The Hollywood style sign placed on Paddocks Mount in Dawley has not only captured the hearts and minds of residents across Telford but also further a field and the facebook group has now amassed over 2000 members.
Whilst everyone enjoyed the sign, not only did it suffer an attack by vandals, it also attracted some unwanted comments by Councillor Adrian Williams of TAWPA.
The Shropshire Star ran the story “Friends Own up to Dawley Holywood Sign” which can be read at the following link
I must say the DAWLEY-WOOD sign is fantastic but no more than I would expect from the talented people of the town. My question is where were they when all the consultation meetings were taking place to plan and decide the future development of the town? It is sure that their contributions would have been invaluable. Maybe when all the formation work is completed on Paddock Mount then a permanent sign along the lines so ably constructed could be considered. It would get my support. In conclusion I would just like to say” How good it is to hear people laugh!”
Maybe Cllr A Williams would like to explain why he chose to ask this question which certainly detracted from peoples enjoyment.
A person using the comments function quite rightly replied by saying
Lets talk about the follow up consultation in November which was held for four hours in Parish council offices with no public notice? The secretary of the parish council regeneration partnership is minuted as saying that she was even unaware of this!
Even the original consultation was flawed – held for one day in Dawley (which I missed due to the information arriving late)) and then held another day in a location in Malinslee that I could not locate and which several people who had lived in Malinslee for 20+ years had never heard of.
Perhaps you ought to get your facts right about this consultation nonsense before you start implying that Dawley people have interest in what happens in their locality,
2. His fellow Cllr, Anton Brothwood lives in Shrewsbury.
3. The consultation was a fixed up.
4. If he actually spoke to people in Dawley then he would know – most of us are against getting rid of the trees! More so, when planning permission was not granted!
5. The new school could have been built where the existing one is now!
Typical from TAWPA, try to grab the headlines for their own rights!!!
Adrian its time to quit! TAWPA have failed! or do a Gordon Brown hold on for the next 11mths and allow us to boot you out!
A typical response was then posted by Councillor Adrian Williams which clearly displays TAWPA’s obsession with conspiracy theories:-
What a funny old site you run. You allow nondescripts to enter comments on your site under various different guises but totally incapable of disguising the fact of who they are. Real Dawley men put their name to what they believe not hide like rats. To suggest that the consultation meetings were not advertised is ridiculous and to state that the meeting in Malinslee was held in a place unknown shows the ignorance of the contributor; Churchill Court has been in existence for fifty years to my knowledge. Also tell me who Great Dawley Parish Regeneration Partnership are no such group exists to my knowledge. TAWPA have failed? If that is the case I don’t know what you call the previous 34 years of Labour rule. But mark this and mark it well we are getting to the bottom of some of the things that your mob were guilty of and in the not too distant future the guilty parties will be brought to explain their involvement. You stupidly state that Dawley people are not interested in what goes on in Dawley I think you will find that you are sadly very wrong. Unlike you I do listen to the people and I will look forward to your challenge whenever you have the guts to stand up and be identified.
Here Cllr Adrian Williams is clearly showing the true colours of TAWPA. If people do not agree with them, TAWPA go on the attack, criticizing the Shropshire Star, defending a consultation process that residents thought was a waste of time, accuse residents of being members of a “mob”, referring to residents as “Rats”.
Is this really the kind of actions we expect from an elected member, I would suggest that Cllr Adrian Williams has in fact brought his office into disrepute.
Cllr Adrian Williams unprovoked outburst caused various responses including the following
Your reply does nothing but validate my original comments, your arrogance is simply breathtaking – I hope that local residents are taking note!
I was stating facts, the publicity and locations were poor – if the consultation was so successful please publish the figures that participated – I know that there was an incredibly poor response hence your original comments.
You can play with words and doublespeak but you know full well that a regeneration partnership does exist (although maybe not by the title I originally quoted) and that the minutes of the meeting were as I stated – i.e. the secretary stated that she had not been made aware of the November consultation – (which simply put – was a whitewash!)
I think you are fully aware that my final comment should have read “have NO interest” I would remind you that it is YOU who implied that people of Dawley have no interest in their locality not me. Perhaps you are starting to realise that your original comments were not well measured?
