The Suspended Secretaries - Tribunal Next Wednesday

Regulars will be very well aware of this story which also featured in the Express and Star yesterday:

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/politics/2019/10/24/sandwell-council-apologises-after-six-cabinet-secretaries-wrongly-suspended/

I can't say much about it at the moment since I am the Appellant in an Information Rights Tribunal hearing next Wednesday relating to the steps taken by the Eling/Britton regime to conceal what went on here. Unfortunately the concealment partially continues and so the hearing seems likely to go ahead.

If you want to come along and watch the hearing it is at the Priory Court Centre, Bull Street in Birmingham City Centre. We are due to start at 10.00am. If you are coming I shall have my phone on until 9.30am and you might want to check that we are definitely going ahead. Call 07470 624207.

There is airport-style security at the building and so it does take a few minutes to get in.

There are a couple of matters I can vouchsafe to you at this time. We have known for some time that Sandwell's most dangerous man, Surjit Tour, and S151 officer and serious rimmer, Darren Carter, were heavily involved in this scandal but even though the hearing is just down the road the new regime is shielding them from giving evidence. This pair were major players but we will not hear from them! Why?

Regulares will also know that there have been no less than six ongoing Information Rights cases going on. In three cases the new regime have managed to find further documentation which the Eling/Britton regime mysteriously could not. Those cases have settled.

In two other cases regarding Lion Farm and "Councillor X" the new regime have also managed to find hitherto hidden documents. Original hearings were adjourned because of this but the further disclosure has also been inadequate and so these matters are re-listed for hearing. (Once again Councillor X is costing the hard-pressed Borough huge sums of money as he squirms to avoid the truth coming out. I hope his allegedly "socialist" comrades are happy with that given the pressure on local authority finances!)

As above, Sandwell Council somehow managed to find another 39 pages of documents in this matter yesterday but they have been served in heavily redacted form. Also as above, I cannot share some of the gruesome details with you until after next Wednesday but here are a couple of interesting points to be going on with:

1   The story oscillates between 6 and 7 secretaries suspended but 7 were suspended;

2   We have always been led to believe that the suspensions were in respect of the false allegation that the secretaries blabbed about Surjit Tour's secret pow-wow with Geoff Lewis and Co on the Standards sub-Committee (and this was repeated by David Stevens in his Apologia last week for the horrendous treatment of these women.) It now transpires that Stevens himself knows this was incorrect since he himself was the recipient of an email from Jan Britton at 09.24 25th January, 2018 stating:

"I am writing to let you know that yesterday we took action to suspend employees in the Cabinet secretariat, pending investigation of a number of recent data and information breaches."

No doubt by Wednesday he will be in a position to tell the Tribunal about these other investigations.

3   There are a whole host of other players in this matter and I hope to be able to tell you more after the hearing but it does indeed look likely that Jan Britton and other top managers did not have the balls themselves to do the deed but got lowly grunt Stuart Taylor to do their dirty work instead. There is evidence of that spanner Britton summoning Taylor to the headmaster's office by email at 09.26 on 24th January, 2018.

4   Mystery still surrounds why the women were not immediately reinstated when it was quite clear that they were not guilty of bursting Tour's balloon. Maybe, as in point 2 above, Sandwell used this event as an excuse to trawl through the networks to see if there was other dirt they could fling at them. The fact is that probably a dozen staff became involved in this utter shambles but such was the incompetence of the Britton regime the left hand did not know what the right hand was doing. Steps were immediately taken to replace the women with agency workers but on 27th January, 2018 the hapless Carter stated that the women were to be reinstated. Except no-one told my new friend Richard Luckman as this email of 29th January, 2018 shows:

What an absoulute shower!

5   The documentation appears incomplete in that SMBC told the Information Commissioner that the investigation may have led to CRIMINAL charges against these women but there is no evidence so far that they were ever advised of this incredibly serious developmemnt nor advised to take immediate legal advice etc.

