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2 April 2023
New Clerk
Hughenden Parish Council appointed a new permanent Clerk at its Extraordinary meeting on 21 March. Her name is Alice Razmilic – Fisher.
Welcome Alice.
3 April Extraordinary Council meeting
Tomorrow, 3 April, I believe an Extraordinary Meeting of Hughenden Parish Council will decide whether to censure/sanction me under Bucks Council’s procedures for breaches of HPC’s Code of Conduct.
I have reproduced an e-mail below that I sent to the Council last Monday about the Extraordinary Meeting. As you can see, I haven’t looked at the papers and I won’t be going.
I assume the meeting is open to the public. If you want to go, the agenda is on HPC’s website. I wish you an interesting meeting.
I am taking a break over Easter. Depending on what the Council decide, that may be a very long break from much of the work of the Council.
So, a very happy Easter holiday.
E-mail to Council on 27 March 2023
Dear All
1. I assume that on 3 April 2023 Council will be considering Bucks Council’s recommendations to HPC about three complaints made against me of breaches of HPC’s Code of Practice. I have consistently denied I have breached the Code.
2. I say ‘assume’ because, in December 2022, I decided to disengage from the process. One of the continuing symptoms of the stress the process caused me is to feel physically sick when expected to read anything from the officials involved. In order to manage that stress, I have simply not read anything they have sent me. I will continue not to do so.
3. I will not therefore be responding in writing to whatever Bucks Council has recommended. Nor, for the same reason, will I be responding at the Council meeting on 3 April or even attending. I understand I have the right to attend and indeed, as I have only a personal and not a financial interest, I could, according to HPC’s same Code of Conduct, participate in the discussion and vote.
4. However, I am choosing not to attend and am giving my apologies.
5. All I would point out is that paragraph 10 of HPC’s Code of Conduct says:-
“Exercising Independent Judgement
As a councillor: I exercise my own independent judgement, taking decisions for good and substantial reasons.
When making decisions you are expected to act in the public interest and as part of this to attach appropriate weight to all relevant considerations including, where appropriate, public opinion and the views of political groups.
Good and substantial reasons will include paying due regard to the advice of officers, and in particular to the advice of the statutory officers, namely the Head of Paid Service, the Section 151 Officer and the Monitoring Officer.” 6. Councillors will have before them the recommendations of BC’s Committee on Standards which is based on the advice of the Monitoring Officer.
7. Councillors can gauge public opinion for themselves.
8. I would however suggest the following are also relevant considerations: -
a) My account of the events relating to three alleged breaches of HPC’s Code of Conduct (and others) in the seven blogs on my blogsite beginning with the one for 19 January 2022 at Seven complaints against me under HPC’s Code of Conduct (lindaderrick.com)
b) Councillors own experience of HPC when the alleged breaches took place i.e. from May 2021 to February 2022. Mr Nichols, Ms Woof, and Ms Hogan, the three complainants, were the Chair, Clerk, and deputy Clerk respectively of HPC when they complained.
There are four councillors currently on HPC who had direct experience of HPC in 2021- Cllr Armshaw, Cllr Main, myself and Cllr Kearey.
(i) Cllr Armshaw, resigned as HPC’s deputy Clerk in March 2021. She spoke publicly at the Council meeting in October 2021 about the Council' culture and behaviour, including its behaviour to me.
Mrs Armshaw said a resolution on the agenda proposed improper procedures and attempted to gag and publicly demonise me. She said the Council had no lawful authority to prevent me from sharing information concerning matters of public interest.
Mrs Armshaw said the Council had a culture of secrecy and of withholding information which was contrary to the principle of openness. There was nothing wrong with challenge and scrutiny unless you had something to hide.
Her experience of Hughenden Parish Council was of a misogynistic culture characterised by incompetence, unacceptable behaviour, lack of corporate governance, and failure to plan and get things done.
She added that, if councillors supported the resolution, then they voted for the same groupthink which had created this culture of failure. Councillors needed to make independent decisions based on the principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness and honesty.
Mrs Armshaw then called on the Chairman and Vice Chairman of HPC to resign. Her call for these resignations was applauded by many at the meeting.
(ii) Cllr Main decided not to stand as a councillor in April 2021, explaining why as follows.
“ The council faces a number of challenges at this time, and I don’t feel my skills, experience and values are compatible in the current circumstances.
The lack of openness on key council decisions is not acceptable in my opinion, and is not conducive to operating successfully. To be met with fierce resistance when I requested a recorded vote, was astounding and goes against every ethic contained within public service and transparency. This kind of battle should not be required to achieve such a basic level of good practice.
During my short time involved with the council, I’ve been saddened by some of my experiences, and the behaviour and culture of the organisation. For an employee to resign after highlighting her plight, is a clear indication that basic employment protections and practices are not in place. The lack of discussion and action following reflects on the core values of the council and definitely contributed to my decision. I don’t feel encouraged to be part of an organisation that lacks this fundamental respect for its employees. I’m also a firm believer in collaboration and the strength in diversity, so it was evident to me that these are not present in the day to day working of the council.
When I joined the council, I felt energised and excited at the possibilities of working within my own community, and yet very quickly my attempts to push projects forward, ask questions, learn and do, were heavily weighed down by excuses, defence, protection, obstacle, issue, challenge and an unwillingness to share documentation. In my 25 year career spanning the private sector, banking, education, central government advisory, and the charitable sector, I’m very used to leading and delivering high value projects, so it’s disappointing to face this environment.
(iii) Cllr Armshaw and Cllr Main accurately describe my experience of the behaviour and culture of the Council I joined in May 2021 and which I endured during the following 9 months.
(iv) Cllr Kearey was a councillor before and during the time Cllr Armshaw resigned and before and during the time Cllr Main decided not to stand. He continues to be a councillor. As far as I am aware, he has not expressed any view in public about the Council’s behaviour and its culture before it became inquorate in February 2022.
c) Councillors direct experience of my behaviour, including my response to councillors when they have been less than respectful to me.
8. I hope that that voting on the matter is recorded.
9. I will consider any changes I might make to my work for the Council after the 3 April meeting.
Kind Regards
Linda
Councillor for Widmer End
Hughenden Parish Council