SMBC Statement - Agreed Settlement of Tribunal Case

Here is a statement that has been sent by SMBC to the Information Rights Tribunal to conclude a case that was due to be heard tomorrow. On the basis of this I have withdrawn my appeal.

"STATEMENT OF SANDWELL COUNCIL

On 21st September 2017 Julian Saunders made a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Sandwell Council. In effect, the request was in three parts:

1.       A matter concerning internal audit;

2.       Matters relating to the disposal of land to a relative of Cllr A; and

3.       Matters relating to the disposal of land to a relative of Cllr (now ex-Cllr)

INTERNAL AUDIT

SMBC satisfied itself that a WhatsApp feed operated by ex-Cllr C was genuine. In that feed various general allegations were made concerning alleged interference of elected members in internal audit investigations. 

The Council's established practice is that its internal audit team does not accept referrals for investigations directly from elected members. All referrals have to be made through a Chief Officer. (This excludes issues referred by the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.) SMBC will continue to ensure the process outlined above is followed at all times. In accordance with the Sandwell Council’s new Leader's continuous improvement agenda, the Council’s Chief Internal Auditor has been requested to review relevant Internal Audit procedures in this area to ensure the Council’s procedures are compliant with best practice.   

In respect of general matters, and despite extensive investigations, there is no written evidence of any direct referrals from elected members to internal audit.

In respect of an alleged meeting between ex-Cllr C and the (then) Interim Monitoring Officer no computerised record of the alleged meeting has been found and the Council understands that the (then) Interim Monitoring Officer did not keep a paper diary.

With regard to Charity Y the allegation via ex-Cllr C was that SMBC had used its auditors to investigate the Charity's accounts. There is no written evidence of this. However, in 2016, the former Chief Executive, Jan Britton, introduced an internal mechanism whereby any invoices from Charity Y were subject to a further level of checking by the then Head of Finance. No concerns were found, and the checks ceased after approximately 18 months. 

There is no written record why Mr Britton authorised this procedure. In an effort to assist the Information Rights Tribunal and, in the spirit of openness and transparency, oral enquiries have also been made but have not elicited any further information.

Community organisation Z was the subject of external complaints and two specific matters relating to outstanding rent and refurbishment actions/costs were openly referred to the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee on 17 March 2017.

Following complaints from Julian Saunders the Council took remedial action in relation to the recovery of rent. All outstanding rent owed by Community organisation Z has been discharged in full and no further action is necessary in respect of this matter.

SMBC also received allegations of poor financial controls (that fell outside the jurisdiction of the Council) in the running of the Community organisation Z which it reported to them. There were further allegations relating to a grant from an external funder which SMBC drew to their attention. The Council had not provided this particular grant but strengthened its own grants process in February 2018.

THE DISPOSAL OF LAND TO A RELATIVE OF COUNCILLOR A

The Council is unable to disclose third party data in relation to the bidding for the site although it is reviewing the process in this particular historic case to ensure that all arrangements are robust.

This matter was also the subject of investigations by the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.

Further claims via Cllr C were that additional allegations were being made in respect of Cllr A. An anonymous letter dated 19th January 2017 was received by SMBC which opened a number of lines of enquiry. There is no written evidence of any further allegations made to SMBC concerning Cllr A.

THE DISPOSAL OF LAND TO A RELATIVE OF EX-COUNCILLOR B

An allegation was made via ex-Cllr C in the WhatsApp feed that 4 bids had been received for a plot of land sold eventually sold to the son of ex-Cllr B who, at the time, was also an employee of SMBC.

An initial draft Internal Audit report was prepared with the intention that it would be reported to the Audit Committee, but it was not presented at the specific request of West Midlands Police. SMBC undertakes to provide a lawfully redacted copy of the report to Julian Saunders within 21 days.

The Council took separate action against the employee via its employment processes.

The matter was also investigated in the Wragge Report and referred to in the published Opinion of James Goudie QC.

The evidence is that 4 bids were received by 2 interested parties not the 4 alleged via Cllr C.

AN APOLOGY

There has been significant delay in SMBC dealing with this matter for which it again apologises to Julian Saunders, the Information Commissioner and the Information Rights Tribunal.

The whole Freedom of Information process at SMBC is under review with a view to ensuring compliance with both the letter and spirit of the legislation.

30th September 2019."

This may be partly inexplicable to those unfamiliar with the history of the matter but stems from a very old FOI request which is on the What Do They Know website and which SMBC only partly replied to under the Eling/Britton regime.

The matter arises from the time that Squealing Eling and Richard Marshall (remember him lol!) set up the Whats App feed so that I could shaft Eling's enemies. Various allegations were made by them which are familiar to regular readers.

But the Squealer tried to intervene in the FOI process even writing to the Information Commissioner alleging that I am a criminal - a matter that forms part of my current libel claim against him.

Unfortunately the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a blunt instrument for trying to get the truth out of a bent local authority since it only allows certain information to be disclosed. In particular, if there is no written documentation available there is no legal way (via the FOIA) of forcing out that detail via the Information Commissioner. Thus we have seen that Jan Britton, the former Chief Executive who left hurriedly with Yvonne Davies elegant trainer up his arse, caused or permitted dodgy land deals to be set up via secret un-minuted meetings. The law does not allow the Information Commissioner nor the Tribunal to investigate the facts of those meetings eg via oral evidence.

