Canvey: The CIIP’s Island Fortress

THIS MORNING’S LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS set a defining moment in Canvey Island’s, and perhaps England’s, political history. Its home-grown Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP) has successfully demonstrated that it is perfectly possible to gain, and retain, political power based upon a strategy of deceit, misrepresentation, secrecy – and attempting to discredit opponents at every opportunity.

By a significant majority, islanders voted to retain their CIIP representatives, throw good money after bad, and pursue the only aim that the Canvey Island Independence Party stood for in these elections: complete political separation from the mainland.

CIIP Discussion Board Stands As A Unique Testament To The Quality Of All Its Members

I BEGAN THIS BLOG two years ago, as a simple experiment to see if there was still a market for local news. Over the past several years the traditional local press had been forced to rationalise its reporting staff, and introduce other cost saving measures, as local advertisers withdrew their support in favour of much cheaper electronic advertising in conjunction with an internet presence.

I was interested to see if the staff cuts had compromised the ability of local papers to keep on top of what was happening in their area – or whether they might have inadvertently provided an opening for freelancers, like myself, to capitalise upon.

Will Local Resident, Upset, Be The Next To Be Banned From The CIIP’s Discussion Board?

THERE IS GOOD EVIDENCE to suggest that the real reason Bill Sharp was permanently banned from the Canvey Island Independent Party’s discussion board had nothing whatsoever to do with Neville Watson’s public announcement that his party was being denied its ‘right to reply’ on the Conservative’s Methane, Mud & Memories Blog.

In fact, the idea that Neville - or any other members of his party - have had their posts removed for anything other than posting hopelessly off-topic; trying to create a totally irrelevant thread; or attempting to libel others is strenuously denied by that Blog’s Webmaster, Colin MacLean (whose empty panels in his Blog’s readers’ forum provide testament to his laisez faire moderation).

Neville Watson: ‘I do not hold rank in the Independent Party therefore I was not representing the party's views’

RESIDENTS WILL BE ASTONISHED TO READ Neville Watson’s latest statement on the CIIP’s Discussion Board in which he refers to his acceptance of Bill Sharp’s apology, made upon his party’s behalf, regarding an ill chosen phrase on a Tory election leaflet.

Watson’s statement appears to have been written at the same time as he deleted the comment he made - so that the public can no longer see what he actually said!

The previous speculation, in this Blog’s last article (regarding the CIIP’s use of Watson as a fall-guy for this year’s election campaign) has now been given further weight as residents are now being asked to believe that nothing Neville has said on his party’s sites, or the MMM Blog, has Canvey Island Independent Party approval.

Echo Provides More Space To Promoting Blackwell’s Election Campaign Deceit

THE PAST THREE WEEKS have not been a good time for local Democracy. It was hoped that this Blog could remain detached as the political parties entered into a public debate, on their own Websites, discussing issues and putting forward their own individual proposals to solve them.

It was hoped that existing Town Councillors would make themselves available to answer questions put by the public. And it was hoped that residents would only have to visit the respective party’s Website to find statements and contact details for candidates standing in their own ward.

CIIP Discussion Board Unreliable Source Of Public Information

IT HAS NOW EMERGED that the Canvey Island Independent Party’s discussion board permits its users to edit their previous posts – and does not provide a system timestamp indicating when those last alterations were made. As a consequence, none of the CIIP’s Board Posts can be considered as reliable or ‘On The Record.’

Earlier today I posted, in this Blog’s STOP PRESS column, reports of how a reply to Bill Sharp’s comments had suddenly changed - from the original version I had seen - when I checked the hyperlink I had posted. Then, later this afternoon, after Bill had replied to the user’s post – it changed again.

Spend, Spend, Spend Say Town Councillors. It Is All About Us, Us, Us

WELL, YOU DID HEAR IT HERE FIRST. The story of how a group of narcissistic individuals conned island residents into believing that they would represent their wishes and establish a Parish Council in which all islanders could be proud.

