Posted on Sunday, 31st July 2016 | 6 Comments It is hard to comprehend why the majority on the parish council still wish to prevent the publication of the report. The councillor concerned has admitted that at least some of the accusations in the document are true. Although, he is now arguing that the person was not an employee of the council, but a sub-contractor. Mr Ian Dewar the CEO of CAPALC on the other hand, has argued that the person was effectively forced from her job with a ‘loss of earnings’. Regardless of whether she was employed or a sub-contractor this constitutes a pecuniary interest and is a ‘matter for the criminal authorities i.e. the Police’. Three councillors voted to have the document released to the public. Cllr Townsend Cllr Mulcock Cllr Hart The remaining seven councillors on two occasions, voted to suppress the document. Cllr Gatward Cllr Sherwen Cllr Linnette Cllr Bloomfield Cllr Stead Cllr Crosby Cllr Parton Given that the councillor concerned has admitted that some accusations are true and that Mr Ian Dewar has said this is a Police matter. I would like to ask each councillor two questions. “Do you still unreservedly support the councillor concerned?” “Do you still agree that the document should not be released?” If you continue to ignore the calls by the people you represent and the authorities YOU asked to help with the complaints, the consequences for the council and the whole village could be disastrous. 3722
Why do we have to wait till 67 to get a bus pass down on hythe surrounding areas when. If I live in Greater London it’s 60 and they can use it down here seems very unfair if you paid in your contributions Reply
By the way as a previous Chair of a nearby PC I would like to say that Councillors are NOT volunteers but as Ian Dewar always points out Councillors are elected. Reply
Councillors are, indeed, elected, although I believe that there has not been an actual election for Melbourn’s PC in the last 20 years or more. They are still “volunteers” in the sense that “Melbourn Resident” meant as they voluntarily put themselves forward and they do not get any sort of remuneration. That sounds like voluntary work to me. The difference, I think, is that as a Councillor they are duty bound to do a certain amount of work whereas a volunteer only does what they wish to. Reply
What an absolute sham, what a disgrace, how embarrasing. What is really going on???? Is there something to hide?????? Why turn a blind eye to bullying???? What or who is keeping them all there???. a pathetic bully and his little friends!!! What a joke!!!!! Someone’s got to say it, !!!!! Reply
There is clearly something depressingly rotten at the core of the council. It would seem to me that the only way forward, if there is any chance of regaining the community’s trust, is to commit to real transparency and a fresh start, rather than to the obvious and rather clumsy persistent ‘FIFAesque’ denials we are seeing. In reality the much-discussed report publication is to some extent academic as enough hints have been given to reveal unambiguously who is genuinely at fault, but the extraordinary thing to witness is how the person in question and close associates continue to dig themselves deeper and deeper in an apparent attempt to cling on to some reputation – I believe it’s safe to say that horse has bolted. For me the question is to what extent the rest of the councillors are implicated in the dubious practice and wrongdoings, and in consideration of this the reader might view the above list of names and draw their own conclusion. Whether by active support, passive aquiescence or by submission to the insidious coercion that I understand has become common practice in the council’s internal conduct (the public was able to witness this personal style on display at the most recent meeting which I’m in no doubt would be ratcheted up significantly in private), the councillors who have resisted openness and scrutiny and not stood up for personal respect are jointly-responsible for the situation the council is now in. It puzzles me how slow they seem to be to recognise this and are repeating their mistakes. Maybe we might give them the benefit of doubt and assume they are embarrassed of their complicity, or perhaps even fearful of legal consequences for them personally once (inevitably) everything is out in the open, but for sure their actions over the coming weeks will reveal to all residents where they stand as village representatives. My guess is that they are enduring personal anxieties over their positions, but their opportunities to repair damage to their own reputations are rapidly running out. Unfortunately meanwhile the whole community of Melbourn is being let down. It really doesn’t matter where one stands on the specific accusations, the fact is that for the council they have become all-consuming and nothing further can be effectively accomplished until they are dealt with satisfactorily. So, councillors, we know you are volunteers and generally well-intentioned, but you currently have district councillors, CAPALC, and chairpersons from other best-practice Parish Councils advising you that the present Melbourn Parish Council is dysfunctional, so please take the hint… Reply