We saw in the whole Five Star Taxis debacle that Britton claimed to have undertaken a thorough investigation into involvement of a councillor at that time but when confronted with a FOIA he could not produce any documentation with regard to this!

And if a corrupt regime like that in Sandwell operates by way of oral instructions there is no "documentation" available to the public. This is clearly a case where the Government needs to tighten up the Act as it is a an open invitation for fraud and wrongdoing.

Cooper, Eling and Britton worked on the principal that most Sandwell folk couldn't afford to take judicial review proceedings against the Council and so they could do as they pleased.

[ I should say immediately that in recent times the new regime of Leader Yvonne Davies and Interim Chief Executive David Stevens have tried to go beyond the strict legal requirements now and to provide such information as they can glean from staff - not always an easy exercise as staff (particularly junior staff) tell me that they are still afraid of reprisals if they speak out and, of course, some staff have gone anyway. Thus they have at least been able to establish the identity of the parties at a couple of secret meetings to set up the Lion Farm deal - the subject of another Tribunal case - although the matters discussed cannot now be ascertained.]

Jan Britton also caused or permitted council business to be conducted via personal Whats App and encrypted Blackberry messaging which is also not covered by the FOIA. Thus he has been able to conceal much of what has been going on from FOIA disclosure. In normal circumstances one would have expected the Police to investigate some of these matters but, unfortunately, West Midlands Police are also bent and in cahoots with elements within the Council and criminal interests linked to it.

The problems are clearly shown in this case. It was alleged that Eling/Marshall were forcing the Council's auditors to investigate a local charity with a view to digging up dirt on at least two of Eling's enemies. As above, Eling and Britton did their best to block the FOIA request. But when the new regime checked there was no documentation available about any of this. That is the legal limit of the FOIA process. Happily, Yvonne and David Stevens made oral enquiries and discovered that Britton had, indeed, been monitoring the charity although how this came about is still not known.

So Britton - now is your chance to tell the world what you were up to and why!

There are five more Tribunal cases in progress. Thanks to the efforts of the new regime one - and possibly two - are very likely to settle soon and two have been adjourned to allow SMBC more time to disclose certain information. This is information which SMBC had during the Eling/Britton era but chose to conceal but which will hopefully now see the light of day soon. The new regime has confirmed its existence to the Tribunal.

I am also aware that various reviews are being undertaken to make systems - and record-keeping - more robust and important meetings now have a note-taker present and we can only hope that this all continues and the swamp finally starts to drain.

THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - COMMUNITY NEWS - READ THE SKIDDER, KIDDER!

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Post:  Jules Saunders, 11 Chelworth Road, Birmingham B38 0BG

PROUD TO HAVE BEEN TROLLED BY DICKHEAD DARREN COOPER DECEASED!

LEGAL NOTICE (Version 1 from 23rd January, 2019)

Every now and again we make a genuine honest error and get something wrong. If an error in the blog affects you please email thesandwellskidder@gmail.com and we shall 
use our best endeavours to make appropriate corrections forthwith.

If you consider that anything written is libellous please email thesandwellskid
der@gmail.com or telephone 07470 624207 forthwith. If your complaint has merit we shall endeavour to make immediate amends.

Labour's Sarah On The Up!

Great news as Sandwell's very own Sarah James continues her meteoric rise from Tipton to, well, who knows where?

Little is known of Sarah's background and education but in 2008 she joined Sandwell Council. As we know it's an incestuous world in Sadders and her Dad, Rob Timbrell, had also been on the books. She started in the heady world of Customer Service where she remains to this day. I believe she has reached the heady heights of Band D.

I am not sure how or why her first marriage failed but Ms Nightingale, as she had become, began to associate with Darren James - a man with an interesting background with women if ever there was one.
The couple married in 2010 or 2011 - I disremember which. Alas, as predicted last year by a prominent local (female) Labour figure, things were not to last and "Dazza" was given the Spanish Archer.

In 2011 she first became a GMB Union rep. Like many who have not had a privileged upbringing this was the possible escape hatch from sh*thole Sandwell to the stars!

Darren - also a GMB union rep - and Sarah became close to Smethwick Scumbag Darren Cooper, the late and disastrous Leader of the corrupt Council. Indeed it was to Dickhead Daz Cooper Sarah turned on that fateful late December night in 2014 when she sought the "Leader's" approbation for her actions.

Nearly everyone I have ever spoken to close to Sandwell Labour knew the stories of Cooper beating-up his first wife apart, seemingly, from Sarah who was happy to be photographed with him for her excellent charity work opposing domestic violence against women! Ooops - we all mistakes and I am sure that also explains why she was also following his most vicious troll account where he was constantly attacking my wife!

Readers may be able to help me fill in the bio - but at some point Darren and Sarah fell under the spell of that charismatic good-guy, Tom "Former Ten Bellies" Watson. Sarah was now living in his constituency. (More recently, Cuddly Tommy has been given the bum's rush by Len McCluskey/Unite the Union and, by happy chance, is now finding solace and cash from Sarah's very own GMB!)

Dazza found his way onto the local Labour Campaign Forum although that ended in tears when it was suspended amidst all sorts of shennanigans [surely not in Sandwell? - Ed] but Sarah and dear Tom bonded (non-sexually.) And  as with other young (and not so young) women the kindly Watters has taken under his protective wing (Peacock, Gill etc) her upward trajectory accelerated. And we can now begin to chart this splendid story for posterity!

