Labour's "Sperminator" ejaculated!

This blog contains adult themes concerning the seedy activities of an elected politician and his ghastly mate, a local "journalist". Recommended readership 18+

Mystery surrounds the departure from the Labour Party of its most notorious masturbator, Cllr John Tipper. The infamous w*nker has left Labour and is now standing (erectly - Ed?) as an "Independent". This after the current local Labour Leader and Party Regional Office moved heaven and earth for Mr Tosser Tipper to be found a safe seat with a moronic electorate in bent Sandwell (an easy task in the local Dictatorship).

Regular readers will know that during an earlier stint as a Sandwell Councillor, Tipper had cause to borrow a Council (i.e. taxpayer-owned) iPhone whereupon he used it to video himself masturbating before sending the offending footage (??? - Ed) to a woman of his acquaintance. Alas, John is not very bright and forgot to delete his, er, handiwork from the phone before returning it to the corrupt Council.

I have written about this episode and subsequent events before (Skidders passim as nauseum). Tipper left the Council but the "cum-back" kid promised, like The Terminator, he would return. He (and his "journalist" mate) are assiduous (metaphorical) rimmers of Sandwell Labour Leader [sic] the pathetic liar, Kerrie "Dim Kez" Carmichael and so the time was ripe for a seat to be found for him.

In an earlier post I put-up my one-sided correspondence with the local Labour Party supremo, Richard Oliver. On the first occasion, in 2021, Labour had selected The W*nker for a seat in Old Warley ward and I wrote to Oliver asking if this joker was a fit and proper person to be a Labour candidate (particularly as he tried to mislead about the incident - mostly through his mate, Adam Smith). Answer came there none.

On this blog I explained what happened:

Despite full knowledge of his masturbatory history, Labour selected Mr Tosser, sorry Tipper, in 2021 as one of its two candidates in Old Warley ward. Many locals were horrified that Labour were trying to foist this pole-stroker on them and split their vote - electing the other Labour candidate but giving Tosser the, er, finger. Incidentally, during the campaign and as the Party knew, candidate Tipper seemed to hardly show his face in Old Warley, let alone his tackle.

Sensibly, Tipper was dropped from the 2022 slate of Labour dross but what Dim Kez wants, Dim Kez gets, and so the hunt was on for the thickest ward in Sandwell where people are so imbecilic they would be certain to vote for this feeble character. Clearly Great Barr with Yew Tree must have been a strong possibility but Labour knew the inhabitants of Cradley Heath and Old Hill (CH & OH) were sufficiently brainless to "do the honours". And so it came to pass.

I wrote to Oliver again. This time I pointed-out The W*nkers apparent lack of any attempt to campaign in Old Warley but, yet again, Oliver thought he was a great choice for bent Labour.

Now CH & OH no longer has the Labour Councillor it voted for. Despite his willingness to flaunt his genitalia Tipper has a weak personality and it remains to be seen whether he has the balls to resign his seat and fight it as an Independent in May.

Rumours have been swirling around Sadders all week about his defection ranging from allegations that he was expelled by Labour (which Tipper says is untrue) to an outlandish claim that he resigned because he was upset that local GMB Union boot-boy, Ian Cooper, was not selected as the Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Halesowen. (Readers may remember the notorious email the oafish Cooper wrote to former Labour Council Leader, Yvonne Davies, telling her, in terms, to do what the unelected Union told her to do!)

The Skidder wrote to Tipper asking why he had shafted the prats in CH & OH but apart from denying that he was expelled from the Party he refused to tell Skidder readers the truth, and simply took the opportunity to try to take the p*ss out of me. 

No doubt more on this anon. In the meantime the other big question is why this has not been explained by The Wolvo C*ck-Suckers (aka The Express and Star)? Now read on ...

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By the way, did you know that the Wolvo C-S's were taken over last year by the weirdly named "National World" Group? The Star has been a pathetic rag for years, spewing out Sandwell Labour propaganda and clickbait. Now the promise is of even more, er, clickbait. This lot gave up real journalism a long time ago but now it is not even going to continue to pretend it is actually a "newspaper".

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Bromance

Ant & Dec, Dave & Si, John & Adam. Just some of the great Bromance couples de nos jours. Whilst the first two sets named are media celebrities and, apparently, well-loved our local joined-at-the hip pair are gruesome beyond belief. 

Tipper is a seedy character who certainly used to be a stranger to the soap bar. As we have seen, he is a notorious masturbator (and, even worse, not even able to "man-up" about it). But his bezzie mate, Adam Smith, is off the scale of ghastliness. You don't believe me? - if you are over 18 and have a strong stomach, read my post about the priapic (self-proclaimed), misogynistic, thieving (self-proclaimed), scrounging, p*sshead fantasist (and you have been warned):

https://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com/2021/08/the-misogyny-of-adam-smith-journalist.html

As far as this weirdo is concerned, women fall into three categories: (1) "Bints"; (2) those whom, he claims, regularly permit him to "tear-up" their "quims"; and (3) St Kerrie Carmichael of Rowley Regis.

This all makes Smith entirely suitable to work at such a morally-polluted media organisation as The Star. And the C*S's presumably think that even if he is too p*ssed to work half the time he will get regular inside stories (or leaks) from his usual sources, Tipper the W*nker, Cllr Paul "The Cipher" Moore, and, perhaps, even from Dim Kez herself? Even a non-Labour Councillor is said to have been passing him info on the Tories.

Recently when those spineless corruption-lovers, Cllrs Wilkes and Williams, defected from the ailing Tories to Labour he was given the story on a plate by bent Sandwell Labour and milked it for not one, but two articles for the delectation of Dim Kez. And so why no story on his big pal defecting FROM Labour? Perhaps he has been so busy "shagging birds" he hasn't had time to get p*ssed with The Wanker yet? But isn't he PAID (what?- Ed) to get the Sandwell political stories?

I think we should be told don't you readers?

Smith's Fantasy World

The Star's man [sic] operates at least two X (formerlyTwitter) accounts - one in his own name and one in the name of "Steve Zacharanda". He has used them to personally attack me and to defame my wife, but when very obvious troll accounts pop-up attacking us he is also regularly following and engaging with those accounts. 

During the bent Lisa McNally litigation, my Defence team prepared a mountain of documents showing that McNally's evidence was at best, ahem, highly suspect. McNally herself was deliberately engaging with very obvious troll accounts which were attacking me whilst she was trying to persuade the High Court that she was holier than Mother Teresa. Below the legal notice below is a document we prepared for the High Court in London showing six troll accounts McNally herself was directly engaging with.

I will write further about this in due course, but it is noteworthy here that the Skidder team were investigating the troll account "Man and Boy" and it was quite obvious after a while that this was being operated by a "journalist". We narrowed the field to Smith or another scribbling weirdo, the late George Makin (McNally's media rimmer-in-chief - although Nick Owen was a close second). We were about to name Makin as the troll (thanks to comparisons on the timing of posts and some other matters) when he died. As soon as he snuffed it then, as with Darren Cooper, their respective troll accounts fell silent.

