Alison Halford, Councillor

Members of Hawarden Community Council were summonsed to attend the 11th February meeting at the institute. Not sure why we are “summonsed” but the turn out was good. First up was further discussion over the long standing battle between the Chief Constable and Council members to make our chief constable more respectful towards those elected to represent the people. He does not answer letters from our Clerk and in desperation, the Chair of the Former North Wales Police Authority was asked to help. Another rebuff. This Bod no longer has any jurisdiction and why not try a new Crime Commissioner. It’s incredible that a chief constable can just ignore letters. Sadly, as the most senior law enforcer in the region, there was surprise when he pulled out of a prestigious prize giving event in January at short notice for no apparent reason. Those who pay police wages are entitled to both a response to a letter and if an invitation is accepted, then a presence is required or a good reason for the call off should be given. The Chief is clearly pleasing the new Police Commissioner. A member of the now defunct Police Authority learnt that Police Commissioner has …..

Since the 3rd May election, the transition from the Coalition to a Labour led administration has been smooth with Messrs Shotton & Attridge moving into Cabinet mode. They got the majority needed to govern after Tony Sharps abandoned his former albatross Leader and formed an alliance with Labour to put Aaron into the all powerful top slot. No matter! Arnold Woolley came to power when the rightful leader in waiting, Patrick Heesom was denied the job, (Blogs passim) Cllr Woolley still hung on to the leadership role in the most dubious circumstances as have been described (ad nauseous) before. Time for a welcome change! Regular readers will know that Patrick was tossed into the waiting arms of the Ombudsman on a bullying allegation. It will be known that despite the still rising legal bill of over £3million, in an enquiry that started in March 2009, Patrick’s tribunal has still not finished! Its scheduled to resume in September 2012, some three years on. Justice delayed is justice denied will not dent our Teflon Ombudsman Peter Tyndall. Patrick’s Adjudication Panel seem unable to grasp that Patrick’s tribunal should now be stopped once and for all now that a High Court decision was …..

Dear Ms Cole, You chaired the Adjudication Panel in March and May 2010 that found me guilty of breaking Codes of Conduct and your fellow panel members are now serving on the Cllr Armstrong Braun panel. I would be very surprised if you had not been told that the evidence given at my tribunal by Cllr Woolley was false and that I have reported Cllr Woolley to North Wales Police for perjury. In October 2010, I unearthed evidence that totally undermined an entry made by Cllr Woolley in his handwritten journal in which he wrote that I had accused Cllr Heesom of bullying behaviour. Heesom’s behaviour was at the heart of the case against me. After being recalled three times by Cllr Patrick Heesom’s legal team, I was present on 15th September 2011 at the Heesom Adjudication Panel when Cllr Woolley admitted that the event he had recorded that seriously incriminated me when he stated that I had accused Heesom of being a bully could not have happened and that he had been wrong to write as he did. I had always stated that the journal was false and it comprised the main weight of evidence against me. My lawyers …..

The Corporate Resources Meeting was more interesting that I had expected and the Chief Executive played a major part in taking members through the complexities of the forthcoming budget proposals. As I had expected, I did not learn much more about the Early Retirement issue that was up for discussion. Both the elected chair for the meeting and another member closed any debate down, an action I accepted as the press was present. The press is frequently used to get a story out that a member wishes to have published in a round about way, but obviously my story and my concerns of a certain early retirement did not press the right buttons on this occasion. I was chuffed when the Head of Human Resources credited me with pressing officers to bring the costs etc. of early retirements to members’ regular attention. Head of HR graciously agreed that this policy had fallen by the way side and my doggedness had put it back on the agenda once more. I was happy to praise officers in return as I thought our Chief Executive, Colin Everett had displayed a masterful command of the budget brief. He answered detailed and complex questions without …..

The last site visit scheduled for 9th January Planning bus was in Magazine Lane, Ewloe and the matter would be decided by members on Wednesday 11th. It was a mean little site tight against the A55 with its constant roar of traffic, deep in mud in which wallowed 5 inquisitive ponies I felt sorry for the livestock and their conditions and I would have felt even unhappier for young children to live in such conditions particularly when a properly laid out site was available down the hill. A break before the start of the 1300 Planning committee allowed me to pop out and explain procedure to the people who were speaking against the proposal for the residents. I then met the applicant’s agent & my breath was taken away with his gratuitous rudeness to me and to Planning Officers. Yes, he would want three minutes to speak to the first part of the application and yes, he would then want a further three minutes to tell us how we had got it all wrong if we dared refuse the first application. He then threatened all in hearing with how he would take the Authority to the cleaner’s with massive costs. …..

Progress into my complaint of perjury and malfeasance in public office against the Leader FCC. Submitted 21st September 2011. Dear Detective Superintendent, Over a month has elapsed and I have heard nothing from you regarding the serious complaint I lodged with your Chief Constable on 21st September 2011. I have an email from the Heesom Tribunal Clerk, Stephen Phipps, which confirms that the Heesom Tribunal will not release the Woolley transcripts until the case tribunal has finished its deliberations. The reasons given are that the Panel has not made up its mind over the evidence given to this tribunal by Cllr Woolley and the Panel will not allow any risk to the Heesom tribunal. I told Mr Phipps that the Panel is therefore refusing to assist me clear my name. He told me that he could not comment. The Tribunal is a civil arrangement. Its procedures are deeply flawed and no protection is offered as is the case with a criminal hearing. Perjury is an extremely grave offence that carries a seven year penalty on indictment. I cannot believe that no investigation will take place until the tribunal terminates which could take until the next council elections in May, 2012. …..

On 18th May the Ombudsman’s circus rolls into Northop again for another 2 day performance at my and the publics’ expense.  Leading the charge yet again against me is the deliciously reptilian barrister that takes instruction from the Ombudsman. He has had some celebrated clients including more recently, Mrs Shoesmith of the Baby case (he lost that one) and ex mayor Ken  Livingstone, who was found guilt of insulting a journalist by an Adjudication panel some years ago.  Mr Child overturned this case by arguing that when Ken was being racist to the journalist, he was not on council business and therefore, had not broken any code of councillor conduct When I consulted E Rex Makin and I was assigned Tom Harrison, months ago; within hours a letter was winging its way to the Ombudsman claiming the same situation e.g., when I volunteered a statement to support Patrick Heesom who stood accused of bullying the Director of Community Services in February 2009, I was not acting in a councillor role.  How smart I thought and foolishly believed the matter would end. Whether the rules have changed or it’s different in Wales, I know not but Mr Child firmly rejected my …..

I’ve been rather preoccupied since 15th June 2009, when I received a bombshell letter from the Head of Investigations, a member of the Wales Public Service Ombudsman. I learnt that the Ombudsman considered that I had been contradictory and there was “prime face evidence that I have or may have broken two of the council’s codes of conduct”. An investigation would be carried out. On 3rd June, I had volunteered a statement to offer support to a very knowledgeable and experienced Cllr who had been accused also of breaking council codes over how he had conducted himself at a Head of Housing Selection panel last February. As I had been a panel member, I did not think he had broken any code. Knowing the misery, stress and loneliness of being accused of breaking rules in a former life, I knew it was my duty to stand up and tell it how it was! Big mistake! I then was caught up in the Ombudsman’s web and soon discovered that his office gives him immense and really frightening powers. A councillor “must comply with any request of the Ombudsman or the Monitoring Officer in connection with an investigation Code 6.2.” “Any request” …..