Friday 7 December 2007

Council Round-Up

Barking and Dagenham

At the full council meeting on 3rd October (minutes available here) BNP councillors asked six questions and did not put forward any new motions. The questions asked shed more light on the divisive and racist politics behind the carefully-constructed image of a 'democratic' BNP.

The BNP insinuated that Labour want to deliberately make the white people of Barking and Dagenham into a minority. It is not clear why the racial make-up of the borough should be a problem, though it is clear that this sort of question should not have been asked by a party which does so much to cover up its racist image. Whichever way they choose to phrase it, the fundamental goal of the BNP is an all-white Britain with no danger of race mixing.

There were complaints from BNP councillors about the chair operating double standards with regard to different political groupings. It is difficult to understand this without having attended the meeting, although one can assume that the BNP go out of there way to disrupt council proceedings as much as possible.

Of most concern is the behaviour of local BNP leader Councillor Barnbrook. He is alleged to have fabricated a claim that a council department had lost forms submitted by one of the constituents in his Goresbrook ward. This is a very serious allegation to make and if this is true Barnbrook has clearly used a dirty trick to undermine the authority of the borough.

Unfortunately, it is the nitty-gritty issues which give the BNP an opportunity to score political points. The council pays housing benefit to private landlords to provide temporary accommodation. Councillor Barnbrook stated that the council was paying hundreds of pounds a month to these landlords and asked why the council does this when it has financial 'pressures'. A Labour cabinet member replied that the council recovers this money through the governments housing benefit subsidy scheme and that the rents on such properties are higher because of management fees.

Epping Forest

Tony Frankland was officially accepted as a councillor for Loughton Alderton ward at the meeting in September. He has taken up the positions on the council committees previously held by Councillor Farr.

This month the BNP asked about the misuse of an area in a housing estate for leaving car parts and non-residential items.

The minutes of both meetings are available here.

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