It was a non-exclusive list submitted to the Court only relating to McNally but you will see that Smith (as Zacharanda) was actively engaging with four of the six obvious troll accounts (and even Dim Kez was involved with one!) He also used his own account with one of the trolls.

Recently Smith the fantasist was working on some local Black Country film (presumably not "Tipper Tosses Again") and could not resist the opportunity to boast about it on his own X account (and despite his innate cynicism he also could not resist rimming his employers/paymasters). But that was not good enough for this pathetic braggart and so he - used HIS other account "Zacharanda" - to compliment HIMSELF on his work. What a total ****!

And finally, "The Rotherham Connection" ...

Rotherham is much like bent Sandwell Council. An absolute sh*thole after decades of Labour control - with many of the same social problems. The bent Council, also like Sadders, enjoyed an inappropriate liaison with their local Police force. 

Perhaps the only difference between the two rotten Boroughs is that the extensive child sexual abuse in both areas was actually exposed in Rotherham leading to the resignations of the Council’s Chief Executive, Director of Children’s Services and the Police and Crime Commissioner. Meanwhile is Sadders …

And regular readers will know the even stranger link between the two bent Councils. The Chair of the Warley Woods charity and crazed tyrant, Steve “Squealing” Eling, was (and apparently still is) an employee of Rotherham Council, and was so during the time he (and others like Jan Britton) were plunging Sandwell headlong into the well of corruption as Labour’s Deputy Council Leader and, then, Leader. This vile man kept a pied a terre near Warley Woods but actually lived over 60 miles away from sh*thole Bearwood in a quaint North Derbyshire village.

Curiously Sandwell’s highly paid Chief Executive, Shokat Lal, also worked at Rotherham for a time and, in fact, worked with The Squealer. Lal has insisted on yet another costly “re-structuring” and has reinstated the post of “Assistant Chief Executive”. This has been filled by one James McLaughlin who, from, 2016 to 2020 also worked with The Squealer at, er, Rotherham Council. Small world isn’t it?

LEGAL NOTICE (Version 4 from 8th October, 2023.)

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 or Skidders 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

We may also add hyperlinks or references to content in our associated blogs, “As The Crow Flies!” (at crowmultimedia.blogspot.com) and Rotten Council Governance - Legal Review (at rottencouncils.blogspot.com). Reference to content in those blogs also forms part of the context, meaning of, and justification for, contents in this blog.

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 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 remove offending material and/or publish appropriate corrections forthwith (together with an apology, if applicable).

We have had to remove the direct comment facility from this blog due to the malicious 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. We can also publish “guest” posts on mutually agreed terms.

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.

END

Shokat Lal fetes bent ex-Cllr - with OUR money!

AT LAST! Bent Labour Sandwell Council's Chief Executive, Shokat Lal, who was alone this week in celebrating his one year in post in the benighted Borough, spent weeks (and taxpayers' money) trying to cover-up his mega expensive party nights paid for by, er, us. Regular readers will know that I have been fighting for the truth for MONTHS but Lal made a series of futile attempts to protect his arse. And well he might because The Skidder can now officially confirm that one of his guests AT BOTH parties was bent ex-Labour Councillor, Pam Hughes, the doormat wife of Labour Cllr Peter "Zorro" Hughes (aka Alberich).

The only reason Pam Hughes is not facing a standards investigation into her dealings with Satnam Sahota, a property developer, is that she stood down from her Council seat. Her role, and that of Zorro, in the ongoing "Sahotaville" scandal is still being investigated - though I am facing considerable delay in the provision of information from Michael Gove's Commissioners. I have already written extensively how the Hughes's have been assiduous rimmers of Sahota for many years. Amongst other things they failed to inform the Council that Sahota had turned what was supposed to be a "residential care home" into flats in breach of the conditions of his planning permission, and supported his conversion of another large building nearby into flats in the teeth of opposition from local residents. They also arranged, with Gavan and others, for Sahota to attend at least one Labour Party fundraising event.

Worse still, SMBC arranged to sell a piece of land to Sahota. The information about this is still being withheld by the Commissioners and so it it is not possible to say whether the Hughes's were involved in that decision, although a local Labour Party figure says that Zorro, for one, fully supported the sale to Sahota (but not to anyone else). At this moment in time we will have to give the Hughes's the benefit of the doubt. I should add that Sandwell Police are currently refusing to investigate the Hughes's dealings with the developer.

Having bought the land Pam Hughes failed to declare an interest whilst sitting on the Planning Committee when Sahota got permission to build 5 bungalows on the plot - yet again despite fierce local opposition. True to form Sahota was again in breach of the planning conditions, and the matter came back before the Planning Committee. Once again Pam Hughes failed to register an interest. When the bungalows were built the Hughes's moved into one of them.

I have written about all this a number of times (Skidders passim and see legal notice below). Also, one post dealt with that second planning meeting which was held online. Although Zorro was not on the Committee he was allowed to speak on behalf of his ward. This was during the Covid crisis and so the Hughes's were - or should have been - in the same house during the meeting, if not the same room. Zorro purported to represent the local residents who were sick of Sahota and universally opposed to the bungalow development. But far from speaking up for the residents Zorro used this as a platform to slag THEM off! Bent Pam, on the actual Committee, sat and said nothing even then!

Lal has already worked with Surjit Tour and his colleagues to exonerate Zorro using a specious argument that a standards complaint concerning the Sahotaville scandal was made out of time. It wasn't as I have set out elsewhere, and this is now being referred to the Local Government Ombudsman - and other action is also being pursued over this particular Lal cover-up. No action could be taken against bent Pam as she had left the Council by then.

Lal's colleagues recorded that despite all the above being patently true and well-documented, the Hughes's had found my complaints very upsetting "particularly in the light of [Pam Hughes's] diagnosis of cancer and dementia which they [the Hughes's] have NOT sought to keep secret."

During Pam's time as a puppet for Zorro, bent Labour were vehemently anti-business (unless, like Sahota, KTC Edibles and others, they were "friends of bent Labour"). I am unaware of any pro-business statements (nor indeed anything else sensible) ever having been uttered by Pam Hughes. Yet, despite her obvious breaches of the Councillors' Code of Conduct, Lal thought she was a suitable person to represent the corrupt Council at not one, but two, business awards evenings! You couldn't make it up! 

Here is Lal partying with these scumbags at the first do. He blew £7,500 plus vat of OUR cash on the parties when Labour Councillors claim that after 50 years of THEIR control of Sandwell, there are kids literally starving across the sh*thole Borough.

Despite Zorro's comments about his wife's health she was clearly up for a couple of evenings out and keeping the nose in the taxpayers' trough.

