In The Public Domain?: June 2023

Friday, 30 June 2023

Bent Cops & Bin Strike Special!

Firstly, I feel the need to share with you some correspondence I have had with West Midlands Police (WMP). I am looking to sue West Midlands Police for unlawfully sharing my personal data in 2018 with Sandwell's highly controversial Monitoring Officer, Surjit Tour, and another - external - Solicitor, Jonathan Goolden who was brought in by Tour to exonerate former Leader, Steve "Squealing" Eling, in respect of various standards complaints concerning his appalling behaviour. (They rigged the process but it was to no avail as the Tyrant was - eventually - forced out.)

Regular readers with long memories will recall that Eling (Sp*nk Brother One), his sidekick Cllr Richard Marshall (Sp*nk Brother Two), and Inane Elaine Costigan made false and malicious complaints against me to their pals at WMP. These scum then unlawfully used Jan Britton, Surjit Tour and other Sandwell Council lawyers to assist their absurd case and to prepare a "dossier" for WMP. (Tour denies that a dossier was ever produced but at a Police interview under caution I was specifically shown a large bundle of neatly numbered papers and told by the interviewing cops that this was "a dossier prepared for them by Surjit Tour"!)

Astonishingly, WMP appointed its "Complex Crime Unit" in Wolvo to investigate me over a period of some 11 months. Meanwhile, The Squealer was pressurising the (then) local Chief Super in Sandwell, Rich Baker (now a WMP Assistant Chief Constable) to hurry things along - often copying in disgraced former Chief Executive Britton, Tour and others.

It took a while for the penny to drop but, fair play, "Rich" got there in the end, and realised that The Squealer was running a personal vendetta against me and wrote to him sternly telling him, in terms, to stop wasting Police time.

I should add that after this outrage, I had a series of communications with CS Baker. He was cordial, and appeared to me to be "straight".

After this absurd waste of public money I made a Subject Access Request to WMP concerning the communications between The Squealer and WMP. I eventually received an (incomplete) set of documents which were so heavily redacted as to often be meaningless (* see link at bottom of page if you feel like it).

Soon afterwards and thanks to some outside assistance I gained access to the unredacted emails (** - again, see link below if you are keen).

The emails showed that Eling was inappropriately copying in a number of people to the emails to his pal, "Rich". But as far as I can see, CS Baker very properly responded only to him without sharing my information with third parties. I have, however, asked WMP to confirm this which they have, so far, refused to do,

However, in one email of 13th March, 2018, before CS Baker had seen through his chum "Steve", he stated:

"There is a Gold Group running chaired by an Assistant Chief Constable and attended by Investigations, CPS, LA Monitoring Officer and Wilkin Chapman Solicitors."

It is patently obvious from this that WMP were inappropriately sharing information about me, and the investigation into me, with Tour and Goolden who simply should not have been present in any circumstances.

In response to my letter of claim, and after considerable delay, a Solicitor for the Chief Constable has written (despite the above email):

"In respect of the allegations that the Gold Group chaired by an ACC was attended by Wilkin Chapman and your personal data was shared without outsiders (Mr Tour and Mr Goolden) again I have not been able to find any evidence of this. There are both open and closed minutes in respect of these meetings, the closed meetings relating to periods where outside parties were asked to leave the meeting for WMP to further discuss issues that they were not privy to in relation to the investigation. Mr Tour and Mr Goolden did not attend the closed meetings. Your letter does not confirm what specifically was shared in relation to your personal data at these meetings."

This is highly convenient for WMP of course with, allegedly, two seperate sets of minutes - but this is an absolutely clear admission that Tour and Goolden attended the open meetings (plural) - at least - when they were nothing whatsoever to do with the case, were being paid by the taxpayer to work for the Council and not The Squealer and yet were unlawfully purporting to represent the interests of the political leader of the Council. Unless the open meetings (plural) were conducted in total silence how could WMP NOT have shared my data with this pair when discussing the case!

Of course, the Solicitor is also being disingenuous since I can't possibly say what was discussed since (a) I wasn't there, and (b) WMP are keeping the minutes secret.

WMP say they will fight my claim. I am consulting m'learned friends, but given the open admission by both CS Baker and the force's Solicitor you might think that the decent thing to do is to start a dialogue with me.

Sandwell Cops go litter-picking!

Anyone who follows social media in Sadders will be aware of the incessant stories of burglaries and thefts in the benighted Borough and the helpless wail from most correspondents that: "The Police don't want to know". We have also seen how WMP have (a) failed to even interview - let alone take action against - Sandwell politicians and staff in respect of allegations of fraud, theft, Class A drug possession and supply, and other offences, and (b) themselves used social media and other fora to rim the bent Labour Party at every opportunity (as featured in my occasional "Cops*suckers" posts).

If you are wondering why Sandwell Police can't help victims as they should, note this from Litterwatch - a well known Sandwell Labour front-organisation - who pictured two of Tipton's finest who have nothing better to do that go litter-picking at the taxpayers' expense. Something, incidentally, the taxpayer is already paying the Council/Serco to do. And then they have the audacity to claim that they are "under-resourced"!

Who the hell at WMP is authorising this nonsense?

Meanwhile - Shaun speaks out!

A rather spittle-flecked but nonetheless excellent intervention from West Bromwich West Conservative MP, Shaun Bailey, in Parliament on Wednesday on the bin strike roiling Sh*thole Sandwell. Shaun lambasted what he claims were the use of flying pickets by the GMB Union, the blocking of the new ambulance station by pickets and the alleged intervention of the Labour Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, in an attempt to persuade WMP not to police the pickets. Further, he attacked the many Labour politicians - Keir "Sir Woodenarse" Starmer in particular - who are beholden to the GMB for financial support.

