Spooner Row Message Board

 
Spooner Row Home Page -> Spooner Row Message Board -> Spooner Row Message Board -> Destructive nature of comments posted on this board (ref Community Council item 18)
Post Info TOPIC: Destructive nature of comments posted on this board (ref Community Council item 18)
Anonymous

Date:
Destructive nature of comments posted on this board (ref Community Council item 18)
Permalink   
 

I thought this best to be placed in a new thread, rather than a reply in the minutes thread (and clog it up unnecessarily).

This message thread is in reference to the following comment by Cllr John Morton in Community Council minutes (Minutes - SRCC Meeting held on 13 July 2023 - Item 18).

  • John Morton feels concerned about (this forum and others) that are not monitored or managed by the council and pointed out the destructive nature of anonymous posting on the message board.


It was pointed out by Webstation that this site is 'moderated responsibly. It welcomes local discussion on any topic where anyone is welcome to post by using either their own name, a username, or anonymously.'

In reference to this, I would like to draw the public's attention to something that is very important in relation to this matter.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Our Clerk spends time in collating the agendas, minutes and notices from the Council. I believe there is a legal requirement (because of our financial size) for these items to be put somewhere in the Public domain so we can view them, so the Clerk kindly passes the information to the person who runs this forum to post on here (and I thank-you for doing so).

This brings the question - Why are these items being placed on a public open forum and not on an officially controlled website?
I agree with Webstation that the site IS being moderated responsibly, but similarly, why are these items being placed on an open public Forum that may draw the kind of comments that Cllr John Morton believes are being made?

Well, the Council does . . . or rather DID have an official website for this exact use.
We (the public) paid for it.
But why isn't it being used instead of this forum?

> Minutes - S.Row Community Council Meeting held on Thursday 16th February 2023, 7.30pm at the Village Hall
> Item 10

The current (official) Community Council website had been constructed and paid for but it had not been transferred to the Council's control.
At that time, it was under the sole control and ownership of . . .

Councillor Robert Foster

. . . and the council requested it be transferred to the Council so that they could begin using it (so, for example, the Clerk could post the minutes on it instead of using a public forum . . . you are getting my drift here . . .).

What happened at this point during the council meeting?

> Minutes - S.Row Community Council Meeting held on Thursday 16th February 2023, 7.30pm at the Village Hall
> Item 12

  • Cllr Foster resigned his duties in his communications capacity (website development).
  • Cllr Foster said he would NOT transfer the website's control to the Council that they (we the public!) had paid for.
  • It was agreed that since the Council had no control over the website and that it essentially was in the sole control and ownership of Cllr Foster, they could no-longer use it, and that the public would be made aware of this through a Public forum (this forum you are reading now).

At this point, Cllr Foster walked out.

There had been many attempts previously both in public and private to attempt to get control of the website into the hands of the council but Cllr Foster refused to relinquish it.

In short, a website had been built and designed for exactly the purpose of putting the council's business on so that anonymous postings of the like the Cllr John Morton is worried about could not occur . . . but because of one Councillor the entire thing collapsed!

Can we guess at the cost to YOU the public? At least £1000-£1500?

Another thing worth mentioning at the point is the data breach that occurred whereby Cllr Foster (and potentially another) gained access to private emails of councillors. This called for a 3-week police investigation although no further action was taken on this matter.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Some people new to the group may be asking at this point . . . why? Why did Cllr Foster do this?
Aren't we all being nasty to him on this forum just because . . . well . . . you don't like him personally? You're just attacking him unnecessarily!
Surely he had a legitimate reason to do what he did with the website and reading people's private emails rather than just . . . well . . . ego?

> Draft Minutes - S.Row Community Council Meeting held on Thursday 9th March 2023, 7.30pm at the Village Hall
> Item 10

  • Cllr Robert Foster stills owns the website account, has refused to hand over the account for it, has not brought back to the council domain ownership costs.
  • Cllr Robert Foster stated that his solicitor had advised him to remain silent so he would not be speaking on the matter.

The very next meeting, we had our first council resignation; Cllr Stephen Ward resigned stating that he could not continue on the council.


"Unfortunately, all of our successes have been tainted by the behaviour of one councillor, 'Cllr Robert Foster' . . ."
"he cannot modify his behaviour and is not working in the interested of the Community . . . the Community Council cannot be sustained due primarily to the actions of one individual"

----------------------------------------------------------------

So here we are in August 2023. The council is now in the position of having to build an entirely new website - This has been estimated to cost (YOU) in the region of £2000+
The 'antics' of Cllr Robert Foster in this entire debacle has cost YOU, the TAXPAYER well over £3500 - not to mention hours of wasted time and effort by our Clerk who we also pay for!

