Conservative Party. The Local Conservatives have put forward their Candidate, in the shape of Mr Philip Milton. I am sure that, having my knowledge of Mr Milton, local people would be apprehensive about voting for him, given his lack of moral fortitude on several issues. Mr Milton seems to have the Policy, if it can be called such, that he who fights and runs away, lives to run away another day. Nor does his excuse that "I am only a Candidate" cut much ice. What if we do elect him and hear: " I am only a Back Bencher" when tough choices need to be made. But anyway back to Rodney. I was not surprised that he tried the old publicity soundbite about Cllrs Allowances and Expenses...he did the same in 1997, criticising Mr Snout in the Trough himself (Malcolm Prowse) for his exorbitant payments and then...well after the election he went straightaway to said porker and NEGOTIATED A SPECIAL RATE FOR HIMSELF as "Leader of the opposition" Recently he put forward the motion (publicised in the local rag) that their should be a freeze on County Cllrs Allowances. His question to the Leader of that august body was well publicised but the Leader's answer was not...so here it is... "Cllr Cann could always forego the £2.500 he could claim as "Leader of the Independent Group (three Cllrs in Total). If he claims this money then it means he will get a 25% rise whilst other Cllrs get a freeze. Now that is soundbite Politics at its best. So, apart from hypocrisy and treachery (don't mention Adultery, I mentioned it earlier but I think I got away with it) what does Cann have to offer the people of North Devon? Well nothing actually. he is trying to prove that inflated ego can triumph over lack of ability...do not let him succeed.

RETREAT AND DO NOTHING

2009-08-26T06:40:00.002+01:00

The decision of North Devon District Council not to contribute towards flood defences at Fremington Quay is probably the correct one, given that the Environment Agency has declared it a "Retreat and do nothing zone" What does this mean? Simply that the EA believe that Fremington Quay will fall into the sea at some point and there is nothing "they" can do. My view is that we must find ways to protect our coastline and that the Environment Agency must contribute some positive thoughts instead of the eyes to the heaven resignation to fate approach. The EA needs a good kick up its rear end. How many times have we hard them pontificating about the folly of building on flood planes and yet NOT ONCE, in my experience, have they ever appeared at a Planning meeting to push their view. Indeed I remember the EA saying that there would be no problem of flooding over a planning application at Braddiford, near Barnstaple, only to be shown a picture by local residents of the site six feet under water!
Wake up EA!

NONE OF THE ABOVE

2009-07-11T07:16:00.002+01:00

Far too many, otherwise sensible people, tell us: "If you do not vote then you should not moan about the poor quality of person who achieves a majority in an election" Whilst there is some logic to this surely there should be a facility on the ballot paper to express disapproval in the choice presented. Why should we have to put a cross beside a name merely because he/she is not as bad (or so we perceive) as another candidate?
The system of Party Selection and vote for our choice presentation is not necessarily the best way of getting a person who will stand up and be counted when we need courage and fortitude. Far too many of those accepted by "The Party" try to be all things to all people. Some are downright cowardly and deserve no votes. We should be able to register our dissatisfaction with the prepared list by having a section which says:
NONE OF THE ABOVE
if we did this and then made voting compulsory then the system would have to change. The scandal over MP's Expenses has shown us that these people can be influenced to change and we must press for further improvements. In this I do not share the notion put forward by Mr Philip Milton PPC for North Devon that Politicians should be paid more in order to stop them fiddling. Corruption is not a matter of degree but a state of mind.

SPIN, SPIN AND SPIN AGAIN

2009-06-16T06:31:00.004+01:00

The local rags have been trumpeting the "fact" that recycling in North Devon has saved over £200,000 pounds since it was brought in house. The ACTUAL accounts state that expenditure on waste collection in 2007/08 was £2,532,000 and in the present 2008/09 was £2,655,000. Thus the real truth is that there was a deficit of £123,000.
When I pointed out that North Devon District Council had TWO Chief Executives, the Spinners said "no,no" but now we see that NDDC pay two people nearly £90,000 a year. Pop star money! Surely the best argument yet for a Unitary Authority. A further 3 employees are paid nearly £70,000 and yet another 8 are on over £50,000 a year. Nice work if you can get it. I wonder what the redundant Shapland worker thinks of this? Not much, I guess.
And the spin we had to put up with from the (then) great Leader, Harrison, over the Leader's allowances. And yet he still managed to get over £20,000 a year. OH yes, a step backward from "Profligate Prowse" but still a huge amount of our money.
Of course at County Level and District level, publishing the itemised list of Cllrs Expenses is still just a dream some of us had.

The Tories motto is "Time for a Change"

I agree

THE MOULD IS NOT BROKEN

2009-06-08T11:58:00.002+01:00

But the colour of the jelly is changing again.
It was widely noised abroad that the mould of British Politics was broken forever by the expenses scandal, washing as it did, over the whole of the Political Spectrum, but the truth is that we are in a situation where it is now the turn of the Conservatives to form the next Government. Here in North Devon I predict a victory for Mr Philip Milton over Mr Nick "flower basket" Harvey. UKIP will get the bronze but will not make any inroads into the vote of the "Big Two". Will UKIP get anywhere at the next District Elections? No I think not. They probably peaked when they had one Cllr elected for NDDC but time will tell.
Meanwhile we still press for a complete and itemised list of Cllrs Expenses. If it is our money then we should have a right to know how it is spent.
I expect the euphoria over the European Elections to rapidly diminish when we start to hear about the expenses and allowances that they get....far more than our own errant MPs. Truly it can be said that "they are all at it"...