Bizarrely some local morons are blaming "the Government" for the bin strike chaos but it was corrupt Sandwell Labour who entered into the giant contract with lovely Serco:

Incidentally, if you are on Twitter there is excellent coverage of Labour's bins disaster via @CorruptSandwell and on Facebook at "Sandwell Corruption" via:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1934468453510195

It should be remembered that us taxpayers pay for a number of GMB Union reps to be employed by the bent Labour Council (through a statutory provision called "Facility Time"). I am campaigning now that this be reduced to one rep per Union only to save - as much as possible - the insanity of taxpayers paying the wages of the very ones who are currently inflicting the bin strike nightmare on, er, the taxpayers of Sadders!

Further, the GMB Union and other unions have been given free office space by bent Labour - the GMB Union is ensconced or nowt in Smethwick Council House. This also MUST stop.

But a big problem is that the all at sea Labour Sandwell Leader, Kerrie "Dim Kez" Carmichael, is a member of the, er, GMB Union (as is her husband who works for SMBC).

But Princess Prissy backs the bin misery

The grotesque Tom Watson has swung a posh paid-up member of the London metropolitan elite, Sarah Coombes, as the next Labour candidate for West Brom East (replacing the disastrous money-smuggler Ibrahim "Bogus" Dogus). The fact that she is clever and classy makes her an unlikely (metaphorical) bedfellow of the brutish Twatson, and how the hell has this lazy, thick coward and runaway still got any local influence?

The prissy Coombes has a McNallyesque thinness of skin and has set about blocking everyone on social media who is critical of Sandwell Labour. The numbers are ever mounting lol!

This Londoner does not have to endure the daily misery of the bin dispute, rubbish piling-up, fly-tipping, maggots crawling the streets etc., yet is actively promoting the GMB strike:

Twatson fell out with his puppet masters at Unite the Union, and jumped aboard the GMB gravy train. This vile Union faced a series of lurid allegations not so long ago, not least that a Labour MP was raped by a top union official and close associate of Lazy Tom (something Keir Starmer is keeping very quiet about!) A QC (now KC) described a "casting couch" culture at the Union and that it was "institutionally sexist". Further that:

"Bullying, misogyny, cronyism and sexual harassment are endemic within the GMB."

She described how GMB Union officials used their member's money for monumental p*ss-ups and added:

"I was also contacted by a number of people from Black and minority ethnic groups. They recognise that this investigation is concerned with sexual harassment but wanted to draw to my attention the very real and serious problems that exist for members and employees and Black and minority ethnic groups ... I am satisfied that the GMB is not a comfortable place to be for many employees and members from Black and minority ethnic groups … At the moment it [the GMB] is "white, male and stale"."

(For more on this horror story follow the *** link below.)

The Union officials had a predatory approach to women and sexual harrassment was rife. Happily Princess Prissy is seemingly unconcerned with regard to all this since she herself is being backed by the, er GMB Union! Remember her support of the bin strike folks when she comes round asking for your vote!

Facebook Group - The Sandwell Skidder: Speaking Truth to Power!

Just a note on the Facebook Group and a big hello to the large number of recent members. Why don't you join our merry throng via the link here if you haven't already done so?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1934468453510195

Please note that I am not in the business of censorship but the Group is a response to the fact that bent Labour control much of the local media - social and mainstream, including the Express and Star - and has massive resources to promulgate their vile propaganda. The Group is for those who are sick of 49 years of Sandwell Labour corruption, cronyism and incompetence.

There have been a number attempts recently to infiltrate the Group by Labour and Union characters - even Bob "Seig Heil" Piper and poisonous Pam "Mrs Squealer" Pulsford. These have been repulsed and certain other trouble-makers blocked.

I am going to desist from sending the "welcome" messages to new members as some infiltrators are sneaking in (at least for a while) but if you have the legitimate interests of Sadders at heart you are, indeed, very welcome"!

Please also note that we don't do commercial adverts, job notices etc. Finally, if your profile is blank you will be unlikely to be approved for the Group since most of these accounts are infiltrators, con artists etc. If there are genuine reasons for keeping your profile clear and you do want to join please DM or email me and we can sort things out (contact details below).

And now for something completely different ...

Earlier this year I visited the Somme to unravel a family mystery from World War One. If you get a spare moment this weekend some of you may like to have a read. Here's the link to the "As The Crow Flies" blog:

https://crowmultimedia.blogspot.com/2023/05/grand-uncle-jack-deserter.html

* https://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com/2018/11/squealing-eling-and-west-mids-police.html

** https://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com/2019/01/technical-blog-elingbaker-emails-in-full.html

*** https://crowmultimedia.blogspot.com/2022/06/

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

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

Email: thesandwellskidder@gmail.com

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

Twitter: Publisher: @CrowMultimedia; Julian Saunders: @SandwellSkidder

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

PROUD TO HAVE BEEN TROLLED BY DICKHEAD DARREN COOPER DECEASED!

LEGAL NOTICE (Version 3 from 14th February, 2021)

I cannot list every previous mention of individuals referred to in the entirety of this blog. Where I refer to a specific story please follow the supplied hyperlink since this forms legal justification for later comments. Similarly references to “posts passim” and to earlier posts mean any individuals concerned about purported defamatory or otherwise unlawful material must read later posts in the context of earlier posts. Full information can also be supplied within a reasonable time upon application via email to thesandwellskidder@gmail.com

In most cases we try to give the subjects of these blog posts the opportunity to comment on our journalism pre-publication to ensure the accuracy of our work.

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 publish appropriate corrections forthwith.

We have had to remove the direct comment facility from this blog due to the activity of a West Bromwich woman but we are pleased to receive comments via email to thesandwellskidder@gmail.com , on Twitter via our publishers @CrowMultimedia or via our dedicated Facebook Group: “The Sandwell Skidder - Speaking Truth to Power!” We are happy to publish any sensible commentary and offer a right of reply where applicable.

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

Friday, 23 June 2023

Carpool Karaoke Sandwell-Style i.e. including sh*gging (+ The Scrotum + more ...)

