Facebook Campaign for my Allotment Options

[Cognosco]

If you ask questions about Simon that is exactly the reply they will always give. If you are an NTC resident, ask questions about the matters Simon has issues with.

Standard reply...."As their are legal proceedings pending regarding allotment contracts and costs we are unable to enter into any correspondance on the matter of allotments until the legal process has completed"

[Cognosco]

The small amounts the Council has allowed to trickle out does not explain anything of the situation at all, in fact it creates in my mind even more confusion, why will they not explain the gagging contract and how it came about?

Why do they refuse to publish the minutes of a council meeting if they have nothing to hide? The more they insist on not publishing the more is needed to ensure they do publish.
Why, if as they believe, they have left no stone unturned to come to agreement with Simon do they not let ratepayers see the evidence?
Why does a ratepayer have to lose the use of an allotment for pointing out that the council have not issued a fair contract for costs of a plot which appears to have been backed up by Trading Standards.
Why does a ratepayer have to lose the use of an allotment for stating that Self Management would be beneficial to allotmenteers as well as ratepayers? These are the questions to which I want answers to! If all the ratepayers of NTC were classed as vexatious for calling the council bad names and more or less useless then there would be only one class.

That is without touching on questions such as why drains were installed that run uphill and why some of the allotments are used as council car parks? The list could go on and on! These are just a few of the questions that have so far been pushed aside and I and others have been refused answers to?

[Strafin]

Could we (the public) force this on to an agenda for a future meeting and come along to ask questions and show support?

[Cognosco]

Could we (the public) force this on to an agenda for a future meeting and come along to ask questions and show support?

A meeting to only discuss the councils allotment crisis is what is required. No restrictions on what questions as per usual as long as they are regarding allotments. Also not held at 10.00 am on a Monday morning so that no members of the public are able to attend due to work commitments. Publish all Minutes of council meetings, whether full council or not, one week before the meeting. Pledge to not evict Simon Kirby until at least one month after public meeting.

Start trying to adhere to openess and transparency for once.

[On the edge]

Seems to me there are three avenues that could be explored:-

1. Have a formal discussion with Richard Beynon - after all the outright rejection of self management doesn't sit with 'Big Society' or indeed co-operative type ventures for services that HMG are presently promoting.

2. Contact the District Auditor - who should be able at least to check the allocation of funds and income on the allotment account to determine fairness.

3. Try the Ombudsmun process as it might also provide a route. He could at least pronounce on the fairness or otherwise of the conduct of this matter.

Must say that this coupled with other recent happenings in our local governance arrangements have reduced any lingering respect I might have had.

Albeit WBC rather than NTC - the mess over the Park Way bridge signs, then the 'dirty restaurants' issue - when we find later that Council owned school kitchens are just as bad!!

What is going on with public administration in Newbury?

[Cognosco]

Oh yes. In the last couple of years we've hardly exchanged any e-mails at all but in the first years of the Society there was a lot or correspondence about the site hut - one email to arrange a site visit, get permission, and shake hands on the deal, and then a hundred more e-mails being messed about. They complain that I have to take no for an answer, but they'd said yes! Not just verbally, after some more e-mails I got written permission, but still they wouldn't actually let it happen. You'd have to read the correspondence to understand the treachery, but it was a miserable display and thoroughly frustrating, just as it was intended to be.

Interestingly enough they have used the old "excessive officer time" argument against me, but a council officer confided in me and the society secretary in a meeting in December 2009 that the individual who was actually responsible for using up excessive officer time with their frequent groundless complaints against me and the Society was someone else entirely, though funily enough they've never issued a public statement about that. If we ever get an open investigation into the failings at the council I will be pleased to see this evidence come out.

So just what are the officers there for if not to deal with the customers queries?

[Cognosco]

Seems to me there are three avenues that could be explored:-

1. Have a formal discussion with Richard Beynon - after all the outright rejection of self management doesn't sit with 'Big Society' or indeed co-operative type ventures for services that HMG are presently promoting.

2. Contact the District Auditor - who should be able at least to check the allocation of funds and income on the allotment account to determine fairness.

3. Try the Ombudsmun process as it might also provide a route. He could at least pronounce on the fairness or otherwise of the conduct of this matter.

Must say that this coupled with other recent happenings in our local governance arrangements have reduced any lingering respect I might have had.

Albeit WBC rather than NTC - the mess over the Park Way bridge signs, then the 'dirty restaurants' issue - when we find later that Council owned school kitchens are just as bad!!

What is going on with public administration in Newbury?

There is something rotten in the borough of Newbury methinks?

[Cognosco]

Thanks OtE. I think 1. and 2. are serious option. Ombudsman is unfortunately not an option as town councils aren't within her jusisdiction. Trading Standards could certainly have done more but wouldn't, and I'm not entirely happy about that, but I can only fight so many battles. I have a couple of friendlies who are helping now but I think for Richard Benyon to take the matter seriously I'll need more organised support.

There must be at least one councillor who is hanging their head in shame? If only that one would come forward and offer assistance to help solve this council caused problem and show that their is someone with some common sense left in our town council?

Please let us know of any assistance we can give Simon?

[Vodabury]

There must be at least one councillor who is hanging their head in shame? If only that one would come forward and offer assistance to help solve this council caused problem and show that their is someone with some common sense left in our town council?

Please let us know of any assistance we can give Simon?

