It was good to see that Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera was cleared and exonerated of any wrong doing, I feel this is a vindication of his good character, honesty and also his integrity. It is sad that decent councillors such as him are tarnished by those others who are still on our council, still time for a Swift-Half.

It is just a shame that decent, honest councillors like him are very few and far between. In fact he is only the second elected councillor who is worth an ounce of respect.

Sadly I very much doubt if we will ever know half of the shambles that has gone on, but because of people like him at least we know there is a "shambles" going on!

There are certain people who have been trying for a long time to expose what is going on but they have been vilified by our Local Councillors. They have tried to gag the stalwart of these, Simon Kirby, by trying to get him to sign agreements to not publish any comments unless it was approved by the Council. They did this under the guise of letting him remain a tenant of his allotment if he did sign. As his conscience would not allow this they spitefully took away his allotment and declared him vexatious.
All this would not be unfamiliar to someone living in a Communist state but for it to happen in a market town run by a so called Liberal Democratic Council beggars belief?
What is even worse is the local electorate allowed it to happen without so much as a murmur it would appear!
Ruwan was given a heads up by some of us about what to expect and even I was stunned by how soon he was forced to be dispatched for trying to make changes to the dysfunctional organisation it has become.

I just hope that Councillors come grovelling at doors for re-election and get the very appropriate response that they deserve!

Couldn't put it better myself.

Did the NWN ever publish the letter Simon wrote a couple of weeks ago, if they did I must have missed it. If not I wonder why !!

No they didn't. I suspect they felt it was a little near the knuckle. Simon should have moderated it slightly.

No, I don't think that was it, and they had in any case already published my initial criticism of the council's unwarranted secrecy and that wasn't a letter I had asked the editor to publish, it was simply a comment I'd left on the NWN Facebook article.

It is a matter of public record that the Town Council are actively resisting their duty to publish the hydrogeological reports on their own account by asserting legal professional privilege in the reports, and the Deputy Leader's public assertion that the Council are unable to publish the reports because of the "confidentiality agreement" is disingenuous and given what rides on the reports it is in the public interest to challenge the Council on this.

As for Ruwan, I count him among my friends and I feel for the man taking all this hate from his local party for doing the right thing. Ruwan reminded me recently how it was my question to him on this forum that put him on to the legal costs insurance so I feel some responsibility for his treatment, but his struggle was nonetheless his own, and he's a tenacious chap as anyone who knows him will tell.

Thank you for that Cognosco, and OtE too - it's been a lonely road at times, and I'm reminded every day of the injustice of losing my allotment, especially so in the Spring when I should be over there putting in all the hard work for the year. Since the Town Council revoked my designation as a Vexatious Complainant last Autumn I have been able to use the Council's complaints process, and the Council have invited detailed complaints which I have delivered. So far the Council have refused to allow an independent investigation of the complaints, and have refused my request for supporting evidence as "vexatious". Having waited several months I have still to receive a decision on my complaints.

I'm just some bloke to most of you and I completely understand that my suffering isn't of any great interest, but if they come for you? The Council call me a "trouble maker" to my face, and to be honest I think that's pretty much how anyone else would see my situation - I would indeed have avoided all of this trouble if I had kept my head down and said nothing.

In my opinion the Deputy Leader's statement, as has been the opinion of the Leader, is baloney. Sadly, I live on a strong Lib Dem area so my 'Eff Off' to canvassers will have little effect and that goes to their partners in crime: the Tories, too.

Simon, you have been a voice of moderate complaint for years.
Indeed the star of Clangers and more on youtube.

It is worrying that a normal(ish) complaint is taken so harshly.

I went to see "Taken at Midnight" recently. 1933 Germany.
Troublemakers went first. Score settling was high on the agenda.

Keep a scythe by the front door. And no.. don't go in for olive oil at bedtime!
ChristopherE

Thank you Christopher.

I can't really add much to the grievances felt by NTC taxpayers.
I only pass by for a newt every so often.

Looking from the outside ,(and there are just as many issues in my neck of the woods), the whole
charade seems to be a Pinewood Ruritania. With JSH as a man of many parts.
ce

aren't we all just blokes.

Next time they call you a trouble maker, deliver them a wasps nest via UPS.

I only think you would appear to be a troublemaker to someone who doesn't think/know/understand that we need change..

Good man MM.

Dear Forum Members,

I thank you all for your kind words, but I am reminded of the saying "don't count your chickens before they are hatched".

The silliness continues and people are still hiding behind processes, procedures and practices to avoid answering for their actions to the public, so I expect more complaints yet.

Until the public are fully informed of what I uncovered and what subsequently transpired that led to me being painted as 'disloyal' and otherwise without integrity, I will continue to challenge Newbury Town Council and its leadership, and will not be silenced.

I remain committed to the principles of fairness and equality that are at the core of the Liberal Democrat Party, and the oath's of office that I undertook as both a police officer and a councillor, and without fear or favour will continue to challenge the 'cabal' that appears to be running Newbury Town Council.

I look forward to the 'good' Councillors, for they do exist, to step forward and restore the good name that Newbury Town Council once had, by exposing and toppling those who bring shame on their office. Once those who has sullied the reputation of the Council have been dealt with, I will reconsider my own position in local politics.

Again, I wish to thank the many people who never doubted me, your continuing support has, and continues to give me strength.

One last thing, with regard to the forthcoming elections it is imperative that people engage in the process and vote for change, for otherwise we merely get 'more of the same'c Who you vote for is your choice (as a Buddhist, I do not evangelise), but please challenge whomever appears on your doorstep to assess their commitment.

Yours sincerely and fraternally,

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera