Go on give it back Jill, Mark, and Steve ??????

Give your bonus to needy, bosses told
Feb 22 2008
by Dave Black, The Journal
BUMPER “golden handcuffs” pay rises to three senior county council officers have been branded scandalous by members of a rural parish council in Northumberland.
Hartburn Parish Council has called on the three officials to hand back their controversial 20% salary increases and donate the money to employ more carers for elderly and disabled people.
County chief executive Mark Henderson, deputy chief executive Jill Dixon and finance director Steven Mason were awarded the retention payments last October to ensure they do not leave to take up new jobs during the transition process to unitary local government in Northumberland next year.
The decision to boost their pay was taken unilaterally under delegated powers by council leader Peter Hillman, without being referred to the ruling Labour group or the full county council for approval.
It has been widely condemned by local MPs, opposition councillors, trade union officials and members of the public at a time when the Prime Minister is calling for tough controls on public sector pay. Now Hartburn Parish Council, which discussed the issue at its recent meeting, says it is united in its condemnation of the pay rises. The three officers were already on performance-related annual salaries of about £150,000, £110,000 and £100,000 respectively.
Parish council chairman Ernie Coe said the decision was “nothing less than scandalous” when police were battling for the Government to honour their 2% pay rise, other public sector workers were having their wages cut and the county council was making £4.7m in budget reductions.
“We feel sure there are county council employees who are perfectly capable of carrying out the work of these three figureheads. No one is indispensable. There is only so much work that one person can do, no matter how much they are paid.
“Perhaps Mark Henderson, Jill Dixon and Steven Mason might regain a certain amount of public respect by donating their pay increases back to the council to fund the posts of three or four full-time carers for the elderly and disabled.”
Coun Coe said parish council members were shocked that Coun Hillman was able to make a decision of such magnitude without the approval of the county council. “We sincerely hope that lessons will be learned and legislation put in place in the formation of the new unitary authority so that errors of judgment such as this can never be made again.”
Coun Hillman said he had used appropriate powers under the council’s constitution to sanction the payments. He said he had decided to approve them for “business critical reasons” to ensure the required knowledge and know-how was in place at the top of the authority during the huge challenge of switching to unitary local government.
“I took this decision in October in order to secure at an early stage the services of these three officers. These are time-limited retention payments, not permanent pay rises.” The payments mean Mr Henderson’s earnings will go up £28,200, Ms Dixon’s £21,099 and Mr Mason’s £18,989 – more than many people’s annual salary.

The Journal Febuary 2008, Labour all women shortlists

Labour in move for all-women shortlists
by Dave Black, The Journal
PROMINENT male councillors could find themselves squeezed out in the battle for seats on Northumberland’s super council because of a controversial Labour Party drive to get more women members on the new, all-purpose authority.
Labour officials in Blyth Valley have agreed to women-only shortlists from which to choose candidates in seven of the constituency’s 17 electoral divisions on the unitary council due to take over next year.
The decision has already helped cast a major doubt over the future of former county council leader Bill Brooks, whose Blyth Newsham ward is one of those affected by the all-women lists.
It emerged yesterday that Coun Brooks – who held the top political post from 2005 to 2007 – has been excluded from the list of potential Labour election candidates for May’s elections, but is appealing against the decision. However, even if his appeal is successful, he would then have to secure a nomination in one of the 10 remaining ‘open’ wards in Blyth Valley if he wants to contest a seat on the new authority.
The same prospect is facing fellow Labour county councillors David Montgomery and Ivan Hayes – whose Hartley and Cramlington West wards have also been earmarked for all-women lists.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Wansbeck, the drive to get more female councillors on board is causing serious friction, with constituency party members and potential election candidates said to be firmly opposed to bringing in all-women shortlists. If the row cannot be resolved, the result could be women candidates imposed on individual Wansbeck wards by regional or national Labour Party officials.
Only five of the 35-strong ruling Labour group on the current county council are women and party officials want to see a greater female involvement in the political decision-making process.
Yesterday Coun Brooks, who has 16 years experience in local government, said: “The situation is that I have been excluded from the list of Labour candidates by my peers, and I am appealing against that. However, even if I win the appeal, it is odds-on that my ward will have an all-women shortlist. I live in Newsham and want to represent the people of Newsham.”
Blyth Valley constituency Labour Party chairman, Dave Stephens, said the general management committee had agreed last weekend to make seven of the 17 local divisions women-only shortlists.
“This has not been an easy process but we have had several meetings about it, thrashed it out thoroughly and agreed that all-women shortlists is the best option to take,” he said.
“I don’t think that anyone is really in favour of all-women lists but we have to take a decision in order to encourage more women into council seats.”
Wansbeck constituency Labour Party chairman, David Nicholson, said he did not want to comment on the issue of all-women shortlists as discussions were still taking place with regional officials.
He said: “The constituency party’s view is that it is for local members to determine who will be their local Labour candidate.
“We want not only the best people, but people who will properly represent their community, whether that is by experience, expertise, gender or any other factor.”