6   Unite the Union, Brian Rickers and Matt Law are to be congratulated for their work in resolving this shaming episode.

7   As things stand Carter has offered himself up as the fall-guy and he was only too happy to say that no elected member at the time was involved in all this. If this is not true (as suggested by Cllr Yvonne Davies) then his instant dismissal must be imminent and if it is then we await to hear from SMBC as to what disciplinary action they are taking against him in respect of his (seemingly) appalling lack of judgment.

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.

Skidder Set-Ups!

Maria Price is a solicitor at bent Sandwell Council whose name just keeps on cropping up. Her main claim to notoriety was in giving up a day's holiday (so it is claimed) to represent the late Smethwick Scumbag, Darren Cooper, when he was interviewed under caution at Steelhouse Lane Police Station on a non-work matter (you know the one - where Jan Britton laid on the Mayor's limo and chauffeur to take him to and from the nick!

Various names have been given to me about persons whishing to do me down. Apparently a Mr Lee Howen doesn't like me but I am not sure if he is one and the same Lee as on the following document which passed through the hands of my would-be nemesis at the GMB......

Addendum - just a nice chat with Lee Howen who was not involved in this at all and certainly has no issues with me. He is mystified why his name keeps getting dropped out to me. 

I received a phone call from someone I know. In turn they had received a message saying that a certain employee wanted to speak to me about the EPO's (formerly Eling's Barmy Army). I rang the number and the male person seemed genuinely surprised to hear from me. He said he was at work and could I call back later which I duly did but he didn't want to speak to me. I left it at that.

But this appears to have been a set-up. My friend Sarah James became involved somehow and then emailed Price to ask whether she wanted "the information". It transpires that there has been widespread unlawful surveillance of me within SMBC and one might have expected a qualified Solicitor to question how and why this "information" had been obtained and, indeed, whether it had been obtained lawfully. But instead, and as you can see, she fell over herself to get the info! WTF is that all about (and indeed the redacted comment to Sarah that "xxxxxx have been very good."?

All this will have to come out in current court actions but maybe the new regime will wish to come back to me and inform me of what this is all about without delay (although David Stevens has said in writing that SMBC are giving Sarah special treatment and she has refused to allow them to remove redactions from her emials which relate to me - and which also relate to covert surveillance involving the GMB.)

On the subject of the new regime I have had a pretty good crack of the whip from Leader Yvonne Davies and Interim Chief Executive David Stevens in respect of ongoing legal issues (with one notable exception.) The Elingites are not happy about this and their are elements among the elected members who are bent on bringing Yvonne down. Of course, Costigan is one of the troublemakers.

Bizarrely there are some members of staff also briefing against the top team for whatever reason. And so there is false information floating about everywhere now. This makes it difficult for Yvonne and David since they may pass on information THEY believe to be genuine when they have been mislead by their own staff!

In this febrile atmosphere, where the plotters are still lunching with the Derbyshire Milkman, I received some messages from a person who clearly had knowledge of the workings of the Council which eventually led to me receiving the following photo:

My informant told me this related to communications between Paul Reeves (a major enemy of mine) and the aforementioned Lee Howen about collating evidence against me. You will see that "JS Shred" is written on the side.

I regret to say that I fell for it and queried whether Yvonne and David were either deliberately or unwittingly deceiving me in their disclosure of documents via a SAR request. It transpires the "Lee" in this matter is NOT Mr Howen and the emails are much older than the informant stated. They are uncontroversial emails and the "JS" is John Satchwell! I am very happy to apologiise to Yvonne and David for any implication of impropriety on their part. The question is, who is the person who set me up on this one? Info (genuine please) anyone?

It's a mixed-up world in Sadders make no mistake!

HELP PLEASE

(1) With regard to Darren and Sarah James I keep being told how they were/are "very close" to various senior SMBC figures. This week it has been Adrian Scarrott and someone called Richard Luckman. Any real info on this please?