SINGING THE BLUES

2009-06-06T06:58:00.002+01:00

The County Council Election of 4/6/09 gave complete control of Devon County Council to the Conservative Party. Time will tell if the promises, both actual and perceived, bear fruit. Uppermost in ordinary people's minds are the huge burden of Council Tax. The Tories have promised to cut this and we wait to see. One thing that needs to be faced is the ridiculous culture of "Butterfly" Council Officers who flit from one Authority to another claiming ever higher salaries, perks and pensions without seemingly any benefit to the Ratepayer. My guess is that little will be done by the Tories in Devon to put a stop to this greed. Once a candidate gets into power they seem to be "of the Council" and no longer "of the people" . Whilst the euphoria of election success is ringing in their ears, I would point out to the Tories and others....what you have promised must become real, What you have told us in the campaign must be carried through and you might start by publishing itemised Cllrs expenses as they are a State Secret at the moment

VICTIMS OF THE SYSTEM

2009-05-12T06:15:00.002+01:00

The Daily Telegraph is leading the charge over the extraordinary, extravagant and disgraceful claims that MP's have been making as "expenses". So far we have heard about the two main Parties and we await the details of the claims of our own MP, Mr Nick Harvey. The claims made by the MP's that they are "Victims" of a system is typical of the sort of people we have elected through the Party dominance of our Parliament. If there are any victims then they are the ordinary people who have to dig deeper and more often to pay for these snouts to get ever deeper in the Public Trough. Contrast that with the poor pensioner "Bill" (name changed) of Barnstaple who lost his bus pass and could not afford the fare to go to see his wife in Hospital. What was the response of the issuing authority? No help but half a dozen hoops to jump through to obtain a duplicate AND A FEE OF £8. No chance of "Bill" getting this paid on his expenses.
We have got Politics all wrong. The type of person who comes forward is usually the type of person who we should never allow within a country mile of the job.
I suppose the only, and partial, answer is the scrutiny of the actions and inaction's of our Cllrs and MPs and the Internet is a great provider of scrutiny. How do I know it is effective? Because of the attempts made by the Local Political parties to shut down this Blog.

AT THE CROSSROADS

2009-05-07T14:36:00.002+01:00

As usual the North Devon Journal, eager to push the cause of Mr Cann, has an article about the treacherous road junction at Westleigh. Cllr Cann declares that something must be done by the County Council. Hang on, Cllr Cann has been the County Cllr for the area for the last 8 years and has done nothing about this junction. So why now? Oh yes the election is coming up. Silly us.
One wonders what excuse the Journal will use next week to advance their candidate, perhaps if said Cllr were to lie down on the bypass to demonstrate just what a fool's idea the system is and then the Journal photographer, who's job is obviously at stake, given the amount of photos of errant Cllr they publish, could take the necessary snaps.
Now where did I put the keys to the Volvo?

BEING AN INDEPENDENT

2009-04-24T07:36:00.002+01:00

Should not be the last refuge of the scoundrel. It has become commonplace for those in Political Parties, who, for one reason or another, choose to stand under the simple word "Independent" at Local Elections. Maybe they have fallen out of favour with their Party or maybe the Party itself has become unpopular or maybe the area has few or no Cllrs of that Party. For whatever reason it seems to me to be both hypocritical and deceitful for dyed in the wool Political Animals to don the clothing of the Independent to gain office. I fully understand that, given the fact that the once honoured post of Cllr is now a well paid job, there is more incentive for certain people to attain that office but statistics show that Cllrs still are predominantly Male, White and middle aged.
I believe that two things should be done. Firstly I believe there should be a limit to the length of time that Cllrs may "serve". Three terms or 12 years seems to be the optimum. Secondly I believe that anyone who is a member of a political party should only be allowed to stand for that Party and any Independent who wins office and then suddenly joins a Political Party should be forced to fight another election.

WILL THE GREENS BE EATEN

2009-04-23T14:47:00.002+01:00

It seemed to me that the Green Party, whilst not actually winning a seat, gathered a lot of support across North Devon in the last District Elections. I wonder how they will do in the June County Elections. Traditionally, because of the national publicity given to the other elections on at the same time, either for Parliament or for that land far away known as Europe, the votes have polarised into their respective Political Camps. The Greens might well take a seat, but which one? Certainly for Brussels, Ricky Knight has a fighting chance and, although I disagree with most of his views, I admire him for giving them anyway. The only problem with the meek inheriting the Earth is that there won't be much left once the not-so-meek get through with it.

SHOCK CLOSURE OF SHAPLANDS

2009-04-01T06:26:00.003+01:00

The news that door maker Shapland, formerly Shapland and Petter, are to close down and throw directly 200 local people onto the scrapheap of recession, came as a shock. The present firm has factories elsewhere and they are not to close. So why Barnstaple? I believe this goes back to the plans submitted by Shaplands for development of their riverside site, which also would have meant a move to a new site at Roundswell. If the planning had been passed at the time then it is less likely that a new factory would have closed. So let us examine a few of the applications submitted. One was submitted on 24/7/2000 and withdrawn, after the procrastination of Cllr Prowse and his gang, on 23/8/2001. Another was submitted on 24/8/2001 and withdrawn on 8/11/2005 (yes over 4 years) As I recall there was an outcry from those who did not depend on the long established doormaker for their incomes to save the "Oliver Buildings". For those not au fait with this term, they are the ugly buildings built from Shithouse Brick which even those staring through the luxury of Council wages or Councillor Allowances, could hardly find attractive. But so swayed were those involved in the decisions they did not make, by the vociferous minority that the failure to give a positive decision dragged on until it was too late.
The number of redundancies quoted was 185. It may be obtuse to draw a parallel with another event which also cost 185 lives but the similarities with the Alamo are apt. Let us hope that this sacrifice brings about a lasting change to the poor Local Government which we have forced on us by obsequious officers and Political parties.
I call on the following to resign and disappear, not only from the picture columns of the local rags, but also from our lives in general:
Cllr Prowse
Cllr Cann
Cllr Harrison
Cllr Brailey
Mr Easton (over planning manager)
Mr Kelly (Planning Manager)

Go!

