END OF A DARK ERA – COUNCILLOR CHRIS KANE IS GONE!
Chris Kane submitted a resignation letter, which was read at the Full STC meeting on April 9th, 2025. In his place, Vice Chair Paul Harford led the proceedings, and I must admit: under his leadership, the meeting proceeded in a much better atmosphere than those led by his disgraced predecessor. It really felt like a start of new chapter in Shirebrook history.
Of course, this doesn’t change my opinion about STC—this body has lost public support and trust, with the number of scandals crying out for justice. Attendance is abysmal (I think there were 10 or 11 out of 16 councillors today), and achievements are negligible. In one sentence—we need a change. I fear that change at the top will likely be merely cosmetic. Evidence of this appeared just moments later during the discussion I initiated regarding the pellet supply scandal.
IS IT A POLITICAL CHANGE IF POLICY STAYS THE SAME???
Paul Harford, like Chris Kane, maintains that hiding the truth from residents about the suspicious rise of pellet usage after signing “new and improved” deal in 2015 is no cause for concern. I disagree with this stance. The pellet heating cost issue is ongoing and should be solved ASAP. Yet, despite the leadership change, STC still refuses to execute FOI Act request from April 2022.
I used the word ‘refuses,’ but what happened at today’s STC meeting suggests I might need to reconsider using that word. Yes- I have more good news for you, dear reader. About that—in the next chapters.
As I wrote in my 2025 opening article: we will have a by-election, and I was right. That is the first good news. Second good news is that this election will be held for a Chris Kane seat in a ward Shirebrook North. Let me write this one more time: Cllr Chris Kane is gone—birds sing louder today, fluffy bunnies jump all around, children laugh with joy, and a rainbow is in my soul. But that’s not all. I have more good news for you today.
THIRD GOOD NEWS
I finally managed to ask about the pellet scandal. Initially, I heard the standard response – the police “found nothing.” Why? Because the policeman leading the enquiry asked about facts people at the Leisure Centre- without looking at any documents. Some people at the Leisure Centre must be interested in sweeping this matter under the rug, so it’s not a surprise that they told him a lie: “increased cost was due to the Vaccination Centre”. I keep saying that there was no vaccination centre in 2020, 2019, 2018 and so on… Numbers just don’t add up!
The Town Clerk stated that the police checked the seals, but the officer I spoke with told me he DIDN’T CONFIRM if those seals corresponded with the seal numbers in the documentation. Seals could be fine, but are those seals the same as seals listed in documents? I remember him telling me explicitly that he didn’t do it “because he’s not an expert.”
Just like Chris Kane, Paul Harford maintains that they spent over £650 and doesn’t intend to investigate further. Then Paul Harford repeated the lie that I have “all information.” Why should I describe what happened after that when I can present the audio recording (transcript below the recording- my notes and comments in brackets):
Sylwester Zwierzynski (SZ): I can’t understand why you hiding documents from two years. (2013-2015, and of course, I have some understanding of why they are doing it.)
Town Clerk (TC): There is nothing hidden, Sylwester. At all.
SZ: So why I can’t receive those invoices and contacts?
TC: Because we don’t have them. We don’t have them to hand.
SZ: You don’t have a contract? (for pellet deliveries- of course they have it)
TC: Excuse me. We don’t have them to hand them without spending the further time on that.
SZ: I will pay for that. I am ready to pay.
TC: But who’s going to do that post, Sylwester?
SZ: You have three people in your council. Someone has to want to work overtime. I am ready to pay that. I’ll pay money from my vacation fund. And I will pay you to find those documents. And you can’t tell us you don’t do that, because I’m working class block and I’m ready to sacrifice my own personal money to find those invoices.
(Paul Harford (PH) trying to interrupt)
SZ: Paul, you are a new chairman. You probably will be new chairman. You have a chance to change that (tendency to hide facts by STC). Chris Kane (previous Chair of STC) block that for years (release of documents).
PH: You have all those information. You have everything all these years. (NO – I’M NOT!!! How many times I have to repeat that?)
SZ: I don’t have invoices.
PH: You have enough. (enough? Without contracts and invoices for years 2013-2015 I have fracture of information- not all “enough” for AI to analyse it) It’s a full council. So that resolution stands (blocking FOI documents release- transparency much?).
PH: If you want to get somebody out about and come and look for that. Bring him in. You can come anywhere. We don’t hide nothing.
SZ: I can bring my own auditor? You will allow audit inside the Shirebrook Town Council?
PH: You can come and look at any paper we’ve got.
SZ: Okay, that’s good. Thank you.
I DID NOT EXPECT THAT!
