FINANCIAL RAPE - Council corruption is a cancer on society that must be tackled day on day to prevent fraudulent procurement becoming a malignant bankruptcy.

Incompetent local authorities and layer upon layer of non-productive Councillors and MPs, all drawing salaries and expenses, are draining the lifeblood of the nation. If officers are able to skirt around sensitive cases using delegated powers. Why do we need members at all. Do we need their amply dimensioned arses to warm the seats of a chamber that is no longer needed? Are the seats lonely and cold, that the taxpayer should fork out to keep them polished?

Councillors don't say anything meaningful at these meetings, it has all been pre-arranged.

Everything is after all delegated. Not sure that is legal. Begging the question: why are we paying expenses and holding elections when the officers do what they want anyway. Bullying and intimidation on top of delegation equals no democracy. The members are too frightened to blow the whistle, in case they get blackballed.

Most delegated decisions could be better accomplished by AI chimps. With an honesty algorithm built in to prevent costly cover ups. That program designed to weed out vendettas, that are conducted at public expense and sack the perpetrators. No benefits or pension, all being forfeit for lying and cheating, or bringing a council into disrepute.

Wealden don't have an impartial Monitoring Officer. Trevor Scott is alleged to be corrupt, part of the conspiracy in the Steam House cover up at a high level, including negotiating the terms of a Court Order, and then reneging on that Agreement (Consent Order), which Equals 'breach of contract' and 'contempt of court' : 

- Conspiracy to pervert the course of justice 

- Continuation of fraudulent malfeasance (deliberate deprivation of a beneficial use)

- Data correction fraud (deliberate failure to adhere to Local Land Charges Act & Regulations)

- Deliberate refusal to correct other digitally stored information, designed to cause loss

- Institutionalised long term discrimination

And the crimes just continue all the while he remains Chief Executive. Mainly because, this council will find it hard to find someone that corrupt, who might be willing to to take over the helm of a sinking ship, and put their head in the noose.

Importantly, the members of this council are equally implicated, for sitting on their hands. The Fraud Act is quite clear on that. One does not have to do something to commit a fraud, it is equally onerous if you fail to do something to protect the financial interests of a third party, while accepting a bribe in the form of expenses, to remain silent. GUILTY!

In the words of Samuel L Jackson (The Hit Man's Bodyguard) "Mother Fuckers." On his way to give evidence at The Hague.

THE GUARDIAN 2 FEBRUARY 2024 - LAWYERS RAISE ALARM AT STRUGGLE TO TACKLE UK GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION

Exclusive: Staff and councillors at 36 local authorities accused of financial crime in past decade with dozens arrested and convicted. [Not in Wealden, Sussex police are partners in their crimes, so too local and district MPs, for failure to act]

Lawyers have raised alarm at the lack of oversight in local government, as a Guardian analysis found almost one in 10 councils in the UK have been subject to a corruption investigation in the past decade.

Across the UK, 36 local authorities have had councillors and staff accused of economic crimes including fraud and the misuse of public funds, with dozens arrested and convicted.

Many other councils are being scrutinised for potential financial mismanagement leading to huge losses in councils funds. One of those is Thurrock council, found to have recklessly put hundreds of millions of pounds into commercial investments, where an accountant is being investigated by the Financial Reporting Council.

Rachel McKoy, the president of Lawyers in Local Government, said they raised concerns about the “complete lack of sanctions” to help keep local authorities in check and clamp down on misbehaviour.

“We don’t have an effective sanctions regime in this country. The government says the sanction is at the ballot box but that doesn’t help if there’s rotten pervasive behaviours that create toxicity in a council,” she said.

A recent report on the role of monitoring officers – the person responsible for legal governance in each council – found they are often powerless “even when dealing with proven cases of rule breaking … including serious, harmful and criminal actions by councillors or sta­ff”.

Under current sanctions, councillors can be barred from cabinet, committees or representative roles and be removed from their political party for wrongdoing, with criminal matters referred to the police. [Don't make us laugh]

“Monitoring officers need the teeth, they need the sanctions,” said McKoy, adding that increasingly toxic cultures within councils were pushing monitoring officers out of the industry. “We’ve got no real proper protections. You’re in this situation where you’re trying to speak truth to power and you’re really vulnerable,” she said.

One of the most high-profile corruption scandals in recent years was at Liverpool city council, where a number of officers were arrested after allegations of bribery and witness intimidation linked to building deals in the city. Each of the individuals deny the allegations.