Sarah has been close/very close to some of the main players in the Sandwell disasters of the last few years - Cooper, Eling, Hackett (and Mrs H), Gavan "lol", Costigan "double lol" and, of course, the Supreme Leader himself, Watson. A normally reliable source even says she is friends with Mrs Eling but I assume that cannot actually be the case. And she is going great guns with the GMB. In addition to her branch duties she is currently the lead for women sitting on the GMB National and Regional Equality fora as well as being a member of the Regional women's group.

In 2015 Sarah was honoured at the TUC for her "imaginative use of communication" (something I can certainly vouch for):

Her branch has gained such power and influence that it has even been able to arrange unlawful covert surveillance of me via Sandwell Council although I am sure Sarah will not have been personally involved in that. (More to come on that story.)

Back in 2015 Sandwell Labour and associates were all for Tom Watson in his successful bid to become Deputy Dog of the Labour Party with Dazza J particularly enthusiastic:

And - one for the scrap book here - a photo of the arch-Brexiteer the Jezatollah at a "Remain" event with Sarah ( the old shagger Jezza even wearing an "In" sticker!):

And this was not the only time she was cosying up to the man Watson seemingly seeks to, er, destroy:

And when the terrorist-lover did one of his Nuremberg-style rallies in the heart of darkness, Sandwell itself, in November, 2017 Sarah was on stage directly behind the "leader":

And there are many photos of her with the former rutting-walrus of which this is one:

And in 2017 the self-appointed Nonce-Finder General praised Sandwell's Sarah at the #AskHerToStandDay at the House of Commons to promote the entry of more women into parliament. Watson has worked his magic with Peacock and Gill  before - can he sway a seat for Sarah? Surely we all hope so?

Sarah has visited Westminster on other occasions and is a regular on the Union conference circuit. More plaudits came in 2018 when she was involved in the GMB's "Dying to Work Campaign". Apparently this is a significant problem and Sarah "persuaded her employers", Sandwell Council, to sign the Charter providing employment protection for terminally-ill workers. Here are Sarah and Dazza with their friend. the former Sandwell dictator, Steve "Squealing" Eling, whose political career was itself just about to take a possibly terminal turn for the worse:

And 2018 brought another award - The GMB's prestigious "Eleanor Marx Award" which brought her much well-deserved publicity.

No wonder Sarah is "one to watch" in Sandwell! And it gets even better!

In January, 2019 a mysterious honour was bestowed upon our rising star. Multistory are a local arts charity in Sandwell and, like most other local organisations are up the arse of the comrades., Multistory have their offices (presumably at favourable rent) in West Bromwich Town Hall and also receive direct funding from the corrupt Council. They put up a plaque naming the "women of Sandwell" 2019 and a cursory examination of the list shows the names of some of "the usual suspects". But when Multistory were asked what exactly Sarah had done to merit inclusion they said they received a single nomination (Costigan?) but they could not tell me who it was or what they were nominating Sarah for because of, wait for it, "data protection reasons". But I am sure we all think that whatever Sarah did it was more than sufficient to gain this recognition. Of course, this whole charade event had the usual political overtones and the ill-fated former Deputy Leader of the bent Council, Syeda Khatun, was on hand to unveil the plaque!

During the Interregnum when Steve "Luvvie" Trow was - hilariously - the short-lived "Leader" of the basket-case Council they felt the need to deal with another pressing problem - supporting employees who suffer domestic violence. I am sure most of us support the victims of this form of abuse but were unaware that employers need a charter to assist them in helping employees in that horrible predicament. One imagines that if an employer like Sandwell Council became aware of such abuse it would assist the victim anyway but hey ho, the GMB says there must be a charter and so be it. In April, 2019 Sarah was sitting in the chamber itself during full Council and was invited up to sign this important document. On returning to her seat she took the chance to pat ex-Cabinet member Elaine Costigan, her friend, on the shoulder and have a few words. All this delighted her union:

(Bizarrely the incestuous Sandwell Council has a large number of employees who are inter-related. It is a wonder with so many "couples" working there plus the amount of casual shagging, that there are not outbreaks of domestic violence actually on the premises. Perhaps that's what the powers that be were more worried about! Also, does SMBC need instruction on this subject when it has been so assiduous in providing housing immediately to domestic violence victims where reconciliation is immediate but the family then has two houses? And what an event this would have been if the wife-beater Cooper had still been Leader and had been called upon to sign the Charter!!!!)

And who should also support Sarah in this campaign than another (toxic) friend in high Labour circles:

(Images from 2019)

(Curiously Jess Phillips is another campaigner against domestic abuse who has found forgiveness in her heart for the perpetrators of this appalling conduct. She became good pals with former wife-beater Cooper!)

Sarah is on YouTube addressing a union conference and is now a keynote speaker at other trade union events and so you can follow her string of successes on social media. She is on first name terms with the GMB General Secretary, Tim Roache, who seems to be taking a special interest in Sandwell as he recently "liked" a tweet from one of the many current troll accounts attacking this blog!

She has remained loyal to her friend Tom "One Belly" Watson. An attractive trait but a dangerous one in politics...

(2019 images):

And her loyalty has been rewarded in his personal fiefdom - West Brom East CLP - where just a couple of months ago her stellar progress continues and she was elected by local Labour members as CLP vice-chair - understudy to The Godfather, John Giles. A proud moment indeed:

Addendum - GMB "Family" 22/10/19:

Until recently, politics has been a rough old game and not one for the hyper-sensitive. Sarah has London-based Watson as a mentor and if she maintains her (non-sexual) relationship with him she will soon develop the hide of a rhinoceros. She is on the up and up at the moment but might reflect on the current fate of some of those named-above whose downfall has been rapid and, in some cases, shaming.

