On Wednesday 13 April the 3 members of the Initial Assessment Sub Committee composed of three old friends and admirers of disgraced ex Cllr Phelps met. Cllr Tim Coleridge, Sophia Lambert and Jennifer Ware were meeting to decide whether to refer a very serious complaint against Cllr Matthew Palmer made by Justin Downes.
The substance of the complaint was that Cllr Palmer had not registered his interest in a company he owned councilskills.com and further he had used RBK&C resources and facilities to promote this business.
The Committee found him guilty of not registering an interest and stating they "view the matter most seriously". The Committee went on to say that Cllr Palmer's omission would shortly become a criminal offence.
So the Dame is mightily confused. Having said that they 'view the matter most seriously' and that "it would soon be a criminal offence" they do nothing about it: no penalty;no referral to his own website for training...zilch! A vast waste of senior officer's time as well as an embarrassment to a council already plagued by cover ups. What on earth do senior officers make of the irresponsibly and dishonesty of their political masters? They must be thoroughly embarrassed.
During the discussion Cllr Coleridge moved heaven and earth to persuade Ware and Lambert to be gentle with fellow OE Palmer. Not that much persuading was necessary.
Palmer, already a laughing stock with officers and colleagues, is shown to be stupid and/or dishonest for failure to observe a cardinal rule: something his own company should be teaching ....'Don't abuse taxpayers resources for your own private purposes'
Jennifer Ware? Well what can one say about this silly old thing that has not already been said. She again proved her lack of courage and independence.
So the Dame has decided to ask YOU, the very people whose trust was abused, to give your view.
Here is the question:
Should the Initial Assessment Sub Committee have taken more seriously what is soon to be a criminal offence and referred it to the Standards Committee-NOT brush it under the carpet?
Once more, Cllr Colleridge has gone soft while serving on the Standards Committee.
ReplyDeleteTim is a nice man who longs to be Leader of Kensington & Chelsea. So far he has lacked the courage to challenge Pooter. But is this man tough enouigh to be Leader? Can he clean up the Rotten Borough?
The Standards Committee seems to be showing him up as a weak and ineffectuall person who wants to be nice to all.
Better stay on the back benches then
So the rules count for nothing, as long as you went to Eton.
ReplyDeleteDid Palmer really go there? I am genuinely amazed.I thought he was the product of one of those minor public schools where cricket skills and ghastly confidence is all you are likely to get.
Well Colleridge was at Eton too - so if the Dame is right we have another "secret society" in K&C, in addition to the masons who are well dug in at Hornton Street,helping each other along.
ReplyDeleteWhat a rats nest. And how sad for democracy
Palmer is no Etonian. Someone has to be joking......
ReplyDeletewell Eton is stuffed full of all sorts of people who would never have got in years ago.
ReplyDeleteBack to the question. The Initial Assessment Sub Committee have behaved outrageously. they are an affront to good governance
According to the net he is a descendant of William the Bastard. No, really.
ReplyDeleteRBKC's inability to address fundamental issues of proper conduct by councillors and due process, continues to bring the Borough into disrepute. It seems that no 'crime' is so serious that the Standards Committee will do its duty to the public. The way this serious matter has been handled is shameful. When will RBKC accept that it is merely the residents' servant?
ReplyDeleteCllr Palmer is not fit for public office. He was clearly using the Council to build a reference for his new company, to train Councillors how to be worthy councillors. How good his sales literature for his new company looks with the reference "As used by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". Did he start his "free" training sessions for K&C councillors with the words "this is a Beta trial for my new company". Hell no. He took a leaf out of the book from his Leader Cllr Cockell
ReplyDelete