The imprisonment of
the ex-leader of Thanet District Council’s is evidence of a “culture of
corruption” in Thanet, according to a local historian and journalist.
Norman Thomas,
editor of Thanet Watch magazine, says that Sandy Ezekiel, sentenced for 18
months on four charges of misconduct in public office, is not “one rotten apple
in the barrel” but the latest example of what’s been going on in the area since
the 1970s.
“In the 1982 a
leading councillor was jailed for forging money,” says Mr Thomas. “Since then Kent police have
spent years and years of man-hours investigating fraud and criminality in public
life in Thanet.
“Their efforts have
shown little result – but this isn’t because the criminality isn’t there, it’s
because of another kind of culture in the area – a culture of secrecy.
“The council is a
huge employer in the area. They give grants to groups; they help groups to get
grants. Nearly everyone or their brother or friend is directly or indirectly
beholden to them.
“People are simply
too afraid to speak out. “
Beginning this week,
Mr Thomas’s magazine Thanet Watch will be publishing a series of articles
exploring what he calls the “curse of corruption” in Thanet.
“People like Ezekiel
have had an all-pervading, destructive impact on the life of our community. The
time has come to expose this and set things right,” he said.
The new issue of
Thanet Watch is due out on Thursday 28 March.
What complete an utter garbage based purely on assumption. There is undoubtably corruption in public office and from time to time somebody gets their collar felt as a result. Be it fiddling parliamentary expenses, passing on speeding points to your wife or misconduct in a public office, it happens. What it does not mean is that everybody else in public office is corrupt as a result.
ReplyDeleteMany police investigations end without anyone being charged. It is the nature of the job for people report suspicions to be the police who then investigate to see if a crime has been commmitted. Because they do not always get a result does not mean there is a conspiracy of secrecy. It may be that the suspicions were unfounded or there is insufficient evidence to bring about a prosecution.
Quite why anyone would think that something as lowly as Thanet District Council, in the nation's pecking order, could have the clout or the nous to successfully disrupt a police investigation is beyond silly.
As for local writer, Norman Thomas, outside of his own little Thanet Watch scandal rag, where exactly has he been published. If you believe what eminates from this quarter, no one in Thanet would ever open their front door let alone go out.
Keep it up Tom but no-one is going to believe you. I would suggest that you join a political party and knock on some doors. You will soon appreciate the reality that you are in a minority or one.
ReplyDeleteBeen there, done that, Anon, though I would suspect you haven't because, if you had, you would know the response can vary door to door, street to street and district to district. Typically, in the same road in Broadstairts you could knock on one door and find a retire senior policeman who would agree this post is grabage and a bit further along, at another door, Ian Driver. How different is that.
DeleteNobody has a monopoly of support and nobody is in a minority of one. However, the Red Hall folk and their following represent a miniscule fraction of the population of Thanet.
I sincerely hope you will not knock on my door Tom. You certainly won't invited in
DeleteNobody is likely to knock on your door Driver, the contents of the dwelling would be valueless in anything other than comedy. I look forward to the day when you are rightly bounced from the office you dishonestly hold, and have the door to the council chamber slammed in your face :-)
DeleteAs for the publisher of the Thanet Watch comic, that it seems keeps Drivers pet monkey so busy, it is more than clear that it's value is no greater than that of any other comic.
Since 1982, "Kent police have spent years and years of man-hours investigating fraud and criminality in public life in Thanet", i think that proves the valuelessness of the claims made of secret corruption. 30 years of investigation, reveals 2 councillors minor crimes, both dealt with.
I LOVE that when there is proved to be no case to answer, the clowns guild of Driver, Norman Thomas and thier pet monkey then claim secrecy LOL LOL.
I can't wait to see Driver thrown out on his volumous arse, and his pet monkey and her publisher pulling out all the stops to find the "conspiracy" against him.
Keep it up, Thanet needs some good comedy, and the red hat gang seem happy yo provide it.
Ian, just to put your mind at rest, having become totally disillusioned with the political scene, I no longer knock on doors. I am, nonetheless, sorry to hear that, if I did, I would not find a welcoming brew at your place. Nothing personal, but have you not yet realised that you are part of the very system you seem to spend your life criticising.
DeleteTom I find your views incredulous. How can to preach this drivel and try any deny facts that are known to so many. No-one is saying that all Tories are bent, but you have to admit that Thanet Tories take some beating. How many scandals do you need before you accept that something is seriously wrong?