You heard how that band’s leader, Dave Blackwell, mischievously named his group of bandits as the Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP) and how, once they were installed in the newly formed Parish Council, immediately applied for it to be known as a ‘Town’ council to improve its local kudos. You learned that his next move was to commission, for himself, expensive chains of office and, at the same time, reprieve the old Canvey Urban District Council Coat of Arms from 1974.

Canvey Island Election Coverage

READERS will have noted that this Blog’s last article was written over a week ago and that there have been no further posts since. Instead, the Canvey Beat is (somewhat irreverently) highlighting this local election’s main issues and fast moving debate using an extended header; its side-column; STOP PRESS and integrated Newsflash feature.

The cyber battle for your vote is not being conducted here; but on the Conservative Methane, Mud & Memories Blog and the Canvey Island Independent Party’s Discussion Board (which Canvey Beat readers suggest is being heavily moderated).

The local Labour Party have yet to enter the debate; but its Twitter feed is being carried in this Blog’s STOP PRESS panel.

Unless anything major breaks, normal posts will resume after the local elections to bring you the full results…

When It Comes To Misrepresentation And Downright Lies – Watson Cannot Hold A Candle To Blackwell

TO BE FRANK, this particular journalist is bored with having to highlight all the same old lies and misrepresentations being made by the Canvey Island Independent Party in this local election campaign. It is consuming my time, when I could be doing more interesting things, and, at the end of the day, I am just reporting what all Canvey Beat readers already know: the party, which speaks with a single voice (and does not answer questions), is composed of a motley crew of bandits and liars.

Liz Swann Comes Out And Letchford Is Denied CIIP Colours To Stand On The Mainland

CANVEY BEAT READERS will be interested to learn that the two most vociferous critics of articles posted on this Blog, whom were keen to argue that they had absolutely no political affiliation, have now declared themselves as Canvey Island Independent Party members.

Liz Swann, of the Canvey beachside Concord Pool cafe, who together with Bob Spink and CIIP councillors successfully campaigned for the pool to be transferred to Canvey Island Town Council (thus preserving her sister’s business at islander expense) will be standing for the TC in the island’s South Ward, this year, to keep an eye upon her family’s investment.

A Continuous Stream Of Lies And Political Propaganda Spew Forth From CIIP Lips

NEVILLE WATSON has proved himself to be the master of the far-left’s first commandment: ‘If you cannot answer without incriminating yourself, then simply change the question!’ With such prowess it is easy to see why no other CIIP councillors have tried to enter the current political debate and, instead, left their electoral fates in the hands of their Public Relations person.

After attempting to alter the public record by appending a late comment to Blog posts that had criticised his party, Neville again waited, for four days - until his latest remarks had descended into visual obscurity - before posting further ‘closing’ comments, which he hoped would receive no attention.

Neville Hops From Site To Site In An Effort To Change The Record

NEVILLE WATSON was on true hyperbolic form this week as he presented his Canvey Island Independent Party’s first personal attack on those threatening its Town Council seats this year. In a consistent assault designed to draw attention away from the fact that the CIIP has no policies and that its financial management of Canvey Island Town Council has made it virtually bankrupt and forced it to redirect promised Armed Service Charity funds into its own bank account, the CIIP decided to launch its campaign in gutter mode – rather than wait until the last few days of the election.

The catalyst for serving-up the CIIP’s venom seems to have been Bill Sharp’s political flyer aimed at Canvey Island Central Ward voters, whom are currently represented by Dave Blackwell and John Anderson at both Borough and Town Council levels. In focussing on the fact that 70 pence in every pound is wasted by CITC on its officers and administration costs (leaving just £75,000 per year of islander contributions to be directed at the never-ending restoration of Central Ward’s Canvey Lake – conservatively estimated to require in excess of £180,000 over the next five years to complete) Bill has scored a direct hit upon the island’s professional political activists.