A government-commissioned report found as much as £100m of public money could have been squandered by the “dysfunctional” council and that senior councillors flouted the code of conduct by not declaring gifts or hospitality on a register of interests.

In 2022, four men at Lancashire county council were charged in an investigation into allegations of financial irregularity relating to a £5m contract. Each of them deny the allegations.

In other cases, council staff have been convicted and in some cases imprisoned for corrupt behaviour.

A boss at Surrey county council was jailed in 2019 for stealing almost £94,000 from a taxpayer-funded hardship scheme, a former council worker was sentenced to prison last year for stealing almost £1m from Birmingham city council, and a Derbyshire county council employee was given a suspended sentence for claiming £90,000 worth of vouchers from a charity scheme to help children living in poverty. [Yet Ian Kay remains at large protected by Sussex police.]

In October, a senior officer at Newham council was charged after being accused of plundering £250,000 to spend on laptops, phones, and tablets for himself. He has pleaded not guilty. Meanwhile, a fraud investigation is under way at Bolton council after close to £1m of its budget could not be accounted for.

Serious cases of criminal corruption at councils are still relatively rare, said Jonathan Carr-West from the Local Government Information Unit, but there are concerns about the “ability to ensure councils are well run and people are behaving properly”.

“Our ability to hold councils to account on a day-to-day level – making sure appropriate decisions are being made, the right questions are being asked, ensuring councils are conforming to legal and regulatory duties – that is where the pressure is in a way that it hasn’t been before,” he said. “And it’s because councils have less money. Everything they do is happening in a more stretched, shoestring fashion than it once was.”

Ed Hammond, the deputy chief executive at the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny, said the problem has been compounded by the failure of the local audits market.

“We’ve seen all these instances recently where bad financial governance have led to local authorities failing, and a lot of that has been because of failures in behaviour and culture,” he said. “These councils have all got external auditors now, but it’s failing. The system is just not working. And there are meant to be other systems as well, providing oversight, but the behaviours aren’t there to support them to work.”

Almost all councils in England (99%) failed to get their 2022-23 financial accounts signed off by auditors by the deadline last year, and more than 900 sets of accounts for councils and other public bodies going back to 2017 remain unaudited.

A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: “We are committed to ensuring accountability and scrutiny across local government and that monitoring officers are equipped with powers to robustly tackle breaches of conduct, including barring councillors from cabinet, committees or representative roles.

“While councils are ultimately responsible for their own finances, we will not hesitate to intervene and protect taxpayers’ money where they do not meet the high standards we set.”

BLOODSUCKING VAMPIRES - The Anti-Christ of British politics, candidates like Boris Johnson and Margaret Thatcher, treat the electorate like disposable assets. British Empire days and slavery - with no thought of fairness or being reasonable. They may be likened to a societal cancer, a malignancy that needs to be cut out. Parasites on the earnings of the ordinary worker, growing fat off the blood of the nation as they suck you dry. Disposing of your corpses via a National Health Service designed to bury pensioners, to relieve the public purse.

SOCIETAL CANCER A PARASITIC PESTILENCE [work of fiction]

The first to fall was Mrs. Higgins. A vibrant woman with a garden overflowing with life, she withered within weeks. Doctors found a fast-growing tumour, a dark bloom in her once healthy lungs. Then came Mr. Patel, the corner shop owner, his smile fading as quickly as his health. The whispers began in hushed tones – the "Grim Council Curse."

The culprit? The newly elected Festering District Council, their manifesto a bouquet of lies promising a utopian town built on slashed taxes and privatized everything. Behind the smiles, a rot festered. They bled public funds dry, lining their own pockets while neglecting vital services. Parks became wastelands, community centres shut down, leaving only a skeleton of a social safety net.

The town transformed into a petri dish. Stress, anxiety, and a growing lack of access to healthcare became the breeding ground for a virulent strain of cancer. Doctors were baffled, the disease mutating rapidly, defying treatment.

Then, Dr. Eleanor Grant, a young pathologist with a penchant for the unorthodox, noticed a pattern. The cancer cells, under a high-powered microscope, seemed… unnatural. They resembled twisted cogs, gears grinding against each other in a macabre symphony of self-destruction. A sickening realization dawned on her: the social decay wasn't a mere consequence; it was the disease itself.

The news spread like wildfire. The national government, finally alerted, declared Festering District a quarantine zone. They were the surgeons, Eleanor the scalpel. They audited the council, exposing a web of deceit. The Festering District Council, riddled with its own financial cancer, declared bankruptcy.

