A blog about Wirral Council's public meetings, Wirral Council's councillors, Bidston & St. James ward and other public bodies on Merseyside
Lib Dem Voice award Well, this blog has received a Lib Dem Voice “Top of the Blogs: The Golden Dozen” award for the last post about the Birkenhead Liberal Democrat Constituency Executive voting to suspend me from the Birkenhead Liberal Democrat Party. There’s a certain irony about receiving an award from a Lib Dem … Continue reading “Lib Dem Voice award”
Well, this blog has received a Lib Dem Voice “Top of the Blogs: The Golden Dozen” award for the last post about the Birkenhead Liberal Democrat Constituency Executive voting to suspend me from the Birkenhead Liberal Democrat Party.
There’s a certain irony about receiving an award from a Lib Dem members’ association for blogging about being suspended from the local Lib Dem party.
Well, I’ve been suspended from the Birkenhead Liberal Democrat Party following a complaint by Simon Holbrook and Cllr Bridson which centers on two reasons I should be suspended from the party:-
a) disability
b) opening my mouth on the Wirral Globe website in May which led to Cllr Bridson and Simon Holbrook having to "rewrite history" and Simon Holbrook and Cllr Bridson lying to the party in June.
The party didn’t consider it bad enough to chuck me out and reinstated my membership on 6th September 2011. Although they can’t go against Simon Holbrook and a Lib Dem councillor I was removed from all elected party positions within the Lib Dems, barred from holding any position in the Lib Dems for 5 years and barred from being a candidate for the party for five years.
The decision was appealed but nearly three months later nothing has happened since the appeal was received… which isn’t surprising to me, as the resignation of Chris Fox, the Liberal Democrat Chief Executive on September 6th was a way of scapegoating him.
Half of the complaint had to be thrown out due to “lack of evidence”.
The evidence was fabricated for the rest of the complaint, so the complaint was upheld based on fabricated evidence. Mind you the disciplinary panel had had a lot of alcohol to drink by the time they made the decision.
I can’t say much more than that (obviously) as contrary to the complaints procedure I haven’t been provided with a copy of the complaint.
Having written that, if he is concentrating on his career in the Environment Agency he’s showing a funny way of doing it!
We will see what happens when the dust settles. There’ll be a day in court (and a disciplinary meeting sometime in the next 14 weeks) and I’ll write about it here.
It is however quite sad when political parties can’t work together. It seems to be in relation to a comment I left on the Wirral Globe website here.
P.S. Due to the way the party is set up I still remain a member of the Liberal Democrat Party.
UPDATE: 30th October. On 6th September 2011, the disciplinary panel didn’t fully uphold either of the complaints made about me by Cllr Bridson & Simon Holbrook. The second thing I was accused of was impossible, the first was done by someone else.
However, I was accused of being three different people (yes three different people and last time I checked I didn’t have three heads). One was Martin Morton, the second was myself, the third was a person called Hugo.
As the councillor on the disciplinary panel put it in an email to me afterwards, Cllr Steve Foulkes was a Lib Dem party member [which he is incorrect about], and that this was why I should be punished by the Lib Dems.
The disciplinary panel decision has been however appealed and I await the outcome of that Appeals Panel.
It has however shown me the sheer levels of prejudice that exist in people’s hearts towards me on grounds of age, ethnic minority, gender and other “protected characteristics”. I will write more as things unfold and maybe I’ve outgrown the Lib Dems.
Two Planning Committee site visits originally scheduled for Monday 20th June 2011 have now been rearranged to Thursday 16th June.
This is because the original date of Monday 20th June 2011 clashed with the “Flay a Flag ceremony”.
10 a.m. – APP/00065 – TOWNFIELD CLOSE, CLAUGHTON, CH43 9JW – Demolition of existing petrol filling station and erection of a class A1 retail unit.
10:45 a.m. – APP/11/00283 – 7-9 ROSE MOUNT, OXTON, CH43 5SG – Proposed refurbishment of existing restaurant/bar with the erection of a conservatory within the rear courtyard and change of apartment within outrigger to become part of restaurant/bar and supporting office accommodation, installation of air conditioning units to rear.
He said they can do better. Cllr Foulkes was “truly honoured and privileged”, however he suggested they get together to deal with the nuts and bolts. His first act as leader was to make Cllr Phil Davies the Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Regeneration. This way they could be good cop/bad cop. He thanked everyone in the room and the members of the public. He asked people who were more knowledgeable even those of other parties to help.
The Mayor then called for an adjournment until 8:30pm and at 8:11pm the meeting was adjourned.
The meeting resumed at 8.38pm. Cllr Green spoke first and said he had had the opportunity to read what was circulated. He disagreed however with the way the Audit & Risk Management committee and Employment and Appointments Committee were being made. He said the Audit and Risk Management Committee had a vital role in holding the administration to account and sharing best practice. Similarly the Employment and Appointments Committee had a key role in policies relating to Human Resources. He said he was not sure it was [Labour’s] intent to take control and it was not in the spirit of proportionality. Therefore he proposed an adjustment as follows.
Ratio is expressed as Labour: Conservative: Lib Dem
Audit and Risk Management (9 places) 4:4:1
Employment and Appointments Committee (7 places) 3:3:1
As a result the Conservative Group would cede a place on the Licensing Act 2003 committee to meet the total numbers. This way said Cllr Green they would continue to work in the spirit of the rules. Firstly in holding the executive to account and secondly ensuring that the Employment and Appointments Committee would need the support of two parties to agree to its actions. He said the new Leader of the Liberal Democrat councillors [Cllr Tom Harney] had wanted out of the council arrangements scrutiny of actions.
He then went on to discuss in-house bids for council services and how that they’ve got to run things more efficiently. This had been somehow bypassed by people drafted in. He asked Cllr Kelly what was wrong with Overview and Scrutiny Committees being ambassadors and going to the public? This way they would get a balance of views. Cllr Foulkes said he stands by elected councillors and would bring big policies to full meetings of the Council in order to do the best for Wirral. If people wanted to personalise this then do so. However his team had a different style and was going to be better. He said that [personalising politics] doesn’t achieve much. He also said Notices of Motion don’t matter a great deal. However the hot air looks and sound good. There was now a chance for other people to engage in policy and use Scrutiny Committees to develop policy.
Consultation could also be use to define changes to the Corporate Plan. However Labour had inherited the Budget and Corporate Plan. He referred to the people of Wirral that councillors are serving, who are affected by decisions but are not online. The Department of Adult Social Services was mentioned in relation to the changes to Personal Budgets. He mentioned Highcroft costing £95/day and that this was an obstacle. He referred to his visit to Mapleholme where he had been told not to tell the people there as they might get upset.