PUBLISH AND BE DAMNED

2009-02-27T11:41:00.002Z

or don't publish and be condemned.
What are we talking about...why the salary and perks of the Fat Cat Council Officers.
The Government, ailing now, are determined to finally pander to the growing tide of Public distaste over the amounts paid to those in Local Government, many earning more than the Prime Minister himself. Of course, in the Lib/Dem and Tory heaven of North Devon (if you share the kudos equally then you must accept the blame in the same measure) We actually have TWO Chief Executives. It will be interesting to see the Salaries of these two.
The Summer of Rage is surely coming. The Spring of revulsion over the pension paid to the RBS Boss will lead to a summer of widespread discontent over the insular position of those in Local Government protected from the harsh wind of reality that the rest of us are subject to.
I suspect even the timid will find a voice, but then again.......

NERO AND THE DISTRICT COUNCIL

2009-02-26T11:20:00.002Z

Malcolm Prowse, a perennial and deep shovelling snout in the trough at North Devon District Council, has declared that the budget proposals put forward by the Conservative administration were a "Nero Budget".
By this I take it he means that he is accusing those "in charge" of fiddling whilst Rome burns. He goes on (and on) to tell his supporters (avidly reading this in a disused telephone box at Bratton Fleming) that no preparation was done for the increase in Council Tax. He insists that, as was the case when he was in charge, the Council should follow a profligate "Tax and Spend" Policy, much of which goes on unnecessary Staff costs. Of course, this is the same Cllr who welcomed his Conservative friends into his previously closed world because he could see that the writing was on the wall for the Lib/Dem majority. Like the eager and egotistical fools that they are, the Tories jumped at the chance of power and even more pictures in their favourite rag.
Prowse has admitted that he knows little about the value of money, indeed his County Court appearances for debts should leave the reader in no doubt that he is not to be trusted with his own money (let alone ours!). Or, to put it simply, as one builder said at the Bratton Fleming Social Club... "Take a cheque from Malcolm...you must be joking"
The Tories have failed to address the problem of over staffing and waste. And now they are forced to raise the Council Tax when all around them, in the real world, are facing destitution due to falling interest rates on savings and wide scale closures and unemployment. I have news for you Gentlemen....Rome may have been set alight by a mad dictator but your inaction over unjust taxes are likely to cause a blaze which will burn more fiercely than anything seen on the Tiber.

THIS ENGLAND......

2009-02-17T07:23:00.002Z

WHICH WAS WONT TO CONQUER OTHERS, HATH MADE A SHAMEFUL CONQUEST OF ITSELF....
Bill S.

If Shakespeare were alive today he would have been arrested for ...well anything you like. But PC he was not. I am sure he would have pointed out the stupidity of the modern system of Government. Another of our bygone heroes was Robert Blake, our "General at Sea" who had never been to sea before being put in charge of the Navy, and yet he was spectacularly successful. (if you get the right person to run the financial system he does not have to a banker, if you get the wrong person then qualifications are irrelevant)
Robert Blake cleared the seas of Pirates ( which we do not seem able to do)
He defeated our enemies (likewise) but surely he would have been roundly condemned today for one of his quotes:
"No one can chastise an Englishman but another Englishman"
My goodness, he would have rotted in Jail for that one.
Perhaps I can leave you with another Shakespeare Quote... apply it to any Politician of your choice:

" He is as thick as Tewkesbury Mustard"

FROM BEER TO BRATWURST

2009-01-11T07:01:00.003Z

Now is the time for all good men (and women) to come to the aid of the Region. Buy Local, Think Local. If you go to other Countries, for instance, Germany, you will find they always support their traditions and local products. I remember, in the late sixties, when the Western German economy really started to take off. If they bought a car it had to be a German car, everything, from Beer to Bratwurst had to be German. Personally I never could understand the fascination with Lederhosen, but, hey, each to his own and while they were dressing up like that at least they were not invading their neighbours.
Sadly this poor dejected British nation seems to have the idea that if something is foreign then it must be better. This seems to apply to everything, including Government Policy. Look, the workshop of the World cannot even make its own Wheelie Bins, instead we have to send a North Devon Council Team to Germany to see how they make them and then place a massive order to keep the Germans supplied with our money so they can buy more German goods. (Don't mention Recycling, I mentioned it in passing and think I got away with it)
Instead of whining about our rights, let us start thinking about our responsibilities. To our Farmers and to our Manufacturers but more importantly to ourselves. If we lose our faith in ourselves then we might as well apply to be the 51st State of America.

IT IS RUMOURED

2008-12-05T08:06:00.003Z

That the Chief Executive of Cornwall County Council is to be paid a "farewell present" of £500,000, when the Pan County Council displaces the present model. And then this person is to take up a post with another Authority at £200,000 a year.
It is time to put a stop to this madness. The system has been developed where we are conned into believing that we need to pay ever higher salaries to attract the " best person for the job."