I know little about local politics so cannot offer detailed assistance other than to say if Simon has been treated unfairly and NTC have behaved poorly, then he deserves all support.

Simon certainly seems to have done his homework on this matter and has written eloquently, but needs to guard against any use of words that could make him look deliberately combative or difficult.

They say a photo speaks a thousand words, so to keep people’s interest can he obtain a few more and with comments – showing the care he has put into his allotment and comparing it to surroundings and/or other bits of council–owned land?

Facebook was a good idea, as long as comments are moderate(d).

I wish Simon luck.

[Penelope]

Bit of polital virgin but, wouldn't it be possible to put forward a candidate at the next round of local elections, pick a likely name and launch a campaign to get them onto the council. At the very least it would grab some attention and if we were successful we would have our own insider. Luvly.

[Vodabury]

Now, that is a great allotment!

Funnily enough, I thought of your situation today upon listening to Jeremy Vine on Radio 2. They have an allotment spot on a Friday and the show does like a human interest/David and Goliath type story..?

[On the edge]

Thanks OtE. I think 1. and 2. are serious option. Ombudsman is unfortunately not an option as town councils aren't within her jusisdiction. Trading Standards could certainly have done more but wouldn't, and I'm not entirely happy about that, but I can only fight so many battles. I have a couple of friendlies who are helping now but I think for Richard Benyon to take the matter seriously I'll need more organised support.

As far as I can make out, the Ombudsman can't look at Parish Councils because an 'appeal' would go to the 'Local Authority' in our case - West Berkshire. They are supposed to have a 'Standards Committee' - which is empowered to deal with such things. Then, of course, if its still not resolved, the Ombudsman can get involved; because it would be with the 'Local Authority'. A bit convoluted, but seems to make legal sense! Suspect getting WBC's 'Standards Committee' to take this may be a challenge. Will check the validity of this process out next week elsewhere - then may have another door to knock so to speak!

[Simon Kirby]

Now, that is a great allotment!

Thanks for that. I'm not a great gardener, I stick to the simle things, but I make an effort, and being vegetarian I really appreciate what I grow.

[Simon Kirby]

Suspect getting WBC's 'Standards Committee' to take this may be a challenge. Will check the validity of this process out next week elsewhere - then may have another door to knock so to speak!

I feel that involving WBC is utterly, utterly futile.

[Penelope]

Leave no stone unturned. Even the ones with councillors underneath.

[Cognosco]

Easter Quiz.

Members are asked to peruse the following, then answer the question posed at the bottom.







Using their best skill and judgment, forum members are asked to guess just who the 'lady' referred to in 'jaycakes' post might be.

Doesn't this represent the worst kind of petulant, petty-minded behaviour?

You can therefore now understand why taxpayers are very wary of the local councillors. You can understand why Simon is reluctant to give in to such people. Unfortunatley it would seem most of the NTC Councillors are of a similar ilk.

This is one of the reasons why they must not be allowed to get away with treating someone in this manner.
We have our troops fighting in foreign countries to allow people to live in a democracy with freedom and fairness. Yet this kind of petty behaviour is going on, with no recourse to any sort of justice and no explanations and no way to get answers from the council, in one of our own small towns in England.

[On the edge]

Is this the lady that needs referring to the standards committee? They don't (or should not) restrict to presently serving Councillors. This would start to open the whole thing to scrutiny.

[Cognosco]

Is this the lady that needs referring to the standards committee? They don't (or should not) restrict to presently serving Councillors. This would start to open the whole thing to scrutiny.

There is a complete silence from the council OTE. No answer to letters or Emails! Only reply has been as this is a dispute with an individual they will not enter into any correspondence? As there is a possibility of legal action they will not enter into any correspondence regarding allotments.

Just how do we get any scrutiny? It appears they have slammed the door shut and put up the barricades.
I can just see why Simon tended to lose his temper if they have treated him the same? It appears as if they are a law unto themselves and they have to answer to no one! It must be possible to make them accountable? The more they keep quite on this the more I am convinced they have something to hide!

[Turin Machine]

I find this all very frustrating, I know Simon has a 'rep' but I also know that not responding in a right and proper manner smacks of rule under the lenin regime, I have also heard Simon being slagged off by 'people in the know' which is disturbing. If and only if fthe council has indeed acted in the manner portrayed by Mr Kirby then I find it shamefull in the extreme that these people hold any sway whatsoever in the running of the affairs of this town.

I understand that the members in question are not going to expose them selves to trial by forum over this mattter, but their total silence is an indication or the 'stick together' mentality so prevalent in local council today.

If and only if the accusations made by Simon are true then they should consider resignin 'en masse'.

my two pennorth.

[Nothing Much]

Simon Kirby. You are a lone voice in the wilderness.

There is still hope. A group of disaffected Londoners banded together about various issues that affected them.
Parking,tree felling, selling off "gifted land". Older bro put his head above the parapet and joined a mixed bunch
of wealthy and not so wealthy. He has dropped out now.
( Arterial Fibrillation. Too much excitement getting the council on the run....).Still, they won. Council lost.

Look Up Richmond United Group,(RUG).

RUG is my pension provider. Thanks Lord lord lloyd W.of rabbits warren.
If there are a group of interested residents on other matters you should make an effort to hold meetings
and thrash out a way to take on the council.Ketts rebellion is still celebrated. (He would have died anyway)
Didn't want to mention the hanging.
ce