Yesterday Justin Ives, Chief Executive, Hambleton District Council (HDC) made the decision to fiddle while Leeming Bar burns.

Justin Ives Spits His Dummy Out

Please see Justin Ives Letter – 27 January 2020 (click on the link to read).

Public Response To Justin Ives

I have sent the following in response to Justin and publish it here to the Court of Public Opinion.

Dear Justin,

Chief Executives of the Top 100 fulfil their roles by addressing issues. You, sir, like many Local Authority Chief Executives, revert to defending the Council in petulant child mode. This is highlighted in your letter to me.

• Defamation

It would appear that you will get more sense from the Citizens Advice Bureau than your legal department if your letter to me is anything to go by.

I recommend that in future, before confirming neither you nor your legal team have adequate understanding of defamation by stating “quite possibly defamatory”, you consider:

1. Derbyshire CC v Times Newspapers (click on the link to read) – You will note “It was of the highest importance that a democratically elected governmental body, or indeed any governmental body, should be open to uninhibited public criticism.” My communication with HDC is uninhibited public criticism. The case confirms a local authority cannot claim defamation.
2. Law and Truth – All I have ever stated to HDC is the law and the truth. These are the two fundamental defences against allegations of defamation.
3. Arkell v Pressdram (click on the link to read) – In response to your allegations I refer you to Arkell v Pressdram.

• Abusive

Given the history of child abuse across North Yorkshire, for a Chief Executive of a North Yorkshire Council to so flippantly use the word ‘abusive’ is distasteful and insulting to those victims of abuse.

I strongly refute your allegations and request a copy of any instance of “abusive tone” in my correspondence. In addition, I require email contact details of Mick Jewitt to make my appeal.

• Fiddling While Leeming Bar Burns

I find your attempt to silence me by giving a single contact point both amusing and an admission of guilt by HDC.

Whenever I publish about the Leeming Bar fiasco, up to 2,000 people read the article. This includes HGV drivers, motorhomers and Leeming Bar residents and businesses. Indeed, as the stupidity and incompetence of HDC increases so do those reading my articles.

Thousands more are reading about the fiasco on the North Yorks Enquirer (click on the link to read). The truth is out and HDC has no control of it. In the circumstances, I would have thought HDC would want to extend communication with me not restrict it. Perhaps egos are too big.

You and I know that HDC have made a pig’s ear of this. North Yorkshire and the world is laughing at HDC. Are the rumours of gardening leave correct?

Sadly, after the close of play Friday, local residents and businesses may find their mortgage and loans called in due to the failure, incompetence and corruption of HDC. My Friday deadline remains – the choice is yours.

• Police

I can confirm that as of 16.30 yesterday Police are aware and my complaint has been adopted by the Professional Standards Department.

• Statement Invitation

You state: “You have gone on to accuse members and officers of this Council of corrupt conduct in this matter”.

I note that you have perused my site. You are therefore aware that I subscribe to the Tranparency International definition of ‘corruption’, adopted by over a hundred member countries:

“CORRUPTION is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain”.

I stand by that definition.

I challenge you to offer me your assurance, in writing, on HDC headed notepaper, in the following terms:

“As Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service of Hambleton District Council, I assure you, on pain of resignation in the breach of which, that in respect of the Leeming Bar Public Space Protection Order (as amended), neither a member nor an officer of Hambleton District Council has acted, or is presently acting, in his/her official capacity, in such a way as to compromise his/her entrusted powers in pursuit of private gain”.

Failure to provide such assurance will be deemed an expression of your mistrust of your own Councillors and Officers and publicised as such. Further, such failure will, by default, endorse my own view. Far from silencing me, you risk fanning the flames of suspicion.

Finally, thank you for confirming that HDC will not be issuing me with a Fixed Penalty Notice for remaining in my vehicle within the PSPO area at Leeming Bar – “the council will not be corresponding with you further concerning the Leeming Bar PSPO”.

Enjoy your day.

Regards,

Andy Strangeway