Dear Colleagues,

Was the term "numpty" used. Yes, and for using such a heinous word I stand guilty as charged, so an angel I am not, but did I claim to be?

The interesting thing is that these so-called independent investigations, which were undertaken in the strangest of ways without statements of evidence or collating actual evidence, were not interested in the apparent mismanagement of public funds and the subsequent cover up. Why? Tens of thousands of pounds of public money has been needlessly spent and nobody seems to be bothered, not even the current Tory Council leadership.

To this day there is at least one Councillor in Newbury Town Council (no need to guess who) and one Officer (again no need to guess who) actually know what happened, but they have apparently avoided being questioned by making what I believe to be malicious complaints against me. Both of these people from 2010 have kept the truth from the residents of Newbury how there was an apparent 'management error', and when this came to light, oddly it was I and not they that has been branded in negative terms. There is even documentary evidence to support me assertions.

In hindsight, "numpty" is far too low a level a word to use for the behaviour that I have witnessed and I am still experiencing. Numpty is merely being silly, what I have seen is far more unscrupulous than that.

I will carry on challenging those who seem to believe that they are 'untouchable', for I took that oath and I just cannot let misbehaviour go unchallenged.

Yours fraternally.

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera

Liberal Democrat Activist and 'Whistle Blowing' Former Councillor at Newbury Town Council

"Another Eastern European thief in our courts"

Really, is there any need to racialise crime? As a former police officer and an academic in the field of criminology and criminal justice there is no evidence to support the supposition that people commit crime because of their ethnicity.

If anyone wishes to challenge this position then feel free to enrol at Southampton Solent University on the MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice Course where you can debate the matter live with me and others for hours.

Yours

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera

I can honestly say that I am disappointed for although the CEO had no case against me, he still in my opinion had a possible case of 'constructive dismissal' against NTC on other grounds, which clearly did not come out.

Unfortunately, but obviously, I was never called as a witness by either side.

Still though, the people of Newbury have not been told the entire truth by NTC, and I wonder just how long the council will get away with its usual silence.

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Liberal Democrat Party activist and 'Whistle Blower'

Which side would have called me as I image that neither would wish me to speak? There is the dilemma!

Apparently I have to sit back and have exceptionally negative things said about me without any opportunity for redress!

When will the people of Newbury demand to know what has happened?

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Liberal Democrat Activist and former 'Whistle Blowing Councillor'

Dear Readers,

Some really good Councillors have been lost over the past few days here in Newbury and West Berkshire which reflected the demise nationally of some rather good Members of Parliament as well.

I personally wish the leadership of the new administration of Newbury Town Council well and hope that they will be more public minded than the past one. Sadly though I fear that this will not be the case over the next four years, for the tenets of Toryism appears to be based on 'taking from the poor and giving to the rich'. The new leadership could prove me wrong though by choosing to be more open and transparent in its policies, procedures and practices.

The new administration has inherited serious questions that still need to be answered, and they cannot afford to start off their term by carrying on the apparent belligerence of the past leadership:

1. Why in 2010 did Newbury Town Council choose not to claim on legal cost insurance, which has resulted in tens of thousands of pounds of public money being unnecessarily spent regarding the Victoria Park damage claim?
2. Who was responsible for the failure to make an insurance claim?
3. Who knew of the failure to make an insurance claim?
4. Why has there been an apparent five year 'cover up' of the failure to make an insurance claim?
5. Who has been responsible for this 'cover up"?
6. Will the new administration establish an independent inquiry to look into this situation, or will they do as the past administration and belligerently remain silent?

I am willing to be called before a public inquiry to answer any questions that the new administration has, in order that the public truly find out about this situation. If Newbury Town Council has nothing to fear then why does it choose to prevaricate so?

I do look forward to seeing a truly Liberal and Democratic presence within Newbury Town Council for the residents deserve this, and I look to the minority LibDems present to 'walk the talk' and demonstrate to the public just how good our Party can truly be. In the spirit of the Liberal Democrat Party I genuinely believe that increased openness would have been assisted by the presence of a group such as the Apoliticals, for they would have acted as the conscience of the Council, but this was not to be.

I hope that they and others will remain active quizzing the Town and District Councils, for an alternative voice is desperately needed here in West Berkshire.