One of the mysteries at bent Labour Sandwell Council is how Head of Internal Audit, Peter Farrow, still has a job. As I have pointed out before, Farrow managed to miss multiple episodes of misconduct over many YEARS from Boggate, The Public, Lodge Street, The Coroner's office and much more including a number of whistleblowing complaints where Farrow effectively found that the employees who expressed concerns were liars and that there had not been any wrongdoing. His review of the apparently fraudulent SEND contract seems strange since after his investigation the contracts were - to all intents and purposes - given to the same person/his companies. Farrow is such a genius at his job that External Auditors found a host of serious problems at the corrupt and incompetent Council which he had seemingly overlooked, and these were so serious the Government had to send Commissioners in at a cost to taxpayers of at least £2m! But Farrow is Teflon-coated ...

Like many, I had high hopes of things improving when the Commissioners were appointed but have been sadly disappointed - not least by incredible delay in their responses. (I will be returning soon to the subject of bent Labour dishing out taxpayer-owned properties to pet charities and to the College which Michael Gove nationally, and all local Tory MP's and Councillors locally, seem to think is absolutely fine!)

A few weeks ago I received messages from employees telling me the same story. As ever they were too scared to speak out at work - unsurprising with what has gone on in the past - and hoped that I would follow-up on their behalf. I might as well p*ss my pants as contact Farrow, and so I went straight to the Commissioners who, after all, are supposed to be running the show.

The allegation - which could be very easily checked - is that a (male) Manager (partner status unknown) had been regularly taking cars from the Sandwell car pool (who knew they even had such a thing?) for "private" purposes. Further, his excursions were sh*gging trips with a married female employee. This was reported to the Commissioners on 9th MARCH, 2023. They asked for the names of the employees which I duly supplied on the same date. Since then, absolutely zilch. If the allegation has merit why has this not been dealt with by now - well over THREE MONTHS later? Indeed, has this conduct been continuing? Whatever the situation, these people need to clear the alleged miscreants or take appropriate action!

What the F is going on with The Scrotum?

Extraordinary goings on between bent Labour Sandwell Council and the Sandwell Leisure Trust (SLT). For those new readers who are unfamiliar with the SLT story so far here's a potted history.

Labour bullsh*tters set up SLT as a charity to run its leisure centres. At the time, Labour Councillors boasted that SLT would be a centre of excellence and be so good it would also run leisure centres outside the benighted Borough too. A crony, the aggressive Lynda Bateman, was put in charge and two Labour councillors were placed on the Charity's Board of Trustees & associated Company Board. Inevitably, like almost all of the comrades, these councillors had no business or commercial experience whatsoever.

The fact is that although SLT is nominally independent it relies for the bulk of its income from us taxpayers via the bent Labour Council and "he who pays the piper calls the tune".

Bateperson and Co. singularly failed with the empire-building plan, only running one other small leisure centre outside Sadders, in Bromsgrove. But they also became responsible for The Public via a new charity, Sandwell Arts Trust.

The wife-beater and bully Darren Cooper when he was, incredibly, the Labour Leader of the corrupt Council fell out big time with SLT. When the West Bromwich Leisure Centre was built he insisted that SLT would not run it and - to this day - it has been run by an outfit now known as "Places for People".

When Wednesbury Leisure Centre was being built SLT were desperate to get back into favour and sold their soul to the devilish Dickhead Daz, who was desperate to destroy The Public. In return for SLT shafting the Arts Trust they would get to run Wednesbury LC. And so it came to pass.

It is difficult to feel sympathy for this sh*tbag organisation (which has a history of other failures, job losses and the termination of successful sporting projects) but even someone with half a brain would appreciate how badly the organisation was hit by the Covid pandemic. You might think that even Labour Councillors would have realised this but ... The fact is that leisure centres could hardly operate and generate fees when they were, er, forced to close during lockdowns and subjected to stringent restrictions even when they could open. The Charity was in a parlous state and sensibly decided to try and rationalise its workforce, but this was an anathema to imbecilic Labour Councillors who believe that the taxpayer should continue to keep forking out for workers regardless of economics and/or sound management.

Unions and supposedly hard-left elements within Sandwell Labour Group set out to destroy the Council's "own" Charity! The vanguard of the attackers were "socialist" Cllrs poisonous Piper and gobby Fenton - neither of whom has ever run a whelk stall. As if this wasn't bad enough, the idiotic comrades then decided to "sack" SLT from running the leisure centres altogether including what may be the most expensive leisure centre/white elephant in the whole country, the multi-million pound Sandwell Aquatic Centre (aka the SAC or "Scrotum").

There appears to have been no opposition to this from the Tory MP's and Councillors (if you discount the odd tweet from Shaun Bailey). This appears to be (a) because the local Tories seem to be exclusively interested in Brandhall, dog sh*t and potholes, and (b) because they are cultish devotees of local Tory mage and visionary [sic], millionaire WM Mayor Andy Street, who tried to out-bullsh*t Labour in his support for the absurd financial disaster which was the Commonwealth Games. Accordingly the local Conservatives failed to attack the costs or ludicrous positioning of The Scrotum, nor that Labour STILL has no plan for the Thimblemill Baths building, nor the fiasco with SLT.

And so bent Labour - despite 49 years of failure and no commercial nous whatsoever - insanely thought that the corrupt Council could do a better job of running the leisure centres than SLT and decided to "sack" (or "SAC") their own Charity. What could possibly go wrong ...

It should be noted that all this is against a background of an increase in private gym provision across the Borough over the years. The "socialists" hate this. They want to undercut these businesses and keep charges to the public below economic costs. In the circumstances they cannot possibly break even, let alone make a profit.