HILLMAN STAND DOWN NOW, AND YOU WISH TO WIN THE ELECTIONS THIS MAY NO CHANCE WITH YOU THERE ??

Ronnie Campbell slams pay hike for county council chiefs
Critical of payments, Ronnie Campbell, MP.

By HELEN SMITHSON
RONNIE Campbell has slammed Northumberland County Council for the controversial 'golden handcuffs' pay rise awarded to three of its top bosses.
Blyth Valley's MP has branded the 20 per cent pay increase given to the senior officials as 'disgraceful' and has written to Prime Minister Gordon Brown to voice his disgust.County council leader Peter Hillman granted the increases back in October to chief executive Mark Henderson, deputy chief executive Jill Dixon, and finance director Steven Mason to ensure they stay with the authority until it becomes unitary next year.The officials earned around £360,000 between them even before the increase was granted.Mr Campbell told the News Post Leader: "Who do these people think they are?"If Hillman has got that power, then that's very dangerous in local government."He shouldn't have that power, it's very dangerous in the hands of one man."I would urge the authority to take that power away from him."It's disgraceful that everyone else is knuckling under but these executives can pay themselves."In his letter to the PM, Mr Campbell states: "Do you not think if they are entitled to any pay rise that it should be 1.9 per cent like everybody else, or is it a case that the higher up the scale you are, the bigger the rise you are entitled to?"I think it is an absolute disgrace."The news of the increases has also angered residents, coming at a time when the authority is looking to take £4.7m off its budgets, and plans are in the pipeline to increase care charges for the elderly and the disabled.Joe Curran, who lives in Seaton Delaval, e-mailed Coun Hillman for an explanation behind the increase and why he approved the decision."The idea that a single person can dish out this money to three well paid executives when everyone else is being asked to accept a 1.9 per cent increase is nothing short of scandalous," said Mr Curran."Somebody is quite obviously taking benefit of his position and spending ratepayers' money."This decision is going to effect ratepayers in the county, and it's way out of order and totally unacceptable."Why wasn't this
first made public in October when the decision was made?"The extra wages will cost the authority an additional £6,200 per month.County council leader Peter Hillman defended the decision, saying it was vital to keep staff to ensure continuity and a smooth transition into the unitary authority."I'm pleased we have been able to do this to secure posts which are essential to making the re-organisation happen in the best possible way," he said."All organisations going through major change face a challenge in terms of keeping staff, and its common practice to offer incentives for people to stay to make sure that changes happen as smoothly as possible."Losing people in critical posts can not only damage or delay the transition process but is also be very expensive in terms of costs of recruitment to replace people in senior posts, which run into tens of thousands of pounds."

Marks Henderson 20% Pay Rise very nice of the Leader to Nod it through

County council chiefs get 20 per cent pay rise
Chief executive Mark Henderson, one of those to benefit from the deal.


