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Cllr Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera Resigns, Time for a clear-out at the town-hall? |
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Dec 6 2014, 08:27 PM
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QUOTE (gel @ Dec 6 2014, 07:54 PM) Unfortunately town and parish councils are not within the scope of the local government ombudsman. It would possibly help if they were, but the LGO is a particularly weak and feeble institution peopled by ex-council officers and as such it has a tremendous establishment bias. Individual councillors can be reported to the Standards Committee of their primary council if they have broken the code of conduct, but that can't address the decisions and actions of the council itself and it is also ineffectual and self-serving. My feeling is that town and parish councils should be accountable the Ombudsman and decisions of that ombudsman should be appeal-able to a legal tribunal. As things stand the ordinary citizen has no practical means of holding their town or parish council to account or seeking redress. If you're fabulously wealthy you can appeal a decision of a town or parish council to a judicial review which will judge the decision against established standards of sanity and probity but that's hardly an option for most of us.
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Right an injustice - give Simon Kirby his allotment back!
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Dec 7 2014, 10:15 AM
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QUOTE (Simon Kirby @ Dec 5 2014, 07:09 PM) This is the problem as I see it. The Council say there was an independent report into whether or not someone did or didn't claim on the legal expenses insurance, and that the investigation ruled that it was "human error, nothing more" - but why can't we see that investigation? A duty of care? I'm not sure it is necessary to humiliate someone and nor do I think it would make any difference. QUOTE (Simon Kirby @ Dec 5 2014, 07:09 PM) The Council are telling us there's "nothing to see, move along now", but they also told us that they couldn't publish the hydrogeological reports because of a "confidentiality agreement", so my experience tells me not to take on trust anything the Council says but always to seek independent confirmation. So let's see that independent investigation. Agreed. The NTC have not proven to me there is a CA. Sadly, even when it was investigated the ICO didn't seem to recognise what constitutes an agreement either.
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Dec 7 2014, 12:05 PM
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"We consider the matter settled" states Deputy Leader of Newbury Town Council. I am not so sure that the public will consider this matter "settled" for the pertinent questions have still to be answered, by Newbury Town Council as to why this "human error" was kept under wraps for four years, and who else was involved or otherwise knew? Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera Former Councillor
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Dec 7 2014, 12:17 PM
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QUOTE (Andy Capp @ Dec 7 2014, 10:15 AM) A duty of care? I'm not sure it is necessary to humiliate someone and nor do I think it would make any difference.
Agreed. The NTC have not proven to me there is a CA. Sadly, even when it was investigated the ICO didn't seem to recognise what constitutes an agreement either. I don't know. It's easy enough to forget to send off a form, but a professional business organises itself so that this kind of error is less easily made. This was a reasonably significant matter for the Council and I would expect as a minimum for there to be a series of business meetings with the appropriate officers and councillors present to formulate responses and review actions. People can forget stuff, and that's why you minute and review, so it's not so much that someone forgot to fill in a form, but that the council may conceivably be managed so chaotically that such an error wasn't picked up. We elect our councillors to ensure that the business of the council is managed efficiently, and it manifestly is not, so it's only fair to expect to know how exactly the error happened, even if we don't know who exactly. The "who" is relatively unimportant, as long as we know that it won't happen again. However, the more troubling aspect of this snafu is that it was hidden from the tax-paying public for four years and a grudging acknowledgement of the failing was only made after the councillor who blew the whistle resigned in protest at what he says was a "cover-up". In point of fact the Council have still not published a public acknowledgement of the failing or an explanation for how it happened, and Cllr Allen just wants us to take on trust that it was "human error" and let the matter drop. Now the Council can be effusive in the public explanation when it suits them - take this one for example - and I suggest this business also needs a fulsome explanation.
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Right an injustice - give Simon Kirby his allotment back!
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Dec 7 2014, 12:33 PM
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QUOTE (Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera @ Dec 7 2014, 12:05 PM) "We consider the matter settled" states Deputy Leader of Newbury Town Council. Ah yes, Deputy Leader Smee.
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Right an injustice - give Simon Kirby his allotment back!