Freedom of Information Request One (and Two)

Regular readers will know that skint Labour spent £4,000 plus vat for a table of 10 at one of the fake "awards" events run by that old friend of Sandwell Labour, the late wife-beater Darren Cooper, and Cllr Pam Ramhawa, Ninder Johal of Nachural Events (Skidders passim and see legal notice below). Single tickets cost approximately £120 each despite the Council saying that the food was only worth about £8 per head (or with the wine, worth around £18 per head - good, er, business for Johal!)

If bent Labour and Lal himself think that this woo-woo event will actually do anything to win business, investment and jobs for Sadders they are, of course, delusional. It hardly helps when many Labour Councillors like Bob "From The River To The Sea" Piper actually want to see the end of capitalism and a socialist dictatorship in his dog-sh*t smeared part of the world. And Lal could have arranged to just buy a few seats at £120 a head (bad, but not so bad). Instead this event was pitched at him as a great chance to improve HIS own profile in the area and so, his ego stroked, he opted for a sponsorship deal at £400 per head plus vat for a party of 10 instead. Lal got a large pay increase over the previous (disgraced) Chief Exec, but then he is not spending his own money for these parties - he's spending OURS.

And Labour can afford such largesse since the wicked Tory Government has given them lots of OUR money via the Levelling-Up fund including for business regeneration. Of course, loads of this money is going to the "usual suspects" via bullsh*t levels of bureaucracy and talk shops such as "West Midlands Growth" [sic] (where one Shokat Lal is a Board Member). As ever with corrupt Sandwell Labour - under Blair/Brown and even under the Conservatives - they receive pots of money which they then blow on vanity projects and enriching their cronies without it ever "trickling down" to where it is needed. Look at the thousands spent on the pathetic Wednesbury market, as just one example.

This money is actually supposed to improve productivity in the Greater Birmingham area which is 14% below the national average and where economic activity is lower than almost anywhere in the country [source: The Economist]. The Economist also wrote recently that despite all the bullsh*t from former soft-furnishing salesman, Tory Andy Street, he has "hardly moved the dial" when it comes to economic improvement.

Now there is another old problem for bent Labour as I touched on above. Sandwell Labour hate private enterprise, business and entrepreneurship (unless this enriches them personally) and so serious people actually doing business in the urban dystopia hate them. Thus they only have a rump a cronies and PR wallahs as their "business contacts" such as the corrupt Council's wholly unaccountable "Sandwell Business Ambassadors". Who then, went to the parties. Now we finally know!

Initially Lal only named himself and Labour Councillors Peter Hughes and Pam Randhawa as attendees at the first function and refused to name the other guests at both functions. This blog disclosed that an employee, Nicy (correct spelling) Morgan attended and this is now confirmed. Dealing with the first event and, as above, he concealed that he thought bent ex-Labour Councillor Pam Hughes was a fit and proper person to represent the corrupt Council and bunged her a ticket. On 24th November, 2023 Lal specifically attempted to use s.40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act to conceal bent Pam H's attendance! This from the guy who is supposed to be cleaning bent Sandwell up!

As it transpired, Randhawa, a friend of Ninder Johal, had already been given a freebie to the event and so her seat, which the taxpayer paid for, could have gone to someone else. 

In November, Lal also refused to name the Sandwell Business Ambassador who attended nor FOUR (!) "Business School participants". In a recent blog*, following my own research, I named the Ambassador [sic] as Paul Hull (and Lal has finally confirmed that it was indeed this SBA shy retiring flower who graciously accepted a free p*ss up at our expense).

"Business School" is a term of art, meaning. "a high-level educational institution in which students study subjects related to business and commerce, such as economics, finance and management". There is only one of them in the area, at Wolverhampton University, and I duly wrote to them only to be told that no representatives on the Uni had attended the event (at least not on the Sandwell table). Once again. WTF?

After Lal wasted more staff time in this futile cover-up and a mere 129 days later he finally 'fessed up. Bent Pam H and Paul Hull had attended. And four invitations were sent not to a Business School as Lal had falsely claimed, but to Sandwell Council's own new business start-up scheme (using Levelling-Up funds) in Jack Judge House, Oldbury! Having decided to blow £4k plus vat to promote bent Sandwell as a place to do business. Lal invited four people who were getting advice from Sandwell Council (via the new Business Growth section) to four complete business novices just attempting to start businesses (and, as it was, only three actually bothered to turn up to a free p*ss-up!) Nicy Morgan reminded the invitees - people struggling to start businesses - that this was a "black tie dinner" and later exhorted them to wear their "finery". What an absolute load of w*nk!

Even if Lal thinks there is some value in being associated with a fake awards ceremony only 8 tickets were used (as Randhawa had a personal benefactor) and these would have cost £960 plus vat. Still a massive waste of public money but better than the £4k plus vat sponsorship he chose to waste.

Freedom of Information Request Three

Although he apparently did not see the need to attend to promote Sandwell himself, Lal authorised attendance and sponsorship at the Black Country Chamber Business Awards in November. This time he ONLY blew £3500 plus vat for a table of 10. Incredibly he wrote an internal email that he wanted more staff from the regeneration [sic] section of the bent paid service to attend such frivolous occasions. Further, he wants to reward employees for, er, doing their well-paid jobs by sending them on a taxpayer-funded p*ss-up. These are his precise and, incredible, words - I sh*t ye not:

It would be nice [WTF? - Ed] to give [i.e., for us taxpayers to "give"] a couple of seats as recognition where they have worked really hard or made an exceptional contribution and they could be from anywhere in the council."

How the f*ck does this nonsense promote Sadders as a place to do business????

Incidentally, and although - as above - this issue is supposed to be coming before the Ethical Standards committee, Lal has approved that not just Councillors but staff also need not declare this hospitality on their Registers of Interests. And, as with the first event, he fought against disclosure of those who did attend at OUR expense.

Whilst he did admit, this time, that bent ex-Cllr Pam Hughes was there (with Zorro) he tried to prevent disclosure on 19th December, 2023 of the identity of the employees (5) and "business representative" (3) who also attended.

I just hope this vulgarian with bent Pam was not one of the honoured guests "representing" the corrupt Council to the local business community!

I persevered. Four employees were Nicy Morgan, Jenna Langford (Regeneration Manager), Michael Wragg (Senior Social Value Officer - whatever that is), and Jonathan Percival (Enterprise Development Officer).

Incredibly, and although free booze was on offer, Lal also sent an under-18 years old apprentice along to promote Sandwell enterprise. This just shows how unserious he is about dealing with real business people and how detached from the commercial world the corrupt Labour Council is.

The three business representatives were all from the Labour crony - and unaccountable - organisation, Sandwell Business Ambassadors, enjoying a p*ss-up on us. They were: Alan Taylor (Chair and boss of MiGlass); Bevil Williams (CEO "lol" of Re-PC Limited), and Jan Denning (MD -?- of Destination Wolverhampton & Black Country).

