|
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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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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