Demise of The Dave Party
(Applies onion near eyes...) I am saddened to report the demise of "The Dave Party" aka "The United Sandwell Party" [sic]. This was a non-party (it was never registered with the Electoral Commission) consisting of a complete non-entity called "Cllr Bill Cherrington" [who he? Ed] and the person ex-Councillor Dave Hosell calls his "girlfriend", Cllr Caroline "Caz" White.
We saw in a recent post that the former "Leader" "lol" of the Council, Steve "Squealing" Eling (aka "The Milkman"), was pulling Caz's strings to attack the current Labour regime:
Once again The Turncoat Squealer has backed the wrong hoss and humiliated himself - he really is more Malvolio than Machiavelli isn't he readers?
On the subject of Dave, this bullsh*tter claimed he would be "demonstrating" at all Council meetings but after his bravura performance on 21st May* he has not been seen. He mysteriously boasted to me once about his legendary staying power (whatever he meant by that......) but it may be time to start taking the tablets eh Dave?
On Tuesday I asked Caz about Dave's various pro-Brexit rants via social media and asked her why he has suddenly become a vocal "Brexiteer". Her reply, witnessed by another councillor, was that "he always has been." I expressed some surprise as this and showed Caz a picture of them both out campaigning for, er, Remain:
Dave is the chap third from the right holding the "In" placard. Caz is to his left and Dave's wife Shirl watches their antics from the far left (photo-wise not politically "lol"). Dave says he likes a bit on "in and out" and it does seem that he is, indeed, a bit of a chameleon [geddit?]
Thank You
Many thanks for the recent donations. There are some generous folks out there determined to help keep this blog going (especially given the GMB Union's attempt to force me from my home). I salute and thank you.
Tuesday's Council Meeting
Since Cllr Yvonne Davies has become leader the whole atmosphere around Eling's former bunker has changed. Of course there has to be some security - it's a sad fact of modern life - but this will now be tailored to specific risk. Gone is the fencing and the vast squad of Eling's paramilitary "police force", the infamous "Barmy Army". In the meeting. Yvonne called an end to the "fortress" mentality and the ridiculous associated cost to the public purse. She reminded the comrades that Oldbury Council House belongs to the people of Sandwell rather than the councillors. [Despite the obvious sense of this Eling and Piper rimmer George Makin - a local BBC-funded "journalist" - recycled the utter boll*cks this week that Squealing Eling himself had failed to attend a meeting at the time of his unfortunate demise because of concerns for his own safety...]
Another good innovation that she announced is that Cabinet meetings are to become peripatetic and held around the Borough so that folk can turn up and see democracy (or what passes for it in Sadders) in action.
Unfortunately there was a bit of "mission creep" that, er, crept into the Leader's speech. There was reference to the ludicrous "Vision 2030" plan - bizarrely the same title as that used by another despotic state, Saudi Arabia, to map out the future. This really is kicking the can down the road stuff and the problems are so great in Sadders they require immediate attention and not some feeble aspiration to reach The Promised Land in a mere 11 years time! Please Cllr Davies, ditch this guff now. If you want a system try "kaizen", the Japanese scheme of constant improvement even on a daily basis. You have myriad problems to tackle in the dirt-poor Borough so one step at a time. By all means issue a daily bulletin of tweaks to the system - from large to very small - that are actually yielding results but spare us the bullsh*t!
And there was a bit of braggadocio rearing it's ugly head. Sandwell is at or near the bottom of nearly every league table going after more than four decades of total Labour control but everything in the future is going to be "the best" or "world-class". This is nonsense especially given the pressure on local government resources and the fact that these things are not benchmarked against other service providers even locally let alone around the globe (though see below). It is all very well dreamily looking upwards but Sandwell is not going to become the Manchester City FC of councils for a very long time. Folk need services NOW. Most people I speak to in the Borough would be very happy with good, robust and efficient, services without all the meaningless hyperbole.
Another small bit of good news is that there are going to be some external reviews of progress and more training for the sheep! Of course, any reviews need to be truly objective and not "rigged" like the infamous "peer review" of yore.
No Council or Cabinet meeting of the Eling-era was complete without the self-abasement of Cllr Peter "Zorro" Hughes with his incessant grovelling monologues in tribute to the "leadership" of the sh*t Council. We did have to endure a one-minute spit-flecked rant from Zorro this week but that was it! Happy days are here again at OCH meetings!