Let me ask you a simple question...
"In the fiasco over Baby P in Haringay, where was the Chief Executive?"
The Chief Executive of an Authority is supposed to be the Manager of day to day running of that authority, yet we hear that one officer has been suspended on full pay and two Cllrs have resigned...although it is not clear whether they have resigned properly and completely of just from their senior Council posts. I have read nowhere about the Chief Executive, so if the post is so important as to carry a huge salary, where is the CE when the brown stuff hits the fan?
Let me tell you what I find to be at the heart of this matter and indeed what is generally wrong with all Local Authorities across this third rate country.
Councillors cannot sack a Chief Executive or other high ranking paid officials.
Incredible is it not and based on this security of tenure the paid officials are running the system safe in the knowledge that they need pay no heed to the elected representatives.
If you do not believe what is here published, have a look at the Government Regulations on this matter. I well remember in North Devon District Council when it was proposed to extend the immunity from sacking to other Officers of the Council (Chief Executives were already "protected" under existing guidelines. Only two Cllrs were against the extension and it was amazing to see the hands of the faithful, when the vote was called, to rise in unison as though controlled by a lever operated by the then leader of the Council, Malcolm Prowse (cheques not accepted) who presumably thought that this concession might make his own position safer and thus more profitable. The chickens have now come home to roost but even now some Cllrs still have their heads in the sand (or somewhere else) as, in North Devon, they have now appointed TWO Chief executives. At this time of sales we should be looking at "Two for one" bargains not "One for Two" Of course the real world of declining incomes, repossessions and failing businesses do not penetrate the thick skin of Local Government.
Perhaps it is time we did something about this nonsense.

THE 17% SOLUTION

2008-11-28T07:04:00.002Z

"What we need Watson, is a soundbite to hide the fact that only 17% of people decided to vote in the latest election."
"Well, Holmes, perhaps before we use the local media to propagate our message, we really should tell our latest Cllr their duties. Foremost we should let them know that a Cllr is for four years and not just for six months of non attendance at Council Meetings"
"Yes Yes Watson, Old Friend, but put your thinking cap on and get me that hackneyed phrase that I need to disguise the collapse of Democracy as it should be...to hide the truth that Political parties with their vast resources control Local Elections to the point where most people could not care less and are resigned to paying more local tax for less."
"I have it, Holmes.....Let's describe the poor turnout as...

AN EMPHATIC VICTORY!"

Brilliant Watson, now what does pyrrhic mean?

DIGGING DEEP (INTO OUR POCKETS)

2008-11-11T09:30:00.003Z

"Digging Deep for Charity" was how the District Council described it's obscene new "grant" system. Basically, or so it seems, there is a "surplus" of cash, collected from the poor Burghers of North Devon by their masters and, in order to put this "surplus" to good use...that is getting votes for the Cllrs elected by an ever decreasing number of locals.... it has been decided to "award" monies as grants, at the discretion of the said Local Cllrs. This evil practice must be terminated. Sadly the local papers, instead of exposing this wrong, visited on over pressed citizens, some of whom have to make a "heat or eat" choice, instead are actually promoting the practice.
If too much money has been wrung from the poor Council Tax Payer then this should be returned in kind and not as some gift from Cllr Bountiful for the purpose of garnering votes. When did you last hear of a Cllr forgoing his or her enormous allowance/expenses package for the Public Good?
Shame on those who use their positions to try to fool the Public and shame on those rags who help them.

ICELAND AND THE CRUNCH

2008-10-09T12:05:00.001+01:00

I understand that NDDC had money in Iceland but not to worry as it was always kept overnight in the end freezer which was locked!

CHICKENS CRYING FOUL!

2008-06-26T06:32:00.004+01:00

Few things on the telly really amaze me anymore, but the sight of some Cllrs in North Devon expressing their "disgust" at the revelations that Tesco had bought the local store of Brian Ford, sometime ago and seemingly had submitted a planning application in the former owners name, brought home the advantage that these Cllrs have in owning a selective memory. For this is not the first time that the ownership of land has raised it's head in the twisted planning affairs of North Devon. Some years ago a Cllr brought up the matter when a planning application was submitted by someone who, seemingly, did not exist and yet he claimed ownership and control of the land, the subject of the application. The reply from the Planning Manager was that "they" were not concerned with who owned the land and couldn't check each application for veracity. The fact that "inconsistencies" on the application seemed to make it illegal cut no ice. One reason the Cllr asked the question was this: if the true owner of the land was connected to a Cllr on the Planning Committee, how would that Cllr know when to declare an obvious interest? The present furore might mean that, if a Cllr worked or had a relationship with Tesco, then he would be guilty of not declaring an interest if he had any part in the decision making process for that application. At the time, the legal advice from officers of the Council was that the Standards Board was "unlikely" to pursue a Cllr who was involved, but no guarantee could be assured. Of course now that complaints are dealt with by the Authority itself and all notions of transparency and faith in the system have flown, it may not be a problem.
No surprise then that two of the Cllrs so "outraged" failed to support the Cllr who wanted the matter resolved all those years ago.

THIS MUST NOT GO ON

2008-04-02T05:55:00.002+01:00

Today I received details from the Taxpayers Alliance about the remuneration of Council Staff.
I was amazed to see that 8 yes 8 people in Devon County Council received remunerations of above £120,000. These were last years figures. One worthy received a 20.6% rise. In North Devon the Chief executive received remuneration of £106,252 ---utterly unbelievable. I am sure, when my level of amazement drops that I will find more to say. Why have we not seen much about this in Local Papers? Is it no interest to the North Devon Journal?
As we negotiate the cracked roads, leading to the overcrowded schools, many operating with temporary classrooms and we endure the unhealthy system of Bi-Weekly rubbish collections, think on this....the money is going into Senior and middle managers...and what do we get from it?
Why do we need such highly paid staff when we are entering the age of the "Full Time Cllr"?
In other Countries there would be rioting on the streets when these facts were issued...here we shrug and pay until we can pay no more and then we lock up the pensioners who cannot pay. Obviously Mr Sunderland will not have to decide whether to "Heat or Eat" as many do.

"This England which was wont to conquer others, Hath made a shameful conquest of itself"

I WAS PLEASED TO SEE

2008-04-01T11:42:00.002+01:00

That the Western Morning News published the web address of this Blog. It is a difficult time for newspapers with the amazing growth of the Internet.
Of course not all Blogs are Good Blogs--some Local Tory and Lib Dem Cllrs will remember the Blog they were involved with that was merely a Poison pen Website, full of lies about other Cllrs and former Cllrs and published by Mrs Joanne Bell of West Yelland with the help of former Cllr Chris Pascoe. The recourse for someone publishing things which are untruthful is in the Courts and only the sudden flight of Cllr Pascoe to places unknown and the "illness" of Mrs Bell prevented action being taken at that time.
Newspapers have the Press Complaints Commission but very few people set any store in their effectiveness.
One thing is certain--the Internet is here to stay.

