Monday, December 24, 2007

Its time for the public to act.

In the final week of the year, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council have been found in the High Court, by a High Court judge, guilty of holding an unlawful, biased planning meeting and
as a result, he then totally quashed the Coatham Enclosure planning permission. In the planning permission being totally quashed, a national precedent has been set. This is now of national importance and it is a massive body blow for the councils, by their own admission, tainted and botched, Coatham housing estate.
They have shown their usual arrogance, which is always the trade mark of the corrupt and stated that this is merely a costly set back to the scheme. They have tried to shift focus from the major issues onto the minor ones.But the major issue, something that no matter how hard the guilty try is not going to go away, is THAT THIS COUNCIL HAVE BEEN FOUND IN THE HIGH COURT TO HAVE ACTED UNLAWFULLY AND IN A BIASED WAY OVER THE ISSUE OF COATHAM. Not only that ALL THE COUNCIL OFFICERS CONNECTED WITH THIS, ALL THE COUNCILLORS CONNECTED WITH THIS AND THE MP HERSELF, ARE IMPLICATED UP TO THEIR NECKS!!!

Because ALL OF THEM KNEW THAT THE WHOLE PROCESS AND THE DECISION WAS UNLAWFUL, BUT NOT ONE OF THEM TRIED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THEY JUST LET IT SAIL ON UN-OPPOSED.INFACT THE LABOUR GROUP PUSHED IT EVERY BIT AS MUCH AS THE LAST COALITION.

When you take into consideration that as a result of the whole council and MP not doing anything to stop this unlawful process and decision, Persimmon Homes would have made millions and millions of pounds of private profit, then serious questions have to be asked as to why the process was not stopped, why it was not called in or investigated? When all concerned knew how unlawful it was why did they do NOTHING? Why was this council and MP happy to let a private developer make millions of pounds of profit on the back of a planning process and decision that they all knew was UNLAWFUL.

The council are an absolute disgrace. They are corrupt. They have lied. Recently we exposed the extent of their corruption. Suppressing audit reports which show that they aren’t a four star authority. Colluding with the audit commission in order to do this and replace the damning report. Changing council minutes. Officers lying to councilors and the public. Bullying, harassment and intimidation by the officers. Concealing the fact that there hasn’t been a traffic regulation order in place giving them the authority to put parking tickets on people for not displaying a permit and yet still charging people for not doing so. Not even offering the public who have been wrongly penalized to claim their money back. And now, they have been found in the High Court, guilty of holding an unlawful and biased Coatham planning meeting.

These people are not fit to hold public office. They are not fit to be paid the massive sums of money that they are. They are desperately trying to cover their own backs because the extent of their corruption is there for all to see. Could it be that the MP is trying to assist them in this task ? Why would she ask the acting Chief Executive Ray Richardson, a man who has been featured in two back to back, editions of Private Eye for being involved in the suppression of the audit commissions financial report and lying and withholding information from the councilors, to conduct an inquiry into the claims made in our film? This is a classic case of 'the poacher turned game keeper' and nothing more than an attempt to whitewash the situation and stop the truth from really being investigated independently. They are trying desperately to keep it in house. She stated in the posting on her blog that had serious concerns about the claims made in our film, but if she did have serious concerns, then she would not have asked this man of all people to investigate basically his own actions and the actions of the officers who have been involved in all of the shameful activities that have come to light, along with him.

She says she has concerns but then she stops our film being shown in the House of Commons and stifles free speech and debate and stops our chance to have it shown to an independent audience of journalists and public figures who could help us get the actions of this council investigated independently, by threatening the MP who had told us he would be neglecting his duty if he did not help us, into canceling the room in the House of Commons that he had booked for us, so we could not show our film. She was even ecconomical with the truth with this MP, telling him that the things that we say and the things that are in our film are not based in fact. What an absolute showing up for her now that a High Court Judge has totally ignored the smears and the lies told by the council in their High Court statements and ruled in our favour, so vindicating all the truthful things that we have been saying for three and a half years and so condemning all the lies the council have been telling.