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Dec 7 2014, 02:23 PM
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So when exactly did this investigation take place? Was it recently or did they investigate four years ago and not bother to inform the precept payers until recently? Who carried out the investigation? Will we be able to see the results of the investigation? How can this rabble keep making these gaffs and still keep carrying on as though it were just the Mayor breaking wind again and nobody trying to notice? If it were not the fact that it is costing precept payers each time one of their gaffs occur it would be laughable. Yet they declare one precept payer vexatious for asking too many questions that they did not want to answer and explained it was costing taxpayers a lot of money in having to supply answers so what punishment should we place on this rabble for costing us £80000 and that is just this gaff let alone the rest over recent years!
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Vexatious Candidate?
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Dec 7 2014, 08:29 PM
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QUOTE (Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera @ Dec 7 2014, 12:05 PM) "We consider the matter settled" states Deputy Leader of Newbury Town Council.
I am not so sure that the public will consider this matter "settled" for the pertinent questions have still to be answered, by Newbury Town Council as to why this "human error" was kept under wraps for four years, and who else was involved or otherwise knew?
Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera Former Councillor Ah, I now understand a little more: the council sat on this until it was revealed. So the real question is did the council 'sit on it'?
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Dec 8 2014, 04:04 PM
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QUOTE (NWNREADER @ Dec 8 2014, 01:36 PM) I'm still wondering.... Why resign as a Councillor? Why not just continue as an Independent? Would you like to be known for having any association with this bunch of misfits? He would only be blamed for propping up a long discredited council and why stay when you know full well they it is a closed shop unless you are part of the private club?
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Vexatious Candidate?
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Dec 8 2014, 04:54 PM
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QUOTE (Cognosco @ Dec 8 2014, 04:04 PM) Would you like to be known for having any association with this bunch of misfits? He would only be blamed for propping up a long discredited council and why stay when you know full well they it is a closed shop unless you are part of the private club? Couldn't agree more! What is also very concerning is the deafening silence of the opposition and yet both parties still pretend there is no coalition locally.
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Know your place!
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Dec 8 2014, 06:02 PM
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QUOTE (On the edge @ Dec 8 2014, 04:54 PM) Couldn't agree more! What is also very concerning is the deafening silence of the opposition and yet both parties still pretend there is no coalition locally. Afraid it is just one charade.......it is a private club run for the benefit of the few!
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Vexatious Candidate?
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Dec 8 2014, 06:12 PM
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QUOTE (NWNREADER @ Dec 8 2014, 01:36 PM) I'm still wondering.... Why resign as a Councillor? Why not just continue as an Independent? It's like Cognosco says, you either resign or sell-out.
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Right an injustice - give Simon Kirby his allotment back!
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Dec 8 2014, 09:40 PM
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QUOTE (On the edge @ Dec 8 2014, 04:54 PM) Couldn't agree more! What is also very concerning is the deafening silence of the opposition and yet both parties still pretend there is no coalition locally. Maybe they've done a deal! Conservatives don't highlight Lib Dem incompetence at NTC in not claiming insurance. Lib Dems don't highlight Conservatives at WBC involvement in not realising that allowing Parkway construction to massively reducing the water table will cause problems. Two bunches of Feckwits protected - public fleeced as normal - All OK
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Dec 9 2014, 07:25 AM
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The online paper states:
"NEWBURY Town Council has been accused of failing to disclose the loss of public money, and of failing to uphold the basic principles of public office
Its former deputy leader Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera (pictured right) made the claims in a letter of resignation last week.
An independent investigation was launched by the town council after Mr Uduwerage-Perera whistleblew that it may have missed out on the chance to claim back up to £50,000 of its legal expenses in its ongoing dispute with Parkway developer Costain.
The council this week admitted it failed to trigger a legal expenses claim with an insurance company for years ago and put the fault down to ‘human error’"
The £50,000 figure is a bit of a 'red herring' , for the maximum claim for legal costs was as far as I was aware, potentially considerably greater than this figure.
Personally I feel that there should be a genuinely independent investigation into this matter for the residents of Newbury deserve to know the truth.
As for my political future, well having been 'sent to Coventry' (which I am sure is very pleasant, but not overly convenient), I will doggedly continue to support the Liberal Democrat Party, Regionally and Nationally in promoting a 'social liberal' agenda, for I am a social liberal to the core.
I urge everyone to please not to give up on politics, but to do demand more of their elected representatives, for this matter has nothing to do with Party politics, but attempting to cover up the ineptitude of some.
There are a significant number of Newbury Town Councillors who are committed to supporting the public, but alas they have been 'treated as mushrooms' by a few who retain the real power. One never knows, perhaps the Councillors themselves will demand an inquiry?
Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera Former Councillor
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