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7 April 2024
It’s been a year since I was sanctioned. So, I wrote to Mr Graham, Bucks Council’s deputy Monitoring Officer, last Wednesday. My e-mail is below. (I didn't know at the time, but I now understand that Mr, Graham has left Bucks Council). I thought he might like to wish me a Happy Anniversary.
Co-incidentally, BC’s Standards and General Purposes Committee was due to meet last Thursday and was to discuss my case. The Bucks Free Press let me know about this meeting and asked for my comments. A BFP article is on-line at Councillor ‘excluded’ from offices after ‘bullying’ staff | Bucks Free Press.
I have commented in the BFP’s comments section. I pointed out that Bucks Council recommended a sanction to ban me from the Council’s premises which is:
a) possibly unlawful (according to the Committee on Standards of Public Life);
b) a “creative approach” (according to the House of Commons Library) and
c) extremely rare (according to the Government).
I asked why Bucks Council recommended a sanction for me which is possibly unlawful, “creative” and extremely rare?
“Dear Mr. Graham
It is now just over a year since Hughenden Parish Council sanctioned me. I thought you might like to wish me a Happy Anniversary.
On 3 April 2023, HPC excluded me from attending any premises of the Parish Council (except to attend formal meetings) until I had attended specified training to be arranged by the Council. I was informed by the then Clerk that the training would be arranged “as soon as reasonably practicable”.
Unfortunately, none of this training has been arranged, despite my repeatedly requesting it over the past year. (Cllr Jones, the current Chair, has repeatedly alleged that I declined to attend some of this training but this is simply untrue).
I have repeatedly told HPC’s current Locum Clerk, Mr. Truppin, that I would like the training. I have been telling him this for the past 6 months. He has repeatedly assured me that he was working on it.
When I asked yet again last month, Mr. Truppin said yet again that he was pursuing the matter but he “did have many other priorities.”
I have offered to arrange the training myself but apparently it has to be arranged by the Council.
So, after 12 months of waiting, I have to conclude that:
a) either the specified training does not exist; and/or
b) HPC has decided not to arrange the training.
I am therefore excluded from the Council offices until I have attended the training - but Council is unable or unwilling to arrange the training.
It does make this sanction both ridiculous and blatantly unfair. And HPC’s failure to arrange the training seems well .. rather petty.
You wrote in February to Mr. Truppin about these sanctions in terms which I described at the time as unpleasant and unprofessional. You said, amongst other things, that councillors had legal duties under Section 27 of the Localism Act to promote and maintain high standards. This is not correct; as far as I could see, the legal duties are put on councils, not councillors.
You said I was undermining the ethical framework of Section 27 by failing to discharge a sanction imposed on me. I should remind you that I am under no legal duty to comply with the sanctions. Nevertheless, I have made it clear repeatedly that I would be delighted to attend the training. I have been waiting patiently for 12 months for HPC to arrange the training but I now have to conclude the Council has decided not to do so.
I have to say I was surprised that a statutory ethical framework can be undermined by one insignificant councillor (me) on a small parish council like HPC. But if you think my actions have had such a powerful impact, perhaps my case should have national exposure. I would welcome that.
I also have to say that if only as much time and thought was given to running the business of the council as has been given to these ridiculous and unfair sanctions, HPC might now be some way towards sorting itself out. Instead, it remains dysfunctional, exhibits unacceptable behaviour towards me and to others, is breaking nearly every rule in its Financial Regulations, has virtually no internal controls, and is wasting thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money.
Details are, as normal, on my blogsite at Scrutiny of those in power in Bucks | A View from the Left in Bucks (lindaderrick.com).
I have offered to do more to help the Council on many occasions. I am one of the most experienced and competent councillors they have. During my 20 years as a senior civil servant, I have managed thousands of staff and budgets of hundreds of millions of pounds. Anyone with an ounce of common sense, would bite my hand off.
Several other experienced and competent female councillors, who have been treated like I have, have resigned.
However, I am not going. There is only a year to go to the next elections. I can manage that. Who knows what will happen then?
I am content to go to the six remaining Council meetings and spend the rest of my valuable time on other things. It is a loss to the Council and, more importantly, my constituents. But there it is.
Kind Regards
Linda Derrick
Councillor for Widmer End
Hughenden Parish Council”