“Secret” audit meeting of Shirebrook Town Council
In a previous post, I wrote that there wasn’t an STC full council meeting for 6 months. I was wrong (it was 5 months). Although the town council website didn’t inform about that, and the town clerk ignored my e-mail with a question when the next meeting will be conducted- there was one meeting in July. Kinda secret meeting. Why secret? Let me explain…
On 15th of July, at 3:01 AM I wrote e-mail to Town Clerk.
“Dear Madame!
Following advice of Bolsover District Council Monitoring Officer Sarah Sternberg I’m writing to you to make sure that Shirebrook Town Council recognized and accepted that Cllr G. Wardle and Cllr R.Wardle vacated their seats at Council. I was assured that District’s Elections Team advised Town Clerk to declare a vacancy on next Council Meeting. I would like to know if that will be added to the agenda of the next meeting. I would also like to know when the next meeting is scheduled. I know that few councils have remote meetings- was it considered for Shirebrook?
Kind regards
Sylwester Zwierzynski”
On the very same day, 16 hours later, at 7 PM Council met. Since Town Clerk didn’t reply on my email- I didn’t know about it. There was no information in News section of Town website about the meeting. Even though I very carefully observe Town website: I didn’t notice this meeting until one of my friends read the previous post of S247 at Friday 28th of August and send me a message on Whatsapp that I made mistake.
Instantly I went on Town website and I found well-hidden calendar entry. My friend was right- there was a super important meeting in July. Audit meeting (about that later on). I immediately corrected post on S247 and then I read through Agenda. I found this:
“2020/022 DECLARATION BY LOCAL AUTHORITY OF VACANCY IN OFFICE. “
Since I was the person who noticed that the Labour Party councillors ignore their duties- I check the Bolsover District electoral website at least once per week. Until today vacancy wasn’t declared. Why? No idea… I will contact the Electoral Team at BDC Monday morning to solve this mystery but this is not even close to the reason why the Labour Party didn’t want anyone to know about the July meeting. The real reason is that:
2020/023 TO REVIEW AND APPROVE ANNUAL ACCOUNTS INFORMATION
a. INTERNAL AUDITOR REPORT
I really wanted to be at that meeting. I really wanted to hear how much deficit Shirebrook had last year. I wanted to know the details and inform my readers about it. I failed…
I admit- STC and Labour Party tricked me. First, they didn’t clearly announce the first meeting since lockdown (kinda big deal- don’t you think?). Second, they hid the fact that they met. They (Town Clerk and Councillor I’ve contacted) ignored all of my e-mails. Once again- they conducted town business without any scrutiny and oversight from media and residents.
Looks like politicians of the Labour Party treat us- residents like unnecessary or even annoying burden. As for me, they decided to just ignore me like they ignored Shirebrook Together group in past. When I’m thinking about that, I like to remind myself famous (wrongly attributed to Mahatma Gandhi) quote: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” Clearly- I’m at the first step.
If you disagree with how the Labor Party is running Shirebrook, I hope you can help me– share a link to this post on your Facebook page; tell your friends about www.shirebrooknews.com; send me an e-mail if you want to talk to me directly or if you have some ideas/questions/information; from time to time check S247 for updates and wait for an announcement about a meeting I’m planning to organise (if and when Covid allows).
If you agree with how The Labour Party is running Shirebrook please write to me at info@shirebrooknews.com and explain me how you like 12% local tax rise this year; not a single investment in town infrastructure in last 7 years; secret council meetings; budget deficit; 50 years loan to build new Town Hall; no CCTV on Market Square or anywhere else; rising crime rate; NG20 1 200 000 GBP investment “results”; disregard to decades-long pleads to build Town monument; giving away taxpayer-owned properties for free to left-leaning organisations. Are you really happy with 32% local tax rise in the last 4 years??? Please explain to me why, even though six months have passed since the council meeting in February, we still cannot read the minutes from that meeting. Please help me understand why you still think that the Labour Party works for poor and working-class because I don’t get it.
If you care about this town and you would love to see the change- you are not alone. I’m here. And I won’t give up like others before me…
Sylwester Zwierzynski info@shirebrook247.com