I am also indebted to these erudite observations from Darren Stevens via Facebook regarding The Scrotum:

"A new Smethwick centre would have made a profit if it was half the size - [The Council's] signed its own death warrant agreeing it to be built for the Commonwealth Games - it will haemorrhage money and staffing and maintenance costs and the lack of usable space. It's also built in entirely the wrong place for transport and the community that surrounds it will not be able to afford to use it."

Despite the millions of OUR cash that bent Labour have ploughed into these centres - including The Scrotum - over many years (since 2004 in the case of SLT) they laughably stated this in a press release:

"The Council’s aspiration to move towards a zero subsidy to run its portfolio of facilities simply could not be met or jointly agreed through the business planning negotiations [with SLT]”.

There is as much chance of us taxpayers not having to subsidise these places as there is of Dim Kez telling the truth about The Cox Review! This is particularly so at present noting soaring energy costs thanks to the horrific Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Labour Cllr Danny Millard bizarrely stated that "this was not a position we expected to be in" - which is entirely bogus noting that Labour shafted SLT in the first place.

These morons actually think they can make money out of their, er, heavily-subsidised portfolio and decided to set up a "local authority trading company" (LATC). The Council would own the shares but, otherwise, it would operate like any other company. I pointed out in a previous post that Piper, Dim Kez and Co had not thought this through. Firstly, the Company would have to prepare reports and accounts in the usual way, and so it will be more difficult for Labour to hide the losses they would inevitably make. Secondly, there will be less opportunity to poke their noses in and micro-manage the separate business than there is with the craven SLT "charity". Thirdly, in the unlikely event the Company did make a profit it would be subject to our current high rate of Corporation Tax - which a Charity does not usually have to pay.

Having made these disastrous decisions, bent Labour actually appeared to do something right for a change. They brought in an expert to run the LATC, a Mr Mark Braithwaite, who appears to have a good track record in the leisure industry. The comrades trumpeted:

Foul-mouthed Labour Cllr Laura Rollins, who has sensibly moved out of the Borough so as not to have to live with local scum, professed herself delighted at the appointment. There are rumours - and I put it no higher - that Mr Braithwaite was to be paid around £100,000 a year.

But now these corrupt and incompetent Labour buffoons have changed their minds again. There is not to be a LTC (at least for the foreseeable) and the leisure centres (including The Scrotum) are to be operated by, er, SLT after all. How distressing for the SLT employees for Labour to have put them through all this uncertainty! Once again there appears to be total silence from the Tories (unless something is going on behind the scenes) on this astonishing volte face just months after bent Labour fired SLT. And because there is no apparent scrutiny from the Conservative Group it is difficult to know what is really going on although it is noteworthy that SLT has appointed a raft of new trustees in May and June.

Bateman is still there despite what has gone on, but she is joined by newbies Melanie Briggs, Neil King, Harry Turner, Adrian Phillips and Tracy Pearce* (with a handful of existing trustees staying on). It is not (yet) known if these newbies are Labour stooges (though see below) but neither the Council's own records nor the Charity Commission/Companies House documents show any current Sandwell Labour Councillors being appointed! This might have indicated that SLT were finally taking their allegedly "independent" charitable status seriously and that they had "grown a pair" but, seemingly, this is not the case as we shall see. The SLT website is silent of the Trust's new (old) role!

[* Addendum 24/06/23 - Pearce is a former employ of Sandwell Council!]

This re-marriage has left Mr Braithwaite as the spare pr*ck at the (shotgun) wedding. So has he been paid off? No, and here is the absurd exchange I have had with SLT following a formal press enquiry:

There are two things to note here. Firstly, although I wrote to the supposedly independent SLT they had to seek "orders" from the bent Labour Council despite Braithwaite technically being their employee. This once again appears to indicate that the charitable status of SLT is simply a front for control of their operations via SMBC. Secondly, and perhaps I am reading too much into it but, to me, this reads as if no-one has a scooby what to do with Mr Braithwaite and that policy is being made up as they go along.

Of course, dear readers, I followed up with the obvious supplementary question and got this response:

This is truly shocking. Bent Labour have effed the whole thing up but are now forcing the "Charity" to pay Mr Braithwaites's high wages! I am, of course, writing to the Charity Commissioners about this, but how could Bateman and the trustees agree to this? How is it furthering the charitable objects of SLT to have this expensive guy on board? What happened to the previous guy who was running SLT? Has he been made redundant and of so was this legit if the position still exists? What job is Mr B actually supposed to be doing? Is he a trojan horse for the comrades to get the inside track on SLT and shaft them again?

We need the SLT trustees to come clean here - since bent SMBC won't - and to assert their independence! We also need some proper scrutiny on this from within the Council.

[PS does anyone know of any alleged Health and Safety issues concerning The Scrotum?]

Spot the Difference!

It is an unfortunate fact that Sandwell folk are thicker than their counterparts elsewhere and this has been displayed once again by a number of local morons attacking hardworking West Bromwich West MP, Shaun Bailey, in respect of the latest revelations about Tory lockdown parties. There is one small problem with this. Local dullards have got the WRONG Shaun Bailey!

Clue: The local MP is the guy with the hair ...

This might be a timely moment to remember the Covid rules breach by a large number of gentlemen - many Labour Councillors - who piled into a Birmingham restaurant heedless of the restrictions then in force. Five of them were (then) Sandwell Labour Councillors. This matter was reported the very next day to West Midlands Police who took no action whatsoever. One rule for one as they say ...

Sneaky Labour

In a recent post I put up this image from Sandwell Corruption showing Labour's deceit:

Bent Labour were trying to pull the wool over the eyes of local morons and now local Conservative MP Nicola Richards has caught these sneaks at it again on parking charges:

What's The Turd of Sandwell Wearing Here?

I predicted recently that the new Turd of Sandwell, Mayor Bent? (as in Corrupt?) Billy Gavan, would soon (metaphorically) defecate on his ceremonial regalia. He is still refusing to comment on the alleged £5,000 donation to Labour and so we will have to assume that WAS a bent deal until further information otherwise.

