We have had a look at the Registers of Interest forms for all 51 of the elected councillors.
Now what you may not know is that ALL elected members are Legally required to complete this form and return them to the councils Monitoring Officer within 28 days from their election.
This is not only a Legal requirement it is also a requirement of the Councils Constitution. And part of the Members Code of Conduct.
2 Members have failed to complete and return their forms as of 8.12.10 we think they have had more than their 28 days, they are:
S. Ashraf and J. Channer
we would have expected either the Group Whip or the Group Secretary to have made sure that these were done, they didn't now the members will have to face the consequences.
Some of the others are lacking detail, they have failed to put their address:
Baldwin, AS Jamu, Letchford, Miles, Mullane, Perry, Ramsay, Saeed, Tarry, Vincent, Wade, L Waker.
Do we take it that these do not live in the borough?
Baldwin claims on his form that the Labour Party paid to him his Election Expenses?????????
Douglas claims that he is employed by the MP for Barking Margaret Hodge, now either he has made a mistake, or, Hodge has forgotten to list him as an employee with the House of Commons.
Obasohan, claims that he has a Cleaning Contract? is he the employer? or an employee?
Vincent, as well as not listing his address he has failed to list his employer.
Does make you wonder what class of members they are if they fail to complete a simple form correctly.
We would hope that the 2 members who failed to Register within the legal framework are now dealt with, and it is made public.
Wednesday 8 December 2010
TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT PRESS REVIEW OF THE PANTO
`Its a shame that the only reporter the Dagenham Post could get along to last weeks meeting was John Phillips, not known for his sense of humour.
First headline reads "First victory in library protest" as all will know by now the Cabinet were not supporting the closure, but of course the Emperor and his cronies want to give the impression that they have stopped this one. We are amazed at Cabinet member John White alleged statement. Perhaps he had a brief dose of amnesia and forgot he is a Cabinet member......at the moment.
Baron von Letchford it now appears represents a very small community in his ward as several times during the review we are informed that he represents Becontree Tenants and Residents Association odd that as we see no Declaration of Interest in the minutes, still if that's all he is representing we do hope that his other ward colleagues are picking up the slack...........but then we know they are not.
One of the 3 ugly sisters at the meeting, who just happens to be the group whip has obviously not been paying attention to what the Community Associations are telling the Council, they are of course more than happy to take over the lease of the community halls, but the ugly sister was going on about "blank cheques", no idea where that idea come from.
As always the Ugly Sisters go out in 3s, so Carpenter and Twomey had to put in their two penny worth. It appears that these 2 have turned up at all of the Select Committee meetings, and very vocal they have been. It then makes us wonder why Evilyn failed to put herself forward for membership of any of these back in May, but then we know she threw her toys out of the pram because she failed to get the positions at the AGM that she believed she was entitled to and had been promised.
Really its a waste of time going on with the Press Review as its obvious to us that the reporter was not paying attention.
So we will give you a quick update on what may be happening at the Assembly this evening.
First off we have learned from the bnp website that they are proposing to demonstrate outside the Town Hall tonight, we doubt the many will turn up, a bit too cold for them, but if they do just watch and see which members take on the grandstanding role in the chamber.
2 of the Ugly Sisters will be putting up Motions this evening, firstly Evilyn, she wants the Council to lobby government for additional money for the Adult College, laudable, but is it a pressing need at this time?
The other Ugly Sister, Twomey, his Motion is far more damaging, basically he wants the Council to hand over to Housing Associations Council properties because he thinks they are the only ones that can bring in the funding to regenerate certain areas.
Well we don't have to look to far to find where that idea came from, was it Circle Anglia or East Thames?
Perhaps Twomey should learn to walk before he can run, he should pay attention to the tenants of the council who have already voted overwhelmingly that they want to stay Council Tenants, that is why the Labour Group aligned its self to the Defend Housing campaign, and that is strengthened by being Council policy.
Aside from tenants wishes what about the staff that would have to be made redundant, estate officers, managers, caretakers, to name but a few, obviously Twomey has not thought of that, or has he, it wont impact on his publicly funded wage packet.
Still we will sit in the gallery tonight and watch the panto and report back.
