Monday, January 11, 2010

Working on your behalf?


Porky pies....

Busy, busy, bees the BNP. They've been hard at work in recent days, distributing a glossy leaflet, 'Barking and Dagenham Patriot - working on your behalf,' in key wards in the borough (paid for by the European taxpayer no doubt).

The leaflet claims to be 'the real truth behind your BNP councillors'.

Apparently "BNP councillors spend their time working hard on your behalf on the streets of Barking and Dagenham..."

And it goes on: "The fact is that BNP councillors attend more meetings than the lazy Labour councillors.."

Well fact is, surprise, surprise, the 'facts' don't really back that last BNP assertion.

Looking at their 2008-2009 attendance record where:
Total expected attendances is the number of meetings that a Member was expected to attend in their capacity as a member of a committee.
Where present is the number of meetings that a Member attended in their capacity as a member of a committee.
And where Absent is the number of meetings not attended by a Member who is a member of a committee.

Councillor Expected Present (% of expected) absent(%of expected)
Councillor R W Bailey 53 39 (74%) 14 (26%)
Councillor R J Barnbrook 34 26 (76%) 8 (24%)
Councillor R J A Buckley 40 23 (57%) 17 (42%)
Councillor Miss C L Doncaster 17 5 (29%) 12 (71%)
Councillor Mrs S A Doncaster 18 7 (39%) 11 (61%)
Councillor R W Doncaster 18 6 (33%) 12 (67%)
ouncillor J K Jarvis 18 5 (28%) 13 (72%)
Councillor Mrs C A Knight 33 27 (82%) 6 (18%)
Councillor Miss T A Lansdown 18 12 (67%) 6 (33%)
Councillor L Rustem 38 31 (82%) 7 (18%)
Councillor J Steed 29 12 (41%) 17 (59%)
Councillor D A Tuffs 18 6 (33%) 12 (67%)


It's clear, the attendance records of some BNP councillors in this, the last year where there is a complete record - are at best variable and do not compare favourably with their largely Labour opponents.
Cllrs Claire Doncaster and Jarvis's attendance records in particular, are hardly impressive - but hey, why let the facts get in the way of a BNP assertion.

But it gets better....

Apparently, the leaflet says, when "we take full control of the council next year you will see:

Housing given to local people
Jobs and contracts given to local firms
More facilities for the elderly and bringing back meals on wheels
More facilities for youths to deter anti-social behaviour
More bobbies back on the beat, stopping knife crime
Turn the mobile smart car camera on to villains not motorists
Freeze council tax and cut it
No to the prison on the Ford site - yes to a hospital
Reject bogus asylum seekers and illegal immigrants
Clamp down on fly-tippers and graffiti."

So in the depths of the recession, the BNP will spend, spend spend and somehow manage the spectacular feat of simultaneously freezing and cutting council tax.
A first for any political party.

They also promise a fair deal for all (but presumably not asylum seekers or immigrants?)

And apparently: "There has been a flurry of activity by the Council in an attempt to make things better in the Borough. However all these changes were brought about by BNP councillors pressurising the Labour council to get things done."

"All these changes that you see around you have been won and brought about directly or indirectly by your 12 BNP councillors.

And... "If we had not got 12 BNP councillors elected, Barking and Dagenham would still be in the doldrums that it used to be..."

It strikes this blogger that the BNP can't have it both ways - they can't claim that Labour is failing Barking and Dagenham and the Borough is going backwards in one breath and in the other, assert that the changes to make things better in the Borough are THEIR handiwork.

The Borough can't both be out of the doldrums and be worse at the same time.....

What's it to be folks - are things getting better - or worse???

To read this leaflet all their councillors have been hardworking - doing everything from rehousing local families, installing traffic lights, removing graffiti, championing the council tax freeze, reducing crime in the borough and establishing new police stations etc etc etc....(there was me thinking the council did all this)

Problem is - it's all total baloney......a mirage of imaginary activity.

It's not the BNP that have improved the Borough. It's not the BNP that have brought down crime or any other claim they make in this leaflet - and the ones that will undoubtedly follow it.

On this evidence, there are fewer porky pies in a Barking butcher than there are on display here.

Voters be warned.

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