When the High Court Judge ruled in our favour and set a national precedent by quashing the planning permission, did our Vera speak out about the unlawful,biased verdict? Did she express outrage at the shame that the council in her constituency is bringing on her constituency? Did she call for a full, independent investigation. No. She tried to play down the judges ruling. She tried to use it as way of attacking the old coalition who were in charge of the council just prior to the planning meeting and stir up animosity by saying that the protestors had cost the tax payers money because of the actions of the old coalition. What she carefully steered away from, was the fact that Labour councilors took part in the planning meeting too and then when they took control of the council shortly after the planning meeting and knowing that what had happened was unlawful, THEY DID NOTHING TO STOP IT!
What she also forgot to mention is that the ordinary, decent, members of the public who did what those in authority should have done but didn’t, are tax payers too!

This tainted, biased web, spreads far and wide and questions have to be answered. Why did no one say anything or speak out preferring to let it sail along, unhindered, with FULL CROSS PARTY BACKING? Something else that was agreed AFTER the planning meeting.

Why have the local press failed to even touch on the things that have been published in Private Eye? Things that were presumably run past Private Eyes solicitors and things that to our knowledge have had no actions taken against them by the council or the audit commission. Why did they make out that it had been a blow for Coatham when the council had been found in a High Court of acting unlawfully?
This should have been the theme that was concentrated on. But the press, after putting this national precedent setting story towards the backs of their papers, preferred to make out that a ‘spanner had been put in the works’ so giving the impression to the reader that we had spoiled this 'fantastic' scheme because we had dared to stop the unlawful planning process that the councilors, officers and MP hadn’t bothered to even question!

It is up to every last self respecting person who cares not just about this town, but the truth, to stand up and be counted now. This corruption and the cover up and whitewash that they are attempting, cannot be allowed to win the day. It must be fought and truth and decency must triumph.

Contact as many MP’s from other constituencies, government bodies, our police force, other police forces, as you can. Write as many letters, make as many phone calls, make as much noise as you can, in order to draw attention to what is happening here and lets have this situation investigated independently once and for all.

I'd like to thank every last person who has had the courage to stand up and be counted, offer information, or help in any way with this campaign.

Peace,

Chris McGlade.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Have you heard the news?

Phew!!!!! What a busy time its been. So let me see, whats happened since Vera Baird stifled free speech by stopping our film being shown in the House Of Commons? Well it has transpired through me receiving a freedom of information request last week, that despite Cllr and cabinet member and MP’s secretary Peter Scott stating otherwise, PUBLIC MONEY IS going to spent on the construction of the sea defence in Coatham. Public money being committed to such a massive project has been done without any of the council being informed.

It has also come to light under the freedom of information that the council officer who was responsible for changing the Environment Agencies planning condition without consent or consultation was none other than Simon Dale! Now you must all remember him? He was the officer who was utterly discredited by a tribunal not so long back and it transpired at a different tribunal yesterday, that he, along with Moore and Richardson aka “usual suspects”, have concealed the fact that thousands and thousands of pounds have been paid in parking tickets by the public when the parking tickets should never have been issued in the first place! Yes that’s right. Parking tickets have been slapped on cars left right and centre and there has been no order in place to give the council the authority to do it!

Knowing that this has been going on for years, rather than do the decent thing and inform the public to claim their money back, the usual suspects plus the beleaguered Mr Dale, kept it all quiet and said nout! The brown stuff is certainly going to hit the fan now though, as the news breaks that these fines have been unlawful and people demand their money back.

Whilst it is obvious to everyone from a three year old child to a ninety year old pensioner, obvious to man and beast alike, is that though certain officers in the council have been and are at the very least guilty of sharp practice and lying, our councillors seem happy to just go along with everything that they say and do? Perhaps certain councillors are involved themselves in the certain scams that these officers are involved in themselves? It makes you wonder why none of them are making any noises against the dubious, to say the least, actions of the officers? Infact, it makes you really wonder whats going on when instead of having them hauled over the carpet or investigated, certain councillors are openly defending them and their possibly corrupt behaviour and lying and are trying desperately to make everyone believe that the officers in question have done a sterling job and are true professionals, worthy of every penny of their £100,000+ salaries.