This grotesque guy recently attended a £100-a-head fundraiser at the Hawthorns for the right-wing of the Labour Party. Watson's latest puppet, WBE candidate Sarah Coombes, was there as were the leaders of Sandwell political Sikhism, Pam Randhawa and Gurinder Josan, plus the greasy Bookie's runner, John Spellar MP. This was a purely political function and not in any way a civic one yet here's a picture of The Turd appearing to wear the Mayoral insignia? What ya up to Billy Boy?

I am told that Bent? Billy was due to open The Orchard Coffee Bar in Wednesbury the other day but the owner had to temporarily shut up due to family issues. Quite why a local business would want a serial business failure like The Turd (aka Alka Seltzer because he has been involved with so many dissolved companies) open his shop is wholly beyond me.

Interestingly Labour First, which organised the flash dinner event, didn't give much of a discount for tables of ten lol:

Another point of interest is that although this was a political fundraiser a number of people from Let's Dance Again turned up. LDA is, of course, the bastard child of the infamous "Wednesbury Celebrates" run partly by former Councillor and liar extraordinaire, Inane Elaine Costigan. That piece of work used Wednesbury Town Hall for the former organisation without bothering to actually pay any rent (Skidders passim and see legal notice below). Since the supposedly "public organisation" folded she has steadfastly refused to say what happened to its remaining money.

To facilitate Costigan and her pals SMBC decided that, for the most part, community organisations could use Wednesbury Town Hall for free. Costigan and others set up LDA and now boast that they have taken over the balcony for their use and also hold regular events there. If Costigan repeats the previous trick, LDA will also be trying to screw the taxpayer for funds via the bent Council.

The difference this time is that LDA has recently registered as a "charitable incorporated organisation" (CIO) with the Charity Commission - the trustees being Costigan "lol", Deborah Price and Maxine Hipkiss. This means that they will eventually have to file an annual return and accounts which will be publicly available. What is surprising, therefore, is that the Trustees and at leat one other LDA person turned up at the Labour fundraiser (if you exclude the cynical view that they hope to screw money out of Sandwell Labour Councillors). Costigan, Price, Hipkiss and someone called "Jo" turned up - ostensibly paying £100 a ticket. No doubt they paid this out of the personal money since it would clearly have been wholly inappropriate to use the CIO's money for such a purpose. I am sure they will hasten to confirm the position so that I do not need to alert the Charity Commission about them too!

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

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

Email: thesandwellskidder@gmail.com

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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 3 from 14th February, 2021)

In most cases we try to give the subjects of these blog posts the opportunity to comment on our journalism pre-publication to ensure the accuracy of our work.

Wednesday, 14 June 2023

The All-New 2023 Sandwell Scum Counter!

Warning - contains strong language. 16+ recommendation.

Regular readers will be familiar with the 2022 Sandwell Scum Counter (link below) - The Skidder's ward by ward breakdown of the numbers of scum in Sandwell who support and/or condone decades of Labour corruption, cronyism and incompetence at the bent Council (so bad that it is in Government "Special Measures" - at a cost to us taxpayers of, at least, two million pounds):

https://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com/2022/06/sandwells-scum-in-numbers.html

This post shows the appalling lack of self-respect of local morons who are prepared to condemn themselves, their families and their communities to yet more of the Labour dictatorship despite that Party's shocking 49-year record of fraud and failure. In total only 22.92% of voters actually voted - an absolute disgrace noting the state Sandwell is in, and the diabolical Labour record.

In the 2022 Scum Counter I paraphrased the old Russian question: "if you Sandwell tw*ts are so clever, why are you so poor"? That question is as relevant today as it was 12 months ago.

Voter ID

There is a small "wildcard" in the analysis of this year's figures since some local dummies were - allegedly - prevented from voting due to lack of voter ID. There is not yet a ward by ward analysis of the small percentage of voters who were turned away. It is claimed that 1,135 were turned away, but 795 returned with ID so that just 340 alleged voters were excluded.

Further, Labour had complained bitterly about the new voter ID rules and we have seen in the past that they have been adept at packing polling stations with their "supporters" in close contests, notably at Tipton Green in 2022. Who knows whether those excluded were genuine would-be voters or even living in Sadders? And no doubt there were some weirdos who turned up without ID to "make a - pointless - point!"

The fact remains that the requirement for voter ID was very well advertised. It is a statistical fact that Sandwell people are less intelligent than folk elsewhere and so The Counter works on the assumption that the 340 allegedly excluded are thick scum.

(The small number of spoilt ballot papers are also attributed to scum as there was quite a wide choice of candidates this year so that spoilt papers simply serve to prop-up the bent Labour dictatorship).

Local Tories buck the trend

It was a bad night for the Conservatives nationally but - as the Skidder predicted - the local team bucked the national trend and won two seats in Sadders, Charley and Princes End. In fact those two wards have got rid of Labour altogether with all three seats in each now in Tory hands. And this despite the concern in some quarters that the Conservative campaign was very slow off the mark allowing Labour to win more of the all important postal votes.

We have seen that when Labour Councillors lose their seats the Party immediately foists them into a new ward - no matter how useless they are or their lack of local connections/knowledge (e.g., see Puffing Jenny Chidley). Pathetic lickspittle and Tom "Twatson" Watson-rimmer Liam Preece was a completely useless Labour Councillor for Charlemont and Grove Vale, but folk there eventually saw through "Mr Cellophane" and finally booted him out. He was soon transferred to West Bromwich Central where the thick morons there ignored his track record and elected him back on to the Council. This joke was so puffed-up by this he saw fit to go back to Charley to campaign for the equally-useless Elaine Giles. But it backfired and this part of the Giles Greed Machine was also shown the door. Charley folk have got wise to bent Labour.

