The Eling/Marshall Files 2016 - Technical Blog

August 2016

Anti - Cllrs Ian and Olwen Jones:

09/08 Re Cllr Elaine Costigan: "Shes [sic] on our side but the Joneses don't know it".

09/08 [You] might want to say that you heard there was a ruckus a wk or so after a show in the box office in full view of the public, some Cllrs getting quite irate.

09/08 [suggestion of financial impropriety by Ian Jones concerning xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Anti - Cllr Roger and Linda Horton:

10/08  Cllr Marshall anxious to attack the Horton's - see further below. Leaks me story about Sandwell Council using public money to buy a railway engine thanks to Roger Horton:

"I know [sic] have a full report on the train and will pass it onto you once I have read and digested the whole thing".

Anti - Cllrs Jones (via attack on Wednesbury Celebrates):

15/08   "Be worth asking your followers if they've heard of any child safety guarding [sic] issues at Wednesbury Park. Seems like Sport Wednesbury aren't delivering the Summer Parks Programme in Brunswick Park anymore wonder why? You could ask if anyone knows why Council staff are suddenly delivering the programme especially considering the child safeguarding issue..."

15/08  "There's going to be more leaks than Wales. Have you seen Halesowen News re Jones not being invited in, you can give Melanie [Dudley - a senior Council employee] a kicking for that if you wish".

Re SMBC officers, Cllrs Horton, Horton and Rouf:

15/08  "More dodgy fuckers in Democratic Services I just hope we can out the [sic] all. We will give it best shot, that's if Rouf and the Hortons don't get me first. Rouf has been visiting members in my ward trying to get them to sign friends up to deselect me...... I'm told Roj [sic] and Lin have already picked my replacement. If only my mentor [Darren Cooper FFS!] was still around!!!!!"

Anti - Mahboob Hussain:

21/08  Cllr Marshall referring to bent sale of development land by Sandwell Council to Cllr Hussain's son who then started building 14 houses thereon:

"Would you be interested in knowing that the council are looking at a transient site [for travellers] and that land at the back of Lodge Street is being considered. [query leak of confidential information?]

31/08  "Happy for you to break the story re the temp traveller site behind your mates [sic] housing development but it's be nice if you insinuated that you found out via WMP [West Midlands Police] source via tweets that is".

Following a tweet by me:

01/09 "Thanks for the tweet. It's put Jan [Britton - pathetic Chief Executive at Sandwell Council during many years of fraud and corruption]. Hes [sic] pirouetting towards Press Office as we speak. A press statement is being prepared to rebuff [sic] your tweet...."

xx/xx  "I saw your tweet about the air quality at his [Cllr Hussain's son's new-build] houses by the motorway and I thought, air quality will be the last [thing] on their minds when travellers are shitting in the back gardens!!"

Anti - Cllrs Ian and Olwen Jones:

Following on from a number of messages about Sport Wednesbury/Wednesbury Celebrates:

25/08  "The Joneses have now been kicked out of Town Hall and out of Wednesbury Celebrates and have moved onto Hill Top Community Centre.... Looks like they are starting another 'community organisation' there to [sic]".

26/08  "RM [Richard McVittie - partner of son of Cllrs Ian and Olwen Jones] knows full well the hours done by none [sic] registered staff as they had to complete a monitoring form for us at the end of every wk. [BBC Radio WM] asked us a series of 10 questions, we didn't answer any, and they didn't come back and probe further". [Query who blocked this at SMBC.]

[Follows with allegation McVittie and Jones Junior doing "cash in hand deals" relating to Sport Wednesbury]

Anti - SMBC staff:

31/08  RM messages helping me to identify female senior West Midlands Police officer said to be having a sexual relationship with (then) senior Council officer Adrian Scarrott who was closely associated with Cllr Mahboob Hussain:

"Look towards xxxxx, xxxxxxxxxxxx" [town and area of work]

01/09  Following an allegation by me that the person benefiting from a planning decision may be connected to Cllr Mahboob Hussain:

"We are given so little time and info to make decisions, you have to go off officers advice and if they are in the pocket of individuals it just makes us look bad".

Anti - Cllr Ian Jones

From 31/08 - numerous message alleging financial impropriety over a number of years in xxxxxxxx

Anti Cllrs Lloyd and Ian Jones:

From 01/09 - a number of messages concerning investigations being made into Murray Hall Trust.