If Watson and/or the GMB cannot force her into a constituency at the forthcoming election will her opportunity be gone? Tom, so stylish in his ways, is as popular as a turd in a swimming pool with much of the Labour Party and her close association with him has not gone unnoticed by "the left". The Corbynistas are making inroads into the party structure and taking control in many areas. Strangely, WBE CLP is not one of them as Watson's pack of loyalist rimmers easily saw off a trigger ballot challenge recently. The left-wing Skwawkbox commented on the Friar Park ballot where Sarah is identifiable:

If she is forced into a proper selection process for a seat she is likely to face a Corbynista and in many places her close association with the former fat man will not go down at all well.

And there are other existential threats. Tommy's deeply-principled stand on remaining within the EU is at odds with this Brexit-voting constituents and many are very angry with him. In this febrile atmosphere George Galloway is threatening to throw his hat into the ring. There is a glimmer of hope that this seat-squatter may, at last, be beaten. And his power over the local Council is waning as the left and other anti-Watson elements gain sway. Her guide and mentor may not be around politically for much longer....

And the man who drove an innocent man to his death with false allegations of the vilest kind has already fallen out with, and lost the patronage of, Unite the Union. Whilst the right-wing GMB are prepared to pander to his tune their patience can also be stretched too far as this comment (quoted via The Skwawkbox) from their nominal leader, Roache, makes clear:

And Jess Phillips may be a grotesque freak show for the media at the moment but may yet prove to be mad, bad and dangerous to know....

But hey, we are here to celebrate Sarah - not to bury her! And she has just gone "national" again as a GMB rep at last week's Labour Party Conference!

The local GMB at least was delighted (as was another from the Watson School, Preet Gill MP):

The Labour Shadow Cabinet has no "big-hitters" (with the exception of Keir Starmer and, in a sinister way, the Commie McDonnell) but at least Sarah is hobnobbing with some of them eg image bottom left in the picture above.

As part of her GMB equalities brief Sarah has been very active recently working with LGBT+ folk. She has a new bloke (described to The Skidder as "very heterosexual") but dragged the love off to Warwickshire Pride where he can be seen in pics grinning from underneath the GMB gazebo. She has been schmoozing Sandwell Liberal supremo, Bryan Manley-Green, and was seen leaving Watson's trigger ballot arm-in-arm with Watson's pathetic greaser, Bill "Yellow" Gavan. So well done Sarah for your efforts to drag these good people kicking and screaming into the bosom of the thuggish GMB.

Yes, the last couple of years have been good ones for Ms James, that's for sure!

THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - COMMUNITY NEWS - READ THE SKIDDER, KIDDER!

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Post:  Jules Saunders, 11 Chelworth Road, Birmingham B38 0BG

PROUD TO HAVE BEEN TROLLED BY DICKHEAD DARREN COOPER DECEASED!

LEGAL NOTICE (Version 1 from 23rd January, 2019)

Every now and again we make a genuine honest error and get something wrong. If an error in the blog affects you please email thesandwellskidder@gmail.com and we shall 
use our best endeavours to make appropriate corrections forthwith.

If you consider that anything written is libellous please email thesandwellskid
der@gmail.com or telephone 07470 624207 forthwith. If your complaint has merit we shall endeavour to make immediate amends.

Edgbaston's Gill MP - Information Champion "Lol"!

AN OPEN LETTER TO PREET KAUR GILL MP ("lol" again) :-

Dear Ms Gill,

I emailed you on 9th September, 2019 concerning your possible collusion with Squealing Eling and Jan Britton to cause me harm. You have not responded to date.

I enclose below an email sent to you by Britton and your response - both redacted. You replied to Britton's mail in your capacity as an MP. I have asked you to let me have copies of the unredacted emails and I hope that  you will hasten to send them and that I will not now have to seek a court order to obtain same?

It is worth noting that on 24th/25th June 2017 you had only recently been elected as an MP but were seeking to also remain a Sandwell Councillor and thus continue to earn the extra allowances. And, of course, you set up your constituency office in Sandwell rather than in your constituency so that the taxpayer could pay your rent to SMBC.

Apart from your sterling services in getting the Sikh vote out for Labour in Sandwell, students of that deeply corrupt Labour Council have considerable difficulty in ascertaining any of your other achievements there. As you personally were well aware, Sandwell was deeply secretive and there is no public record of you ever wishing for that to change. Under Cooper and The Squealer the law relating to Freedom of Information was extensively ignored or flouted. This is happily changing under the new regime although there are still no less than six live cases pending at the Information Rights Tribunal!