ReplyDeleteHow have the police failed to find evidence of wrong doing for 30 years then anon 20.38?
DeleteWho is denying anything, Anon, but all I am saying is that some people are now trying to scandalise the whole for the conduct of the few and, quite obviously, for political purposes. I also do not subscribe to the notion that a culture of secrecy, even if it existed, can impede a police investigation. I have worked in an environment where to talk to the security forces could result in death and yet we still solved crimes and got convictions. Perhaps TDC have hitmen waiting to slot any wayward councillor or council employee who talks to the law and, no doubt, that will be raised at the next Red Hall forum.
DeleteBackpedalling Tom, the article is about a culture of corruption at TDC over years with examples. You've said nothing to contradict that apart from harrumphing from a retired party activist. Nothing's even mentioned of the 0% salaries or £25k donation bung for Chinagate.
DeleteYou're probably not even a miniority if one as you don't even believe what you're spouting.
Whether I believe what I am spouting or not is irrelevent for no one could even understand your ranting, Anon. Time and again people have asked you to explain what you mean by 0% salaries, to no avail, and surely the £25,000 Chinagate bung, as you described it, was a donation made to Thanet Labour funds, all clearly recorded in their accounts for all to see. If you have a gripe with that try writing to Clive Hart, not bothering me.
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DeleteRichard, you have totally lost me, but I will pick up on some points. If you claim something has occurred and you wish to put that in writing, particularly where you accuse named people of crimes as you have done, it is not unreasonable for others to ask for the evidence. No one is saying you have not got proof, just where is it and, if it truly exists, why have the authorities not acted upon it. You are also guilty of making these same allegations over and over again around the blogs and one cannot help but wonder, to what purpose. As for the CO of an airfield in Yorkshire making enquiries about paramilitary training at at RM band barracks in Deal, the mind boggles. Did the noise of the shooting disturb him in his OMQ at night. You, Sir, are off with the dick birds.
DeleteYour statement about Allan Mallinson is also bizarre. I do not know him, but the fact he is not on the electoral roll in Thanet proves nothing. Indeed, if you google most of the names used around Thanet blogs or search for them in electoral rolls, you will draw a blank. Many people use psuedonyms, but it does not make their opinions less valid. Don't you also post as 'retired' or just 'Rick' sometimes? Are we supposed to be alarmed because those names are not on the roll.
If you want to blog why can't you simply follow the thread of the post instead of always bringing up illegal ranges and Deal bombings. Alternatively, as many have suggested before, start your own site where you can expound your theories to your heart's content or until someone sues you for libel.
Tom I think his only objective is to get this and the other main Thanet blogs closed down, as you say why the hell doesn’t he write his own blog instead of trying to get me embroiled in some sort of libel case.
DeleteRichard I should make this clear, this is a local press release blog, for the connivance of local people, it has no funding and is entirely run by me, I don’t have the resources to continually monitor it for potentially libellous comments, nor do I have the resources in time and money to check the authenticity of this sort of comment.
Michael this has to be the very best spell check mistake of some years.......for the connivance of local people!!!! Kappow!!
DeleteThanks for that Chris, still chuckling.
DeleteJust a thought, Isn't the comic Thanet Watch claiming to be "press", hence what is it doing trying to put out a press release (that nobody cares about)?
ReplyDeleteJust to underline the valuelessness of it's publishers daubings;
In relation to the jaling of Cllr Ezekiel - "Thorough investigations by the Police with full co-operation of TDC officers to check if there were any signs of collusion found nothing untoward."
PS Mr Card, you need some psychiatric help ;-)
John, The quote in relation to Ezekiel appears to have been made by TDC. There doesn't need to be collusion for an officer to do something 'unusual' because he/she is instructed by a Councillor. Unfortunately it happens all the time. That said, have you ever heard of TDC's planning department suddenly demanding that a building that they had failed to do anything about and had been scruffy for donkeys years, be suddenly renovated within a month. Beggars belief.
ReplyDeleteApril Thanet Watch now in newsagents and shops. Do tell us what you think of the articles - after you've read them preferably!
ReplyDeleteChristine
Wow, must rush out and get my copy only I am not sure the articles are all true. I am still trying to find those restaurants where you can touch up the teenage waitresses. I have been slung out of six so far in my search.
DeleteNo need - dull, biased and thoroughly appalling writing. You're welcome.
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