Arts Council Private Statue Stunt - It's Even Worse Than We Thought!

In my post of 7th September, 2014, "Arts Council Money Diverted for Private Statue Stunt!" I pointed out that Sandwell Labour used money from the pathetic "Sandwell Arts Festival" to push Jim Cadman's private statue project in a grotesque spectacle whereby black actors who were supposed to be portraying black footballers in an alleged "anti-racist" campaign were forced to be covered in gold paint (even though the wretched statue - if ever made - will be "mid-brown" in colour). Is this not, er, racist?

The (proposed) grotesque statue is an obsession of the self-appointed "Voice of The Baggies", the inane Sandwell Council Leader, Darren "The Turdmeister" Cooper, and Labour have already made a smash and grab raid on funds intended for infrastructure improvements and sent £30,000 of public money to Jim Cadman instead (there will be another blog about this shortly).

Not content with this obscenity, Cooper has forced the Council (again at taxpayers' expense) to publicise the statue at every opportunity and, of course, the narcissist never misses a chance at self-promotion on these occasions. Sandwell Labour's utter contempt for the arts is well known and they put just £9,000 into the so-called Sandwell Arts Festival. Even then they managed to screw £4,140 of that out of the Arts Council (despite shafting that organisation good and proper over The Public).

And so instead of promoting the arts someone - presumably Cooper - ordered this hideous display (on two separate days) in support of the Cadman's private project and made sure he was on hand to get his photo in the papers.

Moron (right) spends public money on grotesque stunt

In my earlier blog I pointed out that of the "festival" budget, Cooper had diverted £844 for this nonsense to pay the actors. Thanks to my follow-up Freedom of Information request I can tell you that cash-strapped Sandwell Labour (who are also sacking vast numbers of their own workforce) ALSO paid the following sums:

1. For the gold paint artist to disguise black actors representing, er, black footballers £380 (yes, you read that right, three hundred and eighty pounds!); and

2. Despite the money the Comrades pump into WBAFC and the Albion Foundation they were apparently unable to borrow some kit and so spent taxpayers' money of, wait for it, £205.90 for the actors to dress up as WBA players! I just hope it was donated to a good home afterwards.....

And so, the Arts Council and Sandwell Labour paid to promote a private enterprise with public money to the tune of £1,469.90p - virtually a sixth of the budget for the entire "festival". Still, at least The Dear Leader got his publicity from the grovellers in the mainstream media and so you may think it was all money well-spent!

 URGENT ADDENDUM 31/10/14 I have just found the planning permission for this. It is well hidden on the SMBC website. You will find it stuck in "Street Record" under New Square, West Bromwich. But what is totally unbelievable here is that the applicant for planning permission is none other than Nick Bubalo of Sandwell Council via an agent who is another SMBC employee! This is supposed to be a private project! And guess who has signed the grant of planning permission via his "delegated authority" - yes my friends, Mr Nick Bubalo of SMBC. What on earth is going on here?

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