18 January - Dodging the question, but was it dodgy dealing?
Mr. Bryant’s
question to Bexley Council’s Head of Legal asked how he as a member of
the public could perceive that Councillor Maxine Fothergill had brought the
council into disrepute when he is not supposed to know anything about her
alleged Misconduct.
It was perhaps too philosophical and general a question for Mr. Alabi as any answer he
might give could only confirm that Bexley council’s words were carefully chosen in order to mean nothing.
Mr. Alabi
has decided to treat the question as a Freedom of Information request which will require the
provision of documented facts and allows him 20 days to give an answer instead of only five.
Perhaps Mr. Alabi intends to provide chapter and verse on what Fothergill
is supposed to have done but more likely
he will instead refuse to answer his own FOI, leaving Mr. Bryant’s question unanswered.
How is one supposed to have a perception of something which is an unknown?
Whatever Alabi does it is unlikely to confirm anything except that Bexley
council has to be secretive because it is corrupt to the very core.
Fothergill conferred a financial advantage on herself, Bexley’s Code of Conduct Sub-Committee
has said so, and their verdict was that no meaningful sanction should be applied - and given
the restricted range of options that Bexley council allows itself that was almost inevitable.
None of the seven options include referring Fothergill to the police
so presumably they don't consider the offence to be too serious, instead she is to be removed from the Appeals Committee so that she cannot hear
her own appeal against the wrist slapping. It has been reported that she is to
appeal which implies that she cannot see that, if she did it, abusing her position for financial
gain cannot be right.
For the record, Mr. Barnbrook’s FOI was as follows…
On 10th December 2015, the Members’ Code of Conduct Complaints Sub Committee
ruled that Councillor Maxine Fothergill breached the following paragraphs of the
Council’s Member Code of Conduct.
Para 3(1) Conferring an advantage or disadvantage on any person, or act or gain
financial or other material benefits for herself, her family, friends or close associates.
Please provide details of the advantage or disadvantage, financial gain or other material benefits.
Para 3(8) Conducting herself in a manner which could reasonably be regarded as
bringing her office or the London Borough of Bexley into disrepute.
Please provide details of the conduct that brought her office or the London
Borough of Bexley into disrepute.