It is gratifying to note your recent damascene conversion to freedom of information issues. On the very same evening I wrote for the unredacted emails you were voting in the House to force the Government to disclose the prorogation papers. With the usual zeal of the convert you requested - nay, demanded - the following extensive documentation:

"That an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, that she will be graciously pleased to direct Ministers to lay before this House, not later than 11.00pm Wednesday 11 September, all correspondence and other communications (whether formal or informal, in both written and electronic form, including but not limited to messaging services including WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Facebook messenger, private email accounts both encrypted and unencrypted, text messaging and iMessage and the use of both official and personal mobile phones) to, from or within the present administration, since 23 July 2019 relating to the prorogation of Parliament sent or received by one or more of the following individuals: Hugh Bennett, Simon Burton, Dominic Cummings, Nikki da Costa, Tom Irven, Sir Roy Stone, Christopher James, Lee Cain or Beatrice Timpson; and that Ministers be further directed to lay before this House no later than 11.00pm Wednesday 11 September all the documents prepared within Her Majesty's Government since 23 July 2019 relating to operation Yellowhammer and submitted to the Cabinet or a Cabinet Committee."

You and others insisted on extensive disclosure in just two days. I have now waited 14 days for just two unredacted emails. I can't imagine that a Labour MP would be a f*cking hypocrite when it comes to freedom of information issues and so I can only imagine that your failure to comply with my request is an oversight. No doubt you will now respond by return

 Yours faithfully,


Julian Saunders


NOTE TO READERS - I am still after any information relating to Tom Watson's role in Gill's selection in Edgbaston.


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PROUD TO HAVE BEEN TROLLED BY DICKHEAD DARREN COOPER DECEASED!

LEGAL NOTICE (Version 1 from 23rd January, 2019)

Every now and again we make a genuine honest error and get something wrong. If an error in the blog affects you please email thesandwellskidder@gmail.com and we shall 
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Not The Only Gay In The Village - Bob Woods, A Reflection

You infuriating, bossy, argumentative old sod.

You wonderful, kind, clever and decent man.

It has been a roller coaster ride knowing Bob for the last five years or so. He was living on The Lyng in West Bromwich and became involved in the campaign to save The Public, a controversial arts centre in the town. Roberto (as I called him) was staunch Labour but rapidly realised during this affair that the local Party - a one-party dictatorship - had "gone rogue". The Public "deal" was a bent one and this lead on to the exposure of corruption, cronyism and incompetence on a grand scale by the "socialist" Council. Bob could have done what almost every single simpering coward in the local Party did ie absolutely nowt. But he was a "Good Samaritan" and could not see injustice and just walk on by. (Of course if you knew him, you knew that!)

Bob asked questions. This led to reprisals - threats in the Kebub restaurant and petty vandalism to his house and car. He was trolled on social media and the thuggish, thick-as-sh*t, former Labour "Leader" of the Council openly threatened to use his influence to get Bob thrown off fostering panels!!!

He may have been physically short (with his waistline occasionally appearing to exceed his height) but, as ever, he stood tall and refused to be cowed by intimidation from the party he loved and which had been such a part of his life!

But Roberto had faced discrimination and intimidation before..... And he always called-it out in all its poisonous guises.

There are many kids over the years who faced challenges but benefited from Bob's determination and professionalism. Almost to the end he was still on panels etc trying to help them chart a steady course through choppy waters.

I am so pleased Bob stayed in touch when he moved back to Cardiff and I greatly enjoyed locking horns with him whenever he was working in the West Mids. We argued like cat and dog - usually over a couple of fine ales - but always had a great laugh too and departed with a hearty hug.

It was the measure of the man that when I was unwell he rearranged his work schedule to visit me at home - but then he would wouldn't he?

Bob gave his advice freely and it was not always gratefully received - though I did tell him that at least I always listened to his advice even if I ignored it! He did once say, for example, "You'll never know what your missing until you've tried it" after I quickly declined an invitation to one of his "orgies".

Politics was such a big part of Bob's life (and trade unionism.) Of course he was working with Work Stress around the union circuit until recent times. After the searing experience of the perverted, bullying and vicious Sandwell Labour Party/Council he was so much more comfortable with the Cardiff comrades and, of course, soon made many new friends. He always spoke highly of Jo Stevens and other Labour folk down in the Welsh capital.

But he was no-one trick pony. He had lived a full and interesting life and he had picked up worldly knowledge along the way together with the more esoteric stuff like his encyclopaedic knowledge of some genres of music. And so a great bloke to just sit and chew the cud with.

He seemed so happy back in Cardiff and inevitably fitted back in straight away - enjoying the company of family and friends. And it was great that so many of you helped him out as the light began to dim.

When three of us visited him at the start of his illness he insisted on driving us around and showing us the main sites, (docks, Landaff Cathedral etc) but also where he had lived and been to school. Even though he was dog-tired he was bursting with pride.

And on the subject of "pride" he was so pleased he got to the recent Cardiff Pride event - again with help from lovely friends. Many of you will know that he had been working with schools etc to combat homophobia and I personally was honoured that he sent me his script in advance of one project for any comments even though it was not my "specialist subject area". Wales Online named him recently amongst the top 46 LGBT+ activists in Wales and he also received the Lily Summers award from Welsh Labour in recognition of his life-time achievement in this area.

Before concluding I must just give a special mention to Dave - a man who has put his socialist ethical beliefs into practice during the recent difficult times.

And so the curtain falls on a dramatic and full life. Yes we may shed a tear but we will also cheer and applaud a life well-lived. Farewell dear friend from Linda and I and your other pals up here - it was a pleasure and honour to know you xx.

THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - COMMUNITY NEWS - READ THE SKIDDER, KIDDER!

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Post:  Jules Saunders, 11 Chelworth Road, Birmingham B38 0BG

PROUD TO HAVE BEEN TROLLED BY DICKHEAD DARREN COOPER DECEASED!

