Wirral In It Together

Previous posts:

1. As Amol Rajan deletes his offending tweet, our complaint goes to Stage 2

2. BBC Media Editor Amol Rajan’s offensive “Scum” and “Idiots” tweets. Our complaint goes to the next stage

3. The BBC defends Amol Rajan, a senior employee, who was abusive, and may have defamed Paul Cardin

4. Amol Rajan Idiots and Scum and our Full Complaint to the BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit

5. BBC Amol Rajan’s abuse, “Idiots” and “Scum”. The BBC have NOT upheld our complaint. What now?

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We needed to respond to the BBC’s final finding by 7th May. Here is the email we sent today.

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Keep checking back and the BBC’s response will be printed here when it comes in.

The next port of call is likely to be OFCOM.

 

Today, the people of Seacombe will return hard right, Blairite abuser Adrian Edward Rowland Jones to the council.

In other news, lung cancer patients are fighting their disease by taking up chain-smoking.

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We’ve been given some helpful information about Councillor Net, the internal Wirral Council members’ casework portal.  All our councillors were instructed to use it around two years ago, but in their wisdom, have mostly decided to ignore the memo.

Presumably this system is broken down into 22 wards, with three councillors per ward, and has been designed to keep everything tidy, manageable and nicely-populated with all the various issues regarding pot holes, street lighting, litter, dog poo, etc. as they arise.  So in an ideal world, it would be giving the public a comprehensive run down of all the regular casework that the generous complement of 3 councillors per ward carry out on behalf of their voters, and all with regular updates as tasks are completed.

But it’s not quite working like that.  66 members should be subscribing to this.  It’s their everyday, bread and butter work after all, undertaken on behalf of voters, and it’s what we pay them for.

We’re told it functions well (when used), and although the public cannot access it (yet), it’s a welcome nod towards at least a thin veneer of openness, transparency and accountability.

What better for we the public than a councillors’ casework management system, updating us on how busy / not busy our councillors have been with issues on the ground?

It sounds great to us because voting for somebody is a transaction after all.  You invest your trust when granting your mandate in the ballot box.  And then you sit, and wait, and hope for something back in return.  Something to give you an idea of whether you got any value.  Or was it the same old story?  Was your vote simply squandered?

We think what’s needed now is a commitment to publish annual reports listing all 66 members’ names and the number of cases they’ve carried out.  Rather than having to rely on placing FOI requests.  What better way of engaging us, giving us transparency, something back in return and most importantly, information on councillor performance, to inform our decision on whether to vote / who to vote for next time around?

Will we re-elect somebody who’s been working hard all year round? ….. Yes.

Will we re-elect somebody who’s been swinging the lead, coasting along, doing 1 task per month, or whose name doesn’t even appear on the list? ….. No.

And guess what?  That happened 25 times in 2017.

Instead of embracing the new technology and the chance to make some progress, 65 of them appear to regard Councillor Net as some sort of “threat” or a “spy in the camp”.  Yes folks, imagine you’re a lazy bastard from the old school who’s been making a habit of screwing the system dry for years or even decades, a deadbeat who simply wants to attend 2 or 3 meetings per year, collect his / her allowance, not do anything to earn it, and is seeking to avoid their constituents like the plague.

The last thing he or she will want is some highly-efficient system elbowing its way in, making demands of them, and worse still, blowing them up to the waiting public once a year, telling us they’d entered nothing into its pages, and therefore appear to have done nothing all year.

So they shun it, swerve it, give it a wide berth, knowing that if they all stick together like modern day Luddites, together in solidarity, man versus machine, they’ll be in the clear.

Which sums up the18 hard right Labour councillors and their 7 Tory, alleged “opposition” colleagues.  25 deadbeat bumps on a log whom Michael Dixon discovered did the sum total of f*ck all throughout 2017.

They’re listed here, and are now otherwise known as “the untouchables”.

And due to their deliberate nobbling of this system – which we’ve all invested our Council Tax in in an attempt to help them – it’s all been rendered worthless.

If junior employees did the same, downed tools and walked away from their duties, they’d be for the high jump, rounded up, then dumped out on their ear.

But not councillors, oh no.  They enjoy charmed existences and are at liberty to swan around, like they’re enjoying a buffet, picking, choosing and discarding.

So they can opt not to co-operate with any new-fangled system that threatens to expose their laziness.

That’s the clear message we’re getting at local election time.  How about you, readers?  Will you be voting hard right Labour or Tory, endorsing their individual and collective failure and anointing them into more years of shirking, dodging and passing the buck?

We suggest you have a long, hard think about who you vote for on Thursday May 3rd !

Toodle Pip !

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p.s.

See our recent post which appeared to show that only 43 councillors of the 66 in total had been bothering to upload their cases during 2017.

Way ahead of the field on performance was Green Party Councillor Pat Cleary, who’d completed 183 cases, or over 15 per month, more than the entire total for the 39 hard right Labour councillors, who trailed in with a miserable 170 cases.

And which party seems to be wilfully making a mockery of their obligations re: representing their constituents?