Bevil - also Bevil James - Williams was a splendid choice by Lal as a representative of the Council. He was a Director of Computers 4 Africa which was formed in 2016 - avoided a compulsory strike off on the Companies House Register and then was voluntarily struck off in 2018 without ever filing a set of accounts. This was not to be confused with Computers 4 Africa Limited - prop.one Bevil Williams - which had an equally short life. Incorporated in 2019 this Company was compulsorily struck off in 2021, again without filing any accounts.

Bevil James was also a Director of Futures Alternative Education Services Limited. Formed in 2006 this outfit had the odd run-in with Companies House but at least it did trade. Having made a small profit in 2010 the Company was compulsorily struck off in 2014 without filing any further accounts. In 2021 he set up, with others, Caribbean Memorial Limited but resigned as a Director in 2022. That Company was struck off soon afterwards having never filed any accounts.

Bevil set up ESL Computers Limited in 2003. By 2009 the Company was trading at a loss (according to accounts prepared by the unfortunately named Wallace Crooke, Accountants) and it was voluntarily struck off in 2014 - yet again without having filed any accounts in the interim.

Our man was involved with others in setting-up 4XI Limited in 2016. It was struck off the Register in 2017 without having ever filed accounts. But Bevil Williams Associates Limited is still active [sic]. This Company was formed in 2015 solely by the man himself but the last accounts show just £22 in the bank and debtors of just £440. In other words the Company is hardly trading and, in event, current liabilities exceed assets by £198! In other words, it was insolvent at the last accounting date. 

On the face of it Bevil is having better luck with IT Refurb Limited which does, at least, appear to be trading. Curiously creditors owing the company money jumped from less than £10,000 to over £25,000 in the last two reported tax years. OK if everyone pays - and see below! This Company has net assets of just £2, 270, although that is in positive territory.

What of Re-PC Ltd - the Company he names in his Sandwell Business Ambassadors profile - where is a co-director with a Mr Barrows who was also involved with the defunct 4XI Limited (are you keeping-up folks?) This outfit appears to have made a profit for the two directors of over £15,000 in the last tax year - again, positive territory. Curiously it owes £10,776 to IT Refurb - another Bevil Company - and which may explain the sudden increase in money owed to that Company mentioned in the previous paragraph. Clearly Bevil has some reason why one Company of his is paying for the services of his other live Company. (Perhaps he will write to The Skidder and explain ...)

In short, this man is trading on a small scale and no Lord Sugar. He has also been involved in a number of failed companies and IT Refurb is only showing net assets exceeding liabilities thanks to nearly £11k being owed to it by Bevil's other Company. Let's give the chap credit for trying, but surely Lal can find more substantial business characters in the bent Borough to invite along?

As far as "Ambassador" Denning is concerned, she uses her website to promote Wolverhampton Racecourse & Holiday Inn - which is handy since both the above events were held there.

Of course, there is one person in Sadders who has a dire history of multiple business failures (with his partner having a few more on top). Surely Mr Lal should send Mayor Bill Gavan (aka The Turd of Sandwell) the next time he blows OUR money on a knees-up? (And if it is a knees-up let's hope foul-mouthed Bill doesn't wear his kilt ...)

* https://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com/2024/02/sandwells-data-disasters-blue-badge.html

LEGAL NOTICE (Version 4 from 8th October, 2023.)

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 or Skidders 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

We may also add hyperlinks or references to content in our associated blogs, “As The Crow Flies!” (at crowmultimedia.blogspot.com) and Rotten Council Governance - Legal Review (at rottencouncils.blogspot.com). Reference to content in those blogs also forms part of the context, meaning of, and justification for, contents in this blog.

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 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 remove offending material and/or publish appropriate corrections forthwith (together with an apology, if applicable).

We have had to remove the direct comment facility from this blog due to the malicious 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. We can also publish “guest” posts on mutually agreed terms.

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.

Four (Tories) Go Mad in Dorset!

STOP PRESS - This Tory Council is threatening to use taxpayers' money to sue me if I send this by email to Dorset Councillors! They will not fetter the free press in this way I can assure you.

This post brings together a couple of themes which epitomise everything that is wrong with our failing local government system, and hang on in there local readers since a notorious Sandwell figure features in this sorry tale from the south coast.

Councils across the land are going bust but Councillors continue to spend like drunken sailors (no offence to inebriated matelots). And in many councils the Tories are (almost) as bad as bent Sandwell Labour.

In Sandwell this blog exposed a scam whereby bent Labour sidestep employment and equality laws to appoint people without going through tiresome processes to assess their suitability or aptitude. They do this by simply declaring that a hitherto permanent post needs to be filled on an  "interim" (temporary) basis or simply create new "interim" posts. In Sadders bent Labour tried to provide cover for their contempt for the law, and the Council's own rules, by involving that notorious mafia, the Local Government Association (The "LGA" or "Lying, Greedy, Arseholes") in the supposedly "fair" interim recruitment process. Thus when former Council Leader [sic] Cllr Rajbir "The Boy Blunder" Singh sacked Chief Exec, David Stevens, he used WhatsApp and other deletable message apps etc., to appoint a new "Interim Chief Executive", Kim Bromley-Derry, via the LGA. And when Keir "Sir Woodenarse" Starmer said he was going to take a personal interest in Sandwell he was true to his word and his crony, Imogen Walker, was made "Interim Head of the Leader's Office" - a brand new post. The fact that Walker actually lives at least 256 miles from Sandwell in Scotland was no bar to the appointment, and the taxpayer has been lining her pockets ever since. [The Information Commissioner is investigating these appointments given that the LGA has tried to conceal documentation relating to their role in these sordid affairs. It should also be said that neither the three Sandwell MP's nor the small but ever-shrinking group of hapless Tory Councillors have raised any public objections to these appointments. Oh, and by the way, the LGA receives huge sums of taxpayers' money despite behaving like a medieval guild.]

I should add that in bent Councils like Labour Sandwell (currently in Government Special measures due to serious governance issues) once a "rigged" candidate is agreed, a no-hoper is also interviewed to make it look as if there had been some sort of competitive process.

Dorset Council has a Chief Executive called Matthew Prosser who, as it happens, also happens to be President of another local government "jobs for the boys and girls" outfit which goes by the absurd name of Solace UK. WTF? Solace seeks to help senior local government officers keep their seats on the gravy train.

Underneath the Legal Notice below is a link to an ongoing Freedom of Information Request concerning Dorset's employment on an "Interim" basis of disgraced former Sandwell Chief Executive, Jan Britton [Skidders passim ad nauseum] as "Interim Director of Place" [FFS]. Incredibly this xxxx has been employed by Tory Dorset for 12 months at a salary of not less than £150k per annum despite his appalling misconduct in Sadders. To save those who don't have the time or inclination to review the FOI request I have also set out a helpful precis of the documents Dorset has released about this scandal so far - again below the Legal Notice.