By ANNA SMITH
TOP council bosses have been given a 20 per cent pay rise in a golden handcuffs deal.
The move will cost Northumberland County Council an extra £6,200 every month to keep three senior officials in post.Council leader Peter Hillman granted the payments at a time when the authority is seeking to slash £4.7m from budgets.Chief executive Mark Henderson, who was on around £150,000 a year, deputy chief executive Jill Dixon, who was paid about £110,000 and finance director Steven Mason, who earned around £100,000, have been receiving the extra wages since October.Coun Hillman said he was happy to nod through the salary increases to ensure the officers stay with the authority until it is wound up next year when unitary government takes over."It is completely understandable for staff in times of uncertainty to want more security and to look for other jobs," he said."However, it's in times of change like this that it is also vital to ensure there is continuity in terms of leadership and smooth transition.""I am pleased that we have been able to do this to secure posts which are essential to making the reorganisation happen in the best possible way."The county council will be scrapped along with Northumberland's six districts when a single authority takes over in April 2009.And Coun Hillman says it is important to retain key staff in the meantime to avoid having to pay large wages for temporary workers."All organisations going through major change face a challenge in terms of keeping staff and it's common practice to offer inc
entives for people to stay to make sure that changes happen as effectively and smoothly as possible," he said."Losing people in critical posts can not only damage or delay the transition process, but it is also very expensive in terms of the costs of recruitment to replace people in senior posts, which run into tens of thousands of pounds."The full council will meet next month to set its budget, which will include substantial efficiency savings, including cuts to frontline services.Proposals include increasing care charges for the elderly and disabled and increasing Council Tax by up to 2.5 per cent.A spokeswoman for Blyth Valley Council confirmed that the authority had no plans to set up enhanced salaries for staff in the run up to the unitary take-over."We have not introduced retention payments for any staff and are not in the process of considering this," she said.

The Executive of Northumberland County Council, Photos next ?

Peter Hillman (Leader) Seaton Delaval. Tele 0191 237229

Tony Reid (Deputy Leader) Prudhoe. Tele 01661 834000

Jim Wright ( Ellington) Tele 01670 860955

Bill Brooks (patio man. Blyth) Tele 01670 355123

J Smith ( Ashington) Tele 01670 533789

I Hayes (Cramlington) Tele 01670 736079

Mrs D Luke (Cramlington) Tele 01670 714822

M J Scullion ( Ashington) Tele 01670 851826

CAMBELL SEEKS INQUIRY ON ACADEMY

News Post Leader


By HELEN SMITHSON
BLYTH Valley MP Ronnie Campbell has appealed to the Government for a public inquiry into the controversial plans for an all-age academy in Blyth.
Mr Campbell has written to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, MP Hazel Blears, calling an independent inspection into the proposals and decide whether a public inquiry is necessary.In a letter to the Ms Blears, Mr Campbell raised concerns about Northumberland County Council handling the application, because the authority are in favour of the academy, and it is the county council's planning department that will decide on the proposals.An initial appeal for a public inquiry was rejected, but Mr Campbell has urged the minister to 'think again' about recalling the proposals.He told the News Post Leader: "This is a county council application, and the county council's planning department is going to be deciding on the matter."As far as that authority is concerned, we are going to get an academy whether we like it or not."The council's planning department should
not be deciding on its own plans."I think democracy should come before all else, and this is biased."A Northumberland County Council spokeswoman said: "Northumberland County Council has taken legal advice, and is therefore satisfied that it is the appropriate authority to determine these applications."The Secretary of State has been asked to call in the applications, and has declined to intervene. She has concluded that there is no sufficient reason to justify calling in the application."The County Council's Executive remains confident that this remains a great opportunity for children and young people in Blyth to benefit from multi-million pound new school facilities."The planning and regulation committee earlier this month has deferred a decision on the Ridley application in order that there could be further examination of issues raised by some local residents."

12 SEATS AT RISK AT NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY COUNCIL

There are certain givens in all of this.
Within ‘Follies’ we have done the work on the wards – there are 12 at serious risk of turning to Liberal and one or two Tory.