(2) In 2017 Sandwell Council were notified of Japanese Knotweed at the bottom of Lion Farm Fields  near Dunelm. I am informed that they have done absolutely nothing about this highly invasive species for over two years. Any info welcome as I am unable to get over to Sadders for a few days.

(3) I have had a good response to a request made on Facebook for anyone who was looking for council housing in Sandwell in 2011 and who was on a low banding eg Band 6. However more information will be helpful as SMBC say they cannot supply the info. Please text or email (details below.)

REWARD

May I remind you of the £1,000 reward for any information leading to either a criminal prosecution or a civil injunction against the major trolls currently running amok on Twitter. You know the ones....

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.

Technical Blog - Melanie Dudley's Report

There is an Information Rights Tribunal due soon relating to this although for the reasons set out below it is unlikely to go ahead. The first thing that needs to be said is that the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act is pretty useless as a tool for uncovering corruption - particularly when an authority had gone rogue as Sandwell did under booted-out Chief Exec Jan Britton. The problem is that, in effect, a bent Council can conceal vast amounts of information concerning corrupt and/or incompetent employees under "personal information" provisions and this will be supported by the Information Commissioner.

We have seen throughout this blog that Sandwell under Cooper, Eling and Britton got rid of people - often with trade union connivance - and forced them to sign confidentiality agreements. This is the incredible statement made by the ICO about this IN THIS CASE (EA/2019/0182):

"The council further argued that is would be extremely distressing for the individuals concerned to have [this] information released. It was also suggested that the council might be in breach of its contractual duties as some of the individuals may have left under confidential settlement agreements."

In other words Sandwell are gagging former employees and then saying they would be in breach of contract if they said anything about them!

This particular matter relates to the mega-expensive (and useless) Wragge Report and associated QC Report (which are on the SMBC website with substantial redactons.) In fact, the ICO did mildly criticise Sandwell:

"Set against this [privacy of individuals] there are legitimate interests in disclosure and the fact that personal information was published by the council on its website within the Gowling report and the QC opinion clearly suggests that the council thought so too."

As it happens the ICO is wrong here because the Wragge disclosure etc was forced through by the disastrous former "leader" Steve "Squealing" Eling in an attempt to damage his political opponents rather than for altruistic reasons. Squealer and his chums were happy to hang employees out to dry in the disclosed documents without any concern for any "distress" allegedly caused from them being identified.

In a "normal" council there would be a political opposition to hold the executive to account but that doesn't apply in Sadders. Indeed it is worse since many of the greaser councillors simply shrug their shoulders and turn a blind eye when directly informed by me and others of fraud, cronyism and incompetence. Worse still, a corrupt local police force works had in glove with these sh*ts even where there is clear prima facie evidence of crimes having been committed.

I am NOT suggesting criminal behaviour by those named below though I am suggesting that, at the very least, the four employees named were guilty of incompetence and this has been made perfectly clear on here many times before. I should just add that a major player in this story gave certain evidence to The Skidder but has refused to confirm it in writing for the benefit of the Tribunal.

Following the Wragge debacle bent Sandwell set up "Project Sapphire" to determine whether any further action should be taken against four senior employees who had been identified in the Wragge Report for numerous failings (ignoring their failings in other matters which have come to light) ie Neeraj Sharma, Pardip Sharma, Nick Bubalo and Adrian Scarrott. (I am very interested in Scarrott's role in council housing allocation - particularly in 2011 - if anyone has any info!)

It is unlikely that we would have ever heard about this report had it not been for Eling and Marshall referring to it in the infamous "WhatsApp" feed where they used a disparaging name for Melanie and stressed that the Squealer threw a wobbler about it when it didn't do any damage to his political opponents. This, together with the Councillor "X" report, are alleged to be the causes of her leaving the Council.