Another issue routinely exposed by The Skidder is the sheer spinelessness of local councillors, especially when so many are vicious bullies. Despite standing for election they are not tough, independently-minded, individuals but pathetic apparatchiks of their party machines - wholly incapable of being able to think or speak for themselves. As we shall see, what is true in Sadders (both on the Labour and Tory sides of the fence) is true of at least four Dorset Tories.

Just one other thing, in passing, before we get to the main course, but it is worth noting that these absurd "Interim" posts can also lead to large sums of public money being handed to recruitment agencies. Anyone who peruses the precis below will note the feeding frenzy as recruitment agencies jostled to get the juicy commissions us taxpayers are forced to pay for this way of filling posts. Although Dorset appears to have a formal system (via Commensura?) for recruitment, Prosser took it upon himself to communicate directly with Solace. Further many of the recruitment firms tried to game the system by sending in CV's other than by the "proper channels". It should be noted that they mostly bypassed the Head of Human Resources, Matthews, and communicated directly with Prosser. Finally, on this subject (and the FOIA is ongoing) Prosser has clammed-up on whether Solace - his organisation - received commission from us taxpayers here. WTS!

And one caveat. There is a Freedom of Information Internal Review pending and readers can see the issues I have raised (if they are very bored) via the link below.

It seems from the Dorset disclosure to date that Dorset has a contractual procurement channel or "framework" for recruitment but that Mr Prosser decided to personally contact the organisation he is President of, Solace, to canvass for candidates - and, at the very least, give them a head start. We shall see shortly, that Dorset does employ - no doubt at considerable expense to the taxpayer - a "Head of Human Resources" although as we shall, Mr Christopher Matthews, appears to be a pathetic (metaphorical) rimmer of his boss. Despite this Prosser took it upon himself to make the running on the recruitment of this post.

Further, Prosser appears - at least from the disclosure to date - to have unilaterally decided not to fill the existing post on a permanent basis but to advertise it as an "interim one" and you will have seen, as above, that provides cover for councils to do pretty much what the hell they like. Dorset is a Tory Council and Prosser sought political cover for his decision via the Council Leader, Conservative Spencer Flower (pictured below) saying in an email of 10th October, 2023 that he had "spoken" with Flower about making only an interim appointment.

Incidentally, Flower himself has a chequered history in local government having been convicted of "illegal voting"  in 2015 by local Magistrates. He boasted afterwards that he had only been given a conditional discharge since his misconduct had merely been a "breach of a technicality". Clearly his Tory colleagues forgot and/or forgave since he is back as Council Leader again. Just the sort of chap perhaps to overlook the appalling record of Jan Britton, I wonder? Well he won't respond to this journalist. (See further below.)

Courtesy of the BBC website

Solace sent a number of CV's directly to Prosser who seems to have taken a shine to Britton despite his appalling antics in Sandwell. But there was a flood of applicants via other recruitment agencies. Nevertheless, Prosser whittled the number down to two (both via Solace) and then wrote this to Matthews:

"I spoke to two interims ahead of putting them in front of some [elected] members ... I am tempted to just put one in front of members, can you let me know how HR might support me in the process".

On the face of it this appears on 24th October, 2023 to be a clear attempt to rig the process so that the awful Britton was the only candidate. But there seems to have been a change of plan and two candidates came back into the frame, at least nominally. Both were via Solace. And there are clear references in the correspondence that Solace were likely to receive fees in respect of their involvement.

As above, Dorset has some sort of clear contractual arrangements for recruitment but Prosser was going off piste in favour of "his" favoured organisation. One might have expected a "professional" like Matthews to have been alarmed about what was going on but he wrote to Prosser on the 25th:

"Have the two candidates come through Solace for Business? If so, I will ensure we have a clear route of engagement which is compliant from a procurement perspective."

You will not be surprised that I have asked for in-depth disclosure of what this pair were up to and how they were going to make this seemingly non-compliant activity, er, "compliant".

More applications came flooding in but Prosser was determined not to waste any time and to force the appointment through asap. At this point Matthews seems to have grown a very small pair of balls since he wrote on 27th October saying that he agreed with his boss's (Prosser's) shortlist apart from one! Oooooooh.

But then he castrated himself with this classic piece of arslikhan:

"[Have identified three potential candidates as] potentially good enough for interview but I know you may have insight that I don't that might come into play."

Pass the sick bag, Alice. And was the "insight" that Britton was to get the job?

Still more applications rolled in but Prosser had already made his mind up, and told three Tory Councillors that there were FOUR incredibly strong candidates ready for interview. They were co-opted to interview this quartet. Despite the importance of the post and the high salary the interviews were to last just 30 minutes each. And lo, Jan Britton was selected.

Still more applications were coming in but it was too late. The plan for a six to nine month contract was extended by Prosser (presumably with the authorisation of Flowers) to a 12 month one at a figure around £150k. Discussions were to take place with Solace as to their fees.

Now Prosser and Matthews must have done due diligence on, at least, the four candidates for interview and chosen to ignore Britton's gross misconduct at Sandwell. Most readers will be very well aware of this sickening tale via this blog, and the facts about Britton's appalling behaviour have been in the public domain for many years. What did the due diligence of this pair of "professionals" show, since a simple Google search would reveal a catalogue of horror stories? For those reading this who are unfamiliar with Britton's sh*tbaggery you can read a summary here:

https://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com/2023/12/desperate-dorset-council-employ-jan.html

Even this post was incomplete since it failed to deal, for example, with the 25-year Serco Contract which Britton was intimately involved in foisting on the people of Sandwell. During that period Britton started a deeply corrupt "work" relationship with a lowly employee called Paul Reeves and rapidly promoted him.

Since the above blog was posted Reeves has been convicted of a number of housing fraud offences and received a suspended jail sentence. You can read about that here:

https://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com/2024/01/nasty-sandwell-scumbag-paul-reeves-gets.html

Clearly Prosser and Matthews think that a Chief Executive who, amongst many other things, cost his Council hundred of thousands of pounds by subverting a standards case against a Labour Councillor, or one who conspired with Reeves so that they both lied on oath at a criminal trial, is just the sort of guy Dorset needs but, presented with the due diligence, why did the three Tory councillors also think Britton was in any way suitable to be employed in a senior capacity?

I wrote to the three Tory Councillors, Ray Bryan (St Leonards and St Ives ward), Jill Haynes (Chalk Valleys) and Andrew Parry (West Parley) -  pictured - links elsewhere and not included in this copy of the email:

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

I understand that you three Councillors were directly involved in a very expensive deal to employ the disgraced former Chief Executive of Sandwell Council, Jan Britton, on a 12-month "day rate" package, seemingly with commission also payable to Solace of which your Chief Executive, Mr Prosser, is the President. ( I note that your Leader seemingly agreed that the substantive position should be an interim one, on day rates, with Mr Prosser).

