13 April (Part 3) - No more Bacon
There was a Resources Scrutiny Committee meeting this evening and I dosed
myself up with Benylin, Panadol and Menthol throat sweets and went along to
watch and listen. Not a good idea. I alternated between almost falling asleep
and barely suppressed coughing fits. I had to leave after about 45 minutes.
Cabinet member Gareth Bacon said as part of his formal address that the coming cuts “will not
be very pleasant” and “the prognosis continues to be bleak” and then he went off
script. He said this would be his last meeting as cabinet member as he had decided
to resign his cabinet post and deputy leadership.
In a reference to
recent press articles on his £108,000 taxpayer funded salary he
said that he didn’t want his colleagues and his wife to hear the news first from
a journalist. Does he really expect us to believe that he had decided to step
down without taking leader O’Neill or his wife Cheryl Bacon into his confidence?
When I left the Chairman of the Bexley Voluntary Service Council had been
speaking for about 25 minutes. She was still speaking when I looked in on the
webcast half an hour later.
The next item on the Agenda concerned Freedom of Information requests and the
responsible council officer Ahmet Latif seemed to be more than a little pleased with himself for
getting Michael Barnbrook declared a vexatious requester.
Although Mr. Latif didn’t mention Michael by name there was no mistaking who he was
referring to because there had only been two such cases and it wasn’t Michael
who asked about female staff names.
Mr. Barnbrook was repeatedly given inadequate responses while he was accumulating evidence for a
submission to the Metropolitan Police about
Cheryl Bacon. Each time
Bexley council contradicted itself he was effectively compelled to seek clarification.
The last thing Bexley council would want in that case is clarification.
Councillor
Danny Hackett who knows exactly what the situation is asked the only
pertinent question and discovered that the decision to abuse the Act and mislead
the Information Commissioner was taken at Director level. It was always likely that
the crooks at the top would be involved in a cover up but confirmation is always welcome.
The only other item of note on the Agenda was The Single Persons Council Tax
Discount. This has resulted in 1,154 discounts being withdrawn and an unexpected
£328,000 paid into the bank. Just about enough
to build a Splash Park.
Is there anyone qualified to fill Bacon’s boots, if that is not a very
inappropriate pun in the circumstances? Cheryl Bacon perhaps, to keep the cash
in the family? Talent is thin on the ground in Bexley council.
I don’t usually watch the council’s webcasts. Are the cameras and microphones always unsynchronised?