THE CRACKS ARE GETTING WIDER

Firstly can we wish all of our readers and contributors a Happy New Year.

Some years ago the B & D Labour Group took the decision to set up A Group Fund. All councillors already have to make a payment to the ALC so the group decided to put a levy on top of this which would cover Group expenditure, pay for any by elections etc.

Those councillors in receipt of special responsibility allowance would pay more than those in receipt of basic allowance.

All members agreed to this and we understand this is also in the groups Standing Orders.

Well we have only just got into the New Year and it appears that Margaret Hodge and Darren Rodwell have decided that they want the Barking councillors money.........

We have been informed that Hodge stated some few months ago that she would no longer be putting any money into Barking Labour Party, so we can only assume that this is why she and Rodwell are making the grab for what should be the Labour Groups funds.

Of course all of the usual mafia Muppet's will do exactly as they are told by Hodge and Rodwell, we hear that Dagenham members are not at all happy with the idea, and funnily enough there is a small group who are stating that they are not going to hand over "their" money either to the Group or to Barking CLP, as far as they are concerned its their money, they earned it.

Well firstly neither Hodge or Rodwell can make changes to the group Standing Orders in this way.

And secondly we are pretty sure the residents of Barking & Dagenham will not be at all happy especially at these tough financial times when they are having to watch every penny they are spending, and many probably struggling to pay their Council Tax, that Hodge and Rodwell want to skim of council tax payers hard earned money to fund their political agenda.

We will work hard to ensure that residents in the borough get to hear about this, then lets see what response Rodwell and Hodge come up with.