Open letter to Chairmen of Town Assembly

Dear Chairmen,

I came away from last Monday's Town Assembly disgusted, disappointed and embarrassed that my town should be represented in such a low-order way.

To my mind, to have been elected means to serve; not just those that voted for you but the entire community you represent. Accountability and responsibility start with the election, not end there and remain in abeyance until the next election. And accountability means being responsible for your behaviour as well as your actions to the entire electorate, especially minorities and those who may disagree with you.

What we experienced on Monday night was a total lack of both accountability and responsibility on the part of some of those elected to represent our town. The rowdy, almost bullying, behaviour that I experienced, I believe, reduces the reputation of the town into something approaching 'mob rule' bringing shame and disrepute onto the entire community.

Anybody who showed any concern with some of the councillors were promptly shouted down and drowned out. And here's the key point - nobody asked for it to stop. In fact, it appeared to me that some of the councillors near me were heavily involved with the heckling; encouraging it even.

To my mind, this is not about whether our representatives do good work or not. Good work should be a given in all those who serve. It is about the conduct and behaviour they display as our representatives and Monday's event showed me nothing but bad conduct, bad behaviour, and nobody showed any responsibility for bringing it under control.

One way of holding our representatives to account is to stand for office against them. Another, no less important way, is for ALL of us to hold our representatives fully accountable for their behaviour. It is our responsibility to ensure that they are doing their work as town representatives responsibly otherwise we will see the sort of disruption that the town has experienced over recent months not just last Monday. Yet another way of being responsible for holding our representatives to account is to register with the 'Reform Association' at http://tfaforms.com/144040

As a registered elector, I would like a response from the joint Chairmen of Monday's meeting on why you did not demand a stop to the disorderly behaviour. Until I receive a convincing response, I shall continue to believe that you either condone such behaviour or you were too intimidated to demand it to stop; as many of us were.

Secondly, I would like a similar response from the Chairman of the JPC. While he may not have been chairing the meeting itself, I believe he could have made a significant impact in bringing better order and decorum to the meeting. He made no such move. Once again, until I receive an explanation I shall continue to hold the view that he is more concerned for his personal reputation amongst his supporters than he is in promoting the good name of Henley-in-Arden.

I urge every resident to hold our councillors responsible and accountable for their behaviour as well as their actions. Otherwise we must expect what we get.

As registered electors it is our town - not theirs. Let's play our part too.

Bob Ayling - High Street Resident

Lock-out followed by chaotic scenes at town meeting

A TOWN poll on the issue of confidence in the parish council will be held in Henley, but not in neighbouring Beaudesert, after a chaotic annual town assembly on Monday night.

The raucous meeting got off to a shambolic start after at least eight residents were locked out of the Baptist Church hall in Henley ten minutes before the meeting was set to start.

The decision, by joint-chairmen Cllr David Hadley, for Henley, and Cllr Christopher Milsom, for Beaudesert, proved controversial.

In a statement issued after the meeting they said the decision was made because 100 residents were already inside, fining the hall to its capacity, and to admit any more would have breached health and safety regulations.

"We were faced with an unprecedented situation given that the previous three years' attendances totalled less than the 100 in attendance at Monday's meeting," said the statement. "We had the choice of postponing to another date at another venue or proceeding. We decided in the circumstances to proceed. We regret that some residents were unable to join the meeting."

Barely had the meeting begun when there was a quibble from one resident who said that that as last year's chair, Cllr Bill Leech, had not signed the minutes of the 2008 meeting, the 2010 meeting could not begin. There was also confusion over who should chair next year's meeting.

Those assembled then heard presentations from guest speaker Ioan Morgan, principal of Warwickshire College, Henley High Bailiff Roger Sutton, Peter Crathorne. Chairman of Henley Town Improvement Committee, Cllr Les Goodman chair of the Henley and Beaudesert Joint Parish Council.

The meeting descended into disorder during the report by Henley's county council representative, Mike Perry's (Cons). He was interrupted by a resident raising points of order, the first complaining that the report sounded like a party political broadcast and the second, challenging Cllr Perry's naming of one of the candidates standing in the by-election to be held on 6th May to replace retiring Stratford district councillor Laurence Marshall. However, Cllr Perry was allowed to continue.

The open forum proved as contentious as expected as members of the Reform Association, which says it aims to restore democracy to Henley, proposed that a town poll be held on the question: "Do you agree that confidence has been lost in the leadership and management of the Beaudesert and Henley Joint Parish Council and that all existing councillors should resign immediately and that there should be an election for a new parish council as soon as possible?"