So to address the point made by Webstation and Cllr John Morton, the very fact that posts are being placed on this forum which may appear to be criticising Cllr Robert Foster . . . is entirely due to Cllr Robert Foster!
His removal off the council is the only thing that will 'reduce negativity in the council and the general community'.

I am grateful to Webstation and other people behind the scenes of the forum in allowing the unaltered minutes of the council to be available to us on here, and for allowing us to voice our opinions.

Concerned Spooner Row residents like myself have no recourse other than to bring to the public's attention the disgusting and negative actions of Councillor Robert Foster and of how he is destroying our council and costing YOU the taxpayer thousands of pounds.
W've now had a FIFTH Councillor resign off our Council because of the toxicity he is bringing.
I will continue to make comment about this on here and I make no apology for it.



__________________
Webstation

Date:
Permalink   
 

The information provided in the post above can be found in the S.Row Community Council's formal Minutes, see:  https://spoonerrow.activeboard.com/t69189998/minutes-srow-community-council-meetings-from-december-2022-t/

I can confirm that the Council's Minutes have been published on this Message Board so that the Council can meet its legal obligation to publish its documents because the Council is unable to publish on its own Parish Council website since December 2022. Until the Council rebuilds another website to replace its previous one it is welcome to publish on here. Publishing on here was requested by, and arranged with the Clerk on behalf of the Community Council.

Regarding Cllr John Morton's concerns, I suggest he familiarises himself with the Council's Minutes for clarity of the situation and I refute his statement made in the Minutes of 13th July 2023. In addition, Anonymous posts have been a popular feature of this Message Board for almost 20 years and Cllr Morton has no remit to change this.

For clarity, Cllr Robert Foster is very welcome to make a reply on this website.



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

Why are you posting anonymously when you are clearly a member of the council yourself and not a very clever one at that! I think you may have just incriminated yourself as I am sure there is a code of conduct! 



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

All councils want to hear from the public is that they are doing a great job. Any criticism of the council is regarded as 'destructive'. Individual councillors like Robert Foster have no right to withhold access by other council members to a website that was purchased for the community.



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

While RF is on CC it will not go forward or achieve anything. This has been going on for four and a half years and will until elections in 2007 unless something is done about his destructive attitude!!



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

I agree with the last commenter (I know you mean forthcoming elections in 2027).

He will not leave.
Abuse like that detailed above in the first posting (a councillor deliberately withholding a publicly funded website from public use) and many other examples written in the Council minutes will carry on.
Further resignations will occur from our council.
Good residents we have here in Spooner Row will not want to join our council because of his negativity.

Nothing can be done other than to make the public aware of what he is doing on this forum and hope they vote accordingly in the next election.

 

(Please note, this message board is a forum for general local discussion. If you have any concerns or complaints about a councillor you should direct them to the SRCC Clerk. There is also the opportunity to speak at the monthly Community Council meetings during the public participation session. 

Webstation)

-- Edited by webstation on Wednesday 23rd of August 2023 08:36:59 AM



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

I think most of these comments only add weight to the concerns of Councillor Morton . Maybe the '' tabloid nature '' of this man hunt is what is putting people off participating in the community council??

 



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

You need to examine why so many councillors have resigned, and good councillors at that. Julian Halls and Stephen Ward, for example, were very clear on why they could no longer serve on the community council stating in no uncertain terms why. Others resigned for a similar reason it would appear. Something needs to be worked out on the council as the next election is a long way off.



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

.............so councillors are resigning because they dont like another elected member of the council ? Surely part of being  a good councillor (again this is a very subjetcive) is working to find a solution thats best for the community within the elected group.? 

In a democracy this ''disliked '' councillor received  enough votes to gain a position on the council - there were other candidates that didnt !!

Personalty clashes are part and parcel off life - If everybody resigned because they didnt like a colleague then we would be in real trouble !

 



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

so the council runs dysfucntionally and has a rouge councillor and rather than address the problem, blames the public for expressing an opinion about it or the clerk for making minutes about it on her. well thats rich.

yes, the lot should resign. the sooner this idiocity ends and we get back to wymodham south the better.



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

I certainly would not want to go back to Wymondham Town. We are not part of a town environment and were regularly overlooked except when it came to paying the high level of WTC precept. Keep our council taxes and decisions local.



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

Anonymous wrote:

so the council runs dysfucntionally and has a rouge councillor and rather than address the problem, blames the public for expressing an opinion about it or the clerk for making minutes about it on her. well thats rich.

yes, the lot should resign. the sooner this idiocity ends and we get back to wymodham south the better.

 and what would that achieve ?