You will be familiar with my FOIA request concerning this bizarre appointment (link below) and I enclose a precis of the timeline for your convenience. Obviously this raises very great concern (and I shall be dealing with further aspects of the FOIA in due course) but suffice to say here that the process "stinks". I refer in particular to the items in bold in the timeline.

If you wish to comment on the process at this stage. please do so.

It appears that the three of you attended the interviews. Jan Britton will have declared at least some of his appalling record via his CV and, more importantly, Messrs Prosser and Matthews will have supplied you with their due diligence on him prior to the interview. Britton's history is in the public domain and a recent post (link below) details some (though not all) of his extraordinary conduct. He is a major reason - with others - why Sandwell is currently In Government special measures. In the circumstances, why were you three prepared to ignore all this and recommend his appointment? Your insight will be welcomed by my readers in Sandwell and, no doubt, folk in Dorset given the costs of this appointment.

Seemingly incapable of  a simple reply there was an outbreak of (metaphorical) pant-wetting by this trio and they instructed the Council's Monitoring Officer (Chief Legal Officer), a Mr Mair, to attack me - at taxpayers' expense! I wrote back to this pusillanimous threesome:

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

Last week I wrote to you concerning your role in the appointment of the disgraced former Chief Executive of corrupt Sandwell Council to a £150k per annum post at Dorset despite Jan Britton's appalling conduct over a prolonged period of time being chronicled via publicly available sources.

Although you are elected members of Dorset Council you felt unable to respond yourselves but instead you utilised taxpayers' money to have a senior Council employee send a frankly weird reply as your spokesperson.

I will shortly be writing about your involvement in this scandal but obviously have no desire to misrepresent you. Accordingly, based on the Council's FOIA disclosure and Mr Mair's strange email I propose writing that:

1.   All three of you were engaged in the recruitment of the appalling Britton including the (apparently 30-minute) interview;

2.   All three of you were supplied with due diligence from Messrs Prosser and Matthews so that you were fully aware of Britton's misconduct at Sandwell; and 

3.   That, as Mr Mair says, you objectively considered that Britton's history of misconduct at Sandwell was no bar to him being appointed to an Interim Directorship at Dorset (as above, at very considerable cost to the taxpayer).

I intend to write this all up on Thursday and so, if you wish to comment further,, or to correct any part of the above, please do so by 5pm on Wednesday."

(Mair claims that I somehow "misrepresented" his aggressive rants at me.)

Once again these feeble individuals were incapable of speaking for themselves and Mair sent another aggressive missive to me (indeed he is getting close - depending on where he circulates his bile - to hearing from my Solicitor!) Although I am a journalist, Mair has told me to butt out of Dorset matters, particularly as I am not a resident or taxpayer there (rather like, er, Jan Britton).

I also wrote to Spencer "Shy Retiring" Flower:

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

Dorset's Director of Place left last year. On or around 10th October, 2023 you agreed with Chief Executive, Matthew Prosser, that the post should not be replaced in the normal way with a "permanent" appointee but that you preferred an Interim appointment for 6 to 9 months (also paid on "day rates"). Why?"

He too became a member of the Dorset Tory Wet Pants Club and is apparently too weak to reply.

So there we have it (at least until the next stage of the FOIA process. The good folk of Dorset are paying a fortune for Britton - who I understand is now in post - despite a truly appalling track record, thanks to the weakness of Tory Councillors. There are grave concerns too about the procurement process and the amount of commission Prosser swung for Solace. Local Government at its finest! I wonder what Simon Hoare MP, the Minister of Local Government would say about this omnishambles. Oh, hang on a minute - he's the MP for, er, North Dorset! This disgraceful episode is on HIS own patch and affects HIS own constituents and HIS own local Party members. You couldn't make it up.

The Tories currently face a year of electoral catastrophe and I think the voters of Dorset should pay heed to this post and act accordingly!

One final thought: Although Prosser forced this process through before a number of CV's were even received, he says that there were a total of 37 applicants. That means that there are at least 36 senior local government workers who are EVEN WORSE than Jan Britton. WTF????

LEGAL NOTICE (Version 4 from 8th October, 2023.)

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 or Skidders 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

We may also add hyperlinks or references to content in our associated blogs, “As The Crow Flies!” (at crowmultimedia.blogspot.com) and Rotten Council Governance - Legal Review (at rottencouncils.blogspot.com). Reference to content in those blogs also forms part of the context, meaning of, and justification for, contents in this blog.

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 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 remove offending material and/or publish appropriate corrections forthwith (together with an apology, if applicable).

We have had to remove the direct comment facility from this blog due to the malicious 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. We can also publish “guest” posts on mutually agreed terms.

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.

Link to full FOI Request:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/interim_appointment_of_jan_britt#incoming-2531822

Precis of redacted documents released by Dorset Council so far:

Britton Timeline - Interim Executive Director of Place, Dorset Council 

The disclosed correspondence from Dorest Council is heavily redacted.

Dramatis Personae 

Jan Britton - disgraced former Chief Executive of Sandwell Council forced out without compensation for a catalogue of misdeeds including rigging a Council standards investigation and conspiring with an employee in respect of evidence given in a criminal prosecution. See the full horror story via “The Sandwell Skidder” (Skidders ad nauseum and, in particular, the post of 18th December: “Desperate Dorset Council employ Jan Britton”.

Matthew Prosser - Chief Executive of Dorset Council and President of Solace (a “trade union” for senior local government staff).

Christopher Matthews  - Head of HR at Dorset Council

04.10.23 - Prosser has direct communications with Solace  - personally initiating the recruitment process and trying to set up a Teams/mobile appointment. He claims he was “looking for someone who is strong on positive culture of working and budget management.” He tells Matthews he is putting out some “feelers” in the interim market.

06.10.23 - More direct contact between Prosser and Solace. Current salary £150k on contract but can employ on day rates.

10.10.23 - Solace sends 6 CV’s direct to Prosser. Prosser tells Solace he is interested in a couple of candidates and that having spoken with leader [the political head of the Council] “ it might be as we discussed that they [sic] are interested in a 6 to 9 month assignment, this may help when thinking about the day rate …”

11.10.23 - [Name redacted] sends two Solace CV's to Prosser with rates inclusive of “Solace agency fees”. Reference to “Comensura system” (?)

20.10.23 - Solace to Prosser referring to a female candidate who is only available three days a week.

20.10.23 - Solace sends Jan Britton’s CV directly to Prosser.

20.10.23 -  Prosser writes to Solace and in the unredacted part states: “I am looking for good detail person happy to role [sic] their sleeves up and get into the weeds of the service delivery standards, budget out turn and associated management culture.” It appears two Solace candidates were to be interviewed the following week.

24.10..23 - Prosser communicates with Solace regarding “CV's” (two emails).

24.10.23 - Prosser to Matthews: “ I spoke to two interims ahead of putting them in front of some members … [redacted] I am tempted to just put one in front of members, can you let me know how HR might support me with the process?”