One more controversial announcement was that Mr Stuart Lackenby - beloved of all at Waterfall Lane (!) - is to step up to be acting Director of Adult Services. Note my recent post about this chap:
http://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-talented-stuart-lackenby.html
Of course, his former employers, Dudley MBC, are currently refusing to respond to a Freedom of Information request about Mr Lackenby's commercial activities and declarations whilst he was working for them:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/star_support_limited#incoming-1360916
I understand that Mr Lackenby's family may have interests in the adult social care "market" in Sandwell and I am sure this has all been fully declared. In the meantime, the Information Commissioner is reviewing the failure of Dudley to answer my request - a situation that could be easily resolved, of course, by Mr Lackenby himself providing that Council with his written consent to disclosure....
Whipped-up Controversy
The Eling/Spellar/Watson camp are still determined to bring Yvonne Davies down. Bizarrely Cllr Carmichael had a crack at me outside Labour Group just for talking to Cllr Wasim Ali (we were actually talking about polio vaccination in Pakistan and I am not sure why that was so offensive to Kerrie!) On Tuesday she was hugger-mugger all evening with The Sandwell Slasher, Simon Hackett. Is he now the King Across The Water/Urine - the Great White Dope of the Elingites?
At the end of the meeting Yvonne Davies invited the flock to stay behind for a group photo to be sent to the General Secretary of the Labour Party, Jennie Formby, who is currently having chemo. Judge for yourselves whether the resulting snap would make you feel better or have you reaching for the sick bucket....
(Incidentally the board on the right will soon bear "2019" against the name of Jan Britton as his leaving date. I have suggested that the Council add "departed in disgrace" underneath but they are not very keen on that - yet...)
I was at the meeting and saw The Slasher rush out (presumably not to the nearest bus shelter). When I got outside there was a small group of male councillors talking to Bill Cherrington [again who he? Ed] Cllrs Tranter and Sandars were two but they all scuttled off when I appeared. I am pretty sure Watson's chauffeur Bill "Yellow" Gavan also did a runner. I did hear one say "Jenny Formby for f*ck sake" but cannot attribute it to one Cllr specifically.
Before I move on we need a short stroll down memory lane. The previous General Secretary of the Party was Iain McNicol - a man widely stated to be under the total control of Tom Watson. When I wrote to him about Eling and Marshall on 23rd August, 2017:
http://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com/2017/08/complaint-to-labour-party.html
I did not even receive the courtesy of an acknowledgement let alone a reply. As far as I know the Party did nothing about the complaint until much later. Others made complaints about Eling too and the Party commenced an investigation. This led to Eling being suspended from the Party. As The Skwawkbox - which did so much to expose Eling - revealed, Watson personally turned up at Party disciplinary meeting to try to save his mate but failed spectacularly by nit-picking on various points so much that time ran out. Thus The Milkman was not able to stand in the May elections. So let's get this straight - Watson and McNicol either by inertia or active intervention tried to prevent any disciplinary action against The Squealer.
Jennie Formby is the head of the Party machine and so is ultimately responsible for what happens within the day-to-day operations of the Party. Of course, the Party also became involved in overseeing the elections of local party officials etc and the selection process noting what has gone on locally in recent times.
When Yvonne Davies invited comrades to the photo shoot she said the card was because of Ms Formby's illness and
"...because she really has, in our view, been instrumental in making the changes that we want to make at Sandwell and has been supportive of the difference we're making."
If you heard a strange sound in Sadders this week it was the snivelling from Derbyshire of the ghastly Copper's Nark who tried to run the Council, The Squealer. This pathetic fantasist whined that this statement was clear EVIDENCE that Ms Formby was directly involved in the investigation against him so that she and the Party have not acted independently in his case (possibly a grosssly defamatory statement.) Of course, the comment is not evidence of this at all but, nevertheless, Milko's journo mates George Makin and The Wolvo C*cksuckers (aka The Express and Star) were immediately on hand to published his paranoid ramblings. Fact: they haven't published anything at all about The Squealer's clandestine communications with the "United Sandwell Party" (see above.) Funny that!
Turnout and Linda Horton
George Makin has tried to stir the pot about the number of councillors in the group photo. As above, it is a true that a few rushed off to conspire with Cherrington and Hackett flounced out but it is also noteworthy that there were a large number of comrades missing from Tuesday's meeting. I was going to supply you with the list but the SMBC website is currently f*cked. (We want "Kaizen". When do we want it? Now!)