Ward by Ward:

Abbey - the home of the vilest and most arrogant people in Sandwell, who - laughably - class themselves as the Brahmin Left, voted for a woman who was a Councillor is, er, Nottinghamshire a couple of years ago (at Gedling Borough Council) - Jennifer Hemingway. But the snobbish Berghaus Bolshies of "Harborne North" hardly turned-out in force despite their "socialust" leanings - just 28.5% could be arsed to vote. (In incestuous Labour Sandwell, Hemingway's partner was also elected in Smethwick - see below - providing the household with two snouts in the taxpayer trough.)

Abbey Scum Count - 7, 683 (an increase from the 7,494 in 2022)

Blackheath - this seat should be a Tory target but they were well beaten. Less that 20% of the idle residents could be arsed to vote.

Blackheath Scum Count - 8,240 (almost equal to the 2022 figure of 8, 238)

Bristnall - one of the sh*ttiest wards of Sandwell where the locals will vote for a donkey if it wears a red rosette. This is a ward sh*t upon by Labour but clearly people enjoy this and provided a romping win for the dictatorship even when they had a good local candidate in Clive Heywood. Far-right perennial loser, Pete Durnell, brought up the rear.

Bristnall Scum Count - 8,006 (up from 7,924 in 2022)

Charlemont and Grove Vale - as above the people of Charley have had enough of Labour shafting them and have now booted them out completely. In the last week or so before polling day Labour threw the kitchen sink at this seat in aid of the Giles Greed Machine, but to no avail. Tory win for Natalie Weston.

I wrote how sick Labour stick together like sh*t to a blanket. Despite her dismal Council performance Elizabeth Giles is the new Deputy Turd of Sandwell. Incredibly she has given her daughter and Charley reject Elaine Giles the "job" of Deputy Turd's Consort - to keep her in the public eye. If there is a by-election anywhere in Sandwell this deadbeat is a dear cert to be the Labour candidate.

Charlemont and Grove Vale Scum Count - 7,739 (7,704 in 2022)

Cradley Heath & Old Hill - together with Tipton Green now the joint-shittiest ward which will now forever be known as "The Wanker Ward" following its election of the notorious masturbator John Tipper (the scruffy, childish onanist shown here mocking the death of Margaret Thatcher). Another ward where less that 20% of the bone-idle in this failed ward could be bothered to vote.

Carmichael has given Tipper a number of jobs so that he can immediately start raking-in extra allowances.

Cradley & Old Hill Scum Count - 9,626 (up, astonishingly, from the 9,540 in 2022)

Friar Park - only 17.25% of the dimwits in this ghastly ward could be bothered to vote. Incredible.

Friar Park Scum Count - 8,135 (up from 8,047 in 2022)

Great Barr with Yew Tree - one of the vilest Wards in the Borough where voters elected a useless criminal as a Councillor last time out. A Labour win for the wife of an existing Councillor in incestuous Sadders.

Great Barr with Yew Tree Scum Count - 8,529 (up from 8,455 in 2022)

Great Bridge - the good work of youthful Tory whirlwind, Will Gill, is paying-off in GB but the Tories were defeated in a close contest.

Great Bridge Scum Count - 8,770 (DOWN - just - from 8,791 in 2022)

Greets Green and Lyng - despite Jackie "Jack of No Trades" being one of the thickest Labour Councillors (in a crowded field) the morons of this ward have re-elected her. Absolutely incredible!

Greets Green and Lyng Scum Count - 8,944 (a big increase from 8,526 in 2022)

Hateley Heath - the people who put the "hate" in Sandwell have done it again. Another useless Labour Council re-elected. Once again a ward where less than 20% of local scum could be arsed to vote.

Hateley Heath Scum Count - 9,648 (up from 9,349)

Langley - hurrah for the Carmichael family as Leader, Kerrie "Dim Kez" Carmichael's mother now has her nose in the taxpayer trough. Dim Kez's husband also works for SMBC (and does some "foreigners" - or "private work" as the Lying Leader calls it - on the side to increase the dosh rolling in Chez Carmichael). New Cradley/Old Hill Councillor, notorious masturbator John Tipper (see above) is a close friend of the family and is pulling-in the extra allowances too.

Carmichael has enthusiastically supported the destruction of Lion Farm Fields which are in the ward now represented by her mum, and so she is tightening the Labour grip on forcing the bent deal through.

Langley Scum Count - 8,736 (UP - despite Lion Farm - from 8,603 in 2022)

Newton - a non-entity of a ward still in love with Labour corruption.

Newton Scum Count - 7,529 (DOWN from 7,759 in 2002)

Old Warley - a big Tory target but a failure for them after a strong performance. Also Rich Jones (the Labour reject) must be regretting getting into bed with the Lib Debs where the local campaigning is absolutely dire (against a background where the Lib Dems did very well nationally on polling day). Even with Brandhall being a hot topic only 29.45% of locals could be arsed to vote - good by feeble, bent Sandwell standards, but still no cigar.

Old Warley Scum Count - 7,618 (DOWN from 7,835 in 2022)

Oldbury - another ward in love with Labour corruption.

Oldbury Scum Count - 9,084 (very high but actually down from 9,204 in 2022)

Princes End - as above a second triumph for the Conservatives who have diligent Councillors already elected in the ward. Their hard work has paid off as the Tories now hold all three seats.

Princes End Scum Count - 8,406 (DOWN from 8,605 in 2022)

Rowley - this should have been a Tory target but some very odd rumours persist about the Conservative campaign here - or rather the lack of it. Also the Lib Dems fielded a well-known social media troll!

There is a bizarre allegation that a leading local Tory did "a deal" with Labour not to fight the seat vigorously but surely other local Conservatives would have noticed this? The plot thickens.

A Labour win for the son of Labour convicted fraudster Naseem Khan (a close associate of Cllrs Simon Hackett and Luke Giles, for two). Great things are expected of this child prodigy since Three Unwise Men - all Labour MPs - visited the fraudsters home to pay homage to the boy wonder! Here's the nasty South London spiv John Spellar posing with the recently convicted fraudster. WTF is going on?