John Latham, a Beaudesert resident of 40 years, had barely begun to speak in favour of the poll before a vocal portion of the Beaudesert electorate began shouting for him to "get off".

Henley resident Peter Crathorne, making the same proposition, endured similar jeers and shouts of "rubbish".

Ten electors are needed to call a town poll and its results are not binding on the council. Cllr Goodman questioned if people wanted to spend £3,000 on a poll that would have no effect but Mr Latham argued it would cost £2,000 and that was the price of democracy. Thirteen residents stood to show their support for a poll in Henley but just six stood for one in Beaudesert.

After the meeting one resident, who did not wish to be named, told the Herald: "I was scared to speak in the end. It was intimidating. 

A lot of people left because they were fed up with the shouting. I was quite disgusted with it. Nobody gave anybody a chance to speak.

None of the issues were really brought up, because of the heckling.

"Voices weren't heard last night, it wasn't a discussion really. To be quite honest I thought they were quite a frightening crowd."

Report by Rebekah Smith - Stratford Herald - Thursday 22nd April 2010   

Blackmail and bullying allegations mark new Henley council furore

ACCUSATIONS of bullying and blackmail abounded after Monday's meeting of Beaudesert and Henley Joint Parish Council where a contentious decision to withhold payment to the town improvement committee (TIC) was made because its chairman had signed a letter stating his loss of confidence in the parish council.

Complaints to the district council's monitoring officer are set to follow after the latest in the ongoing Henley saga. The trouble began on Monday when council chairman Les Goodman updated councillors on the request made by Cllr Bill Leech for a parish poll on the issue that confidence has been lost in the leadership and management of the parish council and that all existing councillors should resign immediately and that there should be an election for a new parish council as soon as possible.

Subsequently some 46 residents wrote to Stratford District Council to express their dissatisfaction with the management of the council.

Cllr Goodman said: "I and the clerk have personally seen each individual letter that was sent. I also have a list of names of the people requesting that parish poll and I think that it's absolutely wonderful that one of the councillors here tonight wants a parish poll to get rid of himself. I shall ensure that all councillors have a list of these names.

"A chairman and a member of the committee of the TIC are on that list and considering that the TIC has received in excess of £40,000 over the years I would ask you as councillors whether you wish to continue to support that organisation."

This announcement was met with gasps from the assembled public and a number of those in attendance, as well as two councillors, later said that they intended to complain to the district council's monitoring officer as they  feel distributing a list of names amounts to intimidating and bullying behaviour.

Clerk to the parish council Jenny Walsh said that she was advised by the democratic services manager at the district council that letters requesting an election, including by parish poll, are in the public domain and can be viewed by anyone who requests to see them.

The chairman of the TIC, officially known as the Henley War Memorial Trust, Peter Crathorne, said after the meeting: "The TIC didn't write a letter. It was in my personal capacity as an elector in the parish of Henley. The TIC have nothing whatsoever to do with the matter and couldn't under the terms of the trust."

A second shockwave hit when Cllr George Matheou, a trustee of the TIC, spoke in response to Cllr Goodman: "First of all I'm trying to recover from what you have just said. It comes as a shock to me. My first reaction is I must have a chat with the chairman of the TIC. I had no idea what was happening. I'm going to ask the parish council to withhold the £3,000 we have signed today."

At this point TIC chairman Mr Crathorne left the hall in apparent disgust, although he later said he had another meeting to go to. He said: "I was cross. He's supposed to be one of our trustees and knows the situation relating to the finances. I did feel that it was unreasonable to deal with it quite in that way."

The TIC is the charity which manages the memorial hall and the memorial playing fields, used by seven sports clubs including cricket, football and tennis and the Scouts. The parish council has given annual grants to the TIC for about 40 years to ensure the sporting and cultural heritage of the town is maintained. The trust receives £18-20,000 a year and the council's grant makes up a significant £6,000 of this.

Cllr Goodman agreed to withhold the cheque until the matter was discussed at the next parish council meeting on Monday 26th April.

The draft minutes of the meeting will state that Cllr Matheou proposed that in the light of information brought to the meeting by the chairman regarding the TIC, consideration should be given to deferring payment of the first instalment of £3,000 to the TIC pending the matter being brought before the council at its next meeting on 26^th April. The minutes will state the proposal was seconded by Cllr Hubbocks and there were no objections noted by councillors.

However, there was confusion among councillors as a couple of them could not recall a vote taking place and accused the chairman of making an unlawful decision in that he has no right to make decisions as an individual. Besides, even if a vote had taken place it took place within a section of the agenda for exchange of information only.

John Garner, treasurer of the TIC, said of Cllr Matheou's proposal: "It means we won't be able to pay the water rates. He's trying to blackmail us because we feel unhappy with the way the parish council is operating recently. He should know better."