First headline reads "First victory in library protest" as all will know by now the Cabinet were not supporting the closure, but of course the Emperor and his cronies want to give the impression that they have stopped this one. We are amazed at Cabinet member John White alleged statement. Perhaps he had a brief dose of amnesia and forgot he is a Cabinet member......at the moment.
Baron von Letchford it now appears represents a very small community in his ward as several times during the review we are informed that he represents Becontree Tenants and Residents Association odd that as we see no Declaration of Interest in the minutes, still if that's all he is representing we do hope that his other ward colleagues are picking up the slack...........but then we know they are not.
One of the 3 ugly sisters at the meeting, who just happens to be the group whip has obviously not been paying attention to what the Community Associations are telling the Council, they are of course more than happy to take over the lease of the community halls, but the ugly sister was going on about "blank cheques", no idea where that idea come from.
As always the Ugly Sisters go out in 3s, so Carpenter and Twomey had to put in their two penny worth. It appears that these 2 have turned up at all of the Select Committee meetings, and very vocal they have been. It then makes us wonder why Evilyn failed to put herself forward for membership of any of these back in May, but then we know she threw her toys out of the pram because she failed to get the positions at the AGM that she believed she was entitled to and had been promised.
Really its a waste of time going on with the Press Review as its obvious to us that the reporter was not paying attention.
So we will give you a quick update on what may be happening at the Assembly this evening.
First off we have learned from the bnp website that they are proposing to demonstrate outside the Town Hall tonight, we doubt the many will turn up, a bit too cold for them, but if they do just watch and see which members take on the grandstanding role in the chamber.
2 of the Ugly Sisters will be putting up Motions this evening, firstly Evilyn, she wants the Council to lobby government for additional money for the Adult College, laudable, but is it a pressing need at this time?
The other Ugly Sister, Twomey, his Motion is far more damaging, basically he wants the Council to hand over to Housing Associations Council properties because he thinks they are the only ones that can bring in the funding to regenerate certain areas.
Well we don't have to look to far to find where that idea came from, was it Circle Anglia or East Thames?
Perhaps Twomey should learn to walk before he can run, he should pay attention to the tenants of the council who have already voted overwhelmingly that they want to stay Council Tenants, that is why the Labour Group aligned its self to the Defend Housing campaign, and that is strengthened by being Council policy.
Aside from tenants wishes what about the staff that would have to be made redundant, estate officers, managers, caretakers, to name but a few, obviously Twomey has not thought of that, or has he, it wont impact on his publicly funded wage packet.
Still we will sit in the gallery tonight and watch the panto and report back.
Monday 6 December 2010
JUST WHAT ARE THE COUNCIL TAX PAYERS GETTING FOR THEIR MONEY?
Lets have a look at the attendance of councillors for their 1st 6 months in office. We have tried to break this down into easy blocks with best 1st and then on a downward spiral.
Please bear in mind that some of the members are only on 1 or 2 committees or none at all and just turn up for the Assembly or not as the mood takes them.
100% - 90%
Alasia (91%), Channer (100%), Clee (100%), Geddes (100%), IS Jamu (95%), Ramsay (100%), Rodwell (93%), Salam (94%), Smith (92%), Twomey (93%), Vincent (93%), Worby (92%).
80% - 90%
Ashraf (81%), Burgon (82%), R Gill (83%), AS Jamu (81%), Keller (84%), Letchford (86%), McKenzie (83%) Poulton (80%), Reason (87%), C Rice (88%) L Rice (87%), Wade (83%), P Waker (81%), White (82%)
We would suggest a cut off line here for the middle, all those in this block should be questioning themselves.
70% - 80%
Butt (76%), Carpenter (70%), Douglas (79%), N Gill (75%), Hunt (71%) Hussain (73%), Kangethe (71%), McCarthy (78%), McDermott (77%), Miles (79%), Mullane (76%), Perry (77%), Rai (75%), Saeed (75%), Tarry (79%).
60% - 70%
Collins (62%), Davis (60%), Ogungbose (67%), L Waker (67%).
50% - 60%
Alexander (53%).
We would suggest that the next 2 bands are coming close to taking the p....s
40% - 50%
Aziz (46%).
