Council Investigation Disgraceful Waste of Taxpayers Money Says Allen

A recent council meeting seemed like a waste of time. It addressed a councilor who said “shame on you” to the chief executive, Anne-Marie Bond. The meeting felt unnecessary and went nowhere.

The council spent over £9,000 on a private investigator, and the total cost will likely reach about £15,000. This expense seems excessive for such a minor issue. Chief executives should handle mild criticism easily.

This situation started when an agreement fell apart. All parties agreed on Cllr Swithin Long as mayor, but council leader Dave Thomas changed his mind last May with no advance notice.

Thomas wanted a Tory councillor to keep council control. This followed the sad death of Cllr Patrick Joyce. The public responded with shouts of “shame on you” and were then removed from the meeting.

The council considered Katiya’s words a serious crime, leading to a long investigation and a Standards Committee hearing. The meeting felt childish and resembled a silly show.

Cllr Jacqueline Thomas, the council leader’s wife, led the committee. Cllr Hazel Foster and Cllr Ras Virdee were also on the committee. Foster faced suspension for past bullying.

The investigator said Maddison’s words were not a code breach. However, a Facebook post brought the council into disrepute. Witnesses gave evidence, but their stories didn’t match.

The Standards Committee found Maddison guilty on both counts. She must apologize to the chief executive and council. This outcome seems unreasonable and unfair.

It is shocking that a few words caused such intimidation, especially after a costly investigation where the investigator found no code of conduct breach. Taxpayers’ money appears wasted.

Councilors could have spent their time on more pressing issues. The council leader, his deputy, and his wife all attended, while important problems needed attention that day.

For example, The Strand area is being dug up again. Did anyone check the services before repaving? They now realize lights need electric cabling, a costly and frustrating mistake.

The whole situation feels like a bad sitcom plot, but it is real. The uncomfortable meeting went on for eight hours, and walking to the car in the dark felt unsafe. The town center feels scary alone, especially at night. This experience deters future attendance at meetings, and the council should recognize this issue.