The News Shopper dated 28 April 2010 carried
a report about how a resident of
Hind Crescent, Northumberland Heath came to be misled by Bexley Council into
thinking that the pavement crossover he had been given permission for could be
built by any building contractor rather than the council approved contractor. As
a result Felix Akele spent £600 on getting the work done only to find that
Bexley council got all upset.
At that stage Bexley council should have asked their contractor to inspect and
maybe re-lay the crossover but unfortunately councillor Peter Craske got involved.
Now why a councillor should be involved rather than council officials is not
disclosed by the News Shopper but once that petty dictator gets involved in things
it tends to be the kiss of death for common sense.
According to the News Shopper, Craske said “The crossover was constructed
illegally to a poor standard and we had to remove it and reinstate the pavement
at a cost of £550, to be charged to Mr. Akele.” Why? Anyone with any sense would
have spent that £550 on reconstructing the crossover to the required standard.
Mr. Akele almost certainly made a mistake, I wouldn’t think many people
believe they can go around digging up council property willy-nilly but surely the
responsibility of any councillor is to help out residents when they can, not to
deliberately and vindictively take the course that puts them to the greatest
inconvenience and expense?
Craske seems to rejoice in being Bexley’s number one tin-pot Hitler.