FRAUD THAT WOULD DISGRACE A BANANA REPUBLIC

2008-03-19T09:01:00.005Z

Not my words but those of Richard Mawrey QC on the shenanigans of postal votes. And now we have yet another example of a Political Party treating the Democratic process with disdain. It appears that hundreds of "Ghost Tory Voters" were instrumental in the election of a Tory Councillor in Slough. One disturbing fact is that in order to uncover the fraud it was necessary to take the matter to the High Court--a process beyond all but the big Political parties. How many times--as in the case of Eric Ley's allegations, has the matter been covered up because there is no mechanism for an independent investigation? Before the last District Election in North Devon, evidence was given to a Tory Candidate of multiple registration. He promised to look into it but after he himself was elected that promise vanished with most of his other election pledges.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN

2008-03-14T07:22:00.002Z

SECOND HOMES AND HOLIDAY LETS?

Apart from the fact that some senior Cllrs own holiday lets, it is time for a rational look at what is so easily branded as the problem over housing for local people.

Second homes lie empty until their owners or family or friends, "pop down" from Town to enjoy our countryside and coast.

Holiday lets lie empty until people, who have not got a second home, "pop down" from Town to enjoy... well you know the rest.

Planning permissions for Holiday Lets are more relaxed than for ownership and conversion of things like barns and redundant chapels etc for permanent use.

Neither Holiday Lets nor second homes help in providing accommodation for the many local people who require homes.

The problem with lack of suitable accommodation for those unable to buy or rent on the open market (the Council definition of affordable homes and thus not just homes that are "affordable")
was exacerbated by the sale of Council Houses--at an average price of £13,500--yes this is not a mistake (but obviously it WAS a mistake). The £44.5 Million that was paid has all gone--most of it into the pensions to feather bed the rise of the middle manager in retirement. Recently one manager retired on extremely enhanced rates not because they could not do the job but because a relative was ill. The provision of pensions of this magnitude cannot be sustained.

There is no easy solution to getting second home owners to pay more--it would be easy to put the second home in the name of a son or daughter and thus get around any expensive legislation.
The second home owner could even list the dwelling as a Holiday Let (he could do this without being a Councillor) and thus avoid penalty payments.
The truth is that the provision of "Council Houses" must be the in the realm of Councils.

A LESSON (TOO LATE FOR THE LEARNING)

2008-03-13T09:57:00.003Z

Devon County Council has dragged its Political heels for too long over the numbingly bad state of Chulmleigh School. Plans should have been on the drawing board many years ago, for without a concrete proposal of intent, there can be no concrete poured in content.
When the previous District Cllr was in place there was no pressure on the County to do anything but now, under Cllr Croft, at least there is a pressure group spotlighting what must be done.
If we cannot educate our young people in the right conditions then we have no right to expect that they will grow into responsible adults.

THE GREAT POLITICAL CON TRICK

2008-03-11T06:06:00.000Z

Councillors on the District and County Council have come up with a cynical con trick to spend even more of your money and then make it look like the generosity of individual Cllrs to help their Wards and thus buy votes.
I refer to the Grants of umpteen thousand pounds of Council Tax Payers money, passed to Local Councillors for distribution (with associated publicity) to "worthy" causes within their Wards.
So they take our money and then claim credit for giving some of it back as though it were their own money they were giving. Why not just keep Council Tax to a sensible level and let us decide where we want charity to begin and end.

HER CORRUPTNESS THE MAYOR

2008-02-28T16:05:00.000Z

So Cllr Mrs Sewell has put herself up for the Mayor of South Molton. Yes I am serious. She actually believed that because the local Standards Committee deliberately ignored, with the help of the obsequious Mr Pratt, a complaint about her failure to disclose a prejudicial interest contrary to the Code of Conduct of North Devon District Council, that she could now don the funny hat and goose feathers of a respected and long esteemed position of a market town.
Fortunately the rest of the Councillors treated her attempt with the contempt it deserved.
Mrs Sewell, I realise you are brass necked but for once do the best for S Molton and RESIGN

WHERE HAS ALL THE MONEY GONE?

2008-02-24T07:58:00.000Z

Some years ago, North Devon District Council sold its Council Houses for the princely sum of £13,000 each. This brought in £44.5 MILLION POUNDS. Soon, or so we here in the 5th Estate have been told (from an inside source) this same Council will BORROW about £5MILLION POUNDS in order to finance its activities, including setting up a controversial Recycling System--the brainchild (and I use the word loosely) of Cllr Rodney "Adultery a Speciality" Cann.
So where has the money gone under, mostly Cllr Prowse, but latterly Cllr Harrison? We can understand that Prowse has no idea of money, after his many County Court appearances for debt, but what of the Harrison?
We await the reasons why the Council Tax for 2009 will be once again more than the inflation rate.
No attempt has been made to stop the rise of salaries of middle managers. This is a disgrace.