Battle For The Truth: Time To Make Your Own Minds Up And Put Your Questions Directly

DESPITE ALL APPARANT EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY, the ‘Canvey for Canvey’ sound bite, engineered by the Canvey Island Independent Party as a means of contesting local elections to obscure its lack of policies, still seems to strike a chord with uninformed local residents looking for somewhere to place their cross. Moreover, the CIIP has been extremely successful in establishing the urban myth that it and its Canvey Island Town Council are responsible for protecting the island’s greenbelt from mainland Tory aggressors – even though the party is unable to muster any form of majority challenge to any Castle Point Borough Council vote.

Ninety-Two Per Cent Of Canvey Beat Readers Think The Town Council Should Be Disbanded

THE LATEST STRAW-POLL, conducted by this Blog over the course of Sunday and Monday, reveals that the vast majority of its readers are dissatisfied with Canvey Island Town Council and actively support its dissolution.

The poll was conducted after a number of readers wrote in to express their concerns over Cameron’s Big Society and querying the relevance of another administrative layer, paid for by residents, to distribute funds to local charities when islanders were perfectly able to support such organisations themselves.

Is Canvey Ready For Cameron’s Big Society?

CANVEY RESIDENTS, listening to the likes of the Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP), would be forgiven for thinking that the Big Society has nothing to offer. That party’s Public Relations person, Neville Watson, recently stated that: ‘[The Big Society] is based on volunteers… that ring Councillors to inform them of any problems they have.’ But Neville’s unique perspective on the Coalition Government’s Localism Bill (widely predicted to come into force this autumn) completely misrepresents its intentions.

Are You Thinking Of Standing In Canvey Island’s Town Council Elections This Year?..

WITH JUST TWO MONTHS TO GO to Canvey Island’s Town Council elections, now is the time for local candidates to be preparing their individual campaigns. Candidates need to consider what they stand for, and, most importantly, obtain a good idea of their likely support.

If you are thinking of standing in this year’s Town Council elections, the Canvey Beat is keen to hear from you; publish your details; and present your manifesto to the 1,100+ unique visitors that this Blog welcomes every month.

CIIP ‘Absolutely Delighted’ With Tory Cabinet Cuts

TUESDAY EVENING’S FULL COUNCIL MEETING in the Kiln Road Council Chambers was a somewhat surreal affair. Not a single member was absent, and the Canvey Island Independent Party was keen to promote its new image of ‘responsible politicians’ for the Web camera’s public consumption.

Having had its party leader, Dave Blackwell, christened as Pink Sack Man by none other than the Echo – and to have been admonished in that same newspaper for having all its members walk out of the Council meeting called to discuss the Borough’s dire financial situation resulting from £1.9 million of government cuts, the CIIP has apparently decided to abandon its standard strategy of grandstanding and fuelling local protests against the majority’s Cabinet - in favour of appearing even more Tory than the ruling Conservatives themselves.

CPBC Cabinet Rejects Skanska Waterside Farm Proposals

THE CASTLE POINT BOROUGH COUNCIL’S CABINET has unanimously rejected the Swedish firm Skanska’s proposals to build a new leisure complex at Canvey Island’s Waterside Farm. Instead, the Council’s original £1.5 million budget to renovate the existing facilities will be retrieved from ‘cold storage’ and a Special Policy Development Group (SPDG), to which all councillors will be able to have their say, will be set-up to consider the asset’s detailed survey and decide where the money should best be spent.

The Council had suspended its Waterside maintenance programme in May, last year, while Skanska’s proposals to build and run a new complex on the site, on behalf of CPBC, was evaluated.

Is Your Business Taking Advantage?

Rebecca’s Double Summer Time Moves A Step Closer To Becoming Reality

CASTLE POINT’S MP, Rebecca Harris, will be watching closely as the Coalition Government prepares to publish its Tourism Bill in the House later this week. It is reported that the Bill will contain proposals to meet the Tourism Industry’s demands for lighter summer evenings - by moving Britain’s clocks forward another hour during the summer months.

Mrs Harris has said: ‘The tourism industry has been crying out for extra daylight saving for years. It could extend the tourist season and boost the economy by up to £3.5billion a year.

‘And we would have longer, lighter evenings.’

If the controversial measure goes ahead, summer sunrise will be at its earliest around 5:50am; and sunset will occur latest around 10:18pm, locally.