Rowley Scum Count - 8,826 (up from 8,755 in 2022).

And now for three of the biggest sh*tholes yet three of the most Labour corruption-loving wards in Sadders ...

Smethwick

The Nottinghamshire connection again as the partner of Hemingway (see Abbey ward above) gets the taxpayer lolly rolling in again.

Smethwick Scum Count - 9,349 (up from 9,134 in 2022).

Soho and Victoria

Bent Labour simply weigh the votes of local morons here. Just look at the astonishing total!!!

Soho and Victoria Scum Count - 10,857 ( a big INCREASE from a high £9,421 in 2022)

St Paul's

Another astonishing number of residents condone 49 years of Labour failure.

St Paul's Scum Count - 9,943 (marginally down from 9,947 in 2022).

Tipton Green

Another astonishing and brave performance from Independent candidate, Richard Jeffcoat. Without the resources of the big parties Richard polled an astonishing 1,225 votes. Alas, this was still not enough to beat Labour's poisonous Syeda Khatun

What is particularly galling here is that local residents KNOW that Khatun is a corrupt liar (see Skidders passim and legal notice below) yet still wanted more of the same.

At least I know Richard will continue to fight for Tipton and Tipton folk - when his feet have recovered (!) - which is far more than most of them deserve.

Tipton Green Scum Count - 9,252 (up - despite Khatun - from 9,147 in 2022).

Tividale

Despite good work by Tory Cllr Amrita Dunn this was another target missed by the Conservatives. What the f have bent Labour ever done for Tivi?

Tividale Scum Count - 8,239 (up from 8,148 in 2022).

Sh*thole Wednesbury has been "blessed" with truly appalling Labour Councillors who have been a disaster for the area but morons living in the two wards can't get enough Labour corruption!

Wednesbury North

The boil of pus that was Costigan has been lanced, but locals want more of the same. Incredible.

Wednesbury North Scum Count - 8,418 (up from 8,206 in 2022).

Wednesbury South

How a ward represented by such useless Labour specimens as Ian "Chambers of Horrors" Chambers and "Puffing" Jenny Chidley can vote for a third Labour Cllr is beyond me unless everyone is on the same stuff as Chidley.

Wednesbury South Scum Count - 9,219 (down from 9,285 last May and 9,445 in the by election later in 2022).

West Bromwich Central

The purveyor of anti semitic and sweary tweets, Labour Cllr Laura Rollins, has moved out of Sadders. Labour Councillors can't get out of the poverty ghetto quick enough but good old WBC folk don't get the message and want more of the same. Good luck guys and gals. West Brom will still be ghastly in 12 month's time!

West Bromwich Scum Count - 9,569 (up from 9,418 in 2022).

And finally ...

Once again we are indebted to Sandwell Corruption for this image:

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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 publish appropriate corrections forthwith.

Tuesday, 6 June 2023

Lewis "slapped on wrist"; Stevens pay-off, Funeral details and more!

More shocking statistics to open this post showing just how sh*t Sandwell is after 49 years of Labour's total control. The new Sandwell Skidder Scum Counter is coming very shortly but, once again, the numbers will show that the adult voting population don't give a flying f*ck about the Borough's kids and continue to condone nearly half a century of local Labour corruption and failure. New statistics have now been published by The End Child Poverty Coalition (which, importantly, include housing costs) and which show that in bent Labour Sadders 44.6% of children are living in poverty. Nearly half - in a "socialust" paradise!

Meanwhile, Labour Councillors have enriched themselves, blown multi-millions on the Commonwealth Games, lost £22m on Providence Place etc. etc. Whilst there has been staggering financial impropriety and incompetence - not least in Children's Services where things were so bad the Government had to remove this department from bent Labour control - local kids have been shafted (unfortunately, sometimes literally).

Turn up at Oldbury Council House at the full Council just before Easter next year and you will see the grotesque Labour Councillors ostentatiously waddling in clutching bags of (sugar-laden) Easter Eggs for "them poor little kiddies" whilst weeping their crocodile tears. Still if local parents don't care about their own offspring why should councillors?

Next year Labour will have visited disaster on Sandwell for 50 years. Will they manage to get child poverty up to 50% to match their other "achievements"? Watch this space ...

Barry Cotgrave

I mentioned the other day the sad news of Barry's death. He was a great friend of this blog and an all-round good guy. Barry's funeral is at 10.15am on Thursday 15th June at The Methodist Centre Dudley Port, 41 Tividale Street, Tipton DY4 7SB.

No (Re)Morse from Lewis?

Labour’s Cllr Ash Lewis has been made to undergo “appropriate training” following his failure to declare an interest at a meeting of the incredibly-named "Safer Neighbourhoods and Active Communities Scrutiny Board" on 26th January, 2023 - under the appalling Chairing of the loquacious (to put it politely) Cllr Ellen Fenton. Despite being a Trustee at the time of the North Smethwick Development Trust (NSDT - which has received substantial funds from bent Labour over many years), he spoke up to object to any onerous financial reporting obligations being placed on such organisations as the one he represented - rather an odd thing to do when he was on a Committee purporting to scrutinise that such crony organisations were spending taxpayers’ money gifted to them by the comrades, er, appropriately.

Fenton let him get away with this, in between her crazed, partisan, soliloquies, but local Community Activist Darryl Magher was there and alerted The Skidder to the clear breach of ethical standards and the Councillors' Code of Conduct.

Following a formal Standards Complaint Sandwell’s highly controversial Monitoring Officer has found that Lewis should have properly declared his interest in NSDT, which was in receipt of funding “from the Council” - cunning code for “from the taxpayer”. However, as he made "no personal financial gain" from his misconduct he has simply had to undergo training in the hope that he won’t misbehave again. The usual slap on the wrist for errant Labour Councillors once again folks.