30% - 40%
Obasohan (38%).
This last band is taking the p.....s
20% - 30%
Baldwin (22%), Barratt (25%), Couling (29%)
So there it is in Black white and red, not very good reading is it????
Over the next couple of days we will be putting together a post on their Register of Interests, and Hospitality's, some glaring discrepancies there.
Please bear in mind that some of the members are only on 1 or 2 committees or none at all and just turn up for the Assembly or not as the mood takes them.
100% - 90%
Alasia (91%), Channer (100%), Clee (100%), Geddes (100%), IS Jamu (95%), Ramsay (100%), Rodwell (93%), Salam (94%), Smith (92%), Twomey (93%), Vincent (93%), Worby (92%).
80% - 90%
Ashraf (81%), Burgon (82%), R Gill (83%), AS Jamu (81%), Keller (84%), Letchford (86%), McKenzie (83%) Poulton (80%), Reason (87%), C Rice (88%) L Rice (87%), Wade (83%), P Waker (81%), White (82%)
We would suggest a cut off line here for the middle, all those in this block should be questioning themselves.
70% - 80%
Butt (76%), Carpenter (70%), Douglas (79%), N Gill (75%), Hunt (71%) Hussain (73%), Kangethe (71%), McCarthy (78%), McDermott (77%), Miles (79%), Mullane (76%), Perry (77%), Rai (75%), Saeed (75%), Tarry (79%).
60% - 70%
Collins (62%), Davis (60%), Ogungbose (67%), L Waker (67%).
50% - 60%
Alexander (53%).
We would suggest that the next 2 bands are coming close to taking the p....s
40% - 50%
Aziz (46%).
30% - 40%
Obasohan (38%).
This last band is taking the p.....s
20% - 30%
Baldwin (22%), Barratt (25%), Couling (29%)
So there it is in Black white and red, not very good reading is it????
Over the next couple of days we will be putting together a post on their Register of Interests, and Hospitality's, some glaring discrepancies there.
Friday 3 December 2010
A VERY EARLY PANTO IN THE BOROUGH
On Wednesday evening quite a few of us turned up to view what we thought was going to be a Safer Stronger Select committee meeting, which according to the Agenda would be debating the options for cuts that came under its remit.
We very soon learned that we were to be entertained by a one off performance of "The Emperors New Clothes". With of course the Lead Member Rodwell in the starring role of Emperor.
No sooner had the Lead Member been informed by officers that it was 6.0pm and time to start he stated that he had a bus load of family and friends on their way who he had 'sold' tickets to, about 40 of them we were told, so we had to wait for them to arrive.
Very embarrassing for officers and Senior Members, but then this would not be the first time that night they would suffer embarrassment.
Well the scene was set and the Emperor opened the show, now we have been made aware that in the report on Options ALL members of the select committee would have been aware of which options the Cabinet were NOT supporting.
Now bearing this in mind, we do ask why? the Emperor made such a drama over Libraries, knowing full well that the Cabinet would NOT support closure of any of the 5 suggested. Is it as we would suggest that the Emperor is tilting at windmills and wanted his audience to recognise that he would save their libraries all by himself?
Why we ask did the Emperor force a vote on each of the options? so totally not within the remit of a select committee, does he not understand that a Select committee is NOT a decision making body? or was he just trying to further embarrass members in front of the public?
The next very amusing scene of this very lack lustre panto was the to do over Community Halls, the Emperor had already been informed by a Senior Cabinet Member that the Community Associations were all supportive of the proposals that they take over the running of the Halls, but, no the Emperor was not having any of this, he obviously was not prepared to listen to the community, he wants things to stay as they are, and even to increase funding to the halls. Now Baron Von Letchford who we all know is very fashion minded was not going to be out done by his Emperors new outfit.
There was a very heated and should we say foul language tirade between the 2 of them. You only had to look at the faces of Senior Officers and Members while this was going on to realize that they had both overstepped the mark, their conduct was appalling, and we wait to see if the Standards Board and the Labour Group deal with this as they should.
Oh what next Goresbrook Leisure Centre, it has been judged by professional engineers to be coming to the end of its life and recommended for closure in 2013, but, again the Emperor was having none of this.