Paul Harford did something that Chris Kane had been blocking since I discovered the irregularities—he agreed to let me look into documents. I quote: “You can come and look at any paper we’ve got.” I’ll do something better—I’ll bring in a professional auditor.
I’ll reach out to my contacts at Creswell to find out if the auditor who conducted the audit at Elmton and Creswell can do the same job in Shirebrook. If I have to, I’ll break my piggy bank and I’ll use “vacation fund” to ensure a thorough, independent audit of the pellet supply contracts and their usage between 2013 and 2025.
Paul Harford’s statement is another piece of good news. For me, this is a huge personal success. It is also opportunity for taxpayer to cut the cost- pellet heating is just too expensive and was installed just to satisfy “green revolution” dogma of lefties in Labour Party. The truth will finally come to light. My suspicions will prove justified and become fundament for the next council to seek a new contract and heating system. Cheaper for taxpayers. Without this “green revolution” crap that the working class have to pay so rich people can get richer…
Guess what- that’s not the end of the good news.
FOURTH GOOD NEWS… KINDA
I have mixed feelings about this one. One of the councillors has fallen so seriously ill that he “can’t even lift a pen.” STC received a letter written by his brother, in which the councillor authorised his brother to notify STC that he was resigning his mandate.
Why do I have mixed feelings about this? On one hand, this councillor is implicated in the Tree Felling Scandal and, in my opinion, should have resigned long ago. On the other hand, it’s not him who confirmed his intention to step down. For me, this feels… weird.
The room was divided on this issue. The Town Clerk confirmed that she had contacted BDC to seek an opinion. BDC replied that STC must decide whether to accept the validity of this letter. In the vote, it was decided to accept the resignation.
So, another piece of good news: John Lewis has “stepped down” from his position, opening a second by-election. This time in Shirebrook South.
FIFTH GOOD NEWS
Some time ago, controversy arose over the fact that money from the developer of new houses in Shirebrook allegedly could be returned to the developer. We have to thank SOS for rising awareness about this issue. This money (over half a million pounds) had been sitting in BDC’s account for a very long time. It was explained that the money was taken over by DCC to spend in Shirebrook on road improvements. Good news- maybe they will fix potholes on Stinting Lane?
SIXTH GOOD NEWS
The infamous Chris Kane had long blocked the arrangement of an informal STC meeting with residents, where residents could ask questions without a time limit. This type of meeting could clear up many of residents’ controversies and issues with STC. A resolution was passed to organise such a meeting.
It was so simple; all it took was a few seconds, and… no Chris Kane in the room. You see, he is gone for a few minutes, and Shirebrook is a little bit better already !
SEVENTH GOOD NEWS
Steve Fritchley was – as usual – absent. That is great news. After we got rid of Chris Kane, he is next on the list to be forced out or voted out. He will be a much more formidable opponent. This man is intelligent, calculating and cynical. His rare appearances at STC meetings—only once every few months—makes it harder to pressure him to resign. But you know me – I’ll try.
LAST GOOD NEWS
Right after writing the draft of this article, I’m sending an email to the Electoral Team at BDC asking for instructions on initiating the by-election procedure. When you read these words, the ball is already rolling. (EDIT- I got reply from BDC before I publish this article). This is effect:
At present, we have one vacant seat in both wards. There is no doubt that STC would prefer to avoid elections. I prefer to avoid it, too. Two by-elections will cost us around 10,000 pounds. Unfortunately, there is no other way to introduce opposition councillors to STC.
It seems to me that SOS has the greatest chance of success, and in my opinion, the opposition in the form of main-street parties should step aside so as not to split the vote. However, I am a realist: I can expect that there will be candidates from Labour, Conservatives and Reform. The Labour Party still has some support in Shirebrook, and it will be challenging for a divided opposition to win even one seat. In the last 10 years, only one person has managed to do so – yours truly, the author of this post.
SO FAR, SO GOOD
I mentioned in the first article of this year that 2025 would be a year of hope. Today’s STC meeting has confirmed my belief that positive change is coming. I believe Paul Harford will be Labour Part candidate for seat of STC Chairman and since Labour holds 100% of STC seats- election will be uncontested.
It is an enormous opportunity to change how STC operates. I hope new the Chair will use that opportunity to make STC more transparent and active. I hope he will force the councillors of his party to increase their activity and attendance: just sitting in a chair is not enough. Stubbornness and lack of transparency serve no one. I hope new Chair will be different than Chris Kane. I saw a glance of that difference today in Paul Harford. That’s why I’m hopeful.
I see a light at the end of the tunnel, and I greatly hope that this light is not an oncoming train…
Sylwester Zwierzynski
info@shirebrook247.com
Lead picture made with Midjourney