DEAD WOMAN WALKING

2008-02-08T06:18:00.000Z

So the Standards Committee of North Devon District Council has decided that Mrs Sewell did not break the Code of Conduct by awarding a lucrative position, part funded by the District Council, to a friend of hers who also employed her husband. I suppose the only surpise is that if they had found her guilty, and she already has more previous convictions for non declaration than any other Cllr in England (despite the best efforts of the Journal to keep this fact from the public) then they would have had to do something about it which might have led to political tension with their "partners".
One thing is certain--that no one should ever again trust Cllr Mrs Sewell to have anything to do with the decisions made by Local Government. This is the woman who declared that she was only on the Council for what she could get out of it. Mrs Sewell, we know what we want out of the Council--YOU.
That the Committee accepted the flimsy excuse that she was only acting as an Ma2K member (which obviously does not need a Code of Conduct to give away public money) says more about the Committee than Mrs Sewell. Mrs Sewell has always been the District Council's representative on Ma2K, as the records show. How the obseqious Mr Pratt must have racked his brain to come up with this recommendation shows that, after compounding his lies to the Journal, he should be sacked.
The excuse for Mrs Sewell centres around the Election. For a few days she was not a Cllr and someone decided that this was the vital time in the selection process. What was forgotten was that Mrs Sewell was the District representative on Ma2K and this was so whether she was a Cllr or not. You do not need to be a Cllr to be under the Code of Conduct (as the Chair of the Standards Committee will confirm) She remained the representative until the Annual Meeting, where she was reaffirmed in the post so making her involvement continuous.
And if Mrs Sewell was so innocent then why did the panel select another candidate when it reinterviewed? The South Molton Town Council Clerk complained that his decision and advice capabilities were impaired by "pains in the chest" Well Mr Gingell our pain from Mrs Sewell is in another part of the collective anatomy.

A LAND FIT FOR HEROES

2008-02-01T06:56:00.000Z

One of the problems with our Country is the inability of ordinary people to stand up and be counted when they see things which are obviously wrong. All too often we hear the cry "life is too short to bother" This allows the present situation to flourish, particularly in Local Government, where the wrong people are in the wrong positions to the detriment of us all. Council Tax has gone up because of the inability of Elected Cllrs to inhibit the rise of "Middle Managers" who are paid huge sums for doing not very much and who are protected unreasonably from risk by a Bureaucratic system helped by the same Elected Cllrs who use the system for their own ends. When ordinary people stand up and speak out, a system of dirty tricks and lies, using local quiescent papers as willing accomplices is brought into being. Some Tories also employ mentally ill people to harass the families of people who disagree with them. And so, we at the 5th Estate are promoting a list of Heroes who WILL stand up and be counted. Until we all do so, the evil of ever increasing, parasitic, bureaucracy, will continue. Most people are unaware that the money from the sale of Council Houses in North Devon was paid into the Pensions of overpaid Council managers--
And so here is the First Hero

GORDON BRAY

Who has patiently and diligently tried to get to the truth against a background of Byzantine intrigue. I urge the people of South Molton to look at his website

http://www.northdevonlink.co.uk/snippets.htm
And please sign his Guestbook to give him support.

Kicking the Tramp

2008-01-04T13:17:00.000Z

The local paper reports that a Mr Robin Harman has complained about a tramp sleeping in the doorway of the Job Centre in Barnstaple. Could this be the Robin Harman who, as Cllr Rodney Cann's sidekick,was present when Cann accepted the princely sum of £100,000 for the works at Tews Lane, which, even by the most conservative estimate would cost over £1M, to be carried out as originally planned? Could this be the same Robin Harman who (and for what reason) was on Cllr cann's distribution list for the Poison pen Website, set up by Cllr cann's friend, Mrs Joanne Bell? Could this be the same Robin Harman who, as a dyed-in-the-wool Tory, used to telephone Cllrs to try to get information for Cann? Well yes, it could and it is. And so can we assume that this campaign to kick the poor wretch who lives in a cardboard box in a doorway is Politically inspired? Does the Local Council Leader and war hero, "Call me Mike" Harrison not remember that a great many of those down and doorway sleepers are ex-servicemen who, for various reasons have failed to adjust back to "normal" society? Is that why the kicking is being done at arms length? (forgive the pun)
I can almost here the Tory Cry--"Give him an ASBO!" No, Mike, give him some pity, for there but for fortune........

THE LONE VOICE

2007-12-22T07:31:00.000Z

The Editor of the Journal has described me as a "Lone Voice"--he did not mean it as a compliment but as a precursor to dismissing what I said. What did I have the cheek to say--well I dared to speak out when the Journal attempted to paint Cllr Mrs Sewell as a Saint. What they actually said was that Mrs sewell had never been found guilty of non declaration of interests.
Now virtually no one, who has any knowledge of the Standards Board for England, has anything good to say about it. Most of the complaints made against Cllrs are for other purposes-- I well remember "The Bully of Bickington" Cllr Rodney cann, making false complaints in order to counter proper complaints made against him. In the case of Mrs Sewell her claims of innocence and the article in the Journal which was spin and propaganda (but little truth) were made to influence the Local Standards Committee, before whom Mrs Sewell was due to make yet another appearance.
Those involved are
The Monitoring officer--Mr Pratt, who told the Journal that Mrs Sewell had no previous convictions and then denied that he said it and then agreed that he said it but said he was "too busy" to check the facts. This is just not good enough for a position such as Monitoring officer. Mr Pratt should be sacked.

Mrs Sewell... who seems to have trouble with the truth...she is the most convicted Cllr in England for non declaration of interests--just listen to one of her excuses, when she voted on a matter which helped her Brother in Law--"I don't look on him as my Brother in law--but as a another Cllr" Well dear, the Code of Conduct (of which you have had training) disagrees with you and so does everyone else outside of your Political Group. RESIGN, just RESIGN

I understand that the Journal has promised to "put the record straight" Anyone holding their breath?

MISSING--PRESUMED STILL A COUNCILLOR

2007-12-07T09:12:00.000Z

When I heard about the man who was prominent and then disappeared for four years only to reappear I was quite surprised to see it was a canoeist from up country--I thought for sure it was Eric Ley!!