Eleanor, meanwhile, proposed a radical treatment plan. Public services were reinstated, parks revitalized, and community centres reopened. Laughter, the forgotten medicine, returned to the streets. Slowly, the tide began to turn. The mutated cancer cells, starved of their toxic environment, began to regress.

It was a long road to recovery, but the town learned a harsh lesson. Broken promises and social decay had a physical cost. The "Grim Council Curse" served as a stark reminder: neglecting the well-being of a community could have a cancerous effect on its very soul – and sometimes, its body. In the end, it was only through collective action, a societal immune response, that the true healing could begin.

IS THERE ANY LINK BETWEEN CORRUPTION IN THE NATION AND CANCER IN HEADS OF STATE?

“THE MALIGNANT COUNCIL”

In the small town of Herstwood, nestled among the rolling hills of beleaguered Britain, something insidious had taken root. The local council, once a beacon of community service, had become a parasite feeding off the very lifeblood of its citizens.

The policies they enacted were like carcinogenic cells, multiplying silently, infiltrating every aspect of daily life. Overspending was their hallmark, and financial death loomed over the town like a dark cloud. The toxic administration, led by the conniving Mayor Thorne, had mastered the art of fraudulent accounting. They siphoned funds meant for roads, schools, hospitals, and public services into their own pockets, leaving the vulnerable citizens defenseless.

As the malignant overspending continued, the town’s infrastructure crumbled. Potholes swallowed cars whole, and streetlights flickered like dying fireflies. The once-bustling market square now resembled a ghost town, its shops boarded up, their owners bankrupted by exorbitant taxes.

But it wasn’t just financial ruin that plagued Herstwood. A strange malady had swept through the community, leaving its victims weakened and frail. Doctors scratched their heads, unable to explain the sudden surge in cancer cases. The hospital overflowed with patients, their bodies wasting away as if consumed from within.

Dr. Eleanor Grant, the town’s only oncologist, had seen enough. She suspected a connection between the council’s policies and the rising cancer rates. Late one night, she pored over financial records, her eyes widening as she uncovered the truth. The council had diverted funds meant for healthcare into lavish overseas trips and extravagant dinners.

Eleanor’s research led her to an ancient legend—the tale of the Herstwood Pact. Centuries ago, the council had made a Faustian bargain with a malevolent force. In exchange for power and wealth, they promised to sacrifice the health and well-being of their constituents. The malignant overspending was the price they paid, and the cancer that ravaged the town was their curse.

Desperate to save her patients, Eleanor sought help from an enigmatic figure known as the Watcher. He appeared at her doorstep one stormy night, his eyes as ancient as the hills themselves. The Watcher revealed that the council’s corruption had awakened an ancient evil—a parasitic entity that fed on suffering and despair.

“The council’s greed has infected the very fabric of Herstwood,” the Watcher intoned. “Their fraudulent accounting has torn a hole in reality, allowing the malignancy to spread.”

Eleanor’s resolve hardened. She confronted Mayor Thorne, demanding answers. But the mayor merely laughed, his eyes devoid of remorse. “We serve a higher power,” he sneered. “Our citizens are but vessels for its hunger.”

Determined to break the curse, Eleanor rallied the townspeople. They marched to the council chambers, torches in hand, their voices raised in defiance. The Watcher stood at her side, his ancient magic shielding them from harm.

As the clock struck midnight, Eleanor confronted Mayor Thorne. “Your reign ends here,” she declared. “Herstwood deserves better.”

The mayor’s skin rippled, revealing a grotesque form—a cancerous mass of greed and malevolence. The townspeople gasped as the malignancy burst forth, writhing and pulsating. Eleanor raised her hands, channeling the Watcher’s magic. Light enveloped the council chamber, and the malignant overspending unraveled.

The curse lifted, and the townspeople felt the weight of their ailments lift. The cancer rates plummeted, and Herstwood began to heal. But the council members—now exposed as the parasites they were—disintegrated into dust, their corruption consumed by the very malignancy they had unleashed.

As dawn broke over Herstwood, Eleanor stood in the ruins of the council chambers. The Watcher nodded approvingly. “You’ve broken the cycle,” he said. “But remember, the price of power is eternal vigilance.”

And so, the townspeople rebuilt, electing new leaders who vowed to serve with integrity. The malignant overspending was replaced with transparency, and the citizens thrived once more. But Eleanor knew that evil would always seek a foothold. As long as there were those willing to sacrifice others for personal gain, the malignancy would linger, waiting for its next host.