25.10.23 - Prosser to Matthews: “The initial two may now be one, so I have gone back around the loop and have possibly two more. They have all come from Solace at this stage. I will reflect today if I need any more to look at.” (It appears that Prosser had not informed senior staff of the departure of the existing Director at this stage).

25.10.23 - Matthews - Head of Human Resources - tells Prosser he will be happy to assist him in the recruitment process (!) He adds, “Have the two candidates come through Solace for Business? If so, I will ensure we have a clear route of engagement that is compliant from a procurement perspective.”

26.10.23 - Matthews sends Job description to Marks (recruiters).

26.10.23 - Prosser tells Matthews that “most CV’’s received are not at the right level”.

26.10.23 - Matthews tells Panoramic the job description had not been “uploaded” - seemingly on Comensura (?)

27.10.23 - Prosser writes to Matthews regarding one candidate but s/he is “expensive”.

27.10.23 - Adecco Group sends email with candidate CV although the candidate is apparently looking for a part-time role. Another reference to “Comensura” system (?)

27.10.23 - Prosser sends “a couple more” CV's to Matthews apparently sending two CV's received from Service Care Solutions - allegedly “exceptional” candidates.

27.10.23 - Prosser is seemingly being overwhelmed with candidates and asks Matthew which “frameworks” are being used in this process.

27.10.23 - Michael Page (recruiters) come on the scene saying “Solace has been looking for an interim option” for the substantive role.

27.10.23 - Panoramic (recruiters) enter the fray again.

27.10.23 - Matthews informs Prosser that HE has completed a shortlist but agrees with Prosser’s selections apart from [redacted]. He identified three (?) C

candidates as “potentially good enough to interview, but I know you may have insight that I don’t that might come into play”.

30.10.23 - Venn Group emails Matthews & Prosser with candidate contact details and forward a new candidate CV.

30.10.23  - It seems Adecco Group also has a candidate to be interviewed.

30.10.23 - Matthews writes to Prosser about an interview with Britton.

30.10.23 - Matthews writes to three councillors saying there are four “incredibly strong” candidates and sets 30 minute interview times. He tells them there were 37 CV’s received which he and Prosser had whittled down to four.

31.10.23 -  It appears one of Venn’s candidates is to be interviewed but they also push an alternative just in case.

31.10.23 - Matchtech say they have submitted two CV’s via “Commensura” but enclose them direct to Prosser as well. 

31.10.23 - Prosser to Matthews appearing to say that some CV’s will be held “in case we are not able to appoint this week.”

31.10.23 - Prosser writes to Matthews and three Councillors about interviews” (plural) with a decision due “the following day”.

01.11.23 - Vivid Government (recruiters) want to speak to Prosser urgently to sell their candidates (after preliminary contact on 26.10.23).

02.11.23 - [Redacted name] writes to Prosser and Matthews saying that s/he had discussed running the contract via Comensura “and in that regard we will probably need to reduce our margin a little bit anyway to come to an agreement with them”. (?)

02.11.23 - Prosser writes to Solace and Matthews that Dorset will discuss terms of engagement with Britton adding: “Clearly anything we can do around fees will be helpful,  and in that regard we are looking to offer the 12 month period Jan requested …”

End

Sandwell's data disasters, blue badge fraud, forgery - I could go on

Sandwell W*nker of the Week

Notorious masturbator, Cllr John Tipper is a sort of permanent candidate for the prestigious award but this week there is a shoo-in. None other that Mark "The Fuhrer" Smith of Sandwell Liberal Democrats. For some reason best known to Lib Dem HQ the Party does not want to fight seats in bent Labour Sandwell. Thus the local Party [sic] is totally under the control of The Fuhrer whose hatred of the Tories is so venomous that he prefers the appalling corruption, cronyism and incompetence which bent Labour has visited on the benighted Borough for so long. 

This blog has asked the question before why The Fuhrer sits in his bunker metaphorically masturbating over pictures of Dim Kez, Seig Heil Piper. The Sandwell Slasher (Hackett), Paul "The Cipher" Moore and the rest of the Clown Circus and doesn't just go and join the corrupt comrades he apparently loves so much?

There is no sign of any Lib Dems all year round in Sadders and no criticism of the Labour disaster whatsoever. But as the first cuckoo of spring is heard the Lib Dems waste money by putting up a handful of non-entity candidates at the May election. The Fuhrer then proceeds to attack "The Tories"! Needless to day the end result is ignominious failure despite the National Party doing well in local elections elsewhere.

There is a campaign mounting for a bacchanalian orgy across Sandwell on 1st April to celebrate what an absolute toilet the Borough is after 50 years of Labour. But The Fuhrer has attempted to stymie the fun via X (formerly Twitter) stating that "actually" the Tories were is control for, er, ONE of the 50 years! In other words the local Lib Dems under this absurd pedant think that Sandwell's multiple failings cannot be pinned on bent Labour even thought they have p*ssed on local people for 49 of Sandwell's fifty years of existence!

So congratulations Mark, you are SWOTW - and it's the only thing you will win this year!

Data Disaster 1

News reached The Skidder recently that bent Labour Sandwell Council threw out a filing Cabinet. The only problem was that it was chock-full of highly confidential documents! Sources say that Sandwell Police were drafted in to secure the recovery of the cabinet although West Mids Police say there is no record of this. 

The crooked Council claims that the filing cabinet was recovered and was still locked so that they are "confident" that the material was not compromised. Of course, corrupt elements in the paid service have lied and lied and lied over many years and so it is difficult to believe a word they say.

I wrote to the Information Commissioner (IC) about the incident (and another - see below) and asked whether Sandwell had, as data controllers, reported either incident. The answer, as regular readers will guess was, er, "no"! An IC spokesperson said:

“Organisations must notify the ICO within 72 hours of becoming aware of a personal data breach, unless it does not pose a risk to people’s rights and freedoms. 

If an organisation decides that a breach doesn’t need to be reported they should keep their own record of it, and be able to explain why it wasn’t reported if necessary.”  

As with the laptop matter below I have now made a formal complaint to the IC so that they can investigate these matters further. Note that this shambles is happening while the Commissioners are still in situ. What the hell is it going to be like when Labour are let loose again without any external checks (I don't count Grant Thornton as being "independent")?

Data Disaster 2

I also received reports that a number of laptops had gone walkies packed, again, with personal data of Sandwell folk. At least one of them has apparently ended up "in Eastern Europe"! There are two issues according to staff. Firstly, the management (and Commissioners) have failed to collect laptops from departing employees. They have simply been allowed to keep taxpayer-funded property and, of course, the data is then compromised as being no longer under the, er, control of the Data Controller. Secondly, former and at least one current member of staff, have allegedly been simply nicking them. Once again, Chief Exec Lal is apparently too busy out partying to report these issues to the IC and, as above, I have now made a formal complaint. (See further below).

