Thursday, October 30, 2008

Revenge of the Telford penguins?

Remember the fiasco of the Telford penguins and the Tory-run council's policy of challenging any lone adults found in the town park in case they are paedophiles? Let me refresh your memory.

Anyway, Telford & Wrekin Council Watch points us to a story in the Telford Journal, which gives the intriguing latest chapter in this story:

Conservative Councillor Denis Allen was suddenly axed from his cabinet position this week as member for community services.

Last week it was revealed Councillor Allen was taking a month-long break from his role, prompting rumours that he had been suspended.

Telford & Wrekin, however, put out a statement saying Councillor Allen had been advised to take a “well deserved rest.”

And there's more:
now the leader of the Labour group, Keith Austin, says Councillor Allen had come under fire - and was under investigation - over the Telford Town Park paedophile fiasco.

He was the one who authorised routine stop-checks on single people walking in the park’s recreational areas, claimed Councillor Austin.
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3 comments:

  1. Kath-H31 October, 2008 07:01

    ... except that the Head of Community Services, one Ron Odunaiya, had claimed earlier on local radio that the policy had been in place for nine years.

    Another claim, that Councillor Allen had pledged £50,000 to a local group without identifying the funding, causing cuts to be made to pay for it - will be easily disproved.

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  2. Anonymous01 November, 2008 14:48

    In fact, it was reportedly not councillor Allen who authorised the stopping of people in the park!

    TWC has, since its in inception as Wrekin District Council in 1974 (aka Wrecking District Council) been known as an officer ridden authority.

    Any councillors who refused to toe the line were mysteriously removed from office by a variety of underhand moves.

    Hopefully someone from higher up the Tory food chain will come and give Andrew Eade (Tory group leader) a good talking to.

    Or threaten to have his membership withdrawn.

    That should wake him up to the dangers of allowing certain officers to continue acting as if Labour had not lost the last council election!

    And it is interesting that councillor Keith Austin is calling for investigations. Careful Keith! Or they might not know where to stop. They might go back too far, for example...

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  3. Martin S08 November, 2008 14:56

    Oh, dear!

    Local news site Shropshire News carried a letter from Denis Allen.

    A large number of visits to the site to read the letter cam from a mysterious IP address that steadfastly declined to give its details. Or thought it did. Step forward not-so-anonymous Telford and Wrekin Council! Oh, dear. Rumbled again!
    Thank you for stopping by, Telford and Wrekin Council

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