Step forward hard right Labour, the party in power.  That’s right, those making like abusers of power, waving through austerity, complaining about Tory cuts, passing on those same cuts to staff but never to themselves, hiking the bloated salaries of senior officers and voting through policies which are Tory through and through.

We won’t go on about golf courses, luxury housing, inadequate Children’s Services, £50 million of low-interest loans to fellow councils, £137.5 million in high interest LOBO loans which finally expire in 2078 and cost 12% of your council tax year in, year out, alleged #racist Deputy leaders, the selling off of former council houses on the cheap, alleged #racist former Mayoral Consorts or over 100 foster children going missing on their watch, sensitive, hushed up disciplinary moves towards a certain very unpopular person, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. but you get the picture.

STOP PRESS…

We’ve had a leak ! 

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This says it all, doesn’t it?  And it confirms what we’d suspected all along.

Wirral’s hard right Labour councillors seem to be all mouth and no trousers / skirt / Father Christmas costume.

The above information was prised out of Wirral Council by determined FOI requester Michael Dixon.  Here’s a link to the excellent www.whatdotheyknow.com website where the request was originally placed back on 15th March this year…

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/submissions_to_councillornet_by

As we can see, the council bizzarely attempted to claim that they couldn’t produce and provide a brief, two-column listing of councillor caseloads without this work exceeding 18 hours charged at £25 per hour.  This was a lie of course.

The 18 hour rule is the Section 12 costs exemption, whereby the data controller can slam the shutters down if the work involved in gathering the info, collating it and supplying it is expected to exceed a cost of £450.  The FOI Act very unwisely has determined that the data controller can be relied upon to make such assessments.

The problem comes when the same data controller happens to be terminally bent, politically biased, occupying the gutter, and in possession of highly embarrassing shit, that they will do their utmost to conceal.

Shit like this.

Fair play to Mr Dixon, who stuck to his task, requested an internal review and eventually came out on top, with the council rolling over, and the information coming through two days ago on 25th April 2018.

We’d like to send our warmest congratulations to him if he’s reading this.

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Now let’s have a look at the sordid details…

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Councillor Performance Index (CPI) – highest to lowest performer

TOTAL = 183            

GREEN PARTY = 1st place

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TOTAL = 54               

TORY PARTY = 2nd place

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TOTAL = 51              

TORY PARTY = 3rd place

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Mentioned in dispatches…

 TOTAL = 38

Close, but no cigar.  For comparison, Councillor Cleary of the Green Party ploughed through practically FIVE times as much, working in the same very busy ward of Birkenhead and Tranmere.

It seems Phil Davies failed to rise to and meet the SAME demand.

The hard right Council Leader has also let himself down several times in the past by being an unrepentent, inveterate liar.  See here, here, here, here and here.

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  TOTAL = 31

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 TOTAL = 30

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TOTAL = 26

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The also rans… (names and totals only)

Alan Brighouse (LIB DEM)

Geoffrey Watt (TORY)

Tracey Pilgrim (TORY)

                                 TOTAL = 21

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Jean Stapleton  (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                                 TOTAL = 16

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Stuart Whittingham (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                                 TOTAL = 12

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Matthew Daniel (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                                 TOTAL = 11

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Christopher Carubia (LIB DEM)

Lesley Rennie (TORY)

Warren Ward (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                                 TOTAL = 9

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Anita Leech (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

Phil Gilchrist (LIB DEM)

                                 TOTAL = 8

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Steve Foulkes (ULTRA HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

Stuart Kelly (LIB DEM)

                                 TOTAL = 7

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Moira McLaughlin (ULTRA HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

Ron Abbey (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                                 TOTAL = 6

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Dave Mitchell (LIB DEM)

Paul Hayes (TORY)

Paul Stuart (HARD RIGHT LABOUR, FEIGNING LOVE FOR CORBYN AT ELECTION TIME)

                                 TOTAL = 5

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Jeff Green (TORY)

Pat Williams (LIB DEM)

Pat Hackett (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

Thomas Usher (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                                 TOTAL = 4

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Brian Kenny (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

Steve Williams (TORY)

                                 TOTAL = 3

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Tom Anderson (TORY)

Treena Johnson (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                                 TOTAL = 2

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Adam Sykes (TORY)

Irene Williams (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

Joe Walsh (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

John Hale – retired – (TORY)

Julie McManus (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

Louise Reecejones (NEVER OPPOSED AUSTERITY / CUTS = HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

Phillip Brightmore (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

Les Rowlands (TORY)

Walter Smith – deceased – (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                                 TOTAL = 1

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If you’ve got this far, you may be thinking, hmmm, that’s not everyone is it?

You’d be correct.  There are only 43 councillors listed above, one of whom is retired and the other who is dead, both of whom still managed to undertake more work than those in the list below.

Yes, readers, here come the dregs, featuring the 25 councillors who did the sum total of nothing for their constituents despite collecting a total of at least £184,000 in allowances for occasionally turning up in 2017 …when they felt like it.

These people may be unusually active of late, and knocking on your door over the next week or so, keen to receive the promise of your vote in time for the local elections on May 3rd.