Anti - Cllr Ian and Olwen Jones

02/09 Cllr Marshall send me a picture of Ian and Olwen with their new car and wants me to tweet about it as "it would piss them off greatly".

Anti - Melanie Dudley (hapless Assistant Chief Executive - now departed):

03/09 "Want to poke MD with a sharp stick again?" - various messages follow. Further messages follow on 06/09 saying MD "sent home to consider her position".

07/09 "You may want to ask your followers if anyone knows 'where's Melly' she left the council house early pm yesterday in a strop and hasn't come back since".

08/09 "I don't like to put words in your mouth but if you tweeted "staff told MD on gardening leave and not coming back"...it would piss off one person more than you could ever imagine and may lead to another scalp".

11/09 Re severance package: "Steve [Eling] has told Jan -[Britton] he is not to go above and beyond with this".

13/09 "I met her [Melanie Dudley] when I was a parent governor and always found her easy to get on with. It was actually her that first suggested I should become a cllr, saying "we need good people at the top" and pushed me forward at every chance. Obviously like DC [Darren Cooper] I only got to see one side, I still find it difficult to believe the people I got to know were doing what they were doing".

Anti - Cllr Joanne Hadley:

03/09 - I mention to Cllr Marshall that Cllr Hadley wishes to speak to me. He replies:

"Well be careful she told me she has a group of people 'willing to do you over'".

Anti - Cllr Yvonne Davies:

08/09 Cllr Marshall gives me advance notice of the collapse of Cllr Davies's legal challenge and encourages me to break story:

"YD has written to LP [Labour Party] formally dropping her law suit "Davies Legal Challenge Collapses" "

09/09 "YD has had her stooges putting it around I spent 2 wks badgering her to be on her [sic] Cabinet and that myself and PM [Cllr Paul Moore and an employee of Tom Watson MP] have planned to back SE [Leader - Steve Eling] for 12 months for me to contest him as leader and PM my deputy. Total idiots. I hate politics".


Anti - Cllrs Ian and Olwen Jones:

11/09 "Also don't say yet as the Joneses aren't aware but police have been called in by the new WC [Wednesbury Celebrates]..... the chatter from Wednesbury nick just from the bits they know about is that someone is going down for this........ And I'm finding funding pots by the day that the Joneses have been dipping into and eventually found one with IJ [Ian Jones) and RJ's [son, Richard Jones] all over it with 26k with no audit trail".

Please note that no evidence whatsoever has been forthcoming to support any of these very serious allegations.

Pro - Steve Eling:

13/09 "I'm being asked if you can tweet that the meet [Chief Officers's Terms and Conditions Committee) was cancelled tomorrow by Steve E because the report [by Jan Britton's bent paid service including, in particular, Melanie Dudley] he was given about officers involvement re Wragge was a 'whitewash which he literally threw out' ".

[Marshall later states that it was this report that was "the straw that broke to camels [sic] back] in respect of Melanie Dudley's employment with the Council. Query where Jan Britton was when all this was going on - the invisible elephant again!]

"Thankfully it looks like a very small group of Cllrs leading a small group of officers astray".

Anti - Cllrs Ian and Olwen Jones:

13/09 "Elaine and Pam [Cllr Pam Hughes] have been in [to xxxxx] and warned them about the Joneses....

Anti - Cllr Mahboob Hussain

13/09  "I've had another warning off one of Manboob's henchmen today so I know I'm on the right track, bless them. Manboobs is being interviewed by audit officers tom [tomorrow] btw [by the way]".

15/09 "It would be well by you and HNA [Halesowen News] asking the press office if MH [Mahboob Hussain] turned up for his interview by audit officers yesterday......" (He didn't).

Anti - Cllrs Hussain and Ian Jones

14/09  "We [Eling and Marshall] made a conscious decision to hit them with something new each week which we've achieved, some of that has been with your help o I thank you good sir..... On that note, would you be happy to bump into us at the pub again at some point... share notes, have a catch up. Leaders [sic] request".

