Marjorie Simpson
Working Hard for Yarm
Investigations
The information below is public information available from Stockton Borough Council.
A number of investigations have taken place concerning the dubious behaviour of two of our councillors.
Residents of Kirklevington brought various allegations to the attention of Marjorie Simpson when she canvassed in May 2005. The allegations were many and varied but concerned possible impropriety with regard to the Planning Committee and a certain Developer. Marjorie launched the investigation in November 2005 and it took until September 2006 to actually be heard. It was the first case to be investigated in Stockton Borough Council.
The investigating officer of Stockton Borough Council selectively interviewed the councillor herself, the developer and all the people who Marjorie said would deny any knowledge of the situation. However, the officer neither approached nor spoke to those people who would have been willing and able to give additional information that would have been relevant to the case.
The councillor and the developer agreed that they did meet on a regular basis socially and to discuss his plans where the councillor was supposed to pass on all the objections of the residents. (I am sure this will be questioned by residents who do not even feel they are given respect by the councillor).
They owned up to being “Acquaintances” but not “Friends”. On this basis and because the councillor had been in office for twenty five years the investigating officer decided that they were not friends. From an account in Stockton Council minutes of the meeting, which took place on the 12th September, extracts of the report were given to the committee who upheld the officer's findings that there had not been a need to declare a personal and prejudicial interest and leave the room.
The residents of Kirklevington have experienced and seen much in the past. Their perception is that there is a relationship between the two and if there is such a thing the acquaintance has lasted for twenty years.
A resident of Yarm reported our representative on the Planning Committee to the Standards Board for providing misleading information to the committee. He had taped evidence of all conversations and the item being discussed in the planning committee. He reported her for lying but the answer from the Standards Board said that councillors were allowed to lie in the cut and thrust of politics. After the result of the investigation it was thought that this could also apply to saving a councillor from public exposure.
Another resident of Yarm reported a Stockton Borough Councillor for Yarm who was also a Yarm Town Councillor for lying and denying fact in the press. The answer was the same as above.
Marjorie Simpson reported to the Monitoring Officer at Stockton that planning papers should not have contained “Cllr Sherris has no objection to this application” This was with regard to the extension of opening hours for The Hide. All residents now have to suffer noise and disruption to sleep because he informed the committee he did not mind this. Quite so, he does not live nearby.
Eventually I was passed information from the Monitoring Office that stated the Standards Board for England had issued information that should a councillor be required to declare a personal and prejudicial interest if attending a meeting, it was not permissible for that councillor to have included in the planning papers that he had no objection to the proposal.
As published in our leaflet, the Ombudsman found Stockton Borough Council guilty of injustice by maladministration. The name of one of our councillors is included in minutes taken from meetings where she is also recorded as being present.
Recently, Independent Councillors proposed to the full council that the matter be further investigated by the Scrutiny Committee. The said councillor spoke saying this was now history and the council should move on and she voted against taking it for further scrutiny which helped the Labour Party to win the vote for no further action.
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