All that Labour can hope for will be to be returned as the largest group in a NOC Council.
The likelihood is however that the Liberals and Tories will join forces.

Standing on a ticket of ‘ give the people a referendum’ the ‘Torlibs’ as one member called their alliance, cannot fail can they?

Looks whats happened in Cheshire – one council changed hands and the whole review has been stopped in its tracks.

District councillors, furious at the stab in the back from previous comrades will not support the return of those responsible for this debacle – particularly if Labour North bends the rules again.
This is the Labour North who still refuse to sanction a return to the party system with a County Party, preferring to wait and see if the NEC will allow themselves to appoint candidates.

Follies foresees a plethora of Independent Labour Councillors supporting the referendum ticket, we do not wish to see this.
Those few, those very few, who pursue the ideal of One Council have a ‘tiger by the tail’.

My regards to all my comrades.

Isoceles – a new voice for democracy.

Tiger by the Tail

It is some time since that fateful day in July when a corrupt system won over democracy and the Government announced, against the clear and overwhelming views and wishes of the people of Northumberland, that a new single council would be the ‘preferred’ choice or that they were ‘minded’ to go that way.

Follies is not going to ‘have another go’, just yet, at the County Council, but just to give an indication where a handful of Labour Councillors have took the Labour Party.

When Billy’Patio ‘ Brooks shot out of the starting blocks last year to denigrate anything to do with the district councils, everyone applauded him at County Hall.

A lot of Labour councillors thought it would mean a continuation of their council, their lifestyles, their allowances!

This belief we found last weekend, is still prevalent amongst our comrades at County Hall.

How simple can it be – this is a brand new council all there will be is EX County Councillors and EX District Councillors, who will compete for the seats in the NEW authority alongside all other members who are entitled to stand.

It will be impossible to have a DESELECTION as this will be a brand new council.

There are certain givens in all of this.

Sacked council worker wins fight to clear his name

Sacked council worker wins fight to clear his name
Former council leader Bill Brooks.





By HELEN SMITHSON
A NORTHUMBERLAND County Council worker sacked for gross misconduct amid allegations of moonlighting at the council leader's home has emerged victorious in the fight to clear his name.
Highways foreman Nigel Riley was dismissed in 2005 after using his council vehicle to deliver sand to a house in Blyth where his colleague Joe Fletcher was building a new driveway.Unbeknown to both men, the house was the home of then council leader Bill Brooks, whose wife had commissioned Mr Fletcher to carry out the job, not realising that he was a council employee.Coun Brooks discovered the workers' identities when a neighbour showed him a photograph of Mr Riley's van.Both men were sacked after an internal investigation by the authority.But Mr Riley claimed unfair dismissal and took the council to an employment tribunal at Newcastle in June.The authority came under heavy criticism for the way it handled the 250-hour internal investigation, and was accused of protecting Coun Brooks after initially denying investigators the opportunity to question him.At various points through the investigation, Mr Riley was accused of stealing sand, being involved with the contract, fraud, and altering vehicle records.His representative, Robert Gibson, accused the council of "chucking the kitchen sink" at Mr Riley, and described the incident as 'embarrassing' for the authority.He said Mr Riley had been used as a scapegoat to save the council's blushes.But the tribunal panel has now revealed a unanimous decision that Mr Riley had been unfairly dismissed.A county council spokesman said the authority was surprised and disappointed by the judgement and will be lodging an appeal against the decision.He added: "The tribunal did find that Mr Riley assisted in the misuse of a council vehicle, and claimed overtime payment when he was not actually working for the council."The
council believes that this amounts to a serious breach of trust between employer and employee, and we take the view that this is a highly inappropriate way for any member of staff to behave."We completely refute any suggestion that the council was trying to protect Coun Brooks during the investigation."The claimant did not allege, and the tribunal did not find, that Coun Brooks was involved in anything untoward, and our investigation did not show this."Coun Brooks said: "I knew nothing about the identity of this worker and I didn't have any reason to suspect a link to the council."My wife rang him when he was recommended to her."I was in favour of a full investigation and was glad to co-operate fully."The person who reported this did the right thing, and I take what has happened very seriously."The public need to have confidence and trust in public servants."

