Scrutinising the scrutineers

…..Or a juxtaposition of “Britishness”.

At the recent Neighbourhoods and Health Scrutiny board, “Sandwell’s finest” decided to take “no action” on our petition, a two fingered gesture to those who had campaigned hard to protect the geese and expose the officer liars in the corrupt Parks and Countryside Department. It didn’t come as much of a surprise however given the make up  of some of the committee, as in the past I have encountered some of them before for different reasons, and there is one thing that amateur politicians don’t like and that is people, ordinary members of the public who expose their  dealings in the press and public domain in a negative light. Blogger Julian Saunders has exposed many instances of what appear to be questionable dealings at Sandwell council which have culminated in a current police fraud investigation.

However back to the scrutiny committee- there were 12 individuals who make up the two committees, six each. The chair of neighbourhoods scrutiny is one Syeda Amina Khatun  (Mrs) (SAK). She is a ward councillor for Tipton Green, which covers Victoria Park Tipton- one of the cull sites and the site in which the parks manager lives. She is up for election at the May poll.

 

On taking a look at her proposers, aside from Adrian Bailey MP (much sniggering about the image conjured by the subline in the leaflet),her Uncle, Councillor Ahmadul Haque there is one Pauline Hodgetts. Mrs Hodgetts is no stranger to Labour advocacy and has frequently appeared in their election propaganda. She also backed Haque last time round, and has also in the past signed the proposing papers of SAK.

 

So what you might ask? Well Mrs H is chair and has been for years of The Victoria Park Steering Group, which has of course received considerable maintenance and resources over the years to attain Green Flag status- can’t think possibly why, oh yes did I mention who lives there already?

When it became clear that geese had disappeared from Victoria park in 2014 I rang her to ask if she knew anything about it, or had any inkling that there was to be any cull. She replied that she did not. She also did not reveal any particular contempt for geese in the park. Imagine my surprise then when Mrs Labour supporter in the community strides into the council chamber behind John Satchwell sitting next to him in the officer seats at the scrutiny meeting. When examining the footage back it is clear her frequent head nods in support of geese destruction tell a different story to the one she told me. Is it then the case that she was one of the anonymous complainers whom it is alleged had resulted in the council taking action?

Furthermore Satchwell attempted to allow her to speak introducing her as “a colleague”. Since when have non council workers and members of the public been “colleagues”? The term confederate may be more applicable. This was our petition, calling in an officer for scrutiny, not a park’s group meeting and a cynical attempt by him to try to pour cold water on it- using a labour party backer. There is further concern that after the meeting had finished she remained behind in the chamber with Satchwell and the councillors. I am advised by Democratic services that she did not address the committee on an informal basis, but we have to take this at face value don’t we?

Unfortunately these type of group “Park Friends” are promoted by local authorities to generate money for their upkeep. It is further evident that many in Sandwell are led by Labour party activists in the community, in the main white and of advancing years, or those which sign the election papers of the candidates. Some of them even go on to become candidates who become councillors- a profile builder- nothing more and nothing less. There is no wrong doing here but it is no surprise that the reward of praising the virtues of the controlling group appears to be a well kept park- that is accept Redhouse who recently lost the battle to save the historic house from being converted into housing. Perhaps they will vote differently this time?

So back to the SAK. At the meeting the councillor for Tipton Green did not declare that she had a non pecuniary interest in the issue- that being a ward councillor covering that park. But there is another interest in this park, and one which we would like clarification about concerning  the goose cull policy and summer events held in the park. SAK is involved in an organisation called “The Bangladeshi Women’s Association.”
If the women were born or  they have citizenship in this country they are British, not Bangladeshi.  It is one of those great mysteries of multiculturalism, whereby persuing a separatist agenda in name above a door of a “community centre” appears to be able to generate grants and bids for funding that a “cohesive community” could only dream about attaining. This type of specified and discriminatory  funding is as divisive as it is unfair- especially when a local authority makes great claims about Canada geese and other species being “non native”, yet funds self confessed and declared human  “non-native” groups with vigour. I haven’t even got onto the sexist element towards the exclusion of men. WHY DOES A “COMMUNITY CENTRE” HAVE TO HAVE A RELIGION OR RACE ABOVE THE DOOR IF IT IS TRUELY “A COMMUNITY CENTRE” FOR ALL?

Councillor K in her declaration of members interests dated 15/10/14 reveals her connection to this “charity.”

SAK

 

“10. Any employment or business carried out by you that is not for profit or gain. 
Bangladeshi Womens Association Ltd c/o Tipton Muslim Community Centre employs me.  They are a charity and company limited by guarantee.”

11. Any person or body who employs or has appointed you. 
Bangladeshi Womens Association Ltd c/o Tipton Muslim Community Centre, Wellington Road, Tipton 

 

How if you are “employed” by someone are you not carrying out duties for profit or gain?

Voluntary Registration of Other Interests 
Please list below any other interests that you wish to declare in accordance with the General Principles of Conduct as set out in the Code of Conduct or which you think may lead to a conflict of interests between your personal interests and the public interest.  
Bangladeshi Womens Association is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee.  As a manager my responsibility is to manage staff, raise funds and report to Board of Directors. 
BWA has SLAs from SMBC for many projects. 
SLA for Tipton Muslim Community Cetnre. SLA for Management of Jubilee Community Centre. 
My salary is not funded by SMBC funds.

The SLA service level agreements are a local authority mystery of their own. This needs further research, but who exactly decides that “a service” is needed?