Not only are these councillors doing this, the MP is too. The MP, unbelievable as it may seem, actually asked Mr Ray, featured in Private Eye twice in succession and involved in most of the shadey stuff, Richardson, to start an inquiry into the claims made in our film because she was so concerned about the situation. Ah the irony of it all! Would fit perfectly into some comic sketch. After all how many people who are GENUINELY concerned about a situation, then ask those involved up to their necks to investigate. How many truly concerned MP’s would stop a film being shown in the House of Commons that exposes all the shadey things that have been going on, especially when all the claims are backed up with all the relevant documentation.

Sorry Vera your whitewash just aint going to wash. She must have forgotten that a General election draws ever nearer? But there again, by doing what shes done, people are now starting to point the finger and ask the question “well, why has she done that?” and no it aint just yours cynically either. There are a whole host of people who are starting to see the ‘bigger picture’.

Anyway, that’s it for now. Don’t forget keep on looking at the blog and Redcar.Net. well…. The press locally aren’t going to tell you the facts. Twice have the dodgy dealings of this council been featured in Private Eye and the local press haven’t said a word.

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

How much more is there to come out?

I have today received confirmation under the Freedom Of Information Act, that Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council are committed to spending PUBLIC MONEY to providing a sea defence in Coatham so that Persimmon Homes can make private gain. As if this isnt shocking enough, Private Eye has published another extraordinary story regarding this council.
For all the details log onto Redcar.Net, go onto the local issues section and then look at the "Rotten Boroughs" topic, "you have a right to know" topic, "Is peter Scott or a freedom of information request telling the truth" topic,"Another employment tribunal" topic and the "coatham enclosure" topic.

The house of corrupt cards is starting to fall.

Sunday, December 02, 2007

PARLIAMENT SCREENING IS OFF!

CONCERNED VERA CANCELS COMMONS !

The screening of our film “Coatham - A Common Concern” in the House of Commons scheduled for Dec 10th has been suddenly cancelled by the Tory MP, from outside of Teesside, who set it up last month on our behalf.

We approached this MP because of the total non-show by all 59 RCBC councillors at the packed film premiere in October and because of bitter past experience, we do not trust any of our elected representatives.

When we met the Tory MP, we presented our dossier of info. relating to RCBC’s fraudulent practices. He told us that it would be a neglect of duty not to act and promptly arranged the screening.

Last Wednesday, this MP informed us by email, that our MP Vera Baird QC, had approached him about the film being shown. The email read:

“Vera Baird spoke to me last night with some real concerns about the showing of the film. She has looked into the allegations you have made and posted some rebuttals (eg on covenants) on her web site. She pointed out the Parliamentary protocol regarding interfering in other people's constituencies and also made the point that some of the allegations you have made have no basis in fact. I was under the impression that this could have been referred to the Speaker and I could maybe have been censured for using house facilities in a matter not within my constituency remit. I suggest that if you have evidence of malpractice or corruption then this should be referred to the Local Government ombudsman. I am confident that these would be investigated thoroughly. Sorry to have to change the arrangements. We have cancelled the room”.

For the record, Vera Baird did not attend the premiere. She has not seen the film.
We re-approached the Tory MP on Thursday and asked him to reconsider his decision. He replied yesterday:
“The protocols of Parliament are quite clear about the ability of MPs to intervene in colleague’s areas. I also had some concerns that corruption claims would have to be legally provable for me to endorse them. The Speaker takes any unsuitable use of meeting rooms in Parliament very seriously.

Vera Baird MP has written to the acting Chief Exec at Redcar and Cleveland and asked for a thorough investigation of all the claims in the film. I hope that you are able to make a copy of the film available for this purpose. You could, of course, book another venue in London and invite MPs and journalists there. I am sorry that I have had to make this decision about the screening but hope that the points you raise are adequately addressed”.

For the record, the acting Chief Executive is Ray Richardson. He is featured in ‘Rotten Boroughs’, in the current issue of Private Eye magazine, regarding the suppression of a scathing Audit Commission report into RCBC’s financial management. Most interestingly, neither Vera Baird nor the council have released anything into the public domain regarding investigating this most serious matter.
We are naturally disappointed with at the Commons’ cancellation. We were very much hoping that our MP Vera Baird would have welcomed a debate with some of her own constituents in The House.

Nonetheless, we are still adding to the final cut of the film and the dossier also. They will both be released in the New Year at public screenings across Teesside. Our MP, all RCBC councillors and staff will be more than welcome to attend.

THE TRUTH WILL OUT.

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