Tom Watson MP and John Spellar MP

26/09  Following my story that Tom Watson had received £5,000 from Sandwell Labour Group which he had not declared in the Parliamentary Register of Members' Interests:

"Also your story on Tom, that info is very limited, although you don't like Tom he is our biggest allie [sic] when it comes to getting rid of MH (Mahboob Hussain) especially, he has compliled a 72 page document against MH and any story against Tom, MH lawyers will use to rubbish it".

"Trust me on this one tho whatever your personal thoughts are on Spellar and Watson without their personal support and interventions on this we ain't going to beat MH or the Joneses. They have some big name backers behind the scenes that are assisting them. The Invisible Man [Adrian Bailey MP] is there [sic] only public backer".

An allegation of sexual conduct between senior officer and senior councillor + sexism:

27/09 "XX (female officer) and XX (senior male councillor) were an item 10 years before you think.....Whilst she was wearing see thro skirts and g strings".

Anti - Cllr Hussain:

28/09  When I asked whether it was true Cllr Hussain had relatives working in the Council's Legal Department:

"Not sure on that, we think he may have up to five members of his family in Council we are trying to weed them out".

Cllr Marshall went on to say that the family relationships of all staff to councillors was also being investigated but that:
"anyone called Jones will be DNA tested!!!"

Anti - Ian Jones:

29/09  "Fancy a bit of stirring? Jones is supposed to appear at Audit Cmmee this pm at 4....will he won't he??"

I asked whether he did attend failed to attend:

"Yes the bastard has [ie failed to attend], the committee are fuming".

Cllr Marshall then asked if I would be willing to meet the new people in charge of Wednesbury Celebrates and said:

"Fact is tho this new group have spotted the corruption and told us everything despite huge pressure and threats from the Joneses".

In fact, no evidence has been forthcoming as yet. Cllr Marshall added:

"Elaine [Cllr Costigan] is one of the good guys tho, the Joneses have used her good nature relentlessly".


01/10 I send Cllr Marshall a comment entry from the Halesowen News. He replies:

"Looks thick enough to have been written by [Cllr] Hadley".

On the same day he gives me info - time embargoes until the following week concerning the dismissal of employee Adrian Scarrott adding:

"He [Cllr Mahboob Hussain] is furious by all accounts. I'm being touted by officers in Neighbourhoods as "the hatchet man" so my cover is blown and that I've "been tasked with burying the Joneses" bless them".

Anti - Adrian Bailey MP

03/10  "If you have anything on Adrian Bailey we'd be happy to hear it".

On the same date Cllr Marshall denied any knowledge of the bent ice rink deal - in which Cllr Eling was heavily involved (possibly with a Labour Peer) and also claimed to have no knowledge of Cllr Eling's involvement in the closure of The Public Arts Centre (in which it transpires Eling was heavily involved). My point is that Eling and Marshall are using me to attack their fellow Labour Party members but staying quiet when I ask anything relating to them.

Anti - Melanie Dudley and Ian Jones

04/10 I ask if it is true that Melanie Dudley was being lined up to take over as Chief Exec of Murray Hall Trust and, if so, how she was getting a pay off from taxpayers when she was going to another job?

"Yes too [sic] Mel. It's something I found out by accident the wk we shipped her out, not even sure DC knew when he did the deal. something kept very hushed up with IJ [Ian Jones] and MD [Melanie Dudley] and Murray Hall. "X" is a bigger bully than IJ or MH [Mahboob Hussain].

Anti Smbc staff and Cllr Mahboob Hussain:

05/10  Cllr Marshall implying that staff are communicating with Cllr Mahboob Hussain:

"I'm just concerned I shared some very detailed information on the Joneses and other things with a very senior officer 2 weeks ago today and within 2 days you said to me your phone wouldn't stop ringing and then comments from lower ranking officers coming back about me. We have officers linked to the Dark Side that we are unaware of and unless I can identify them they will remain in the organisation. Our plan has been as much as possible to follow the first rule of assassination, but we are going to miss some key individuals. Any help you can give identifying them would be much appreciated, I know you don't like naming names but even a direction would help".

I pointed out that because staff are so scared following the bullying of the Cooper/Britton era they contact me anonymously or via false names. I suggested a "Truth and Reconciliation" commission with amnesties for lower ranking officers if they told the truth:

"We have been discussing that very thing, the one thing we have to do is bury Manboobs [Cllr Hussain] first the amount of staff that still believe he is coming back is untrue he's like bloody Voldermort". Even senior managers believe..."