In fact, Melanie absolved the incompetent Four from any individual wrongdoing FFS! Although serious errors were noted she said the failings were "systematic" [although I assume she means "systemic"] and "attributable to lack of general oversight and accountability." I assume she means from this that Jan Britton and John Garrett were the ones whose lack of general oversight led to these disasters? And at least they were forced out along with these four jokers.

I am indebted to the new regime - Cllr Yvonne Davies and Interim Chief Executive David Stevens - for allowing me sight of the executive overview of Project Sapphire although, alas, also very heavily redacted. I am assured that there was no significant later amendment of the report (unlike the Councillor "X" report.) As it is, this matter has now run its course (although, as ever, I am still interested in anyone who has specific information concerning this fiasco.)

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.

Technical Blog - Adkins Lane Bogs

This all relates to the bogs at Bearwood bus station. I made a Freedom of Information (FOI) Request about this subject back in October, 2017 which has been heading towards an Information Rights Tribunal hearing but is now, effectively, concluded.

The lavatory block was included by our old friend Nick Bubalo in the bent deal that eventually became the Boggate scandal (blogs passim ad nauseum.) Old Nick "lol" was trying to sell four sets of redundant khazis to Abdul Naeem Qayum. But, at the eleventh hour ,Steve "Squealing" Eling, the disastrous former "Leader" of Sandwell Council, - possibly at the prompting of Cllr Bob "Seig Heil" Piper - ordered the sale of this particular block to be pulled as the Council had never formally declared them redundant. Happily this started a paper trail showing that Eling was very well aware that it was Qayum who was the proposed purchaser of the bogs!

It is unclear at this stage whether Quyum bid again to lease these bogs when the sale fell through (he did, of course, buy the other blocks) but a well-known local Bearwood figure, Barry Hall, suddenly appeared from nowhere with his own offer to take a lease.

As we have seen in countless other cases, the "system" under joke former "Chief Executive" Jan Britton was for secret and unminuted meetings to take place in connection with property deals so that no, or no proper, records were kept. The new regime under Cllr Yvonne Davies and Interim Chief Executive David Stevens has promised to put a stop to this practice which has been at the heart of corruption and malpractice within the bent Labour Council.

Recently David Stevens ordered a further detailed trawl of the records and wrote to me:

"In response to your specific Queries,

  1.  On what date was the toilet declared redundant?

These toilets have never been declared redundant.  Toilets remain on this site and in the ownership of the Council.

2. 2nd interest party

The Bearwood Toilets were closed in May 2011. Given the placing on the site and the proximity to the bus station discussions had taken place between the Council and Centro to try and get the toilets into operation and share the costs but this was not successful. The information gathered shows that an interest party "A" sought to enter into negotiations for the acquisition of the toilets under lease. Another interested party came forward "B" as a result the toilets were subjected to a closed bid process between A and B. The disposal did not proceed in respect of either bidder.

At this time, I have not been able to confirm with sufficient certainty how the initial negotiations and interest for the lease commenced or how the interested parties became engaged or became aware of the toilets. Many of the individuals involved have since left the Council's employment.

I have therefore commissioned a review of this matter so that all requisite lessons may be learned and the matter subsequently reported to the Council's Audit and Risk Assurance Committee."

Clearly one of the bidders was Mr Hall and, as above, it is not clear whether the other was Quyum or not. As we know he was involved in the bent deal already this becomes rather irrevelant. The fact is that there is no record from the days of Britton's bent paid service as to how these bidders suddenly appeared. The rumour is that, as ever, individual "comrades" tipped folk the wink that an opportunity was available but as there are no records and the key players are unlikely or unwilling to say, that is as far as I can go via the FOI process (although info - as ever - always welcome!)

They don't take matters any further but insomiacs can see further documents relating to the lease negotiations within the original FOI:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/public_conveniences_adkins_lane#incoming-1211409

And in case you are wondering, J C Decaux, put a replacement bog onto the site in accordance with an existing contract with the Council who still own the freehold site.