Blue Badge - Red Faces

The worms finally turned a while ago when bent Labour introduced charges for staff to park their cars when coming to work. As ever, Labour has to screw folk to pay for its profligacy and duly shat on their own feeble and cowardly crony staff. But the Dictatorship prevailed and the charges remained. However, one "senior manager" allegedly decided to save himself a few quid by using his father's disabled blue badge to avoid payment! (And see further below!) Of course, it is a wonder anyone actually came into Oldbury Council House now that most of the Shirkforce are "working" from home!

Forgery in the legal department

The legal department at bent Labour Sandwell has been an epicentre of corruption but another allegation is that senior managers have been involved in forging signatures on documents. (And see further below!)

I put some of these charges to bent SMBC:

"As I am not allowed to contact your press office please pass this to the relevant person of persons for reply.

THIS IS NOT A PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION - PRESS ENQUIRY

THIS IS NOT A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST PURSUANT TO FOIA 2000

1.   I am informed that a senior employee is still in post despite using his father's Blue Badge to secure free parking at your offices? Is this correct? Is it also correct that his line manager conducted first stage disciplinary proceedings?

2.   I am also informed that there has been significant theft of SMBC laptops by former and at least one current employee (who has not been suspended and remains in post). Is this correct? If yes, have you referred this to West Midlands Police and/or the ICO?

3.   Surjit Tour made unauthorised changes to an agreed restructuring plan deleting trainee posts but increasing Grade J Business Manager posts? Is this correct?

4.   Managers in legal services forged the name of a manager on documents and this has been referred to the SRA. Is this correct?"

This is Lal's Council's feeble response:

"As these matters predominantly relate to personnel or disciplinary matters, it would be inappropriate for the Council to comment or confirm specific detail on these matters."

No smoke without fire and no denial. It is noted that the Council itself refers to "disciplinary matters" and so let's hope any guilty parties are sacked without the usual taxpayer-funded "Golden Goodbye"!

Davey Demoted?

This blog put up a YouTube video of SMBC "Director", Alice Davey, taking the p*ss out of the spineless Labour Cllr, Liam Preece (another useless Labour apparatchik whose Mrs is one the payroll).

Here it is ICYMI:

Now it appears that the Director of Borough Economy has been shunted off to be "Service Director for IT and Transformation". Like Sandwell itself : "Onwards and Downwards"!

Incidentally, this was Lal's management team when he started:

Davey has been shafted and, at least, Hines, Douglas, Tour, McNally and McGovern are gone or going. This has apparently cost taxpayers another king's ransom and I will be writing about this shortly (and it seems the useless Tory Councillors sat and agreed to huge pay-offs for Hines, McGovern and Tour)! What an absolute shambles again.

*************************************************************************************

Could the person who sent me the photo of the coffee van on eBay please send me a further copy. Ta.

*************************************************************************************

Lal's P*ss-up Latest

Shokat Lal is STILL trying to keep the list of attendees at the TWO p*ss-ups us taxpayers paid so liberally for, but The Skidder has identified one at the do in Wolvo last year. 

Bent Labour set up yet another crony organisation (with the taxpayer funding the website) called the "Sandwell Business Ambassadors" [sic] - a self-appointed cartel not answerable to anyone. Most of the initial "ambassadors" are not business people at all but academics or in OTHER crony organisations like the pathetic West Bromwich Business Improvement District (ROFLMAO).

Despite all the Ferrero Rocher and the welcome increase of women in these posts ambassadors usually have (metaphorical) balls. But it seems Mr Paul Hull is a shy retiring flower. I wrote to him about his living it up at taxpayers' expense:

"Good afternoon,

THIS IS NOT A PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION = PRESS ENQUIRY

Shokat Lal, the CEO at Sandwell Council, is taking great pains to conceal the identity of the so-called "Sandwell Business Ambassador" who attended the Nachural Events Summer "Awards" party at the Holiday Inn, Wolverhampton Racecourse on 7th, July, 2023. Having done some research, however, I believe that it was you enjoying a good time at very considerable expense to the taxpayer. Am I correct please?

Also, on a point of clarification, you state on the Sandwell Business Ambassadors website (also set up at the expense of the taxpayer although your "organisation" is wholly unaccountable to the public) that you are a Director and Co-owner of KMB Shipping Group, and from public records that is indeed true. However, the KMB website states under "other information" that the company's registration number is "2178814" which is not correct. That registration number applies to another company in which you are involved, Daily Irish Services Limited (not to be confused with Daily Irish Services (Midlands) Limited). Can you explain this discrepancy please?

Further, whilst KMB Shipping Limited and KMB Shipping Group Limited are extant companies both filed dormant accounts in December, 2013. Do you wish to comment on that noting that your website is holding out to the world at large that KMB Group is a trading entity and, indeed, you also hold yourself out as a representative of KMB"

Guess what folks? No reply!

Slippery Customer

When sarf Londoner spiv, John Spellar MP, is not greasing-up the gambling companies or the Australian Government he is asking - orally or in writing - a series of totally meaningless questions in the House of Commons which seldom have any reference to his nominal Sandwell constituency. Cllr Laura Rollins may have exhorted us all to "f*ck the lamprey", but it seems that greedy John has developed a liking for sand eels, hitherto unknown in sh*thole Warley.

Runaway Richards

The cowardly Tory Runaway West Brom MP, Nicola Richards, is not known for hanging around the pubs of her constituency (most of which are ghastly beyond belief) and so it was surprising when she used a recent non-newsletter to encourage locals to nominate their favourite "community" pub:

Richards rarely has any parliamentary achievements to report and one might get the impression from the above image that she, personally, is doing something for hard-pressed publicans in east Sadders. Alas, the small print tells a different story and the "awards" nominations were actually for pubs across England, Scotland and Wales. The whole shebang was actually supported by the "All-Party Beer Group" of MP's and Peers in Westminster! There was an online voting system and so it was not even necessary to provide your personal data for Richards to simply pass on to someone else!

It would involve considerable expense as there has to be a General Election (GE) in January, 2025 at the very latest but there is still time for this lame duck to go now. WBE is effectively without an MP as Richards plans her departure and spends her time in Westminster (metaphorically) rimming Penny Mordaunt. The Prime Minister has stated that the GE won't take place until the latter part of the year and so why doesn't she just go and let WBE have a by-election at the same time as the May local elections?

It seems the Tories are not going to really fight the seat at the GE anyway (and the two possible Tory candidates named in the media are both outsiders) so that it is inevitable that Tom "Twatson" Watson's pet, Sarah Coombes, will win the seat for Labour. At least a May by-election would give her a few months experience and she would be a shoo-in at the GE. Better someone at least speaking-up for the sh*thole constituency than Richards just hanging around like a bad smell.

We are still going to celebrate 50 years of Labour shafting local morons (whether Smith likes it or not!)

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