Yours sincerely,

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Liberal Democrat Party member - 'Official Whistleblower'

Dear Forum Readers,

I will be watching with bated breath tomorrow, but personally I would sooner seen Councillor Swift-Hook survive the culling and be held to account for the matters which I blew the whistle over rather than lose his seat and be allowed to escape public scrutiny.

Whoever is in charge of Newbury Town Council, the time has come for greater openness and transparency on the part of the Officers and Members, for the residents of Newbury simply deserve so much more from those whom the entrust to run the Town Council.

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Liberal Democrat Party - 'Resident Whistleblower'

Dear Colleagues,

I am currently returning from Edinburgh where I have been involved in the General Election and where I witnessed the sad loss of some incredibly good Liberal Democrat MP's such as Charles Kennedy and John Thurso, and I am watching the news emanating from Newbury and West Berkshire with growing interest.

I truly hope that the good Liberal Democrat Councillors and candidates who uphold the principles of the Party are successful, and as such I am pleased to see that Lee Dillion has returned to the District Council this year.

The Liberal Democrat Party that has at its core the finest of principles has nationally been punished for its apparent acquiescence, so now we have to rebuild in order to reassure the electorate that we have learnt from the experience of being in Coalition with the Conservative Party that is ideologically different.

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Chair - Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats & Newbury Town Council 'Whistleblower'

Dear Colleagues,

I can assure you that there are no conspiracies as I am aware that Judith Bunting lives in Newbury.

As for not saying exactly where, the law changed a few years ago and, candidates need no longer give their precise address.

Yours

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Liberal Democrat 'whistle blower'

Congratulations goes to Simon Kirby and Mark Knight for never succumbing to the barriers that they faced for such a long time to reveal the reports that should never have been hidden from public view.

This success could if pressed home lead to further questions that have been fudged by the leadership of Newbury Town Council finally being answered.

I have to say that both Simon and Mark would have made genuinely excellent Liberal Democrat candidates, but my parties loss is the Apoliticals gain.

Yours,

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Liberal Democrat 'whistleblower'

Although the problems at Newbury Town Council may have started out as "incompetence", they moved swiftly beyond this years ago, as I found out last year.

I do not agree that the problems are "institutional" for frankly NTC is too small an organisation not to benefit from immediate changes introduced by those in charge.

There are many fine people within Newbury Town Council (both officers and members), but sadly they do not challenge their "shambolic" leadership and hence are guilty of the 'cabal's' actions by association.

Newbury Town Council has the ability to become a truly effective, efficient and economic organisation that truly provides a high level of service to the public, but to do this openness and transparency are desperately needed.

The residents of Newbury have the opportunity to change the management at all levels of Government this May, and I would commend them to make sure that those standing for election are 'fit for purpose'.

Being in service to the public is a huge honour, so please make sure that those representing us are up to the responsibility that such an honour requires! Not voting though this May is merely supporting the current system.

Yours sincerely

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
(A believer in, and a supporter of the principles of the Liberal Democrat Party)

Although the problems at Newbury Town Council may have started out as "incompetence", they moved swiftly beyond this years ago, as I found out last year.

I do not agree that the problems are "institutional" for frankly NTC is too small an organisation not to benefit from immediate changes introduced by those in charge.

There are many fine people within Newbury Town Council (both officers and members), but sadly they do not challenge their "shambolic" leadership and hence are guilty of the 'cabal's' actions by association.

Newbury Town Council has the ability to become a truly effective, efficient and economic organisation that truly provides a high level of service to the public, but to do this openness and transparency are desperately needed.

The residents of Newbury have the opportunity to change the management at all levels of Government this May, and I would commend them to make sure that those standing for election are 'fit for purpose'.

Being in service to the public is a huge honour, so please make sure that those representing us are up to the job!

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

I would suggest that you start with the local paper, for they have through one specific journalist, I believe called Brian Radford he has been asking difficult questions.

The truth is out there, and within reach, we need only force the hands that are grasping onto it.

Yours

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
'Whistle blowing' Former Councillor at Newbury Town Council.

Write to the paper!

If your councillor is unwilling to ask difficult questions then perhaps the questions need to be asked through the media.

Yours

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
'Whistle blowing' Former Councillor at Newbury Town Council.

Dear Forum Members,

Personally I believe that the electorate should be demanding more of their elected representatives and not allow them an easy ride between elections.

Your elected representatives, whether they be Councillors or the Member of Parliament only hold their positions because we put them there, and it matters not whether they are of the same political belief, they are elected to serve and represent us all.