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.

Homelessness Sandwell-style!

Labour are quick to criticise the Government for the austerity measures brought in after. er. Labour left the coffers bare following the Great Crash. But the comrades at Labour Sandwell Council (mired for years in fraud, cronyism and corruption) are great ones to pontificate on all this whilst failing to practise what they preach. No surprise there then!

Back in 2011 the "socialist" Labour Council paid its staff so badly that two employees (and, ironically, GMB Union officials) - a married couple Darren and Sarah James - were eligible for council housing and were allocated a house in Friar Park. Alas, they have recently split-up and Darren has been given his marching orders.

Darren and Sarah have been swanning around in a smart 2018 Toyota hybrid car which is said to be on a lease scheme via, er, Sandwell Council at a very high monthly payment. Regretably the news is full of folk currently having to live in their vehicles and not ones as posh as Dazza's. Happily not the case here.

Addendum: 11/03/21: there is a legal notice on all blogs wherein I clearly state that I will rectify any accidental error or discuss how to rectify any other error. I received no complaint about this post but have now discovered that the next three paragraphs are inaccurate and that Mr James found accomodation privately. You will see that a draft of the post was sent to him pre-publication but he declined to comment

It is alleged that he declared himself homeless and was immediately found a council flat in a much-sought after block in Wednesbury (which used to be reserved for older folk.) SMBC have confirmed to The Skidder that ALL flats in the block are Council-owned.

Thus the two employees now appear to have two council properties. And The Skidder has seen the homeless person's expensive car outside the block on more than one occasion!

How marvellous that the super-efficient Sandwell comrades have no housing problem at all and can immediately accommodate marital mis-fits!

(A draft of this post was sent to Mr James but he has declined to comment.)

Caption Competition

An excellent entry for The Skidder caption competition - a rather good twist on Inane's fall from grace...

HELP PLEASE

1   The James's again. I URGENTLY need information on ANY address occupied by the James's between Haig Street and the current Friar Park address. £100 to the first person who can supply any detail on this.

2   The name Cathi Dodd keeps cropping up as a close friend of the James's and in respect of one particular incident. Why?

3   A curious story - a few years old. An allegation that a constituency officer at Terry Duffy House was sacked after being caught masturbating in the office. Info please! [Note this is a different person to the Labour "phone wanker"!]

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.

Preet Kaur Gill MP Tags Feds!

Bizarre! Gill MP "lol" tags local cops to tweet about her cover-up of emails!

As this blog has revealed, Gill was in correspondence with Jan Britton, the former head of Sandwell Council's bent paid service, who was encouraging the tyro MP to make complaints about me (he says on behalf of Squealing Eling, the former Leader [sic].) Recentlythe two emails have been disclosed by Sandwell Council but in redacted form. On 9th September I contacted the dismal former Sandwell Councillor asking her to supply unredacted copies and asked again on 23rd September but answer came there none.

So much for a Labour MP and freedom of information!

The Britton email was sent on 24th June, 2017 and Gill actually responded to it in 25th June (see below.) But she has still failed to supply unredacted copies and yesterday tweeted that this was all "nonsense" - whatever she means by that - and she tagged West Midlands Police as if I have committed some sort of criminal offence my asking for details of correspondence about me which she was involved in. And who did she contact and why was so anxious to help The Squealer?

If she no longer has the emails she can authorise SMBC to clear the redactions. But maybe she has something to hide?

Here are the emails folks and you can see what was going on with your own eyes!

I have issued High Court proceedings against Eling and SMBC and these emails form part of the case. As yet SMBC will not supply the unredacted copies themselves - although they will have to soon. In the meantime Gill is squirming about her role in this sordid affair!

We have seen many times where corrupt West Midlands Police have bent over backwards to help scum within Sandwell Labour and it looks like Gill may be trying the same stunt. Here is what she tweeted yesterday:

Be on notice Mrs High'n'Mighty - if I don't get an answer soon a court order/subpoena will do the trick. So send the info before you make an even bigger fool of yourself!

