Dear Councillor,
You were present at the Public Realm Scrutiny meeting on 19th June 2013 when
Nicholas Dowling asked permission to audio record it and the Chairman eventually
announced that the meeting would be held in Closed Session. In the event no
member of the public was able to attend it.
You may not be aware that since then the Chairman of the meeting, the Chief
Executive, the Human Resources Manager, the Monitoring Officer and the Legal
Team Manager have all made statements about the events of that evening which are
at considerable variance from the truth. If you have read them, and I know some
councillors have, you will know they are false too.
Over the intervening months I have accumulated a great deal of documentary
evidence about the events of that evening, for example I know which Councillor
briefly barricaded the reconvened meeting from inside Room 105.
In the fairly immediate future an allegation of Misconduct in Public Office will
be made to the police against Councillor Cheryl Bacon, the four Council Officers
and the Independent Person and I intend to name you as a witness. If you are
unaware of the Council's correspondence since last June may I suggest you make
yourself familiar with it? (†)
The evidence I now have against Councillor Cheryl Bacon is damning.
I am sure that every honest councillor will be able to confirm most if not all
of the following statements and I will expect you to do so to the police if so
asked. If you can confirm some or all of the statements now it might save a lot
of police time in the future.
Statements...
1. Mr. Danny Hackett sat alone in the public gallery and said absolutely
nothing and did absolutely nothing throughout the proceedings but was not able
to attend the reconvened meeting because it was announced it was to go into
'Closed Session'. (Mr. Hackett remained in the Council Chamber and has already
confirmed that no attempt was made to locate him as stated in Council
documents.)
2. Mr. Knight sat alone at a table placed no more than five feet from the
nearest Councillor, and said nothing, waved no papers and remained in his seat
throughout and was not allowed entry to the meeting. Mr. Tuckley has confirmed
that is the case and justified the illegal exclusion on the grounds he is known
to Mr. Dowling.
3. Mr. Gussman said nothing throughout the meeting and was denied entry.
4. Mr. Barnbrook said nothing except that he specifically asked permission to
attend the reconvened meeting and was refused.
5. Mr. Bryant said nothing except during the adjournments and was denied entry
to the meeting.
6. Mr. Dowling was polite throughout, never raised his voice and did not put
his recorder within six inches of Councillor Bacon's face or anything remotely
similar, contrary to the statement by the Deputy Leader on BBC television.
7. Councillor Mrs. Bacon when directly addressing Mr. Dowling and standing
immediately before him while he was seated in the public gallery did not address
other members of the public and certainly not Mr. Hackett or Mr. Knight who were
sitting elsewhere.
You may not be familiar with all those named above so for your convenience
photographs are attached. The group photograph (taken by Mr. Hackett while
deprived of his right to be at the meeting) shows from left to right, Elwyn
Bryant, Peter Gussman, Michael Barnbrook and Nicholas Dowling.
I trust you will not wish to associate yourself in any way with the totally
false documents circulated in your name. An organised refusal to respond will
necessarily result in further names being added to the list destined for the
police.
Yours sincerely,
Malcolm Knight
† Most of it is available via
http://www.bexley-is-bonkers.co.uk/indices/closed_session.php
25th February 2014