13 June - Lull before the storm?
Not
just a comment on a rare sunny morning - more rain is on the way - but also a reference to
it being another quiet news day. In retrospect Sunday’s headline (Watch this space) doesn’t
look very clever; nothing worthy of mention has come to notice since then and today’s report
is primarily to assure enquirers that the blog is not yet dead.
I had expected to be reporting last night’s Cabinet Meeting this morning but it
was cancelled - at least that’s what the council’s website said, but I do
sometimes wonder if they say that only to deter observers and have their meeting
away from the nuisance which is the public.
From Bexley Village there have been more reports that Mark Campbell, the man whose name I have
yet to find on the planning application for Bexley Cabs, (†) is still campaigning locally in an
attempt to get people to see things his way. Those taking his side have not been calling me so
I am in danger of presenting a one-sided report, but
one specifically discredited the latest (Monday 11th June) Facebook claim. It
will be interesting to see who is right tomorrow evening. Meanwhile yet another
phone call said I am to be sued for my reports on squabbling villagers. Mark
Campbell denies it is him, someone must be leading me up the garden path.
Other news is that Bexley council’s perverse view that telling a deaf man to
“sit
down and be quiet” is not dismissive has been officially challenged. Mrs. Grootendorst
has been to court to challenge Bexley council’s view that her house and garden is a
blot on the landscape
and delivery of the complaint to Met. Commissioner Bernard
Hogan-Howe about Bexleyheath police’s failure to seriously investigate
Bexley council’s obscene blog has been confirmed. These things should provide interesting news in
the days to come but meanwhile there is not a lot going on.
The letter of complaint to Hogan-Howe
has now been added to the website’s published documents but with some redactions, necessary to avoid prejudicing any enquiries which
may not yet be completely dead. When the time is right the redaction will be lifted.
† Update: I have been referred to a planning document which states the applicant’s
name to be a Ms. Byrne but Mr. Campbell is given as the contact for site visits.
Technically his name can therefore be found on the planning application.
As a Bexley resident living at the other end of the borough I have no interest in
this case except to watch that Bexley council follows correct procedures and so
far they appear to have done exactly that. I have received more than the usual
number of comments from readers about Bexley Cabs but they have almost all come
from sources which were previously unknown to me. For that reason it has not
been possible to report much as being absolutely factual and unless things
become clear tomorrow evening all I know is that not everything reported to me
can be true. I am fully prepared to be surprised.
The first
mention of Bexley Cabs on 2nd May referred to conflicting reports and
contradictions have abounded ever since. The application itself seemed to be a
well written document and lacking in local knowledge I saw no reason for its
rejection. A bit of me still hopes it will go through, but my reasons would be
unmitigated self-interest. It would make for a better story!