So........we the council tax payers would ask the Emperor just where he proposes to put the cuts? So that he can keep his little pets in place. Are we going to see less streets being cleaned, are we going over to fortnightly rubbish collection? are more front line staff who deliver the services going to loose their jobs?
On looking through the list of members of this committee we reckon only 5 of them actually pay council tax. 1 of them we know has 3 wage packets from public money, another has 2.
They are not going to feel the pain, certainly not if this panto is anything to go by. Its about time the players in this little farce and certainly the Emperor woke up to the fact that they are there to represent the best interest of the residents in this borough, not their own little pet projects.
The Broadway Theatre is supposed to be able to fund itself with just a little help from the council, what about those residents in the borough who do not have a community hall in their ward? why should they pay for something they cannot access.
The consensus of opinion from residents is they want their streets clean, they want weekly rubbish collections and they want to feel safe. The fluffy bits are ok when you have the money, but in times like these you must give the bread and butter services that the council tax payers are paying for.
So at the end of what was an embarrassing Panto for officers and public alike, the Emperor slew NO Dragons and we could all see his blue and white boxer shorts.
We very soon learned that we were to be entertained by a one off performance of "The Emperors New Clothes". With of course the Lead Member Rodwell in the starring role of Emperor.
No sooner had the Lead Member been informed by officers that it was 6.0pm and time to start he stated that he had a bus load of family and friends on their way who he had 'sold' tickets to, about 40 of them we were told, so we had to wait for them to arrive.
Very embarrassing for officers and Senior Members, but then this would not be the first time that night they would suffer embarrassment.
Well the scene was set and the Emperor opened the show, now we have been made aware that in the report on Options ALL members of the select committee would have been aware of which options the Cabinet were NOT supporting.
Now bearing this in mind, we do ask why? the Emperor made such a drama over Libraries, knowing full well that the Cabinet would NOT support closure of any of the 5 suggested. Is it as we would suggest that the Emperor is tilting at windmills and wanted his audience to recognise that he would save their libraries all by himself?
Why we ask did the Emperor force a vote on each of the options? so totally not within the remit of a select committee, does he not understand that a Select committee is NOT a decision making body? or was he just trying to further embarrass members in front of the public?
The next very amusing scene of this very lack lustre panto was the to do over Community Halls, the Emperor had already been informed by a Senior Cabinet Member that the Community Associations were all supportive of the proposals that they take over the running of the Halls, but, no the Emperor was not having any of this, he obviously was not prepared to listen to the community, he wants things to stay as they are, and even to increase funding to the halls. Now Baron Von Letchford who we all know is very fashion minded was not going to be out done by his Emperors new outfit.
There was a very heated and should we say foul language tirade between the 2 of them. You only had to look at the faces of Senior Officers and Members while this was going on to realize that they had both overstepped the mark, their conduct was appalling, and we wait to see if the Standards Board and the Labour Group deal with this as they should.
Oh what next Goresbrook Leisure Centre, it has been judged by professional engineers to be coming to the end of its life and recommended for closure in 2013, but, again the Emperor was having none of this.
So........we the council tax payers would ask the Emperor just where he proposes to put the cuts? So that he can keep his little pets in place. Are we going to see less streets being cleaned, are we going over to fortnightly rubbish collection? are more front line staff who deliver the services going to loose their jobs?
On looking through the list of members of this committee we reckon only 5 of them actually pay council tax. 1 of them we know has 3 wage packets from public money, another has 2.
They are not going to feel the pain, certainly not if this panto is anything to go by. Its about time the players in this little farce and certainly the Emperor woke up to the fact that they are there to represent the best interest of the residents in this borough, not their own little pet projects.
The Broadway Theatre is supposed to be able to fund itself with just a little help from the council, what about those residents in the borough who do not have a community hall in their ward? why should they pay for something they cannot access.
The consensus of opinion from residents is they want their streets clean, they want weekly rubbish collections and they want to feel safe. The fluffy bits are ok when you have the money, but in times like these you must give the bread and butter services that the council tax payers are paying for.
So at the end of what was an embarrassing Panto for officers and public alike, the Emperor slew NO Dragons and we could all see his blue and white boxer shorts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)