District Council ‘stab in the back’ for veteran Chatteris Councillor !
Early this year Ray German announced that he would not be standing for re-election to his Chatteris Mills Town & District Council seats. He felt that the time had finally arrived for well deserved retirement. Ray served for 4 years in the RAF during WWII which must make him at least a venerable 84 years old !
However it seems this proposed retirement posed Ray’s Conservative ‘lords & masters’ a problem as the Liberal Democrats were shaping up to give the Tories a real run for their money in the 2007 elections.
So, seemingly against his wishes, Ray German was forced to stand again and was re-elected.
But did the Tories appreciate Ray’s unselfish support of his Party?
Certainly his treatment by his Tory “bosses” has been less than caring. Ray German has been a long-standing member of the District Planning Committee, and sometime thorn in the side of the ruling elite, speaking out for Chatteris and against the party line. Notably he argued passionately against a recent unpopular development in Chatteris, putting the Chairman of Planning ‘on the spot’.
Instead of rewarding Ray for his loyalty in standing again one final time, he has been kicked off the Planning Committee, and his place given to Florrie Newell. Apparently Cllr German is considered ‘no longer suitable’ because he doesn’t own a computer, and so is unable to receive e-mails, but you wonder if the real reason may be Ray’s single mindedness and his temerity in standing up to the Chairman of Planning.
It is notable that since May the Chairman of FDC Planning has consolidated his position. District Councillors on this committee had long been paid a small extra allowance (about £10/week) to reward them for the extra duties. This allowance to Committee members has been scrapped and instead the Chairman’s allowance has increased by 25%!
Will Cllr Ray German put up with this considerable snub ?
Rumour has it that Ray may be offered deputy chairmanship of Chatteris Town Council’s planning committee, but how well might that ‘consolation prize’ be received?
Do we smell the whiff of by-election in the air ?
Walter Burnett is a pen name.
1 comment:
This is all highly amusing, and I look forward to the next gripping instalment! BUT ....please try to work with these Councillors to "assist by suggestion" without over criticism, as they are clearly well-meaning amateurs (in the best sense of the term, being non-professional, unpaid volunteers giving up their time and hearts to the community (unlike most of us who do nothing)!BUT - Councillors ,please listen to at least some of what Cllr Howes(?) says as also there is a lot of good sense within, minus the vitriol, and many of us want more accountability with such large asset stripping and budgets! It is our money also and people have been born, bred and died in this town receiving no benefits for years whilst £1million+ has been lanquishing in low-interest accounts while arguments continue unabated on how to spend it for us all! On a positive note to end, well done our new, and 1st "Lady Mayor" Sue Elam!!!!
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