Echo readers were, justifiably, gob-smacked. PJR, from Basildon, said in the column’s comment section: ‘Is this the Echo publishing a story that is negative towards Canvey town council? Wow, I may just book that skiing trip to Hades after all!’
Sarah Calkin, it appears, had taken time out to attend the latest Town Council’s Environment and Open Spaces Committee meeting, held on 2nd August. But she makes no mention of being excluded, along with the public, when, according to the published agenda, the TC again resorted to a Section One resolution when it was to ‘consider and agree quotes for the fencing at Waterside allotments.’
Section Ones enable public bodies to exclude members of the public, and the press, from public meetings when ‘publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be
transacted.’
It seems that Section Ones, apparently dropped last year, are now firmly back on the agenda (just when the Town Council also deems fit not to publish minutes of their meetings on their Website for resident inspection – or publish their annual accounts).
One wonders why the Town Council applies a Section One to such discussions when tenders are being opened and they then have no commercial sensitivity; when the details of such tenders must, in any case, be recorded in the minutes; and when any related payments to contractors employed must be made available to anyone requesting to see the TC’s books.
Are councillors unwilling to let the public and their representatives see how many tenders were received, and from whom? And are they also unwilling for the public to know which councillors supported each tender?
Dave Blackwell is only too willing to point his political finger at Castle Point Borough Council (CPBC) over its executive’s awarding of contracts; but it just so happens that he appears totally unwilling to use his privileged position to shed light on current allegations that a CPBC officer is presently under investigation concerning matters relating to council maintenance and repairs.
Is this Blackwell supporting Castle Point Borough Council’s position that: ‘The Council does not issue public statements on internal personnel matters?’ Or is it because Blackwell is unwilling to raise the issue because the spotlight might then fall upon Canvey Island Town Council?
That Blackwell has not publicised and spun this issue to accuse the Castle Point Tory majority of incompetence or corruption is entirely out of character.
The Town Council’s re-introduction of blanket Section Ones does nothing to relieve public suspicions – particularly when the TC cannot point to any of its lucrative contracts being awarded to island businesses. The only thing that appears certain, at this time, is that Blackwell and his CIIP are unwilling to incorporate the topic of local contract awarding in its political agenda. And this at a time when they are desperate to manufacture an issue upon which to fight next May’s local elections.
Meanwhile, it appears that Dave Blackwell is content to pass the blame on to King & Co Ltd, the TC’s Braintree contractor, for the death of the Tewkes Creek trees. In Sarah Calkin’s article he is reported as saying: ‘We employed the same contractors to plant the second lot as the first lot. They obviously didn’t realise the soil was different in the area where they planted the second lot.
‘When we look at the condition of the soil we will see if they are planted in rubble. We may have recourse to complain to the contractor.’
Well, maybe Dave can get a refund. After all, Sarah’s article puts the cost of the trees’ planting at ‘about £4,500.’
If only that were true, huh Dave?
According to the Town Council’s own accounts, free resident and child labour was supplemented by hiring King & Co’s services to the tune of £6,305.17. (£700 to hire machines and operatives; £5,255.17 for tree planting; and £350 to apply herbicide).
Wouldn’t it be interesting to know just how much a local contractor might have charged for similar work (and if they might just also have been aware of the local soil conditions)?..
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