17 September - Nothing to see here
As originally stated yesterday, I was given a list of senior officers who attended Bexley’s ULEZ Task Force and a brief extract read as follows…
The Taskforce was the Director of Finance funding the legal bid, the Senior Legal Officer, AKA
the Monitoring Officer, together with Heads from Transport and Environment (to argue on pollution), under the overall
authority of the Chief Exec. A strong line-up to develop the best case for
the Leader.
I think we can agree that that is exactly what one would expect of a Council about to spend a large sum on a legal challenge
which was arguably mandated by
a Manifesto commitment.
(“Campaign to stop Sadiq Khan’s plan to extend the ULEZ and road charging.”)
This was in stark contrast to an FOI response which said…
The Task and Finish group was an informal group. Formal meetings were not held but the group met
informally twice though those dates are not recorded. The ULEZ Task and Finish
Group was a newly formed Members only group ie there is no support from council
officers. The group was composed of Cllr Smith, Brooks, Adams and Ogundayo.
The differences were a little worrying coming from a Council with a track record
of secrecy and deception but unlike some issues that have surfaced in the past I
could not see any reason for Bexley Council needing to cover anything up.
Over the years I have collected a handful or so of Councillors’ mobile phone
numbers, it was time to give one or two of them a call. Was there a simple explanation?
The answer appears to be yes.
A clue may be found in the two extracts above. ‘Taskforce’ and ‘Task and Finish Group’.
The latter term is new to me but it seems to be a lesser form of Scrutiny
Sub-Committee. It met twice intending to gather evidence of the impact of ULEZ
on Bexley’s residents and businesses but the need for formal surveys
disappeared.
Bexley people were angry and vocal with their opinion on Khan’s intention to attack
freedom of movement and damage the economy.
The Task and Finish Group fizzled out and died and there was no need for a
formal report. Everyone knew what residents thought about the new car tax without being too formal about it.
Meanwhile the high powered ULEZ Taskforce took the big important decisions.
Scrutiny Committees do not make decisions.
So someone, me included, forgot that important distinction, and in retrospect it
was always likely to be all legal and above board.
Some BiB correspondents have discovered that both Bromley and Bexley stated
that their legal bills until last March was £18,003,
via FOI response and
comment in Council
respectively. This ‘coincidence’ is easily explained. It was one bill divided by five Councils.
Anything else before this one is wrapped up?
Yes unfortunately. London’s tyrant Mayor will be extracting his pound of flesh with
a bill for costs and despite me owning an electric car I drove it for 25 extra miles
yesterday to avoid a ULEZ charge on a friend’s car and it will be the same next Thursday.
Some journeys are simply not practical by pubic transport.