LEGAL NOTICE (Version 1 from 23rd January, 2019)

Every now and again we make a genuine honest error and get something wrong. If an error in the blog affects you please email thesandwellskidder@gmail.com and we shall 
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Watson & Eling Rimmers Still Alive!

With Sandwell being such a ghastly sh*thole you might imagine that so-called "Labour" Councillors would be busting a gut to try and improve things after over 40 years of dismal failure. But no - the shrinking rump of Watson/Eling arse-lickers are busy making mischief again. Bizarrely this all relates to a big hulking guy, Cllr Luke Giles, who is a member of the Giles clan of Watson rimmers, and turns out to be a cringing cry-baby! Perhaps if they had faced the death threats, threats of arson, court nonsense and bullying meted out to me over the last 5 years they would have something to "go to the doctor" about......

Now must surely be the time to reduce this rotten Council by a third.

Warning - reading this may make your p*ss boil! And look at some of the thugs and bullies who have signed this pathetic letter!

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Email: thesandwellskidder@gmail.com

Facebook: Julian Saunders  Group: The Sandwell Skidder - Speaking Truth To Power!

Twitter: @SandwellSkidder             Telegram: The Sandwell Skidder

Post:  Jules Saunders, 11 Chelworth Road, Birmingham B38 0BG

PROUD TO HAVE BEEN TROLLED BY DICKHEAD DARREN COOPER DECEASED!

LEGAL NOTICE (Version 1 from 23rd January, 2019)

Every now and again we make a genuine honest error and get something wrong. If an error in the blog affects you please email thesandwellskidder@gmail.com and we shall 
use our best endeavours to make appropriate corrections forthwith.

If you consider that anything written is libellous please email thesandwellskid
der@gmail.com or telephone 07470 624207 forthwith. If your complaint has merit we shall endeavour to make immediate amends.

Cllr Cooper - The Bully Part 2

We saw in Part 1 of this post that the moronic "leader" of Sandwell Council, Darren Cooper, together with Unite the Union, via their employee the local liar Brian Rickers, and a Sandwell Council employee, Paul Kerton (also the half-brother of Labour Councillor Steven Frear), together with a number of twitter trolls (most of whom Cooper and Rickers are actively engaging with) have been actively harassing two Birmingham arts charities for no better reason than the fact that my wife works for one of them (where I have also done voluntary work) and is a voluntary (ie unpaid) trustee of another.

We will call the employing charity EZ and the charity of which Linda is a trustee, FX.

Cooper likes to portray me as some sort of hidden "troll" which is ludicrous. My blog is now well established with over 168,000 views, I have been quoted in local papers, interviewed on local BBC radio and regularly visit Sandwell Council House for either research purposes or to sit in on meetings. Indeed it was on one such research trip that this photograph was taken and so I am hardly "undercover":

Two of these three cabinets members have now stood down.

But Cooper is trying to cover-up his vicious bullying by claiming that he is some sort of unspecified "victim" - which the mainstream local press were mostly happy to print without question. You will see below that this is what is popularly known as "bollocks". As we saw in Part 1 that Cooper had been unable to silence this blog - even with the help of Sandwell's Head of Legal, Neeraj Sharma, and so decided to "get at me" by attacking my wife and, more particularly, by trying to destroy her reputation with her present employers and with a charity of which she is a trustee. The initial tactic was to suggest that my blog was somehow "secret" and to keep threatening to disclose it to various persons. That didn't work and so why he should be returning to that particular, er, dog-turd is a mystery!

This blog is nothing to do with my wife and far from keeping it secret I am happy to promote it. I am personally very proud that The Skidder and its small but dedicated team have uncovered poor governance and wrong-doing by what claims to be a "Labour" Group in an area of great deprivation - particularly when such investigations were eschewed by most of the local mainstream media. And so Cooper's bullying threats were never likely to cut any ice with me - although undoubtedly unpleasant for Linda and the two charities Cooper and Rickers have made the decision to harass and intimidate.

It goes without saying that when, out of the blue, Unite the Union start attacking local arts charities they do tend to notice and ask questions!!!! Cooper and Rickers don't seem to have appreciated that!

We have seen that Unite's local officer, Rickers, harassed EZ with a string of lies (eg that he has a friend who works for them) and the imbecilic Cooper and "Paul Reeves" joined in. Then the massive troll attacks started. I am informed that EZ took appopriate action.

Rickers and Cooper could not even get the facts right when bullying EZ and started alleging that it is registered at our home address. Of course, Rickers was also harassing me about this and the dimwitted Cooper then sent a public twitter message TO ME:

"If your [sic] not going to reply to @brianrickers1 Could you explain why a great charity like EZ is registered at your home address".

Leaving aside why on earth I would want to communicate with Unite and a piece of shit like Rickers, this is factually wrong and EZ confirmed this to Britton and Sharma in writing on 4th December, 2014. Unfortunately, this very senior pair have no influence so far as the lunatic "leader" is concerned.

For the record EZ is a small performing arts charity but with a nationally and internationally-known reputation and currently enjoys Arts Council National Portfolio status. All its aims, programmes, activities and financial information are readily available for everyone to see via their own website and those of the Charity Commission and Companies House. It is a charitable company limited by guarantee and my wife is a Director - so that her address is clearly shown on all relevant sites. The Charity itself is registered in central Birmingham and not as stated by Cooper and Unite the Union.