With regard to the prospects of Cllr Hussain being kicked out of the Labour Party:

"There are still people in the party actively blocking, without Watson and Spellar on our team we'd have no chance".

Also "Have you heard rumours re MH [Cllr Hussain] being reported to the police about wrongdoing as far back as 2005".

As it happens I was aware of the rumour told to me by the wife of a WM Police officer that he had tried to investigate something but has been ordered not to pursue it (BUT NOTE THIS IS PURE UNSUBSTANTIATED RUMOUR):

Marshall went on "Can you remember what for? Someone has come forward saying that he was reported by the person Neeraj [Neeraj Sharma - disgraced head of SMBC legal department] replaced whose [sic] was then marched off the premises 3 weeks after reporting him. We can't find any trace of it anywhere".

He informed me that the lawyer, Mr Cork was being traced. Then that another staff member was going:

"Another one has bit the dust but I can't tell you til next week Hurricane Eling is rattling through Sandwell".

06/10 "MH [Cllr Hussain] has written to the party saying he isn't getting a fair hearing and he wants the process kicked out and is citing your Maria Price story as evidence [that Chief Executive Jan Britton ordered a publicly-funded solicitor to represent former Leader Darren Cooper at a police station on a purely personal matter].

This seemed ridiculous but he went on:

"He's saying that she [Maria Price] is biased as him and DC had fell out".

At this time Eling and Marshall confirmed that they were still not going to sack Jan Britton even though Marshall stated "not expecting him to come good" and "his time will come".

Cllr Simon Hackett

07/10  I receive some some allegations against Tom Watson's puppet councillor Simon Hackett but here Marshall plays for time as he and Eling don't want me to attack one of their own side:

"Can you let me in on it first please as your story on AS [Adrian Scarrott's] son and the Fletchers [employees Norman and Michelle Fletcher] whilst we belive [sic] to be true we can't prove as there is no evidence anymore and as they all read it on your media seemed to have collaborated a story".

"Yesterday we had real evidence of NF [?] trying to finger SE himself [leader Steve Eling] then at the last second before we act I find out info was a plant. Not what you blogged. Other stuff".

With regard to Solicitor Maria Price accompanying Darren Cooper to the police station on a personal matter Marshall refutes allegation Jan Britton told her to take the day off as holiday:

"I'm told that MP [Maria Price] had legitimately booked the day as leave in advance. I know that SE [leader Steve Eling] is asking questions about this..." [Of course Jan Britton then laid on a chauffeur driven Council limo to take them both to the police station in Birmingham]

Marshall still anxious to stifle my Hackett story:

"Re this Simon story and the house lettings etc do you want to meet up again and discuss properly? We all have the same aims". He pleads with me to be an ally as "this thing has stretched out way by [sic] more than 3 Cllrs".

I point out that Cllr Liam Preece had failed to mention being connected with Wednesbury Celebrates. Marshall warned me "Just be careful what you are being fed" but Cllr Preece had the good grace to email me and "confess".

Marshall:  "Like I said, let's work together and fuck these off. Btw have you seen that MC [Cllr Maria Crompton] and the Joneses are on holiday in Tenerife together for IJ's birthday? [sends tweet of Cllr Peter Allen - Partner of Cllr Crompton on subject]. Marshall continues "Lying bastards have been telling us for weeks that they are "collateral damage" and never speak to the Joneses again".

"Cllr X has been taken in by these confidence tricksters [the Joneses]. The name actually belittles what they've done but that's what they are".

[Makes very explicit "joke" about sexual activity between Cllr Allen and Crompton. Adds comment in same vein about Cllr Olwen Jones]. He then urges me:

"Don't forget to tweet about them twats on holiday, you terrify them".

Re Simon Hackett

Disclose that I have received a number of documents relating to Cllr Hackett and it seems that Steve Eling involved in cover-up. Marshall claims not to know anything. He changes subject:

11/10  "The other wk you said you were giving Hadley a hard time [about Darren Cooper's trolling campaign] what about?? Anything we could use against her party wise?

13/10  Hackett has complained  to the police about another Labour Councillor and Cllr Marshall rushes to tell me.

After an exchange I mention that all this is not good for the party or the police. Marshall says:

"I don't think the party or the police have any reputation left to salvage do they".