Would the village hall have got their new kitchen from Wymomdham Council ?



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

 I understand RF made it difficult to get grant for kitchen from Community Council as it was ! 



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

I think with the number of village hall connected councillors the result was never in doubt ! 

I suspect that some of the resignations can be aligned to funding being secured .



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

The reasons for the resignations are quite clear and have nothing to do with the village hall receiving a grant but mainly to do with the unacceptable behaviour of a councillor.

Funding needs to be spent on the playing field. What is happening about the outdoor adult gym equipment that was promised?

Can we revisit the protective Village Green status for the playing field so that all the community can continue to enjoy it into the future? More fenced-off areas and a school building are gradual encroachment.



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

Anonymous wrote:

I think with the number of village hall connected councillors the result was never in doubt ! 

I suspect that some of the resignations can be aligned to funding being secured .

 
So the only reason the Hall got it's new kitchen was it being 'forced through' by Village Hall Members? Is that what you are suggesting?
Not that it would be an asset to the community or anything like that?
Wow . . .

It looks like you are attacking a group that is doing it's best for the community and ignoring the actions of a councillor that appears to be deliberately causing problems because of his own agenda.

The resignations have nothing whatsoever to do with funding.
Your 'peddling of misinformation strategy' isn't going to work when council minutes and councillors resignation letters are being posted openly on this group for all to read.
Are you going to accuse our Clerk of deliberately putting out lies in our council's minutes?



__________________
Andy

Date:
Permalink   
 

Just for clarity the final vote for grant from CC for VH kitchen was taken by 5 councillors two of which are members of the VH committee so we’re in minority ( they still remain on CC ) . All resent resignations bar one from CC were non VH committee members. 



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

village hall connected councillors...........

 

So no previous /historical connection then? 

 



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

Adult gym equipment is pointless and will be £15k of taxpayers money spent on a white elephant! I hope our taxes are not spent on this! How about focusing on traffic calming, decent footpaths etc😌



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

Funding for traffic calming and new footpaths is the responsibility of Norfolk Council Council. They should have asked the developers at the new Thornberrys development to extend the footpath to join up with the one at the top of Station Rd. This would have benefited pedestrians walking to the nearest bus stop on London Road.

The Community Council has provided the village hall with significant funding for a new kitchen which many will agree with but I think it is the turn of the playing field to have more contribution for the community. A couple of items for an outdoor gym equipment wouldn't be that expensive. What about reaching out to more sports groups to use it? 



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

Surely what is being asked for here is the restriction of free speech..if the proposal is to be taken at face value then surely what is being requested is a Council views only site ? If that is the case why dont the Council build a site> is that too difficult? On the question of Cllr Foster being asked to hand over this messageboard , my question would be why ? Are the council to expect this FREE ? As far as im aware we live in UK not Russia !  The question here is this..why is Cllr Foster being constantly attacked for speaking the truth when others either dont wish to hear it or wish to believe in lies dressed up as truth. I  feel so so sad that time and effort is wasted on attacks on one individual rather than sorting out the real needs and requirements of the broader community ..and isnt that after all , what this messageboard was meant to reflect ? 

 

(Dear Anon,

I feel you have been misinformed. Please read the SRCC's Minutes for an accurate picture: https://spoonerrow.activeboard.com/t69189998/minutes-srow-community-council-meetings-from-december-2022-t/   The Council's Minutes are currently published on this Message Board until such time it has a new website.

There is no constant "attack" on Cllr Foster. The Minutes will provide the details you need

Webstation)

-- Edited by webstation on Monday 28th of August 2023 08:53:14 AM



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

the councils website does not belong to cllr foster but to the council. they were foolish to allow the domain name to be registered to an individual rather than to itself. 



__________________
Anonymous

Date:
Permalink   
 

Anonymous wrote:

the councils website does not belong to cllr foster but to the council. they were foolish to allow the domain name to be registered to an individual rather than to itself. 

They put their trust in Councillor Foster who ultimately let them (and the Spooner Row Community) down.
Certainly, they would be foolish to do something like that again.

Councillor Foster still owns and has sole control over the current website and refuses to allow others to use it, which is the reason that the council is building another one.
Unless you know otherwise of course . . . there has been no mention of a change in any of the council's minutes.
If you know different then please contact the Chairperson or the Clerk - I'm sure they'd be interested in an update on the matter.



__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Spooner Row Home Page -> Spooner Row Message Board -> Spooner Row Message Board -> Destructive nature of comments posted on this board (ref Community Council item 18)


Create your own FREE Forum
Report Abuse 		Powered by ActiveBoard