Posted on Tuesday, 2nd August 2016 | 15 Comments For those who are not already ‘in the know’, four parish councillors resigned on Monday 1 August. The chairman Cllr Tulloch, Cllr Crosby, Cllr Bloomfield and Cllr Linnette. I take no pleasure from this news, because it should never have got this far. All that was required was the releasing of the grievance document and given what we knew at the time, an apology from the person responsible. But no, the person behind this sorry saga took an arrogant stance, refused to acknowledge he had done anything wrong and maintained that until the end. What we have subsequently heard has made this situation even more tragic. There are two victims in this and nobody on the council has acknowledged it. The lives of these two and that of their families have been turned upside down. They have both been victimised, bullied and threatened, because one person felt it was ok to do so and councillors sat back and let it happen and then fully supported him when the victims had the ‘audacity’ to complain. The majority of the councillors that sat around the council table on Monday night, backed this person, they knew he was guilty of at least two of the offences. They were told this when the document was first presented to them over two months ago. Yet they continued to support him no matter what was said. A new beginning? No! Whatever their reasons, these councillors are equally guilty and the only right and proper cause of action is for all councillors to resign, because it is unlikely they will find many residents wanting to join the council whilst this is hanging over them. A new beginning will come only when they all leave. However, I have one request from whoever takes on the mantle of chairman – temporary or otherwise, ‘a clear and unequivocal public apology to the two victims who have suffered under their tenure’. That is the very least they deserve. 2526
It is known that there are an infinite number of worlds, simply because there is an infinite amount of space for them to be in. However, not every one of them is inhabited. Therefore, there must be a finite number of inhabited worlds. Any finite number divided by infinity is as near to nothing as makes no odds, so the average population of all the planets in the Universe can be said to be zero. From this it follows that the population of the whole Universe is also zero, and that any people you may meet from time to time are merely the products of a deranged imagination. For a population of perhaps zero, who cares? Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. Reply
Sorry for my bad English My natural language is logic , one and zero…. My point about the hub management group was not that the people are X councillors, even if a councillor, be that PC, SCDC or district sits on the hub engagement board, they do so as an individual, NOT as a councillor. The views these people express to the Hub management group are theirs alone, nothing to do with the PC. The PC has a contract with the hub management group, who work very hard to manage the HUB day to day ,to the village despite all the circumstances. The PC has to work on the collective responsibility principle, That is all members of the PC have to put forward the collective / democratic view of the council in council matters. As in our legal system, its the democratic decision of the jury not individuals. In the PC, one can vote for, against or abstain , and have the fact recorded, but after the vote, you all speak as one voice or leave the council. Collective responsibility is a very old English tradition, that has many problems but I think in the end it works best. Reply
How many more incidents are going to be brushed under the carpet or down played!!? It’s bad enough that a adult was bullied and intimidated but to have it done in front of her children is totally unacceptable. It’s time for people to start being held accountable for their actions Reply
Point of note please, the Hub management group , are not councilors. Some might think otherwise, but the PC has one member on the Hub management group board who reports back to the PC. That is all. The Hub management group is a stand alone company, all of who are un paid volunteers, with their own constitution and rules. The Hub management group employ people at the hub , and rent out the office space and meeting rooms to others, including the parish council. Reply
Apologies. My error. 3 members of the Hub management Group are some of the very recent ex Councillors who have resigned. Reply
Do you know what is interesting… The only people in the Hub all afternoon were complete strangers to this victim (other than who she asked to come and sit with her). The only people who would know who she was is the staff and the Hub management group… (I.e Councillors!). I wouldn’t be surprised if that comment about it being blown out of proportion was from one of them. Reply
Down-playing incidents like this and claiming them to be ‘exaggerations’, ‘ridiculous’ or unimportant are exactly how situations escalate, just use the recent Council dilemma as a perfect example of this. This needs to be dealt with appropriately and quickly, and an apology made. Reply
You also completely fail to take into account the CUMULATIVE effect on my family. This is not an isolated incident. Would you be happy for this to be you? To walk into a cafe and have a raised voice saying you were not going to be served? Followed by more verbal abuse. DId you witness that also? Would you be happy to be stared at repeatedly and your children to witness this? I’m sorry, but your comment is completely ignorant. Reply
This matter has been reported to the correct authorities including the Charity Commission for investigation. No child should ever be subject to witnessing verbal or non verbal abuse of their mothers or indeed any member of the public. This will have a lasting effect on them and they are now scared to use the Hub. I am their father. Reply
I am really sorry but this is being blown out of all proportion – how ridiculous. They were laughing and joking and also managed to go back to the till to order something else. This doesn’t add up to them being intimidated or scared now does it? Reply
No, I am sorry. I don’t believe you have the authority to say how my children or wife are feeling. You also do not know the circumstances of why they were still there. You also fail to mention that after 3 phone calls my wife asked me to come down and that this lady would not stop staring at her and my children (witness by my daughter) and also that two other gentlemen came down to check they were ok and sit with them. I’m sure if this was your or your family you would not being so flippant. You are right, my wife did not runaway and nor should she. She continued to try to go about her business and enjoy her day. She made an immediate and formal complaint to the manager who took the staff member out of sight and asked her to keep away from my family. Do you know what was said? Or are you basing you comments on very little fact? They were concerned enough to report it to the police. Reply
The same victim was abused in the Hub today… A business Directed by the same Councillor/s, by the Catering Manager whilst with her two young children. This was a totally unprovoked attack and can only be assumed to be part of the campaign of abuse from the same people. Her young children were frightened and intimidated as the member of staff, refused to serve them and refused to apologise after then verbally abusing them in public! The lady had neither approached nor abused ANY of the staff prior to this incident. The member of staff reasoning was that the previous day, the lady had gone into the Council office without saying ‘Hello’ to the staff?! The current response of the Management Group was to ask the victim to no longer go in the Hub. Absolute unbelievable. Those poor children. Reply
Thank you for your comment and I do appreciate your anger towards the treatment of this person. However, as you did not witness the altercation it would be inappropriate for you to name anyone on this site. I have altered your text to reflect this and hope you will agree it does not detract from what you had to say. If I may draw your attention to some of the Comments in ‘The Rumour Mill!’ I hope it will explain my reasons. Reply
Seems that the Crow has picked up on this, too. According to the article, they are also requesting a copy of this now infamous report via a Freedom of Information request. https://www.royston-crow.co.uk Reply