BRUSQUE BLUSTER AND BLARNEY

2007-12-04T18:26:00.000Z

North Devon District Council is trying to bluster its way out of the fact that it attempted to stop the free flow of information by imposing a charge for supplying same. This has previously been reported on this Blog, but now the Council has said that it never intended to charge for such information. In that case why was it an item for the Executive on 13th Nov 2007? And why was it discussed at the full Council on 21st Nov 2007? To my knowledge it has never been discussed before--and the Act came in many years ago. Sheer coincidence that the proposal to charge was at a time when I am pressing this Council for the e-mails which Cllrs sent to advertise a Poison pen Website set up with the cooperation of certain Cllrs--I think not!
All the rude and brusque behaviour of some Officers in trying to hide the wrongdoing of some Cllrs will have no effect on the search for the truth. If bringing this matter out into the open has caused the Council to U turn then that is a good thing.
Talking of the Truth, there still has not been a decision in the contest between the Editor of the Journal and Mr Pratt, the Monitoring officer about who was lying with regard to the item published in the Journal which claimed that the errant Cllr from S Molton--Mrs Sewell-- had no previous convictions when in fact she had more convictions for none disclosure of interest than any other Cllr in the South West--I understand that Sunderland, the Chief Executive has written to the Editor saying that Pratt DID supply false information and that he would check but apparently he was too busy to do so--and yet Sunderland wrote to me to say that Pratt DID NOT supply the wrong information--surely there has to be some inquiry and if a Senior officer is found to have been supplying false information to a newspaper then there is only one remedy-----

DENY DELAY DISSEMBLE

2007-11-27T12:50:00.000Z

Gordon Brown asked the Country to come up with a Motto which best reflected our way of life--my favourite was "Dipso, Fatso, Bingo, Asbo, Tesco" but a more suitable one for the poor way our Local Councils treat ordinary people--especially when things go wrong would be
"Deny Delay Dissemble" for these are the principles of Local Government. No one is responsible for anything wrong whilst all try to claim credit for those things which are seemingly right.
So if you see a Full Time Councillor with "DDD" on his (her) blazer then you know what it means.
Here in the 5th Esate you will hear of many examples of the Triple D.

SINISTER

2007-11-26T18:43:00.000Z

It seems that the shutters have come down on North Devon District Council providing information to the Public, which they are legally entitled to. Agendas for Committee meetings which The Leader and his Gang do not want people to attend or know about, are not being published on the Internet. Why is this? Well we have an interesting meeting of the Standards Committee coming up at which (or so my insider tells me) the Three times convicted Cllr from South Molton, Mrs Sewell, is due before the Beak for again not declaring an interest. Now the last time this happened we experienced the most outrageous behaviour of an official in which the Monitoring Officer of the Council told a vital witness that he could not attend--afterwards he then retracted the statement. There was also controversy as he (allegedly) told the Journal one thing and then denied that he had said it. The thrust of the defence of Mrs Sewell was to try to shoot the messenger with a trumped up interview and other underhanded dirty tricks. "Sleazy Suzie" was found guilty then, not of the recommendation by the Officers of non declaration of a personal interest, but of the full blown not declaring a PREJUDICIAL INTEREST. Unfortunately the Lib/Dem run (at that time) Standards Committee decided not to take any action against her.
It is strange then, that this time (according to the Editor of the Journal) when the Monitoring Officer was asked he declared that Mrs Sewell had never been found guilty of non declaration of interests. Mrs Sewell herself (according to the Editor of the Journal) also denied ever being found guilty. The Journal printed this and was forced to print a retraction in a case still before the Press Complaints Commission. If I were the Editor of the Journal I would be heading for the Courts to clear my name--we shall have to see if that is the course of action of Mr Best--if not then his assertions can carry little weight and he will have a serious charge to defend before his peers in the newspaper world. We must now see, albeit through a glass darkly, exactly what happens when the Standards Committee meet over Mrs Sewell. Will she (again) break down in tears and blame it on her dyslexia? --That she cannot tell wrong from right. Anyway, we will have to wait to see it here because at this time, 1900hrs Monday 26th November, the Agendas have NOT been published--there should be Five Clear Working Days between publication and Meeting, of course the case of Mrs Sewell may not come up in November (although the Monitoring Officer is reported in the Press of saying it would) (according to the Journal). One thing is certain, that a complainant has not been advised either of the meeting or the progress of the complaint. Is it incompetence or something more Sinister...watch this space
I make this offer to the new Standards Committee--if you want a hangman I have a rope, if you want an excuse--look elsewhere!

WHO IS TELLING THE TRUTH?

2007-11-17T14:32:00.001Z

The issue: Cllr Mrs Sewell of North Devon District Council is once again being investigated for non declaration of interest. The North Devon Journal said that she had no previous convictions but was forced to retract this when I went to the Press Complaints Commission. The editor of the Journal says he published what Mrs Sewell and the Monitoring officer of NDDC, Mr Don Pratt, told him. Mr Pratt denies this.

The facts: Cllr Mrs Sewell has THREE previous convictions for not declaring an interest. More convictions than any other Cllr in Devon. Two of these were investigated by the Standards Board for England and one by the Local Standards Committee. Mrs Sewell is up again for a FOURTH charge of not declaring an interest--this time for getting her husband's employer a lucrative job in South Molton, funded by Public money. Others on the selection panel, when they found out, had the job "re-interviewed" and someone else got it. The articles and letters to the press by a sycophantic Lib/Dem from Filleigh, were obviously designed to sway the Local Standards Committee.

What happens now--
If the Editor of the Journal has told lies then he must go
If Mr Pratt has told lies then he must go
Cllrs in NDDC must realise that the word Integrity must still have a meaning. No semantics, No cover up, no more lies--let us be told the truth in the Journal, one way or another.

One thing is certain--despite the attempts by the Local Conservatives to close this site the truth will come out.