Surjit Tour (for it is he) claimed that: “Cllr Lewis upon being advised of his failure to declare an interest accepted his omission and apologised immediate[ly].” Well I don’t know who he has apologised to apart, allegedly, to Tour? And, in fact, this b*llockless Labour coward did not have the wotsits to respond to this email - hence why he ended up facing a formal Standards Complaint in the first place:

"THIS IS NOT A PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION - PRESS ENQUIRY

At the recent meeting of the above Committee (26/01/23) you pointed out that you are a Director of one of the organisations receiving taxpayers' funds as a "warm place". I assume you mean North Smethwick Development Trust?

You made your "declaration" of interest during the course of discussion on the Agenda item and not under "declarations of interests" earlier in the Agenda. Why did you omit to do this? Why did you seek to participate in the discussion of the Agenda item?

The activist and highly partisan Chair of the Meeting then allowed you to continue speaking on the issue where you had expressed an interest. Indeed you submitted your view that monitoring of the footfall at organisations receiving taxpayers' funds "should not be too onerous" and possibly should not apply at all this year. This appears to be a direct expression of a conflict of interest between your role on the Committee as a scrutineer of the spending of public money and the interests of an organisation you claim to represent. Can you provide any explanation of your conduct at the meeting for the benefit of Skidder readers please?"

They never learn do they, these planks? If you had the b*lls to come clean Lewis, and to apologise, you would have saved the taxpayer the costs of a standards investigation. Perhaps you will apologise to Skidder readers now?

ADDENDUM 9th June, 2023 - Tour has confirmed that Lewis only apologised to him for breaking the Code of Conduct. Tour says: "I [! -Ed] do not consider it necessary to require Cllr Lewis to apologise publicly." That does not, of course, prevent the spineless Lewis from saying sorry, but the eunuch has not seen fit to respond to my queries concerning an apology. Don't hold your breath folks!

Spellar - No Shame!

I have been pointing out for some time that ghastly South London spiv, John Spellar (who purports to be the MP for Warley), has been bigging-up the "gambling industry" in the House of Commons whilst enjoying its lavish hospitality at a series of A-grade sporting events. Many of you will have seen the very short video of this greaser at the annual Mayor-making ceremony where he seems to think this is funny. Watch it here and weep, if you haven't seen it!

Furious Piper!

On the subject of videos, regular readers will recall the recent video (courtesy of Sandwell Corruption) of Piper's hilarious incompetence at a recent Cabinet meeting. This vituperative scrote has been lashing out on social media (as per ...) at people who have mocked his dreadful performance and the footage has clearly got under his nanometre-thin skin. Do watch this farce if you haven't seen it - if only to annoy the joke "Deputy Leader" lol!

"Good News" - no mega-compensation for sacked Stevens. And Kafka lives!

Regular readers will know that on 8th July, 2021 I broke the rumour that Sandwell’s scumbag CEO, David Stevens, had been sacked on 5th July by (then) Labour “Leader” Rajbir “The Boy Blunder” Singh (who did a moonlight flit himself not long afterwards amidst lurid allegations). (Blog entitled: “Turd Excreted in Sandwell???”)

Following a protracted and convoluted Freedom of Information (FOI) Request the position is not a lot clearer although bent Sandwell has been forced to provide details of Steven’s pay-off.

Let me say straight away that normally the public is not entitled to know the pay-offs to council employees for “data protection” reasons. But in the case of senior employees - like the pathetic Stevens - councils have to provide the details by law in the annual accounts. Of course, Sandwell Labour has messed things up so badly that the annual accounts have been grossly delayed (an ongoing issue of great concern).

In the FOI process Sandwell initially lied (again) claiming that “the Council does not hold this information relating to the removal of the Chief Executive from post”. Whilst there may be arguments against disclosure it is inconceivable that a large organisation like Sandwell would not have any documents regarding the sacking of its (hapless) Chief Exec. But then Singh had f*cked everything up royal, and yet another Labour cover-up was under way.

When the FOIA was reviewed the bent Council changed from the lie that they held no documents to: “we neither confirm nor deny that we hold information falling within the description specified”. Astonishingly, the Information Commissioner (IC) has let them get away with this aspect of the matter by saying - in terms - that if the corrupt paid service admitted they had documents relating to the sacking then the public at large might (rightly!) construe this as “evidence” that documents relating to the sacking exist! Never mind that they do, and that they MIGHT be disclosable, the IC has - yet again - shown that the Freedom of Information regime is an absolute joke and wholly unfit for purpose.

We know that Stevens was physically turfed out of Oldbury Council House of 5th July, 2021 but his employment status remains uncertain for the next three weeks or so since his contract was not officially terminated until 31st July, 2021.

The good news is that the IC did force bent Labour Sandwell to cough-up the severance payment details to Stevens. Mysteriously, Sandwell contacts claimed that he had lawyers involved and received a substantial pay-off but that is wrong (fortunately for taxpayers) and he only received “contractual” compensation. There is a rather strange discrepancy between gross and net figures (although Stevens would have been a higher rate taxpayer) since these are the figures finally provided:

“Contractual payments totalling £45,652.76 (net) were paid made up of:

1 months’ Salary (gross £12,631.67) (net £6767.31)

12 weeks’ Pay in Lieu of notice (gross £37,895.00)

Annual/Accrued Leave 60 days (gross £34 980.00) (combined net £38,885.45)

(Total gross sum £85,506.67)”

Of course “Red” Yvonne Davies, another ill-starred former Labour “Leader”, rigged the appointment of this POS but at least his reign was relatively short, and it is better that Labour got rid of him for just £85k rather than, say, paying that sum to alleviate child poverty etc.

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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 3 from 14th February, 2021)

In most cases we try to give the subjects of these blog posts the opportunity to comment on our journalism pre-publication to ensure the accuracy of our work.