Worker wins sacking on the Ex leader patio job

Hope you all saw Look North Last night Brooks house on the news and his car we believe

Worker wins sacking row
Sep 14 2007
by Dave Black, The Journal
A HIGHWAYS foreman who was sacked after allegedly moonlighting at the home of Northumberland County Council’s leader has won his claim for unfair dismissal.
Nigel Riley, 47, was dismissed by the authority following an internal investigation, after it was discovered he delivered sand to help a colleague who was building a new driveway at the Blyth home of the then council leader, Bill Brooks.
Now – following a Newcastle hearing in June – an employment tribunal has ruled that Mr Riley, who lives in Cramlington, was unfairly dismissed.
Last night the county council said it would appeal – and rejected any suggestion that it had tried to protect Coun Brooks during its internal investigation.
Mr Riley and his colleague Joe Fletcher, who had been commissioned by Coun Brooks’ wife to build the new driveway, were both sacked for gross misconduct after the affair – which happened in 2005 and involved the use of a council lorry – came to light.
Coun Brooks said he had been completely unaware that county council employees were involved in the job, and the two men did not realise they were working at the home of the council leader.
At the tribunal hearing, Mr Riley’s solicitor, Robert Gibson, claimed internal investigators at the county council had initially been refused permission by executive officers to question Coun Brooks in their 250 hours of investigation.
He said: “The council’s own actions prejudiced their own investigation.”
Mr Riley said he was never told what the investigation was focusing on and said he was simply helping a friend on the way home from work.
He said last night: “I was highly delighted with the decision of the tribunal in unanimously finding that I had been unfairly dismissed.
“I am disappointed with the attitude of Northumberland County Council who seem unwilling to accept this verdict.”
His wife Lynne said: “A lot of questions should be asked about how much this cost. They followed my husband for months.”
Last night a county council spokesman said: “We are surprised and disappointed by the tribunal judgment and are lodging an appeal against this decision. Following a complaint by a member of the public alleging inappropriate use of a council vehicle for non-council purposes, two staff were disciplined and dismissed for gross misconduct. Mr Riley was also accused of breaches of the council’s code of conduct.
“We took this allegation very seriously and launched a full investigation.
“The tribunal did find that Mr Riley assisted in the misuse of a council vehicle, and claimed overtime payment when he was not actually working for the council. The council believes that this amounts to a serious breach of trust between employer and employee, and we take the view that this is a highly inappropriate way for any member of staff to behave.
“We completely refute any suggestion the council was trying to protect Coun Brooks during the investigation.
“A full investigation was carried out and he was interviewed.
“The claimant did not allege, and the tribunal did not find, that Coun Brooks was involved in anything untoward. Neither did our investigation show this.”
Coun Brooks, who has since given up the leader’s post, said: “I knew nothing about the identity of this worker and I didn’t have any reason to suspect a link to the council. My wife rang him when he was recommended to her. I was in favour of a full investigation.
“I was glad to co-operate fully with the internal investigation, which I did. The person who reported this did right. I take what has happened very seriously. The public need to have confidence and trust in public servants.”

We urge County Councillors to call this in

Members not told of late changes to county 's unitary council bid
County council headquarters, County Hall in Morpeth.