Many of the elected representatives undertake their role in an exemplary manner, but sadly a few 'rotten apples' sully it for all.

I would commend everyone to vote this coming May, but do not blindly vote for the rosette, but for someone that will genuinely work hard for the betterment of Newbury and West Berkshire as a whole.

I am personally a committed social liberal and a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, but you have to choose for yourselves which Council candidates, and which Parliamentary candidates really will improve things. I appreciate that politics is seen in very negative terms currently, but looking back into history, this has always been the case, and not voting, merely means that you have voted for whomever wins.

This May we have the opportunity to change the way that Newbury and West Berkshire is run, and surely we have a duty to those who cannot vote, to make sure that we have done all that we can to secure a better future for them.

If you desire more of the same, do as you did last time!

So endeth the promotion for the 'Get out and vote campaign'.

Yours

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera

'Whistle Blowing' Former Councillor at Newbury Town Council

They would not be "minimal" if the precept payers of Newbury chose to demand answers.

Does the silence from the residents of Newbury over the potential mismanagement of tens of thousands of pounds of their money indicate that they are not interested, and that they actually wish things to go on as before?

I genuinely hope that this is not the case, and it is not the impression that anyone reading these threads would get, for within the safety of this Forum, many of the contributors are immensely robust in their belief that the Council should be more open and transparent.

I have done the hard bit, and exposed the concerns, it only now needs the public to demand answers of their elected representatives.

Yours

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
'Whistle blowing' Former Councillor at Newbury Town Council.

Dear Forum Members,

I obviously cannot go into too much detail, but I believe that this at least demonstrates that the national Liberal Democrat Party consider what has been happening here in Newbury to be serious enough to warrant an investigation.

This is though an internal inquiry, and as such the people of Newbury may not actually find out exactly what has happened.

What is really required is an independent external inquiry, so that the precept payers find out exactly what some Officers and Members have been doing?

This will happen if you, the residents of Newbury demand such an inquiry.

Yours

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera

'Whstle Blowing' Former Councillor at Newbury Town Council

Cognosco,

What you say about the historical response of Newbury Town Council could well be correct, but need it be correct for the future?

If we the residents of Newbury wish things to change, and demand action now, then actually the Council will have little choice but to do as they are told. Remember there is an election looming, and the Councillors need our votes.

Newbury Town Council is not a small town council, not an organisation that has great influence, so they can required to change their ways.

Yours

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Former Councillor

Andy Capp,

If I had anything to hide, and I was not happy to answer my critics then I would hardly be challenging the Council still?

As for the four year cover up, do you not believe that the public should be made aware of this, and do you not further think that the Council Leadership should have to answer why this happened?

Yours

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Former Councillor

Dear Forum Members, and other Readers,

The behaviour of some within the Council is no different than that which I have witnessed and experienced elsewhere when someone dares to 'blow the whistle' on inappropriateness.

The sad difference though, is that the current response is from 'our' elected representatives, who frankly should know better.

I could have done little more than I did whilst still a Councillor, for I had been ostracised by many people within my own Group, and the Tory Group did not offer their assistance.

The lack of overt support for me, I suspect is actually due to Cllr Swift-Hook's repeated mantra that he has taken legal advice and followed an appropriate process. Again, Cllr Swift-Hook has never shown me any of the 'legal' advice (or for that matter the 'appropriate process' documents), and he has not shared the terms of reference for the so-called 'independent investigation' that found the cause of the mismanagement of public funds as no more than 'human error' of one person (who has was subsequently allowed to resign).

It is odd how the 'investigation' did not highlight tha other three names (two of whom are still connected with the Council) who knew of this 'human error' for four years, and chose not to say or do anything. In fact, it is apparent to me that there has been a four year 'cover up' of the 'human error'. Can the 'cover up' also be called 'human error'? Strangely the media do not seem overly bothered by this series of 'human errors', but they are ever so keen to write about the subsequent 'Grievance Complaints' submitted by the very people who were responsible for the 'human error' and the 'cover up'.

There desperately needs to be a full and truly independent investigation into this fiasco, for the actions of a few are causing the entire council to be challenged about its (Officer and Members) integrity and ethics. I would have hoped that those members of the Liberal Democrat Party who are not associated with this 'cover up', plus the Tory Group would have called for the inquiry themselves, for they have been treated like proverbial 'mushrooms'.