AN ADMISSION OF THE FAILURE OF DEMOCRACY

2007-11-12T16:39:00.000Z

I reproduce below the words of a District Councillor and former Mayor of Ilfracombe, Paul Crabb, who was elected as an "Independent" in the May Elections. Cllr Crabb has been conducting talks with the Conservative Group with a view to getting something done for Ilfracombe--described when Prowse was in charge as the Bete Noire of North Devon District Council and I am sure partly responsible for the below average rating of the District Council.

"Furthermore, for better or worse (and I firmly believe worse) the whole structure of the district council is encased in tribalism. This tribal behaviour is legislated by our national government who insist that all committees are 'politically balanced'. One bizarre consequence of this, is that there was no Lib Dem member in Ilfracombe for the new 'Harbour Board', hence we had Malcolm Wilkinson, in himself a very able councillor, being 'bussed' across 10 miles from Woolacombe to be the token Lib Dem for Ilfracombe harbour.The 'Independent Group' did not have enough seats to warrant a place on the board. The single most frustrating aspect of this tribalism is that most important decisions are taken in party 'group' meetings, long before the full council meets. Because of the way in which the few independents on this council are marginalised (by law), I have written to Mike Harrison to offer my assistance to the Conservative Group."
So, Cllr Crabb, your solution to a problem you obviously understand and loath--is to go along with it. Why did you not try the method used by, amongst others, Ley and Edmunds and actually pretend to be an Independent?
In any event, the clock is ticking on your action--let us see an improvement in Ilfracombe and not just in the Landmark. The two pictures at the top of this article might help if you are not already aware on where to start.

There is an old joke in Ilfracombe--

"How do you keep warm in Ilfracombe?"

Answer--just buy an old Hotel and wait for it to catch fire....

ANY ANSWER YOU PAY FOR

2007-10-29T07:01:00.001Z

The Independent Remuneration Panel of North Devon District Council decided, when it was asked, that Cllr Malcolm Prowse, as then Leader of the District Council, was "worth" six times the annual rate of the basic paid to all Councillors. This was called a "Special Responsibility Allowance" and so, with his basic allowance as well and travel costs to hither and thither, Prowse was paid somewhere on the scale of a Pop Star. The justification was long and tedious. You can get a copy from the District Council.... The Chairman of the Panel was paid around £1000 to come up with these findings. This Chairman is the same one who libelled a former Cllr in a dirty tricks campaign and when faced with the consequences, he apologised and backed down.
And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, for my next trick, I will take the same facts and place them before the same panel, but with the understanding that the Tories want a reduction in the profligate overspending on a demoted Lib/Dem. The trick is revealed. The Panel has now come up with a new decision that the Leader of the Council was worth 3 times (yes 3 times not 6 times) the annual allowance. How can the same people with the same facts come up with a different answer? Surely the three members of the IRP should be stood down and a new panel instituted. The Local Gov Act 2000 says that Cllrs should have regard to the Panel's findings, but this disgraced panel is merely a rubber stamp of the wishes of others, including officers with an eye on the forthcoming vacancy at the top. And what possible reason can there be to pay the Chairman such a vast sum for chairing a meeting?
With regard to the Chief Executive Job, I understand that one officer has already been given the nod--so why advertise the position in the Times? The last time there was not even a competition and so I guess "Call me Mike" wants to avoid criticism, but its all a bit contrived. I almost feel sorry for the War Hero Chairman of the RBL--well almost.

THE SILENCE OF THE LIB DEMS

2007-10-24T07:35:00.000+01:00

When we had an appointment with our MP. Nick Harvey, over the Poisoned Pen Website, set up by one of his own Cllrs, Cllr Chris Pascoe (now ex Cllr). He made statements which have proved not to be true. Two of these were:

1/ No one in the Lib Dems knew about the Poison Pen Website--untrue Malcolm prowse was aware from the very start (amongst others) In fact he was on Rodney Cann's (The Bully of Bickington) distribution list.

2/ Mrs Pascoe had been suspended from her teaching position until an enquiry by her employers "cleared" her of any involvement--untrue no such enquiry took place.

We are awaiting a reply from the Lib Dems--they have gone quiet--I am sure much more will be said about this disgraceful episode. One thing is certain, you will not see it in the local "Quiescent" papers.

"DESPERATE OF BARNSTAPLE"

2007-10-23T09:55:00.000+01:00

The Lib Dem Party in Barnstaple are desperate to recruit people to their ranks. It was in the light of this fact that they recruited "The Poison Pen Writer of Old Fremington Village", Cllr (oops sorry) Former Cllr Chris Pascoe. The same desperation drives them to protect Pascoe now, despite what he has done. This same desperation is reflected in an untrue statement being promulgated by Mr Nick Harvey, MP (how long before we say "oops" there) that Mrs Pascoe was suspended from her position as a teacher until an enquiry "cleared" her. The statement was designed to get sympathy for the Pascoes and to point away from the wrongdoing of her husband. The Lib/Dems continue to support Pascoe and are keeping his address in Cornwall a secret. What a scrawny lot---if they sink any lower then they may as well join the Tories and they will really know what Desperation is all about!!

WELCOME TO THE FIFTH ESTATE

2007-10-18T06:53:00.000+01:00

Once upon a time......
In the corrupt lands of yesteryear, someone described the Newspapers as "The Fourth Estate" They attributed to the written and regularly distributed word, the badge of guardians of freedom of speech and the ability to noise abroad things which those in power would rather remain hidden. Newspapers have travelled far and achieved much, some still are potent forces to combat the abuses of power. Just ask Archer and Aitken. However, some have become "quiescent", either rolling over to the idea that "life is too short" and that supporting the status quo, however wrong. is the best way. And so, with this downgrading of the will and effectiveness of newspapers the vacuum is being filled by Web Blogs.
Bill Gates we salute you!