22 September - The meeting that nearly wasn’t
The
Bexley Action Group, Monitoring Group or whatever their name is this week
invited me to one of their occasional meetings. They had an intriguing Agenda.
My decision to
exonerate Councillor Maxine Fothergill, some interesting
developments with the investigation into
the Craske Obscene blog cover up. What
to do when the Crown Prosecution Service eventually decides to ignore
the
evidence against Cheryl Bacon. Whether we were interested in the illegal goings
on in Bromley’s parking department, bearing in mind that it runs Bexley’s too;
and Akin, I am not a solicitor, Alabi and the Bexley Buffoon all came up for discussion.
I very nearly didn’t make it.
A car drew up outside my house at 16:43 (Photo 1) and although the end of the
cul-de-sac was nearly empty the driver chose to block
my drive and access to half a dozen other residents’ parking spaces. I took no notice, it is constantly happening. Someone pulls up, does
their business within five minutes and goes away. I don’t often use my car
anyway so it’s almost never a nuisance. This time was different. SLO4 ADG didn’t go away.
A little after six o’clock I put my car at the end of the drive and started
making enquiries. When they failed I managed to find the horn button. I’ve had
the car more than four years and wasn’t sure where it was. Is that an offence?
After half an hour I called 101 for advice. The police answered quickly and were
sympathetic but said it would not be a high priority call out. Obviously they
were right but I was given reference number 34746.
After giving up on the horn there was little option but to wait. A few minutes
after seven a woman who I at first took no notice of headed over to the car. I
grabbed a quick photo and she asked why I had taken her picture.
She had absolutely no idea that what she had done might be wrong.
Her excuse was that she was a stranger to the area and knew nothing about London’s parking
regulations. The thought that unnecessarily blocking someone’s drive for more
than two hours might be inconsiderate at the very least had never occurred to
her. Lagos Logic presumably.
When I said that I had reported the incident to the police she went a
little berserk and both she and her son tried to wrestle me to the ground and
take away my camera. Just a pair of ignorant savages.
If Bexley Council still had an easily accessible report line on its website they
could have made a few bob. If they sent their CEO round daily it might pay
dividends too.
I wasted 15 minutes trying to call the police back to tell them the problem had
gone away but they never did answer the phone. When I arrived late at my
destination I called 101 again and it routed to Kent Police, so the Met’s
failure to answer the phone probably sent one of Bexley’s finest on a wild goose chase.
They could have done the driver for having no rear windscreen wiper if they had
managed to get to Coptefield Drive quickly.
The meeting was far less exciting. One of our number reported that a
Councillor had told him that Akin Alabi has no qualifications. Not valid ones
anyway. John Watson confirmed that he had spoken to the professional bodies who
confirmed they did not know a Mr. Alabi. They were concerned that there might be
fraud afoot. Who has Bexley got, sufficiently qualified, to instruct a barrister
if Alabi is not a solicitor and cannot do it?
The four year old complaint, upgraded to an allegation three years ago, that
Bexley police deliberately covered up the crime committed on Councillor Peter
Craske’s phone line, has taken an interesting turn. You would think after all
that time that someone from Scotland Yard might have taken a Southeastern train
out of Charing Cross before now but that would be wishful thinking.
However it was recently put right when the investigating officer realised that
the file sent up from Bexleyheath was incomplete. At long last the penny may
have dropped on just how deep the corruption in Bexley runs. I am hopeful that this one
will go somewhere but how the Met. will deal with
their new Diversity Officer,
Victor Olisa one can only guess. He spouted a tissue of lies in front of Elwyn
Bryant, Teresa Pearce MP and me to cover up the sins of his predecessors. A slap on the wrist presumably.
John Watson updated us on
his Judicial Review application which has its roots in
the stitch up of Councillor Maxine Fothergill. Michael Barnbrook spoke of his
plans after the CPS’s inevitable whitewash of the Cheryl Bacon affair. If
nothing else, if the prediction is right, we will at least know something about
the extent of corruption in political circles.
Obviously we all relished the ample confirmation now in our possession that
Council Leader Teresa O'Neill wanted to make a known felon a Councillor.
(More has come in within the past 48 hours.) Everyone who keeps abreast of the goings on in Bexley will know she is never
prepared to see high moral standards triumph over self interest and criminality,
but further examples are always welcome.
Sadly, nothing can be done about the illegal parking contracts in Bromley. It
could cost tens of thousands in Court fees to challenge them and although the
evidence against Bromley Council (which runs Bexley’s parking regime) is compelling there
is no guarantee that the judicial system is not just as corrupt as Bexley Council.
There is an Audit Committee meeting tonight at the Crook’s Lodge in Watling
Street. Unfortunately I cannot be there, Nigerian parkers or not. Any
volunteers? Be careful you don’t trip over
the Buffoon’s Barrier.