So following your request to be more open I will make myself known to you IF I ever see you on the streets of Dawley and I can assure you I am quite real, not a member of any political party and I might add a Dawley resident for over 15 years.
Perhaps, as your role as an elected councillor – you should start to listen to my opinion as a local resident rather than trying to mock me?
Whilst Cllr A Williams is busy attacking the local media about allowing “nondescripts” to post their comments, lets remind him about TAWPA doing exactly the same thing on their web site from the 4th – 7th May when they allowed a wide variety of malicious comments to be made under the topic “Stage School quit Town Hall” which were then removed when they eventually realized just how wrong they were. Lets not forget how TAWPA members sent out malicious emails on this very topic.
Whilst we are on the topic of TAWPA and their ability to listen to the resident, wasn’t it TAWPA who wanted their own Parish Council, but after spending over £2000 of tax payers money, it was then discovered that had this Parish Council gone a head, it would’ve had a budget shortfall of £32k, would have required a minimum precept increase of 24%, would’ve seen residents Band D council tax increase by a minimum of £20 per month, and that would’ve been to keep service levels as they are currently.
But rather than admit, it was a good idea but not cost effective, they chose to defend this and blame the Planning Committee, officers and the Parish Clerk saying he/she was an interested party.
Lets get it right, there is only one interested party and that is TAWPA, who blamed every man and his dog as well as being quite happy to place a financial burden on residents, just at a time when each and everyone of them face an extremely hard and uncertain financial future.
Wasn’t it TAWPA members who then sent out emails saying:-
I agree. It appears that some of our officers, internal auditors and, perhaps, some councillors were aware that the rent was not being paid or collected but preferred to attack TAWPA for raising the matter rather than doing their duty. Perhaps the police should be invited to investigate as it would appear that many staff were possibly complicit in a large fraud which may have cost the local taxpayer more than £48,000.
Openly accusing Officers, auditors and Councillors of fraud.
Isn’t it TAWPA who have asked for a vote of No Confidence in a Parish Councillor, but whay are TAWPA always aiming their frustration at the very same person, is it about politics or is there some other motive behind their constant attacks on this individual.
Isn’t it TAWPA who said they would never put up a candidate in an election where an Independent is already running, but chose to depart from this policy when they placed a candidate in the College ward. Why did they do that I wonder, was it because the truly Independent candidate would not be drawn into the games TAWPA play.
Isn’t it TAWPA Cllrs who are somewhat confused about their political allegiance with a member who stood for UKIP in the general elections. Didn’t this very same Cllr say he was TAWPA locally and UKIP nationally, but actually announced on a recent radio interview that he his UKIP whilst sitting on a Town Council. It will be interesting to see which party he stands for at the next local elections.
Isn’t it TAWPA who always aim their frustrations at members of the Labour Party, whilst at least two TAWPA Cllrs have constantly voted in favour of Conservative Policies whilst claiming to be Independant.
After these few examples, can any voter really have any confidence in TAWPA
It is unfortunate that certain influencial members of TAWPA constantly choose to issue malicious emails about various residents or council members they feel do not agree with their views or do not actually agree with them, often for genuine reasons.
A member of TAWPA has recently condemned these very same activities by saying the following to me in email:-
I have had a few minutes in a break to log on and have seen your comments, naturally I do not like what you have written, regret that you felt the need to have had to do this, but cannot fault you, wish I could. Personal attacks is not what TAWPA stands for, statement of facts is different and we should fight on the argument, even if we lose.
I have not had a response to my request yet, I can guess who the TAWPA Councillor was who intervened.
This is not what I joined, not what I want to be associated with, this is what I expect from the Labour Party, not us.
I am now seriously considering whether to continue as Secreatry of TAWPA or in fact continue as a member. I will make my decision at the next meeting in April by which time I hope to have a clearer understanding of what was / is going on.
If you are free on Friday 12th lunchtime we can get together then for half an hour or so.
Keep going,
Once again, TAWPA are talking about emails, this makes me wonder if the recent scenario about alleged emails from a person named by TAWPA as Mr.Jon Ledbury were infact true, or a publicity stunt from TAWPA.
It is common practice for some elected members to send emails from a Government secure system, to their own email address and then forward them onto others.
