Pembrokeshire news you won't
find in the papers.
Old Grumpy
The Ombudsman has now pronounced on Cllr
John Allen-Mirehouse's complaint against me.
The good news is that he has decided that postings on this website,
which Cllr Allen-Mirehouse claimed showed contempt for the Independent
Political group and brought the office of councillor into disrepute,
did not breach the Code of Conduct.
On the basis of documents that I provided in my defence, the
Ombudsman found that my comment were "not wholly unsubstantiated"
[whatever that means].
On the second leg of Cllr Allen-Mirehouse's complaint: that by
publishing a leaked copy of a confidential National Park report
on his application for the reimbursement of £40,000 in
legal costs (Open secret),
the Ombudsman found against me.
As I am not a member of the National Park and I did not receive
these documents in my capacity as a councillor, I disagree with
this conclusion.
Unfortunately, the Ombudsman has decided no further action is
required in respect of this alleged breach which means the matter
will not be referred to the standards committee/adjudication
Panel for Wales thereby depriving me of the opportunity to contest
his findings.
Now that this matter is concluded, it is my intention to resume
my postings to this website in mid-February when I will have
more to say on the Ombudsman's findings and other recent developments.
Of
all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of
its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to
live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies.
The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity
may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our
own good will torment us without end for they do so with the
approval of their own conscience. They may be more likely to
go to Heaven yet at the same time likelier to make a Hell of
earth. This very kindness stings with intolerable insult. To
be “cured” against one’s will and cured of states
which we may not regard as disease is to be put on a level of
those who have not yet reached the age of reason or those who
never will; to be classed with infants, imbeciles, and domestic
animals. (C.S. Lewis)
"Democracy is a pathetic belief in the
collective wisdom of individual ignorance." H L Menken
Anyone
who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted
in large matters either (Albert Einstein)
Real journalism consists of what someone doesn't
want published, all the rest is public relations (George Orwell).
"A newspaper is of necessity something
of a monopoly, and its first duty is to shun the the temptations
of monopoly. Its primary office is the gathering of news. At
the peril of its soul it must see that the supply is not tainted.
Neither in what it gives, nor it what it does not give nor in
the mode of presentation must the unclouded face of truth suffer
wrong. Comment is free, but facts are sacred (CP Scott - Editor
Manchester Guardian).
Authoritarians have an extreme contempt for
facts as such, for in their opinion fact depends entirely on
the power of the man who can fabricate it (Hannah Arendt: Origins
of Totalitarianism)
Be
you never so high, the law is above you (Lord Denning)
When
you're taking flak, you must be over the target (Pat Robinson)
The website that aims to keep you up to speed
with the shady backstairs dealings within Pembrokeshire County
Council and other public bodies.