The BWA further has part of its structure a project called “REACH”- who funds this?

The service is open to all but is mainly used by Bangladeshi & Pakistani people of Muslim faith.
Summary of services	To provide positive activities for young people to improve their chances in life

I am not sure why there has to be such clear self imposed discrimination and apparent divorce from the rest of the community concerning the title of “Tipton Young Asian Women’s Forum”.  It is bizarre that a sense of place is identified, an age, a continent and a sex, yet the nationality “British” appears vacant. A young women’s group is fine, but why the name segregation- what is behind it, I would really seriously like to be educated on this because I find it repressive and not forward looking at all towards harmonisation and tolerance.

The event flyer for 2014 is shown below confirming associations of its sponsorship and also who to contact as organiser. SAK is not purporting as a councillor here, but she is a councillor, and is also involved with the women’s organisation- for which she receives a “salary”. The geese were rounded up in this park on 17th July 2014, just a few weeks before this “community” event. As a raiser of funds, you would think that such an event is important to the funds of BWA, so why does SAK not declare a pecuniary interest at the scrutiny meeting?

 

As chance would have it, the event that Sunday was actually cancelled at short notice, not to the geese soiling the ground with six minute excreta, but through bad “weather”- a rain deluge. The following sign was one of several put up at the site entrances. The mobile number is the same number as one given by a certain councillor Khatun’s contact on the SMBC website.

 

There are other candidates standing for position of councillor in Tipton Green ward on May 7th. We would ask that if you live in this ward that you use your vote wisely in support of the geese- a discriminated against non native species by Sandwell council’s political class that just happen to have lived in Britain for over 400 years.

GRIFFITHS Donald Henry CONSERVATIVE×

STANYER Mike  United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP)×

 

DOWNING’S TREAT

Councillor Susan Downing is a Sandwell Labour councillor representing the ward of Oldbury. She like Khatun is one of the members of the scrutiny board (Health) that was present at the meeting which supposedly “considered” our petition. Like the aforementioned the only words that she actually spoke during the entire 35 minute hearing (without any questions) were to confirm her own name. That’s some fucking grilling there!

Oldbury and Sandwell we are meant to believe are culturally rich and diverse and multi- culturalism is to be celebrated and even championed. “Community cohesion” is another of the active noun laden slosh that drips out the mouths of the sleazy socialist mantra from Sandwell’s Politburo. Over emphasis of this appears to hide the cracks of separatism and obvious divisions.

On the other hand “Britain First” are an off shoot splinter group of the racist BNP party, formed by one of their ex councillors from Kent. Like the EDL before them, BF are organising a protest against a controversial planning permission of a mosque in  neighbouring Dudley. The town is bordered by the area which Councillor Downing represents in Sandwell.

Whatever people’s views on the mosque saga, a legitimate place of worship, the main prognosis is that a group and also counter protest group converging from outside the area only ever attracts trouble, violence and intolerance- and is not wanted there, the epitome  you may think to that message of “hope not hate” so loved by the Labour group at Sandwell who are always telling us how Liberal they are via social media.

One should be surprised then that Labour Councillor Susan Downing of Oldbury  controlled Ward would use her time, and possibly her council tax payer funded phone to share four posts by the extreme right wing party last year. What could have possessed her? Did she think it was part of the Create and Craft Channel and accidentally type in KKK?

You would think that one would quickly get the gist of “Britain first” concerning its repeated anti Muslim Rhetoric and one could say “hatred”. Its memes are merely an extension of its message which Cllr Downing appears to not appreciate.

I remember the one pound note, a tatty useless piece of shite, unfit for even an emergency arse wipe, that ripped frequently and was without any meaningful use or purpose. Was the Councillor getting a tad sentimental when sharing this given that she receives a basic £10,000 plus special allowances including her role on the scrutiny board? Perhaps she would prefer being paid in them rather than in any other unit of Sterling.

Not just money but animals, that other strange oddity of Sandwell Labour councillors and hypocrisy as to how they appear to favour some animals and despise others such as the Canada goose. Certain supporters of BF  via their shares it is apparent are well into lurchers, lamping and hunting with hawks that they keep up the garden. I suppose all Canada geese should be sent back to Canada where they come from eh Sue?

It’s not clear if Sue joined BF, probably unlikely you would have thought in her position, but presumably by sharing this she is not discouraging others from doing so?

One can only wonder what her fellow Oldbury councillor and Muslim  Mahboob “taxi taxi” Hussein will think of this, or indeed Councillor Khatun? Will she be up the march when they ride into town, and what does she think of the Dudley mosque or even Halal meat burgers? I suppose halal dog burgers are strictly off the menu.

And just when you thought this was a two off she shares the same post twice! One of BF’s other favourite topics appears to concern remembrance- not sure if they include the holocaust in that one?  She’s certainly a 1%er councillor in Sandwell that’s for sure our Sue. LOL

 

 

“Respect” really! I’m sure that this information will go down like a lead balloon at Commie HQ, but there again they are so used to taking “NO ACTION” when it comes to the misdemeanours of one of their own. Perhaps they will all start sharing BF in a sort of “Je suis Sue” ? Just wait till Sharia comes in Sue, you’ll be stoned 😆

So there you have it, two Sandwell councillors both Labour, but with apparently two different ideas of “British” identity which suit them as it pleases.  Country chameleons one might say.  How scrutiny can expose divisions yet “remembrance” strangely appear to unite them.

*Many members of the community signed our petition opposing the cull of geese, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Polish- British. The political class take them all for fools.