|
The U.K.
Community Issues Party to Boycott the Local Election on 1 st May 2008
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| A
copy of our letter to Ray Morgan, Chief Executive, WBC, dated 24/04/08
regarding our boycott of the local election 2008 and calling for an
independent public investigation is detailed below: |
| Sent
by Recorded Post and Email on 24th
April 2008
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| |
| Dear
Mr Morgan |
| Re:
Boycott of the Local Elections 2008 by the U.K. Community Issues Party
|
| The
U.K. Community Issues Party has decided to Boycott the Local Election
on 1 st May 2008 and will not be fielding candidates in any wards
in the constituency of Woking due to our mounting concerns. We wish
to draw attention to the fact that Woking Borough Council has failed
to comply with our requests for up to date information under the Freedom
of Information Act 2000, dated 20 th December 2007 and our amended
request of 4 th February 2008. The result of the Council's action
means that we are overwhelmingly disadvantaged and unable to stand
in the 2008 local election. The Council have failed to act with integrity
and to be open. |
| 1.
Woking Borough Council's failure to comply with a
list of 30 questions |
| The
Council replied on the 4 th February and stated that the Council deemed
our request for information dated 20 th December 2007 to be vexatious,
and/or repeated and/or manifestly unreasonable under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 and the Environment Information Regulations 2004.
This means that the Council need not reply to any further requests
for information from us. Our latest request will therefore not be
replied to. |
| 2.
We rely upon Woking Borough Council to
provide correct information, inevitably sometimes requests are repeated
due to changes in council activities, decisions and spending. We need
to ensure we have the updated information including changes of figures
and information the council has not previously complied with. |
| We
previously boycotted the meeting for Prospective Candidates for the
Borough Elections at Woking Borough Council due to serious shortcomings
by the Chief Executive and Returning Officer of Woking Borough Council.
Ray Morgan, who has avoided investigating complaints of racism, |
| We
believe in non-discrimination and full inclusion of persons from all
races who should be treated as equal citizens and participants in
all aspects of society on an equal basis and acceptance as part of
human diversity and humanity. We will campaign against all forms of
Racial Discrimination and for the rights and fundamental freedoms
for all individuals without discrimination of any kind, disability,
age, sex etc.. The government has allowed Racism to flourish in our
public services, harassment, anti-social behaviour, provocation without
rights for the protection of individuals. |
| We
will be contacting the Minister of Justice and all other interested
parties - The State Party (U.K) has
an obligation to the International Covenant of Civil and Political
Rights. |
| We
believe that our legitimate right as a political party is threatened
and our concerns are regarding fundamental issues of freedom of speech
in the determination of our legitimate right to receive and impart
information and ideas; in this case for the purpose of the Local Election.
We have been denied access to up to date information. |
| The
U.K. Community Issues Party expresses our right to : – |
| (i)
Freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom
to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without
interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. |
| (ii)
Freedom of thought. This right includes freedom of belief
either alone or in a community with others and in public or private,
to manifest belief, practice and observance. |
| (iii)
Freedom of peaceful assembly and association with others.
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| The
Rights Of The Community Cannot Be Over-Ridden . We
believe that the Council has a duty to the community it serves; who
have the right to know how the Council spend public money and provide
public services, housing, complaints etc. and its actions and how
it spends on proposals funded by the taxpayer's money resulting in
the loss of other services and higher council tax. |
| The
direct short or long term effect of spending results in higher Council
Tax, it is in the public's general interest that the Council should
be transparent over council spending of taxpayers' money and to keep
the community updated. The community has a right to the information
to debate the issues and to vote in elections. |
| We
believe it is in the public interest to call for an public Independent
Investigation into : - |
| 1.
Woking Borough Council proposals over the last
7 years with all the costs being made public. |
| 2.
The Waste Plant Proposals for Monument Way in
Maybury and Heather Farm in Horsell with all the costs being made
public. |
| 3.
All Complaints in Woking Borough Council over
the last 7 years and an investigation of the complaints system and
complaints being passed to the legal dept. |
| 4.
The Information withheld from the public and individuals.
|
| 5.
Allegations of treating in local elections and the General
Election in 2005. The council confirmed we believe that 47 marked
registers from the General Election in 2005 are missing,
which covered all the wards in the Woking Parliamentary constituency.
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| 6.
Approval of a loan of £400,000 for Thameswey |
| 7.
Almost £1.2 million of taxpayers' money spent without
authorisation on a Canopy. |
| 8.
What information WBC have complied with against
all our requests for information. |
| With
reference to the response by Woking Borough Council to Woking News
and Mail regarding our partly published letter on 24/04/08, which
read “All requests received from Mr Osman have been dealt with in
accordance with the Freedom on information Act 2000. “We advised Mr
Osman of his right to complaint to the Information Commission if he
was not satisfied. We do not believe we have done anything at all
to stop Mr Osman or any members of his party from standing in the
local elections on May 1”. |
| We
would be prepared to appeal to the Information Commission provided
that you personally provide the legal costs from your own pocket and
not the taxpayers. |
| The
Human Rights Act 1998 was incorporated into English
law on 2 nd October 2000 to have a profound effect on the decision-making
of all public bodies. The right to fundamental freedoms, to eliminate
discrimination and have the freedom to make one's own choices. |
| The
Freedom of Information of Act was passed in 2000 and came into force
in 2005 to provide a tool to pries information out of public
bodies and authorities. The Freedom of Information Act has now been
described as "a flickering candle" which "could be
extinguished in many ways" by those across the public sector.
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| Each
part of our Public Services is surrounded by Legal Departments conveniently
structured to protect those who fail the system and who have installed
themselves into positions of Public office , from where they can control
the Engine ering to suit . There is a widespread practice in our Public
Services to deny access to information to protect those who fail and
abuse their position and to search for ways to ensure that they can
prevent information from ever reaching the public, to discover the
truth. |
|
Our aim is to listen to the community and their views and include
them in the next election. |
| Yours
sincerely |
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