Help Please:

1   Was Gill at the 2015 Labour Party Conference in Brighton?

2   The GMB had a portakabin at West Brom Town Hall and GMB staff were constantly communicating with Unite who had offices inside. Anyone got any dates for this?

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.

Skidder - One and a Half Million Views!

Hurrah for Skidder readers! The blog - shining light into the darkest corner of one of the UK's most rotten Labour boroughs - has hit one and a half million views and all thanks to you! Many thanks to all of you from the casual readers to the hardcore Skidderati.

The party has started and Skidder super-fan ex-Cllr Dave Hosell has promised me a night to remember at Chameleons!

CAZ SH*TS THE NEST!

A spectacular own-goal from Cllr ("lol") Caroline White. We have seen how crap Labour are in Sandwell but how even they ever selected someone with a brain the size of a pea is incredible. At least they finally got shot of Dave Hosell's "girlfriend" and she continues to make a fool of herself eg as supremo of the mythical "United Sandwell Party" (which inevitably crashed  and burned as soon as Squealing Eling became an advisor) and now as an "independent". One of Dave Hosell's pet hates (amongst many others) is Adrian Bailey MP. I am not sure if Bailey ever upset Hamstead's leading lothario but he is tainted by association with the Jones family in Dave's warped mind. Caz then took to Twitter highlighting a picture of Mr Bailey in the Express and Star and the headline on another story. The clear inference drawn by many readers was that the MP was involved in the reprehensible conduct described in the other article.

Of course, no-one in Sandwell ever holds their hands-up when caught out and Caz's feeble response when exposed was that she was highlighting the failings of the Editor of the Wolvo C*ck-suckers and his page layouts which, she said "lol", could be misconstrued!

The Skidder understands that Caz was on the receiving end of a legal letter and she has gone strangely quiet.....

.... BUT BOYFRIEND DAVE TWEETS ON!

Yes, Caz's puppetmaster has been firing on all cylinders on Twitter recently. Once again the Labour Party - incredibly - selected someone as thick as Dave and he even reached the Council's cabinet before they saw the light! His bizarre utterances have reached new heights [sic] eg this response (not actually to me):

Of course, the bent blues at WMP took no notice when he was caught threatening someone outside Oldbury Council House in "that" infamous footage now on YouTube. But he continues with his threats:

In another corner of his sick mind he imagines that I run a Twitter account under the name of "Billy Smith" - which I do not. He also keeps implying that he would like to "meet" my wife. Thus the ex-Labour man gives considered advice such as this:

** £1,000 REWARD **

Dave and Caz have been among those promoting (with likes, comments and retweets etc) the current crop of Twitter trolls attacking this blog. There have been a number of malicious accounts set-up for this purpose and the current main crop are:

@Sandwe[ii]Skidder - the account whose only follower for many months was Jan Britton. Believed to be connected with Sandwell uber-troll Andrew Hipkiss;

@sandwelllad

@skidderati

@sandwellboy.

The trolls are trying to suck real people into their network and the odd person like Barmy "Loolah" have joined either innocently or with malicious intent.

But the worm has turned and action is planned particularly after this despicable effort in response to my tweets about the recent death of a dear friend:

This is a difficult area but various Sandwell Labour Councillors/ex-Councillors and individuals have had direct contact with the trolls and - if it is not them operating the accounts - they know who is.

Today, in memory of my friend, The Skidder offers a E1,000 reward for information of sufficient quality which leads to either:

(a) a police prosecution of the troll(s); or
(b) a civil injunction against one or more of them.

Contact details below.

(I am also taking other action....)

DONATIONS

Many of you will know that I am under extreme financial pressure as the GMB Union are trying to destroy this blog and to bankrupt me. The GMB have specifically said they intend to take our matrimonial home if they win.