By ANNA SMITH
LAST minute changes were made to the bid for a 'New Northumberland' without councillors' approval, it has emerged.
Members were dismayed to learn the proposal for a single unitary authority for the county was altered just days before the final deadline for submissions.And Castle Morpeth Council leader Peter Jackson, who is also a member of Northumberland County Council which put forward the bid, has complained that councillors were kept in the dark about the changes.Read more ...Services may be moved southAssets to be soldNow he has warned the new document could have far-reaching consequences as it outlines plans to sell-off £139m of assets and move some services to Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire."We in the districts consulted widely on our plans for two unitary councils, but unfortunately the county council did not consult widely on the bid for a single unitary," he said."What it did was change the submission fundamentally just a few days before the end of the consultation stage."There was no consultation about these changes because there was no time to do it."They haven't even got the democratic
legitimacy of the county councillors."A county council spokeswoman said the submission was not changed, but further work was added in line with government regulations."Northumberland County Council did not change its submission to a new proposal."As permitted during the Government's consultation phase, further development work was carried out and more information was provided by the council in support of the original proposals."All of the documents are publicly available on our website," she said.The government approved the submission for a single unitary authority for Northumberland in July, agreeing to scrap the existing six district bodies and the county council.However, district authorities in Castle Morpeth, Blyth Valley, Alnwick and Berwick are challenging the legality of the reorganisation, arguing that the Secretary of State had no powers to make the decision.
Last Updated: 06 September 2007 12:07 PM

Well, the very thing that people in Northumberland feared has been announced.

The Government has ignored the public. MPs and councillors in Northumberland and have gone for the single unitary.

The ‘brand new council’ trumpeted by Peter Hillman is about to be forced on the people of Northumberland by one of the most vilified leaderships we have yet to see.

With the submission to the DCLG changed and changed again by Mark Henderson he has committed the council to an elected Leader/ Mayor and an elected Cabinet – against the vote earlier this year by the Labour group and against the document approved by the Council.

But we are talking about Hillman struggling for his very existence.

He must realise by now that he is the most unpopular person in his ward at the moment, not least of which with his own wards party.

Now ‘FOLLYS’ has heard that officers (Jill D?) have been trying to persuade the DCLG to forgo elections next year with a continuing authority, which will keep the ruling group in place until 2009.

A continuing authority scenario does away with the façade of a NEW COUNCIL, with new elections and an elected leader.

Has Peter lied again to the public? Reply to us Peter and we will print your reply!

Peter Hillman goes against his Labour Party in Blyth, the Labour Party in Blyth oppose this academy

The Guardian is not a paper that we in Follys normally subscribe to except on a freebie via the internet, as we do scour all news for our readers edification.

One article on the demise of the Academy proposed for Blyth caused us to choke on our collective coffees and rush out to buy Wednesdays copy to read the education supplement.

We have a planted story from the County with a dire warning from that elder statesman, Peter Hillman. A warning that a two unitary outcome would bring about Armageddon, the collapse of the walls of Jericho.

The basis of this scare. If the people of Northumberland got what they wanted, a two unitary solution to the county councils problems then the Academy would not go ahead which would sound the death knell for any Academy anywhere in Northumberland.

Peter goes on to state that you would have the vision of Labour members stopping Academies!

This is arrogant nonsense from someone who should know better.

As Dave Stephens stated in the article, WE believe they thought there was going to be no right to reply, this one academy is in the wrong place for the wrong reasons and at the wrong time.

Apart from anything else it is Labour party policy in Blyth Valley to oppose this academy.this is policy wrought from a very good debate not attended by Hillman or Brooks.

Marky Hendersons new approach is to bring pressure to bear on Dfes to support the failing single council cause, lest the academy turns turtle.

Now that’s desperate.

Mark Henderson Reorganisation

The latest in the saga of reorganisation is the 'further evidence' submitted by Mark Henderson and Jill Dixon.
This is available on the NCC website and is a tribute to the manipulative skills of Mark.

The NCC submission for a continuing council now contains proposals for an elected Mayor and Cabinet.

What happened to the Labour Group decision you ask, to have a leader selected from the group.
Peter Hillman says he will talk to you all about this 'volte-face' and has put his 'political weight' behind convincing you to take this very bitter pill.

I hope the lions led by donkeys will suitably kick him into touch.

There is also reference to the reduction of personnel down to 200 which will be done in consulattion with the workforce and unions.

Read the document its too much to print on this blog, but it is as devious a document as you could wish for!