Cllr Marshall expresses sadness that I have not tweeted about the Cllr who was reported by Hackett to the police.

14/10  Marshall goes on the attack that Cllr X is feeding me false information "designed by MH [Cllr Hussain]. He says they are trying "to have you silenced by us feel free to ignore me at your peril. I am telling you as a mate you are being taken for a pratt."

He confirmed that the threat of "we" closing me down related to "The Light Side" ie himself and Eling.

At this time Sandwell Council write a legal letter to me threatening legal action if I continue to write about the Hackett cover-up. Marshall continues to have a go that I am being fed false information by the Dark Side which I should ignore and be an ally of "The Light Side". He adds:

"This is not like the old days when our people [ie Jan Britton and Co] were probably instructed to go ahead with legal action to get at your personally".

A bizarre message follows:

"I don't know what the allegation [against Hackett] is [he does]. I do know that the information you have is incorrect and is heading you in the direction of a libel case. [The information was correct ad it didn't].

Anti - Ian Jones:

17/10  I asked what was happening at the behind closed-doors Labour Group meeting that night. He replies:

"Grilling for Jones"

Re SMBC

18/10  I forwarded an anonymous letter I received claiming he was bullying staff - which he denied and added:

"It has to be a smear, other than in Neighbourhoods where we have identified the corruption all the comments we are getting back is how much more relaxed and happy everyone is".

Re Mahboob Hussain and Ian Jones:

18/10  "Makes you wonder how far their tentacles spread with officers. Did I tell you about MH sons [sic] appeal against his sacking? He appealed. The night before his appeal his manager emailed saying "it's all my fault. I told him not to keep records" etc etc. What does he [ie Cllr Hussain] have on these people it's frightening."

He added, "It [the appeal] was heard 2 wks ago. By a different director. Nothings changed. But why would anyone throw their career away for someone else's son?"

21/10 Cllr Marshall promises to look at matters concerning 34 Marshall Street but fails to come back to me.

Re Cllr Bob Lloyd (sometimes known as "The Hobbit"):

I ask Cllr Marshall if he knows why The Hobbit is no longer Chair of Murray Hall Trust:

26/10 "Yes Lollzz. I'm led to believe that the Trustees at Murray Hall felt that the obvious link between Cllrs under scrutiny and question was maybe starting to have a negative effect on their relationship with Council and may ultimately effect contracts they may or may not get awarded."

(So Murray Hall Trust desperate to pal-up with new leadership [sic] regime to keep money taps running!)

Re Cllrs Frear, Mahboob Hussain and Wasim Ali (a Labour Party Member). Please note that I am not sure if Wasim is related to Cllr Mahboob Hussain but he is widely seen in Sandwell Labour politics as being his protegee:

28/10  "Warley CLP had its long delayed AGM last night. The eternal tossa [sic] Frear got done over as secretary by Spellar's bag man Vic Sylvester. MH [Cllr Mahboob Hussain] is still firmly in control of everything there though. He even managed to get his nephew Wasim Ali a job. He's the one the Dark Side have lined up as my replacement."

I asked how Cllr Hussain could have been there as he was suspended from the Labour Party at the time:

"He doesn't need to be there to control it does he!! Voldermort wasn't seen till the 3rd Harry Potter film was he?"

"Any shite you want to fling at Frear now would be a good time, he's feeling v v vulverable" (ie a direct request for me to attempt to cause damage to the reputation of a fellow Councillor and Labour Party member - as at that date).

"Horton [Cllr Roger Horton] retained chair."

I ask what Marshall can tell me about a Labour Councillor's alleged drug-habit:

"It's widely discussed that he loves Charlie"

I ask about Cllr Frear and who he hangs out with (he was regularly in the company of Cllr Mahboob Hussain):

"Well he hasn't many mates apart from [Cllr] Carol Gault.... His planning job is the next to go". [ie Eling and Marshall already plotting to remove him as Chair of the Planning Committee].

I asked why Cllr Hussain had dropped Frear:

"He hasn't, he [Frear] lost by one vote."

Back to Wasim Ali:

"I'm told on good authority he is [Cllr Mahboob Hussain's nephew] and everyone that has spoke to me about him in the past 12 months says 'Mahboob's nephew' in the same sentence!"