There is still time for Councillors themselves to take some responsibility for the future of the Council, but even if they choose to remain 'blissfully ignorant' of the truth, then I will continue to challenge them, and the Council over its continuing misbehaviour.

Yours

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Former Councillor

Simon,

This is a question that I posed whilst 'within', and the answer came back that the Town Hall simply is not worth commercially what I had expected. The verbal estimate that I was given was around £900,000.

I would now question this estimate, for I am aware now that a large percentage of the legal and other 'official' advice that Newbury Town Council appears to quote is not corroborated in writing and was merely the view of an alleged expert down the phone.

Sadly Newbury Town Council does not seem to understand the need for paper trails and evidence to their support actions!

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Former Councillor

The Newbury and Thatcham Chronicle maintains the 'cover up' by the Town Council by reinforcing negative and deflective comments

Those Officers and Members of Newbury Town Council, and their friends who think that they can avoid answering for their actions really have not given this much thought, for I will continue demand that the public is told the truth about the potential ‘cover up’ surrounding the mismanagement and subsequent four year silence of the misspending of public money.

The local media, which of course one of the Councillors is heavily involved with, appears reticent to actually ask any embarrassing questions, or to uncover the truth for themselves, although they do appear ever so keen to publish inaccuracies, and other comments that are misleading and/or give distorted picture.

When are the residents of Newbury going to be told the truth?

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Former Councillor

Noted and corrected, although an indecent inquiry sounds interesting!

Cognosco,

I respect your opinion, but disagree with not standing up, challenging matters or otherwise not doing something.

If NTC is "run as a small elite club" then this must change, and there are a number of ways of doing this, but not getting involved is not the answer.

We you and others genuinely wish there to be change at NTC and at the District Council then there is a need to spread the word that change is required and for the reasons to be heard.

This misbehaviour within local politics only exists because we, the electorate vote in some people who are susceptible to abusing their positions.

Join me in calling for an independent inquiry into this fiasco, and the other potential cases where Officers and Members may have abused their power. The alternative is that come the 2015 Election the very same people, or similar minded people will be elected and our money will cant to be abused.

As the saying goes "there is more than one way to skin a cat."

Remember there are good people within the Council on both sides of the Chamber who genuinely care, but alas they are currently disempowered by those who desire power for the sake of power alone. We the public need to give our support where and when it is deserved and when necessary to hold people to account when they have abused our trust.

With regard to the local press, I have to say that I am deeply disappointed in their obvious desire to not expose their friends who have and are misbehaving in Newbury Town Council.

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Former Councillor

Andy Capp,

I am more than happy to answer my accusers, but in a public forum where the process is open and transparent. I do not participate in 'Kangaroo Courts'.

Let us get back to the actual issue though.

I 'blew the whistle' on the potential mismanagement of public funds by Officers and Members of Newbury Town Council in not submitting a legal costs insurance claim, which was then covered up for four years.

Four people (one has not been associated with NTC since 2011) were directly involved in knowing of this 'error', which even I would agree was more than likely a mistake, but then a silence was maintained by both Officers and at least one Member, which was and is unethical. The public has a Right to know about the mistakes made.

Following my exposé and a demand for an independent investigation by qualified auditors, two grievances were submitted by Officers. Strangely the grievances (from two of the four involved) seemed to be more important to the Leader of the Council, than the tens of thousands of pounds of public money that was needlessly spent, and against 'good practice' the latter complaints were investigated in favour of the loss of money, and the subsequent cover up.

One specific person who was involved back in 2010 in this 'error', has chosen to use their authority and position to stage manage the subsequent potential cover up, and personally commissioned and wrote the terms of reference for the 'Independent Investigation' (which I am not aware that anyone has seen), which was only commenced after I had stated that I would not participate in the 'sham' grievance procedure which clearly breach natural justice, and refused to acknowledge or otherwise accept the potential reasons for the complaints.

Facing this level of opposition to revealing the 'error', which included 'stitching me up', and the subsequent 'cover up' and ostracisation by not all, but a significant number of fellow Councillors, what else would you have had me do?

As for other Councillor's resigning in disgust, well most of them have naively bought into the negative propaganda against me that has emanated from the leadership of Newbury Town Council, and the mantra that legal advice was taken, which is also very questionable.

Personally I believe that the people of Newbury deserve better representation and behaviour from their elected representatives than they are currently receiving, hence I believe that the current leadership should establish a truly independent investigation and lay on the table the documentation that exists and clearly supports my concerns.

Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Former Councillor