Bubalo's Statue - You Couldn't Make It Up!

The latest news on the "celebration" statue is something of a Sandwell "classic".

You will recall that this is supposed to be a private project run by "businessman" "Sunny" Jim Cadman (see blogs passim). I have written in detail about that gentleman and also the mysterious involvement in all of this of Sandwell Labour's joke "leader", Darren "The Turdmeister" Cooper, but let's have a look at the planning situation again.

Mr Nick Bubalo, Sandwell's Planning Supremo, is alleged to have taken it upon himself to authorise a £30,000 donation from Sandwell Council for this thing and then decided to make a planning application HIMSELF on behalf of a private businessman - Cadman - for the statue to be erected on land owned by Tesco.

Bubalo not only made the application with his name as the applicant on behalf of SMBC but then went on to decide HIS OWN application HIMSELF!!!! Surprise, surprise - the application was granted! All this was hidden on the SMBC website under the "street record" section for New Square. Bubalo used another SMBC employee - Alan Reynolds - as his "agent".

I have questioned this with Sandwell Labour's £124k per annum Head of Legal, Neeraj Sharma, as all this is clearly tainted with illegality. An underling has responded, appearing to say that although SMBC could withdraw this application voluntarily they have no power to "rescind" it without a Court order. It is too late to apply for judicial review and so Labour appear to be saying they are happy to act illegally and unless they get caught out by the courts they will carry on regardless! They seem to be banking on the public of Sandwell being too poor to take court action against them and so they can act - as usual - with impunity.

In view of the clear illegality I have asked SMBC to voluntarily withdraw the application (and even though this may be academic - see below) this should still be done.

I have also asked who paid the fee for the planning application? Surely the taxpayer didn't also have to pay this on behalf of Cadman?

SMBC have now written to say that because the proposed monstrosity is 3.35m high and, therefore, less than 4m high, there is no need for planning permission anyway - something that seems to have escaped the Head of Planning and SMBC employee Reynolds! It was allowed all the time, they now say, under Schedule 2, Part 12 Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (as amended)!

Again the question of the fee becomes relevant - if it was paid by the taxpayer will SMBC be asking Mr Bubalo to reimburse it?

At least 3 Council employees worked on this application on behalf of a private businessman including two very senior ones whilst being paid by the taxpayer. Now they say it was all unnecessary! "Planning Department of The Year" - don't make me laugh!

DON'T FORGET THE CONFIDENTIAL PHONE NUMBER FOR DETECTIVE SERGEANT WAYNE HAYNES - 0121 252 2175 OR E-MAIL THE REGIONAL FRAUD TEAM INVESTIGATING SANDWELL COUNCIL AT - rft@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk

(Incidentally, the moronic Cooper and his Unite pal Rickers have again been mocking the police investigation via Twitter. They claim the complaints of myself and many others are being treated as a joke by "the laughing policeman". Perhaps you can help to wipe the smiles off their faces? Or maybe Cooper thinks Sandwell is immune noting his (unbelievable) position as Chair of The West Midlands Police & Crime Panel whose members no doubt find his "laughing policeman" stuff most amusing and helpful in fulfilling their duties).

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