TC

Marden's Missing Councillors - Updates

A letter from the Webmaster

When I started Marden Online
four years ago I promised that it
would be a community website,
with no axes to grind and with no
external influences.
This I am happy to maintain -
except there has been an event
so unbelievably wrong that is is
impossible to stay on the fence.
I refer, of course, to what a recent
correspondent has called "The		 Blackmore Affair". I have become
so angered by this flagrant
disregard for decency and honesty
in politics that I must make it
plain where I stand.
This will not affect the basic
principle that all views are
accepted here, as long as they
are legal. The Soapbox will
continue to put up all emails on
that basis - but I reserve the right

to put my own point of view.
And after we have "celebrated all
that's best about Marden" with
Festival, I shall be campaigning,
first of all to seek the resignation of Mrs Blackmore and, failing
that, for her removal by some
other, legal, means.
Watch this space - and let me
know what you think in Soapbox.
Richard Wells

We finally made
the nationals! This
headline is from
The Times on 27
August 2003.
Click on it to read
the article
2 September 2003
Since writing the above, much more has appeared in the media -in local and national press, on radio and on television.
Researchers have rung me to say that it makes such good copy
because it's so unbelievable. I wish it wasn't such a good story.
Just at a time when we are celebrating all that's best about
Marden with the Festival, some of our elected representatives
are making fools of themselves - and trying to make us look
the same. Don't let them succeed. Let me know what you think
we should do about it - email us at soapbox@marden.org.uk
and keep looking at the new comments on Soapbox
19 October 2003
Marden Parish Council, having had a private (and possibly illegal) meeting with Councillor Eric Hotson (the leader of the
Conservatives on the Borough Council) to resolve this matter, have organised an open Parish Council meeting on Tuesday 21st
October at 7.30pm in The Allens. At this meeting Mrs Blackmore will be present and there will be a public forum. It is not known
which other councillors or political representatives will attend. Watch this space.

22 October 2003
The meeting on Tuesday was, unfortunately, only attended by five members of the public (apart from the Press). The short notice
and the fact that the Parish council had singularly failed to publicise the meeting apart from its legal obligation was a contributory
factor to this. (Was the word Tory in there somewhere?) Two members of the council asked some very pertinent questions and no
satisfactory explanations were given by Mrs Blackmore. Too many of her replies started with "In hindsight ". One councillor was
trying to decide the rights and wrongs of the issue (?) and asked questions accordingly. The rest toed the party line and gave
fulsome praise for Mrs Blackmore's constituency work in absentia. The Press could hardly contain their amazement. There being no
supporters of the Bermuda-based councillor in the public forum more critical questions were asked when the meeting was opened
up - the same non-answers were given.
Mrs McGannan's welcome resignation was alluded to. When asked to elaborate on his remark that her previous resignation had
not not gone through because of a paperwork mix-up, Councillor Nelson-Gracie said he could not say how this had happened;
when pressed he said he wouldn't. However we understand that the constituency party are not happy at being allocated the
blame.

23 October 2003
We understand the by-election for Mrs McGannan's seat will be on Thursday November 27. Unfortunately the Conservative candidate (if they can find one) will only have one fellow councillor for support - but we are sure the other one will be able to canvass quite easily by email. Hopefully the other parties will, on this occasion, remember where Marden is and actually turn up. It is partly their past electoral inactivity that has allowed this sorry mess to happen. Even an election address through the door would help.

Councillor Mick Stevens, the leader of the Liberal Democrats in the Council has emailed Marden Online a link to the BBC Kent News page - the report is also included on the UK Media comment page

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This page was last updated on 23 October 2003. All information is given in good faith. No responsibility can be accepted for errors or omissions. Marden Online is copyright Richard Wells ©2003

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