Hold the front page!

Follys has found thet the next Full Council is going to be a regular bear-pit of a meeting.

Members from both sides are wanting their say on the authorisation of lobbyists money, the hinderance of auditors at County Hall and the recent policy on the hoof announcements by Peter Hillman.
There is also to be a humongeous row over the orphin of the executive that unwanted sacred cow the all age academy! (sorry about mixing metaphors).

Follys will be there to report back - as will all the press we presume.

As we were first with the Chief Whips Email , Watch this space

COMING UP ON ‘FOLLYS’

The saga of Billys faux pas with patios continues.
As we have always said it is not the free patio that we mind as much as the attempts to deceive.

Follys has information that evidence has come to light of Billy instigating and allowing the building of his patio.

Perhaps the press are looking in the wrong place for evidence, or the wrong employee.

Perhaps, just perhaps fellow councillors should ask Hillman and Brooks what they knew of the episode prior to January 2006 and who stopped the investigation.

When we have the copy and e-mails delivered to us we will print.

WATCH THIS SPACE!!!!!

Peter Hilmans TV interview

Hillman must have thought his chance had finally come, free reign to put his views across on television.

Did anyone see his cringing performance.
First from a set piece, obviously prepared by his officers he told us all that he needed publicity to inform the public what the COUNTY did.

If they havn't got a clue by now then its a bit late.

Then he went on to deny that lobbyists were being paid £30,000 a shot to argue the case for a single council with Westminster.

He had to do that for no MP would sponser their bid.

BUT after denying the £30,000 he refused to say how much public money he was paying!
All he would say was that it wasn't the £30,000 that was being bandied about and that client confidentiallity ruled that he couldn't say how much he was paying.

This is public money and anyway who is the client IT IS THE COUNCIL WHICH IS ALSO THE PUBLIC.

Come clean Mr Hillman how much are you wasting on southern lobbyists?

Foreman Hits back at Northumberland County Council. Internal investigators were bannned from questioning the leader of Northumberland County Council

Foreman hits back at council
Jun 22 2007
By The Journal
A highways foreman sacked for misconduct claims he is simply a convenient scapegoat after it was revealed internal investigators were banned from questioning the leader of Northumberland County Council.

Nigel Riley was accused of helping a colleague moonlight as a driveway fitter. They had used a works van while delivering sand to then council leader Bill Brooks' home.
The pair did not know Coun Brooks was their boss and the former leader has never been accused of any involvement in the "embarrassing incident."
But the council refused their own staff permission to include Coun Brooks in their 250 hours of investigation.
At a tribunal hearing in Newcastle on Thursday Mr Riley said he must have been a mug for delivering the sand and claimed to have no memory of the day.

In closing arguments Robert Gibson, for Mr Riley, said: "The council's own actions prejudiced their own investigation."

He disagreed with the council's claim that Mr Riley had misled investigators and said the internal audit team was hindered from the moment they received photographs showing the foreman and a co-worker unloading the sand.
Mr Gibson: "They received an email on September 20 2005. Within days the chief executive had spoken to Mr Brooks about that matter.
"We do not know what was said but presumably Mr Brooks was made aware of the allegations.
"The cat was out of the bag. The audit team was given a restricted brief which said nothing more and nothing less than find the lorry in the picture and find the men in the picture.
"Now, it is as clear as the nose on your face that where you should start is with Coun Brooks."
On September 28 that year investigators were denied permission to interview Coun Brooks by officers on the executive team.

Mr Gibson added: "The local authority was responsible for the delay."
Within weeks of the investigators meeting Coun Brooks in January 2006 the council had enough evidence to start disciplinary hearings against the two men.
Joe Fletcher, who was hired to do the work by Mrs Brooks, admitted moonlighting and using council property.
Mr Riley says he was never told what the investigation was focusing on and was simply helping a friend on the way home form work.
The tribunal bench is expected to return a decision after July 17.