THE HERSTWOOD PACT: A TALE OF SHADOWS AND SACRIFICE

In the heart of the ancient forest of Herstwood, where gnarled oaks whispered secrets and moonlight danced upon dew-kissed leaves, there existed a pact—a sinister covenant forged in desperation and sealed with blood.

Centuries ago, Herstwood was a thriving village, its people living in harmony with the land. They revered the ancient trees, believing them to be guardians of wisdom and magic. But prosperity attracted envy, and neighboring villages grew jealous of Herstwood’s abundance.

One fateful night, as the harvest moon bathed the forest in silver, the village council convened in the hollow of the oldest oak. Their leader, Ebenezer Thorne, was a man of cunning and ambition. He hungered for power beyond the mortal realm, and he knew the ancient legends well.

Councillor Ebenezer Thorne ventured deep into the forest, guided by whispers that echoed through twisted branches to make a pact with the shadows. There, he encountered the Watcher—an enigmatic figure cloaked in shadows. The Watcher offered him a pact: boundless wealth, dominion over Herstwood, and immortality. In return, the village must sacrifice its most innocent souls—the children born under the full moon.

Desperate to secure Herstwood’s future, Ebenezer Thorne agreed. The pact was sealed with a drop of his blood, staining the ancient oak’s roots. The shadows rejoiced, and the forest trembled.

The Price of Prosperity: Herstwood flourished. Its crops yielded bountiful harvests, and its coffers overflowed. But the children vanished—spirited away by unseen hands. Their laughter faded, replaced by an eerie silence that hung over the village like a shroud.

The villagers whispered of the Herstwood Pact—their secret shame. They watched their children play, knowing that when the moon waxed full, the shadows would come.

As the years passed, the forest grew darker resulting from the Watcher's Curse. The oaks twisted into grotesque shapes, their leaves blackened. The Watcher’s curse seeped into the land, infecting every soul. Herstwood’s prosperity became a prison, and the villagers paid the price in innocence.

Ebenezer Thorne, now immortal but tormented by guilt, wandered the forest. His eyes glowed like dying embers, and he wept for the lost children. He sought redemption, but the shadows mocked him.

A new generation arose—one that questioned the pact in rebellion. Among them was Eloween, a brave girl with moonlight in her eyes. She listened to the rustling leaves, deciphering their secrets. Eloween discovered the truth—the ancient oaks held memories, and their roots wept for the stolen children.

With a band of rebels, Eloween confronted Ebenezer Thorne. She demanded the release of the shadows’ captives. The forest trembled, and the Watcher appeared.

The Watcher revealed the pact’s true purpose: to feed the shadows, keeping them at bay. Without the sacrifices, darkness would consume Herstwood, and the village would become a cursed memory demanding a Final Sacrifice.

Eloween faced an impossible choice: uphold the pact or defy it. She chose love over fear, compassion over cruelty. As the moon reached its zenith, she offered herself—the final sacrifice.

The shadows surged, consuming Eloween. But her sacrifice shattered the curse. The ancient oaks wept tears of silver, and the children returned, their laughter echoing through the forest.

Legacy of Herstwood: The village survived, scarred but wiser. The Herstwood Pact was broken, and the Watcher vanished. Councillor Ebenezer Thorne, freed from immortality, tended the oaks, whispering apologies to their roots.

And Eloween? Her spirit danced among the leaves, a guardian of innocence. Her sacrifice became a legend—a reminder that true prosperity lies not in wealth but in compassion.

To this day, the villagers gather beneath the ancient oak, their faces bathed in moonlight. They tell the tale of the Herstwood Pact—a cautionary fable of shadows, sacrifice, and the enduring power of love.

Note: The Herstwood Pact is a fictional legend created for this story. Any resemblance to real events or persons is purely coincidental.

A full member meeting at East Sussex County Council, who get 71% of your local taxes - but for doing what? Certainly not managing our potholed roads.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/03/charities-warn-devastating-knock-on-impact-english-councils-financial-crisis
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/02/lawyers-raise-alarm-at-struggle-to-tackle-uk-local-government-corruption
https://westcountryvoices.co.uk/is-bcp-the-most-corruptible-council-in-england/

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/03/charities-warn-devastating-knock-on-impact-english-councils-financial-crisis
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/02/lawyers-raise-alarm-at-struggle-to-tackle-uk-local-government-corruption
https://westcountryvoices.co.uk/is-bcp-the-most-corruptible-council-in-england/