This blog has bemoaned the fact that due to Labour's overwhelming control of the socialist paradise "lol" they treat public meetings with contempt (we have seen how Eling and Co agreed a full Cabinet agenda including the bent multi-million pound Lion Farm deal in just TWO minutes.) Public Council meetings are preceded the night before by a "Labour Group Meeting". Although this is a Party political meeting Labour use the actual council chamber so that the taxpayer pays for the additional heating, lighting and security for this. Thus any democratic input into the decision-making process takes place behind closed doors.
On Monday night I was chatting to Cllr Linda Horton (the owner of what class comic Bob Piper calls "Lucy's phantom bedroom" - posts passim.) Of course, Linda is caring for husband and ex-Cllr Rog but she has also has some ill-health herself. I took something for her on Tuesday for her own ailments but couldn't present her with it as she wasn't there.
Imagine my surprise when an agenda item - carried unanimously - concerned Linda and the six-month rule. This states that a Councillor can be fired if they don't turn-up to meetings for 6 months and, of course, lose those all-important allowances. The caring comrades gave Linda extended leave of absence and continued access to her moolah beyond this period. And so folks - she is fit enough to attend the council chamber for party political meetings but unfit to attend public council meetings! And YOU are paying for this utter contempt for local folk!
Stony Lane - Goose Armageddon
Unfortunately the death toll of geese and other birds at Stony Lane pool has continued to rise this week despite heroic efforts by various locals and the RSPCA. The finger of blame is pointing directly at Sandwell Council and Severn Trent.
This has been an environmental horror-story but there is a glimmer of hope for the future. A meeting was called for last Thursday and, at first, the Council were going to exclude Sandwell's famous "Gooseman", Ian Carroll, from it despite his great work over the years for local wildlife and his own rescue work at Stony Lane in the past days.
Happily the Council reversed this decision and on Tuesday night Yvonne Davies and Cabinet Member Maria Crompton took time out after the full Council meeting to discuss the horrible situation with interested parties. The Skidder understands that the meeting on Thursday went very well with a determination by all parties, including the Environment Agency, to do everything possible to prevent anymore loss of wildlife and to protect the public from any danger. Let us hope that this sensible "joined-up" way of doing things will become the norm under the new regime and that some good can come out of this bloody disaster.
Syeda Khatun
Just when Sandwell-watchers were putting their feet up with a cup of tea and some
The comrades are tight-lipped about what has gone on here but something has happened for sure. Watch this space...
Warley Labour
Bang! More controversy as the AGM of Warley Labour was mysteriously cancelled on Thursday night! Info please!
Bescot Sleeper Factory
Given the very extensive local opposition to this absurdity it seems that Network Rail are going to put in the planning application over the summer holidays when folk are away. Thus it is more essential than ever that you stay in touch with the campaign group. As this will affect the whole local area please join "The People of Wednesbury Say No to Network Rail" Facebook site. That includes folk worried about traffic etc on the Yew Tree.
(Locals are already up in arms about the lorries going to the Lidl distribution centre.)
You will be amazed how semi-rural the Bescot Sidings area has suddenly become in Newtwork Rail's cynical, fake and misleading images of the proposed works! This from Sarah Taylor on Facebook:
These sh*tbags must think local people are just utter scum! Let's see what supposed local "socialists" do to help them.....
Last But Not Least - Cllr Bob "Seig Heil" Piper
For some reason the most arrogant man in Sandwell (classing Milko as a Derbyshire resident) has become "size-ist" making constant remarks about my size and weight. At every meeting at OCH he has some sort of pathological urge to insult me about my physical characteristics. He has made frequent references recently to my weight, called me "tubby" and this week addressed me - twice - with "what a stomach". Given his other insults this is pretty tame stuff but I wonder whether he would say it to a woman?
Anyway I hear Comrade Bob has a little local difficulty of his own this coming week so maybe he will keep his gob shut for once. And at least Groveller-in-Chief George Makin will be on hand when he opens it so that the craven mainstream media can have an instant account of the great man's words! Let's hope they aren't the ones he shouted at folk in an Oldbury pub when Chair of the Licensing Committee FFS!
* Read the whole story and watch the infamous video via:
http://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-video-all-sandwell-must-see.html
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