The matter will no doubt be raised at the annual assembly next Monday at 7.30pm in the Baptist Church hall, when there will be a call for a town poll proposing the resignation of all current councillors and a new election.

Report by Rebekah Smith - Stratford Herald - Thursday 15th April 2010   

Veteran George beaten by just eight votes

VETERAN Henley councillor George Atkinson failed to regain a seat on Beaudesert and Henley Joint Parish Council after losing out by just eight votes to a resident of the town standing for the first time.

Cllr Atkinson (Cons), who has represented Henley at Warwickshire County Council in the past, currently represents Tanworth on Stratford District Council, where he is also portfolio holder for planning.

The Wootton Wawen resident was beaten by 99 votes to 91 in a contest against Henley resident of 34 years Sue Osborne, recommended by rebel councillor Bill Leech, at the by-election last Thursday 8th April.

The by-election took place amid the ongoing row reported above and caused controversy in itself on the grounds that it would cost the taxpayer £1,500. But supporters argued this was a small price to pay for local democracy and preferable to having someone 'appointed' to the council.

Businesswoman Cllr Osborne took up her post with the council after signing the Declaration of Office at Monday's parish council meeting when she also received an official welcome from the council and a round of applause from the public. One resident said: "Nobody expected her to do it but everybody's very pleased."

Cllr Osborne, an Independent, said she was elated to have won: "I never imagined I would. The council were all terribly welcoming and incredibly helpful. I don't know what I've let myself in for yet."

She thanked her supporters and said: "This is the first time in my life that I really wish that voting is not secret; nothing would give me more pleasure than finding everyone who voted for me, shaking you by the hand, and thanking you personally. As it is, I will just have to write a heartfelt thank you to one and all. And to those who gave me encouragement on their way out of the polling station, you really cannot have any idea how much that meant. It buoyed me up for hours in a very long day.

"I would also like to thank all those who helped me in so many ways to plan and achieve my election victory on 8th April. I will do everything I can to live up to your expectations."

A second by-election will take place on Thursday 27th May to replace Sheila Dalman, who resigned after the parish council meeting on 15th March saying she could not work with Cllr Leech who, she said, v/as working to the detriment of the council.

Stratford Herald - Thursday 15th April 2010   

Henley voters go to the polls in parish by-election

A PARISH council by-election is taking place in Henley today (Thursday) in the thick of an ongoing row between one member of the council and a number of other councillors.

Even the fact that a by-election is happening has triggered an argument, on the grounds that a contest will cost the tax payers £1,500. But the by-election's supporters maintain that this is better than having someone "appointed" to the council and that, in any case, it's a small price to pay for local democracy. The seat has become vacant because of the retirement of one of the five councillors who represent Beaudesert on Beaudesert and Henley Joint Parish Council. (The other seven seats on the council represent the town of Henley itself - one of them is now vacant, which means that there'll be another by-election on 27^th May.)

Local resident Sue Osborne, a businesswoman who's lived in Henley for 34 years, was the first to declare her candidacy (on the recommendation of rebel councillor Bill Leech, who was recently asked to resign from the council—a request he has signally refused to obey!). But Mrs Osborne faces a fight for the seat against former county councillor and current Stratford district Conservative councillor George Atkinson, who is also the district council's portfolio holder for planning.

There are some murmurings about the fact that Cllr Atkinson lives in neighbouring Wootton Wawen rather than Henley and represents Tanworth, rather than Henley, on the district council. However, Cllr Atkinson used to live in Henley and indeed, represented the town when he was a county councillor. He is also a former member of the parish council.

Yesterday (Wednesday) Cllr Atkinson told the Herald he wanted to rejoin the parish council because he was still involved with the council's employment and business committee. "There are a number of things we want to progress and this can be done more efficiently and effectively if I return and become a substantive member of the parish council," he said.

Henley has lost more than 500 jobs in recent times and Cllr Atkinson said he wanted to be part of the effort to revitalise some of the employment opportunities in the area.

But why does Mrs Osborne want the seat? She told the Herald'. "I've always been interested in the efficient and cost-effective running of any organisation, and have personal experience of running a home and family, a successful business, and a charity.

"I've made some critical comments about the parish, council in the past, and feel that it's not right to criticise unless you are prepared to offer your experience and skills.

"The offer may not be accepted, but that is for the electorate to decide. Several people have asked me if I can make any difference. That's an almost impossible question to answer, but I will never know until I am able to try. If I am elected I will certainly try."


Report by Preston Witts - Stratford Herald - Thursday 8th April 2010