I now ask,
“What do officers, Councillors, residents think knowing that elected members are sharing confidential information about council activities and personnal information”
Here is an example of an email that was sent from the Government system to a personnal email address then distributed to those in their contact list
I agree. It appears that some of our officers, internal auditors and, perhaps, some councillors were aware that the rent was not being paid or collected but preferred to attack TAWPA for raising the matter rather than doing their duty. Perhaps the police should be invited to investigate as it would appear that many staff were possibly complicit in a large fraud which may have cost the local taxpayer more than £48,000.
I can only guess that officers, auditors and Councillors are not best pleased at being accused of fraud to then find that theses accusations are forwarded out to everyman and his dog.
I can now only assume that the member of TAWPA who sent the following will also suggest they are false comments, these refer to DawleyTown Hall, but names have been removed
Dear John ,I have left a message for (name removed) to get back to me but as yet he has not ,I do not want to push him .Just For your info (name removed) alias (name removed) has an harrassment order on her from the police because she beat up another girl .Wonder how she got a clear CRB to work with children Gen today have had two phone calls the (name removed) have done all sorts of shady dealings .Keep the Harassment to yourselves until i get the go ahead you might make some inquiries .Best Wishes Dave B .ps what is hoops gripe about housing etc ,he lives in the town park .Is it a bit of nimbyism ?
Again, a TAWPA member has emailed myself saying
I have read your latest post and can't believe it. Do what you need to do I will not take it personally. W e have a monthly meeting and will have my say then and we shall see what happens.
With no whip we cannot stop them doings this although they promised any communication with Telford Council Watch would be through myself so that we can prevent this sort of thing and I can clear up any misunderstandings.
Best Wishes
It is, with some regret that I must say, it is common place for TAWPA party members to send malicious emails to each other attacking third parties, then they are surprised that they end up in the public domain after they have sent them out.
As TAWPA are coming under fire over Paddocks Mount and have been criticized for spending public trying to gain a Parish Council. The proposed council would've had a deficit of £32k and then need to raise the precept by at least 24%, seeing council tax in Band D properties rise from £74.54 to at least £92.43.
Despite myself having had meetings, telephone discussions with elected members and council officers as well as regular contact with a senior TAWPA member, these malicious emails continue.
I now genuinely wonder, if the council will now look into breaches of the code of conduct, breaches of data protection as every email sent out contains confidential information which also releases peoples email addresses to the public without their authorization.
Free speech is one thing, but TAWPA have now found new depths of low.
As this latest saga has affected myself and my family so badly, I now announce my retirement from speaking about local events and will have no further involvement in any issues.
External investigation into issues around councillors’ payment
Telford & Wrekin Council’s Leader, Andrew Eade has asked for an immediate external investigation of the circumstances surrounding expenses payments made to two councillors in 2007.
The call follows an initial investigation by the Council’s Monitoring Officer referring two councillors for independent investigation about whether or not they had breached the Council’s Code of Conduct.
The Council’s Chief Finance Officer also commissioned an internal audit review into the circumstances surrounding these payments. Both of these investigations have now been concluded.
Earlier this month the councillors, who repaid the money in full, were held not to have breached the Council’s Code of Conduct by the Council’s Standards Committee (made up equally of independent members and councillors).
The internal audit report was due before the Council’s Audit Committee at the end of this month but the Leader, on being fully briefed at the conclusion of the standards investigation, has called for earlier action.
Cllr Eade said: “The circumstances surrounding these payments for me raise issues about the way that some officers and members acted at the time that ought to be made public. I feel that the best way of ensuring public confidence in the way that the Council operates is to ask our external auditors to undertake an independent investigation and I have asked for this to be done immediately.”
The Council’s Chief Executive, Victor Brownlees said; “These events took place in 2007 and the way that councillors expenses are managed were reviewed and changed in 2008.
“However it is important that public confidence is maintained in the way that the Council does business and I, along with the other statutory officers who are legally responsible for the governance of the authority, have now asked our external auditors to progress this and will be pushing them for a public report as soon as possible.
“So as to not prejudice this investigation, we cannot say any more about this matter until this report is published.”
ENDS
For more information contact Nigel Newman, Communications Manager, on 01952 382403, or email
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Telford Housing Report Update