We told you so, the saga of Bill Brooks patio and sand

Folly is sorry but we did tell you that the whole sorry saga of Bills patio was going to rear up and bit the collective bum at County Hall!

Follys now hears that following the revelations at the tribunal and the evidence given by the internal auditor for County, that a call to PLOD is being considered instead of to the Ombudsman.

Lets pick out the reason behind this.

The original complaint that Bill Brooks was using council labour to do a ‘govvy job’, is one thing – to hinder a subsequent investigation is another.



Robert Gibson, representing Mr Riley, asked internal auditor Gary Walker: "Why did you not ascertain Mr Brooks' involvement?" Mr Walker said he had asked the director of finance on September 29 whether he should contact Coun Brooks but was told "he should not bother to do so." It was January, 2006, before Mr Walker spoke to Coun Brooks and received documents identifying Joe Fletcher as the contractor hired to build a driveway.By that time the council leader had already spoken to Northumberland County Council chief executive Mark Henderson about the matter.When asked if this delay hindered the investigation, Mr Walker replied: "It did. But I should say at this point we were trying to find out more general information."

No ‘ifs’ no ‘buts’, the actions of certain individuals hindered the investigation by an auditor.

Lamentable you might say, we might say look at the law!

Malfeasance in public office is against the law, is it not.?

Surely delaying an investigation by several months is wrong?

A public enquiry is needed to bring back a semblance of respect for the County Council. Until then a few people should be suspended, unless of course the auditor is wrong!

We await the out come with baited breath!

The ex leader of the Northumberland County Council Bill Brooks delayed the investigation into work at his home , Mr Walker "It did"

Jun 20 2007
By Adrian Pearson, The Journal
A highways foreman who was dismissed for moonlighting told an employment tribunal yesterday he has no memory of the day he was caught delivering sand to a council leader's home.
Nigel Riley was sacked by Northumberland County Council in April last year after being photographed using his council lorry to deliver sand to a house in Newsham, Blyth, in 2005.
Mr Riley and co-worker Joe Fletcher did not know that the house in Chillingham Close was home to then county council leader Bill Brooks.
Coun Brooks has always denied being anything other than an innocent party in the embarrassing incident but the tribunal was told internal auditors were "hindered" in their investigation initially by orders not to interview the leader.
Coun Brooks' wife had hired Fletcher to do the work - not knowing he worked for the council and neither of the highways employees had met the councillor before.
Mr Riley, 47, of Cramlington, yesterday denied any involvement in the private construction business run by Fletcher, who was fired after admitting using council property for secondary employment.
The council, represented by Paul Cape, claim Mr Riley lied during an interview in February 2006 when asked if he had ever done any work "on the side". Mr Riley claimed he was never told of the specific allegations and assumed he was being investigated for stealing sand.
When he was handed pictures that appeared to show him shovelling sand off a lorry on June 24, he said they were too blurred for him to recognise himself.
He said: "Any delivery of sand to Coun Brooks' home on that day was without my consent. I had allowed a co-worker to use the lorry but my memory is blurred in relation to these events."
Mr Riley, who has worked for the council for more than 20 years, said that although he would drive the lorry to and from his home, he would let Fletcher use it to pick up deliveries during the day.
A receipt showed the material was picked up at 2.07pm by Fletcher when Mr Riley claimed he was working on a roundabout in Ashington. The receipt came to light after council officials allowed internal investigators to interview Coun Brooks.

Robert Gibson, representing Mr Riley, asked internal auditor Gary Walker: "Why did you not ascertain Mr Brooks' involvement?" Mr Walker said he had asked the director of finance on September 29 whether he should contact Coun Brooks but was told "he should not bother to do so." It was January, 2006, before Mr Walker spoke to Coun Brooks and received documents identifying Joe Fletcher as the contractor hired to build a driveway.

By that time the council leader had already spoken to Northumberland County Council chief executive Mark Henderson about the matter.
When asked if this delay hindered the investigation, Mr Walker replied: "It did. But I should say at this point we were trying to find out more general information."
The tribunal continues.