Like all bullies Cooper does not only participate in this activity but likes to play psychological games which he thinks will distress his victims - in this particular case, us. But being incredibly stupid this is where he let the cat out of the bag! And so Cooper tried to intimidate us by threatening to write direct to EZ in the hope that this would harm our reputations - Linda's particularly.

We were quite surprised at this since, as before, Cooper always claims his twitter is purely personal and so why would HE write to the charity in a personal capacity? Was this just another one of his attempts at psychological bullying and, as I have given evidence to the Regional Fraud Team investigating Sandwell Council, witness intimidation? Surely not from a person who is, unbelievably, the Chair of the West Midlands Police and Crime Panel?!

But on 4th December, 2014 Cooper sent a public twitter message TO ME:

"Just preparing my letter to [EZ's Chair of Trustees] drawing his attention to your blog and twitter".

This is vitally important since you will clearly see Cooper's motivation - it is solely intending to be damaging to me and, unfortunately by association, to my wife. This came next:

Cllr Darren Cooper ‏@sandwellleader  Dec 4

@bcrover Info coming in on jobs for the boys & girls at well know charity. Is this true Jules #justasking

Cllr Darren Cooper ‏@sandwellleader  Dec 17

@bcrover Tell me when did your Wife start at the Charity? Can you tell me the date please.

(What on earth has this got to do with "private" or for that matter "public" individual Cooper? Besides you will see from Part 1 that he already knew this months before and threatened to confront Linda at her place of work. The only purpose of this is bullying and intimidation. He also knew from my blog that my only role with EZ had been a purely voluntary one).

But Cooper had to get the approval of Unite the Union for this action and so we have this:

01/01/15

Cllr Darren Cooper ‏@sandwellleader  Jan 5

@brianrickers1 Be formally writing to that charity this week. Questions need answering Brian.

(This retweeted by two of the trolls Cooper actively engaging with)

After a month of intimidatory threats the letter was finally sent to the Chair of the Trustees as set out below dated 8th January, 2015.

Just to give us what Cooper threatened us would be "sleepless nights" (?!) he made sure we knew the letter had been sent by publicly contacting Rickers again:

Cllr Darren Cooper ‏@sandwellleader  Jan 10

@brianrickers1 Did you get that letter I've sent to the charity?

Unite's Officer, who seemingly has very little work to do in the Union replied:

Here is the ludicrous letter (charity & trustee's name redacted) which I obtained pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act and then I will comment on it:

(Signed by Cooper personally)

Councillor Darren Cooper
Leader of the Council

The first thing to note is that Cooper can no longer hide behind the farcical allegation that his twitter account is "personal". This is an official letter from SMBC and on their formal notepaper and you will see that he is complaining that he is only writing the letter because his allegedly personal twitter account was blocked by the charity (along with Rickers and numerous troll accounts the two of them were actively engaging with). Curiously the charity did not apparently like being harrassed!

Cooper is so dense that it is unlikely he would have been able to write this letter alone and so someone in Sandwell Council seems to have helped him. I will leave it to you decide whether this is an appropriate use of the Council's scarce resources by Labour. Clearly it is a sad indictment of the depths to which Jan Britton's regime has sunk.

You will see that in paragraphs 1 to 4 Cooper tries to use his tried and tested stunt of saying he is acting on behalf of constituents. This is a lie. As above, the financial and funding information is readily available for all to see online. I am also informed by EZ that not one single person from Sandwell (nor indeed anywhere else) has contacted them raising the issues mentioned by Cooper!

I have also contacted most of the main arts organisations in Birmingham and none of them have received a similar letter from Sandwell Council eg about activities in Sandwell. But then they don't employ someone Cooper wants to do serious harm to do they?

Incidentally, Cooper has destroyed the arts provision in Sandwell to keep pumping money into sports, rich Premier Football Club The Baggies and what is supposed to be "its" charity, leisure centres etc and so it is hardly surprising that the Borough now has virtually no arts offering!

Cooper got round to asking questions about the two of us but did not mention my blog or twitter. So why the interest in Linda?

It should be noted that Brian Rickers lives at the bottom of D***** Road, Dudley DY2 and so most definitely does NOT qualify as a constituent of Sandwell Council. It is clearly a bizarre situation when the leader [sic] of a Labour Council has to take advice from a Union official who has been openly harassing an innocent charity (and me) and then clear the content of official Council correspondence with him when trying to bully and intimidate it, its trustees and its staff and its volunteers himself.

You will note he made insidious suggestion that the charity in some way does not operate within the law by employing me as a volunteer which was the defamatory allegation made by the trolls Cooper and Rickers were (and in a number of cases still are) directly engaging with. That is most definitely not the case and I am told the charity has responded appropriately.

Cooper is also trying to send out a wider message - speak out against him and you know what you will get. His treatment of the likes of Bob Woods speaks to that. No wonder so many poor SMBC employees are frightened of him!

And finally, it seems even Sandwell Council are embarrassed by this pathetic stunt by Cooper. Below you will see the actual Freedom of Information Act request I put in about this and Sharma's aggressive reply:

"Dear Sirs,

On 8th January, 2015 Councillor Cooper used SMBC to write to a Birmingham

Arts Charity, xxxxxxxxxx. Please disclose a copy of his letter.

Please confirm that the letter was the same as that referred to in the

following tweets of Darren Cooper to Mr Brian Rickers who is a resident of

Dudley and not Sandwell.

05/01/14 "Be formally writing to that charity this week. Questions need

answering Brian".