Your unwitting endorsement will enable the obscene gravy train to rev up and continue on track, swelling their bank balances …and for very little in return !

Except if you live in Birkenhead & Tranmere where – there’s no denying – the one and only Green Party Councillor is certainly putting a shift in !

Far be it from us to recommend who you vote for, but we DO urge you to put two and two together, weigh it all up, and vote in accordance with your conscience AND the evidence that Michael Dixon has prised out of the council and that we’ve reproduced here.

AND FINALLY… here it is, it’s Zero hours / Zero effort contracts all round for the following roll call of Wirral Council deadbeats…

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HALL OF SHAME 2017

NO CASELOAD = ZERO TIME INVESTED ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENTS

George Davies, Deputy Leader, alleged racist (ULTRA HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Bill Davies (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Paul Doughty (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Adrian Jones (ULTRA HARD RIGHT LABOUR, feigning love for Corbyn at election time)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Christine Jones (HARD RIGHT LABOUR, feigning love for Corbyn at election time)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Tony Jones (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Ann McLachlan (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Chris Meaden (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Bernie Mooney (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Christina Muspratt (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Tony Norbury (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Matthew Patrick (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Denise Realey (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Tony Smith (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Christine Spriggs (HARD RIGHT LABOUR, but still keen to have a UKIP candidate banjaxed)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Michael Sullivan (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Jerry Williams (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Gillian Wood (HARD RIGHT LABOUR)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

SUB-TOTAL HARD RIGHT LABOUR DEADBEAT COUNT = 18

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Eddie Boult (TORY)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

David Burgess-Joyce (TORY)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

David Elderton (TORY)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Gerry Ellis (TORY)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Andrew Hodson (TORY)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Kathy Hodson (TORY)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

Cherry Povall (TORY)

                               TOTAL = ZERO

SUB-TOTAL TORY DEADBEAT COUNT = 7

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LIB DEM DEADBEAT COUNT = 0

GREEN DEADBEAT COUNT = 0

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OVERALL DEADBEAT COUNT = 25 Wirral councillors, over three quarters of whom answer to hard right Labour.  Therefore hard right Labour dominate and win the deadbeat count hands down, as expected.

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MIND HOW YOU VOTE !!

Toodle Pip !

Previous posts:

1. As Amol Rajan deletes his offending tweet, our complaint goes to Stage 2

2. BBC Media Editor Amol Rajan’s offensive “Scum” and “Idiots” tweets. Our complaint goes to the next stage

3. The BBC defends Amol Rajan, a senior employee, who was abusive, and may have defamed Paul Cardin

4. Amol Rajan Idiots and Scum and our Full Complaint to the BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit

Today, 24th April, we had a response to our complaint initially lodged on 5th February, and later submitted to the Executive Complaints Unit on 9th March 2018.  It’s way over two months, but we’ve now exhausted all the BBC’s internal channels.

An email arrived this afternoon with a letter attached, written and signed by Andy Bell, the Complaints Director.

Much of our complaint is not addressed at all.  The response is highly inadequate and makes a finding on only ONE element of the original complaint – my perceived offence and not anyone else’s. 

Here it is:

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So that’s it.  In the strange, inverted, topsy-turvy, post-Savile, post-disc spinning, post-cigar smoking, post-child raping world of the nation’s foremost broadcaster, no lessons have been learned, and it’s okay for senior BBC employees to hurl abuse at licence fee payers.

Anyone having a bad day who feels like sounding off is now in the clear.  It’s official.

And they can pass on their gratitude to pioneering young Media Editor Amol Rajan who has bravely gone in where it hurts, given it his best shot, won this concession and pushed back even more boundaries for his Tory chums.

Yes, all those under pressure BBC colleagues of his, deeply frustrated up to this point with having to contain themselves, smile and be pleasant whilst dealing with the most hideous, inferior “scum” and “Idiots” , can now let fly and turn the air blue. Because whatever toxic volleys they hurl in their paymasters’ direction, they can rest easy, because it won’t amount to a serious breach of the BBC’s standards, all courtesy of Complaints Director Andy Bell.

As this response is ‘final’, it looks like there won’t be any scope allowed for an appeal.  So Amol is in the clear and who knows, could introduce his next TV show with “Evenin’ arseholes”, which would be a far cry from the days of Dixon of Dock Green. 

So after complaining and waiting for 10 weeks, you will be told.

And once told, you will be dispensed with.  Although a slender chink of light remains.

They may deign to amend the wording of their verdict ever so slightly upon receipt of further information from you, but will then make sure they return with the final say, once they’ve squeezed you dry, slammed the door shut and extinguished every last kindling of hope.

This is all very IPSO isn’t it children?  With punishments handed down from on high, the party line rigidly adhered to, and no room afforded for fair, reasonable, measured behaviour.

I’m actually quite surprised that the Complaints Director who reached this verdict does not seem to boast a double-barreled surname, unlike many others who’ve made it into the hallowed upper echelons of the BBC.

But I think I know why.  I reckon he’s probably dropped the ‘-End‘ bit to show he’s ‘one of us’, all the better to mingle and network with the steerage in the boiler room and the typing pool.

Toodle Pip !