Geese Poisoning at Stoney Lane
The local Green Party have been fervently lobbying the Council, Severn Trent Water, The Environment Agency etc about the state of some of the Sandwell pools. Yesterday, disaster struck at Stoney Lane Pool with the death of 11 geese plus many others suffering. The RSPCA and Sandwell's famous Gooseman, Ian Carroll, managed to rescue two. Unfortunately, today has brought another 9 deaths with many more in poor condition.
Congratulations to Ian, Mike Allen and others who have done their best to assist the stricken creatures. And on social media, credit is being given to new Cabinet member Cllr Wasim Ali for his prompt attention to this horror. The area is being quickly fenced-off for the protection of humans and other animals and any saveable geese are being moved to a safe place near Shrewsbury. Let us hope the death toll and suffering can be contained. [Addendum - unfortunately the Councillor was wrong about moving the geese. Until the cause of the deaths is established no birds can be moved for fear of spreading the problem elsewhere. And, sadly, the death toll has continued to rise. Watch thhis blog for more news.]
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Of course, it is not long ago that the late Smethwick Scumbag, Labour's Darren Cooper, and his cronies were slaughtering these birds but they were stopped thanks to the persistence of Mr Carroll.
Interestingly, Fields in Trust recently "flipped" their protected land at Londonderry Fields for land at Stoney Lane so that the multi-million pound fiasco that is the Commonwealth Games paddling pool can be built. This organisation purports to be a charity promoting the use of playing fields but appears not to give a sh*t about ordinary people and to simply be a front organisation for the promotion of our grotesque "royal" family. It is this same lot, based in London, trying to pull an identical stunt at Lion Farm Fields to screw locals over again.
Lion Farm
I have recently established that prior to the bent deal with a property developer Sandwell Council were in active discussions with the Smethwick Gurdwara about the "clubhouse" building and possible projects. John Garratt was involved but, inevitably, so were our old friends Nick Bubalo and David Willetts who suddenly told staff that all bets were off as a new project was being discussed....
The bad news for locals and people across Sandwell is that the new leadership are not seeing sense and are also determined to destroy this green space. Despite retail meltdown across the country Sandwell Labour think they can buck the national trend. The mantra they keep chanting is "jobs"whereas the evidence is that this project, if it ever comes to fruition, will destroy existing retail (and jobs) for miles around.
We have been led to believe that this bent deal is for a "designer shopping outlet". A major player in that style of shopping is actually building such an offering at Cannock - only a few miles away. It is due to open in September, 2020. Now here's a thing though. The Cannock developers tell me that all their clients are signing leases which provide that they do NOT open similar outlets in the locality - and that will include the Lion Farm site. So there's a few more players who won't be coming to sunny Oldbury!
We have already seen the proposed shopping centre project by Sandwell and Dudley station collapse (even though it had planning permission) yet Labour keep saying that Lion Farm is commercially viable. We need to see some proof of this don't we folks?
Jan Britton Leaving Celebration
Why not join The Skidder at Oldbury Spoons tomorrow (Friday) at 5 to celebrate the demise of Jan Britton. I am not a person of wealth but will buy the first three SMBC employees who identify themselves to me a drink!
(And it IS true that apart from his notice period etc he was not paid off!)
I know many of you have been in touch to say how delighted you are with the news so party like its early 2010 - before that arse became Chief Exec!!!!
Homelessness
A strange story reaches me about an SMBC employee in a good job and driving a flash 2018 car being declared "homeless" and immediately being provided with a flat. More info please.....
Draining The Swamp
It is not just Stoney Lane Pool which is a toxic cesspit but, of course, the corrupt and incompetent Council itself throughout the Cooper/Britton/Eling era.
Regular readers will know that the former "leader" of the Council, Steve "Squealing" Eling, tried to tap me up. He asked for my support to "drain the swamp" but in his mendacious mind this simply involved using this blog to attack his enemies.
On Wednesday, I attended a meeting with the new Leader, Cllr Yvonne Davies, and the Acting Chief Executive, David Stevens, in Oldbury Council House. I had heard that Yvonne had immediately stopped the nonsense of secret, un-minuted, meetings and that secretaries are now in attendance - as happened at my meeting.
(There are many matters that are genuinely private and confidential and not disclosable and that is, in the right circumstances, not available via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Thus there were "without prejudice" legal discussions on Wednesday which I cannot share with you at this time.)
Cllr Davies promised that SMBC will comply with the law in respect of Freedom of Information. The law provides that certain information from genuine requests (ie those not from trolls like the fake "Vincent Alexandervich") can legitimately be withheld eg where there is personal data AND there is no public interest in overriding data protection provisions. But anything that should be disclosed now will be - even it is embarrassing to the Council.
This, with other reforms, will be a major step forward but the proof of the pudding is in the eating!
The Skidderati will know that SMBC have failed to comply with my Subject Access Request (SAR) - outstanding from the Squealing Ealing/Britton era - apart from dumping four lever-arch folders on me consisting purely of my correspondence with SMBC - copies of which I already have! The new Leader has stated that my Request IS now being properly dealt with! Curiously, some information came to me yesterday and I have referred it to SMBC. This will be an early test of how serious the new regime is about these matters.
Whisper it softly as no definite decision has been made yet but consideration is being given to waiving the confidentiality agreements which Eling and Britton forced leavers to sign to gag them from speaking out. (Eling infamously claimed that his crazed regime did not use them when his own wife had signed one!) Whilst this would not be a public process, those forced out may be invited to tell what they know. If applicable, appropriate investigations will then be made. I am sure all readers of this blog will be screaming "Do it Yvonne! Please do it!"
It was pointed out to me that staff were under considerable pressure at the moment and that there are currently 16 senior positions unfilled. Once again, this blog has questioned who any good would want to work in a bent paid service under a creature like Britton? Let us hope that a new, open, regime will encourage talent to the benighted Borough.
The swamp is undrained but Yvonne has started to open the sluice a few inches. It's a start!
Brandhall Golf Club
Another bizarre story. It is said that a manager in the grounds maintenance department has told staff at this site to look for another job as the site is to be sold for housing. I have not been able to find anything on this and so information welcome.
See you tomorrow????
THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - COMMUNITY NEWS - READ THE SKIDDER, KIDDER!
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PROUD TO HAVE BEEN TROLLED BY DICKHEAD DARREN COOPER DECEASED!
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Britton pay off? Notice pay for 6 months amounts to £70k+, not to be sniffed at. Perhaps no other direct payment, but other ways to 'skin the cat' eg enhanced pension payments?
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