Re Taxi-Driving Councillors:

29/10   "I am looking at taxi driver issues currently btw, so if there's anything you wish to feed me, feel free."

[Discussion of spent criminal conviction of a serving councillor]


31/10  "I suppose now it's out that I'm looking at taxi issues I'm going to cop for loads. WA [Wasim Ali] is related to MH [Mahboob Hussain] by the way. I'm told that he is his nephew's nephew but that's only be told to me this morning so be careful with that, also that he's got the back [sic] of 3 Muslim MP's."

[Personal information about Wasim Ali].

"Have BCC [Birmingham City Council given you anything re Zahoor's [Cllr  Zahoor Ahmed]." When I replied in the negative he stated "I think we might request it via our counterparts".

[Communications concerning Cllr Mohammad Rouf].

"Horton [this could be either Cllr Roger or wife Cllr Linda Horton] is blocking my party complaint against Rouf [Cllr Mohammad Rouf]."

02/11  Marshall confirms he has had off record conversation with Birmingham City Council about the taxi licence of a Labour Councillor].

Anti- the Joneses:

Cllr Marshall sends me various photos of a holiday chalet alleged to belong to Cllrs Ian and Olwen Jones with a view to be tweeting about them.

[Communication regarding Labour Councillor Liam Preece].

Non-Payment of Council Tax:

Marshall feigns ignorance when I ask who is the Sandwell Councillor taken to court for non-payment of Council tax - he later telephones to confirm that it is him. Next day he tells me a local BBC journalist prepared to lie for him:

"I just spoke to [named BBC journalist] and explained it to him and he was sympathetic and said if he was made to run with it he'd say it was a genuine oversight due to postal issues."

Re - anti-corruption

I say that I am not convinced Eling and Marshall doing anything about the long-standing corruption:

09/11  "Neither am I, the dark side have spent years 'digging in' they aren't going to give up lightly I'm afraid. There are senior people both in the council and the party actively blocking change..."

Not sure of the fully meaning of this:

"Satchwell [a disgraced former employee of the Council], Bailey [Adrian Bailey MP], Jones [Cllr Ian Jones] Tipton Tories that MH [Cllr Mahboob Hussain] has now signed up to the Labour Party and Pat Collins funfair."

[Marshall complains bitterly about me outing him as non Council tax-paying Sandwell councillor].

Anti- Cllr Mahboob Hussain:

13/11  Marshall applauds blog I wrote attacking Sandwell Labour for allowing Cllr Hussain to take centre stage at a Remembrance Day parade.

18/11  "By the way MH [Cllr Mahboob Hussain] is under investigation by the DWP for Benefit fraud. A letter has been written in to Steve [Council Leader Steve Eling] and the three MP's complaining about him being an embarrassment to the party and office of a Cllr saying that he is under investigation and is it not about time they did something about it."

I ask how Eling and him know this is true as DWP do not give information out about investigations:

"It's been confirmed. From within..."

[Thus powers seem to have been abused to tap up the DWP for detrimental information concerning Cllr Hussain].

More Anti - Cllr Hussain:

I was not around for a short while due to illness:

06/12  "Morning, you still interested in any info? MH [Cllr Mahboob Hussain house/land deal tender was rigged. Council received 4 bids, his was indeed the highest but the three were it has become apparent off his family members. Rouf [Cllr Mohammad Rouf] is now also being looked at and it also looks fishy". (Not sure which particular property re Cllr Hussain Marshall is referring to).

Anti - Cllr Steven Jones:

08/12   "Can I ask a favour? Steve Jones made a complete dick of himself in cabinet yesterday which is now on the web, asking questions outside his remit and about things he's already agreed in Council. He's been reported to the whips in a complaint but if you tweeted about it we could have him for bringing the party into disrepute too. It's from about 31 mins in. Also about 1 hour in [Cllr] Zahoor Ahmed is told to leave the chambers for not declaring a pecuniary interest."

Also "I have stuff on taxis coming up that will make you think it's Christmas every day."

15/12 "The man [Cllr Steven Jones] is a buffoon and he's proved it. He is with the whips now getting torn off a strip by them."

I an still unwell. Marshall says "Have some big stuff for you in the new year so we both need to be fully fit".

End of 2016.

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