The GMB are committing to spend well over £100,000 to this end and you, dear readers, don't have the powder and shot to help me on that one. (Any wealthy supporters of free speech and/or enemies of trade union bullies and the GMB in particular - Jeff Bezos? - can contact me via the channels set out below!)

But small donations to this blog are very helpful eg £3 or £5. By way of example I have recently been running 6 (six) tribunal cases against the corrupt Council in respect of Freedom of Information issues. (One has settled and there is progress on some of the others thanks to the new - saner - regime of Yvonne Davies and some hard work from David Stevens and his staff - more on this anon.) Here is a picture of just the Tribunal bundles:

All this costs eg in printer ink alone. Then there are searches, travel, postage and other expenses.

Put two fingers up to Watson and the GMB and please make a small donation today! (Send payment by post or use the donation button on the right of this page (if you are reading this on a mobile phone please click through to the website version for the donate button.)

COPSUCKERS

If you use Facebook and some of the Sandwell sites the level of crime in the Borough is truly shocking and there are streams of complaints about lack of police activity. This blog has regularly featured the local force's obsession with promoting the corrupt Council. WMP keep up a constant stream of tweets showing officers pratting about at various "community" events rather than actually fighting crime. Clearly the senior officers have more than sufficient resources to cover this sort of thing rather than even turn up for burglaries and car thefts etc.

There are no more assiduous grovellers than Wednesbury blues who can always be guaranteed to get their big helmets out for the "Queen of Wednesbury", the ludicrous Elaine Costigan. Thus when she was promoting herself a "free" skip scheme recently Wednesbury cops have so little to do TWO of them turned up for the usual photo opportunity. And, looking at the picture, it is not just the infamous PCSO's deployed at taxpayers' expense to promote the Council but "real" fuzz too!!!!

HELP PLEASE!

Dr Alison Knight

Contrary to the information provided to me from very reputable sources, the good Doctor has publicly stated in writing to a large number of SMBC staff that what I have said about her involvement in the disastrous "Click Sandwell" affair was "incorrect". Can anyone with knowledge of that debacle and her role in it please provide further details (including those who did so before.)

Housing Statistics 2011

Were you applying for a Sandwell Council house via Sandwell Homes in 2011? If yes, how long did you have to wait?

Does any reader/organisation have any stats for the size of the waiting list, financial eligibility rules and average time to obtain a property in 2011 please? (Sandwell Council say they don't have this and have only been able to supply details for 2012.)

Tricky Dicky

Anyone know if he ever used a Yahoo email account?


Paul Reeves

(a)   I obviously know about this guy's relationship with Jan Britton but I believe he has also been close to Tom Watson, Paul Moore, Paul Sandars and Simon Hackett. It is said he has regularly been seen in Labour's Regional Office and at Party meetings. Info please!

(b)   Can you also tell me about his relationship, if any, with Darren and Sarah James as at the end of 2014/beginning of 2015? I know it is a while ago but......

(c)   Did Reeves use his own personal phone - believed to be a Samsung - on Council "business" and if so why did Jan Britton permit this?

GMB Union

I have received some complaints about the GMB union in respect of their service to Sandwell Council/SLT  employees but I urgently need to hear from any former or current employees who have not been satisfied with their GMB membership.

Drinks Licensing at Lightwoods Park

Anyone know anything about this subject please?

Sandwell Thug?

I have asked this before and thank those who responded but the detail is still slightly patchy. The allegation is that a current employee of Sandwell Council was involved in a serious act of violence outside work (possibly football-related) but was then "let off" by Melanie Dudley and others. There is a further allegation that the same person also faced disciplinary action in respect of more unpleasantness in respect of a road rage or parking rage incident - possibly near West Brom Town Hall - and was again "let off". This is important and urgent so please wrack your brains and let me know ANY information about this?

AND FINALLY - A CAPTION COMPETITION:

Any thoughts? (Printable suggestions only please!)

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.