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News and Comment December 2013

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7 December - Bonkers dents the Tory vote. By one at least!

Last week I resisted the temptation to post blogs built on very little when new material is in short supply which produced two emotions. One was the relief of not having to think of a subject and the other was the feeling I was letting the side down.

While I flip-flopped between the two and even told a few people that I was thinking of abandoning BiB along came Will Tuckley with his threats which tipped the balance heavily in one direction. How ironic that if Bexley council had been honest and accepted that Cheryl Bacon made the wrong call on 19th June, provoking a guidance note for future reference being sent to all councillors, there would still be nothing to write about. A little bit of honesty could have killed Bonkers, but no, Bexley council had to lie, reinforce them at the most senior level and then show they had lost the argument by issuing toothless threats. It comes naturally to them.

Yesterday’s blog was posted with some trepidation. Is anyone still interested in Bexley council’s inbuilt corruption? The fact that a senior councillor is a law breaker and liar? The fact that council officers feel compelled to back the councillors in their lying at every stage? I need not have worried. The blog brought forth a goodly number of comments from readers.

One made reference, in a supportive way, to the fact that councils cannot sue for libel. That is true as a Welsh council recently discovered to its cost, but the issue doesn’t worry me very much. There has been no need to make up or exaggerate reports beyond recognition. I accept Bonkers may dwell on all that is bad about Bexley council which is why background documentation is provided for readers to form their own opinion should they wish to. Although it hasn’t pleased Mr. Tuckley, the complete correspondence trail on the Bacon affair is on line.

I am absolutely confident that BiB reports on councillor Cheryl Bacon’s mismanagement of the Public Realm meeting and the attempts by legal staff to lie her out of trouble have been factually accurate and in that I am not completely alone. These comments are extracted from the correspondence which followed Bacon’s meeting and her lies…


• What another PR disaster last night!
• The arrogance is unbelievable.
• Councillor Bacon took arbitrary action.
• This was a closed meeting and the public were treated harshly.
• These issues are only the most obvious in a pattern to keep accountability at bay.
• The absence of common sense is breathtaking.
• Members of the public were treated with contempt.
• What a lot of nonsense.
• If I am asked about who said what etc. at Bacon’s scrutiny meeting I would be absolutely clear.
• Members of the public were dignity personified.


…and all of those are by concerned councillors.

Maybe councillors have good reason to be concerned if more recent emails give an insight into the typical reaction by voters who get to know the truth about Bexley council.


Love the site. I’ve lived in Bexley many years and always voted blue. Thanks to your site, not any more.
My question, well request, is that you stand in May. I think it would be good for Bexley.
From your blog yesterday it seems they want to restrict you/your blog. You can’t let this happen.
Hopefully we will get some Libs, Greens, UKIP, English Dem or anyone that will be able to act free from council whip. I will only be voting for smaller parties or independents in May.


Council leader Teresa O'NeillAs someone who has only ever voted Blue myself, I too share those sentiments. In my view the iron fisted control freakery and corruption within Bexley council comes from its leader. I shall refrain from quoting councillors who feel the same, but I could, and where else do you think the “political interference” in a police investigation would have come from?

It is time to give the smaller parties a chance (†). I understand that UKIP intend to put at least one candidate in each ward and I am aware of a small number of independents planning to throw their hats into the ring. More independents should come forward but I’ve seen no sign of it and I will not be one of them.

If Tuckley’s latest letter had not persuaded me that Bonkers must continue then emails like this might well have done…


I have followed every word and am always always grateful for your explicit and carefully worded reports of the ‘goings on’ in the council offices and the wider borough. You are indeed a very special person with great fortitude and resilience, and I for one salute you…


Well I think we have had quite enough of that for one day!

† I am not a natural Labour voter but Danny Hackett my candidate down in Lesnes ward has more than once shown himself to be very honest and straight dealing. But will he be able to resist the party machine? That is the question.

 

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