11/01/14 "Did you get that letter I've sent to the charity".

If the answer is yes, please confirm whether it is normal for the Leader of

the Council to forward correspondence to a member of the public in a

different Borough and the purpose of him doing so on this occasion?"

Sharma replied initially (the letter being disclosed at a later date) with great rudeness bearing in mind that I am SPECIFICALLY named in an official letter of the Council:

"The tweets you refer to were made by Councillor Cooper in his personal capacity.

Councillor Cooper can of course communicate with whomever he chooses in his private or official capacity, whether they are in the borough or outside, and all of this is of course no concern of yours."

But here's the rub. This was an official FoI Request under number 1:696996336 but you won't find it published on the Council's website (which is why certain members of the press couldn't find it either):

http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/downloads/download/1870/february_2015

Recently-promoted Ms Sharma appears to have accidentally "overlooked" publication of this. Clearly she obviously wouldn't want to hide Cooper's bullying from public view.....would she?

(Confidential phone no for Police Regional Fraud Team  investigating SMBC - DS Wayne Haynes & Team - 0121 251 2175 who are also dealing with the Twitter harassment and witness intimidation issues)

THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - A COMMUNITY BLOG - READ THE SKIDDER, KIDDER!

E-mail:   thesandwellskidder@gmail.com                Twitter: @bcrover (Vernon Grant)

Confidential phone no: 07599 983737

Open Message to MSM Rimmers!

URGENT NOTICE - this Tribunal hearing and another in respect of Lion Farm have been postponed by Judge R. Good until November/December. Sandwell Council have been specifically ordered to be "clear and transparent" in both of these matters where new documentation has come to light following the defenestration of Jan Britton. Not only must disclose the new documentation but must explain (a) where the information was during Britton's tenure and (b) why it was not identified during the course of this whole affair. Should be interesting!

The sentiments expressed in the original email below remain valid and please not my requests for help below:

Dear Local News Editors,

Many of your so-called "news organisations" were quick to report the resolution of a standards investigation into Sandwell's "Councillor X". The most craven arse-lickers amongst you were aware of the "problems" with the case but decided to publish regardless. Other click-bait "journalists" unthinkingly parroted the story as "news".

This blog has fought for THREE YEARS to expose the truth in this matter. Whilst there is the possibility of an adjournment this sordid affair will be heard at an Information Rights Tribunal at 10.30 am TOMORROW - Tuesday.

Councillor X has been invited to attend and give live evidence but I understand that he has declined. Sandwell Council are seeking an adjournment and yet further delay.

The hearing will be at the Birmingham Employment Tribunals, 13th Floor, City Centre Tower, 5-7 Hill Street, Birmingham B5 4UU at 10.00am.

I appreciate that many of you only pay lip-service to journalistic standards and have no conscience but I invite you to sent representatives to the hearing and fully report it with the same gusto with which you spread the fake news some years ago.

Given Sandwell Council's application to adjourn you are advised to liaise with the Tribunal that the matter is proceeding. You are also able to check with me until 9.30am  tomorrow on 07470 624207 though please note that by law I cannot name the Councillor nor discuss the case.

Please also follow @SandwellSkidder on Twitter.

Please note that this open message will be distributed via social media. The tagging of your organisation is because you are local MSM and should not be taken as an imputation that you/your organisation is necessarily one of the pathetic grovellers in the original part of this shameful affair!

Best wishes,

Jules

HELP PLEASE (1)

A number of you have made allegations that an employee of Sandwell Council was involved in serious football-related violence. I require as much detail on this as possible please. I am also aware that he was let off with the proverbial "slap on the wrist". Melanie Dudley may have been involved in the disciplinary process. Do you know anyone else involved please?

Two further allegations are that the same person also faces disciplinary action - seemingly without any real sanction again - relating to a road rage/parking dispute. The name "Cathi Dodd" crops up in respect of the disciplinary process. More information urgently required please!

HELP PLEASE (2)

I am hearing there may have been a secret meeting recently in Bearwood of the remnants of the Elingites possibly organised by David Hallam. It is suggested the "Friends of The Squealer" met in the structure pictured although Lightwoods has also been mentioned. There is even a rumour Tricky Dicky was there!!!! Details of the guest list would be appreciated!

AND FINALLY....

There has been increased activity by trolls all of a sudden. The latest troll is being followed by the ludicrous John "Jedward" Edwards and Cllr M Y Hussain! Unlikely bedfellows!

THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - COMMUNITY NEWS - READ THE SKIDDER, KIDDER!

**** Phone No: 07470 624207 ****

Email: thesandwellskidder@gmail.com

Facebook: Julian Saunders  Group: The Sandwell Skidder - Speaking Truth To Power!

Twitter: @SandwellSkidder             Telegram: The Sandwell Skidder

Post:  Jules Saunders, 11 Chelworth Road, Birmingham B38 0BG

PROUD TO HAVE BEEN TROLLED BY DICKHEAD DARREN COOPER DECEASED!

LEGAL NOTICE (Version 1 from 23rd January, 2019)

Every now and again we make a genuine honest error and get something wrong. If an error in the blog affects you please email thesandwellskidder@gmail.com and we shall 
use our best endeavours to make appropriate corrections forthwith.

If you consider that anything written is libellous please email thesandwellskid
der@gmail.com or telephone 07470 624207 forthwith. If your complaint has merit we shall endeavour to make immediate amends.