Sambourne Village

Overview of Events - 2020 onwards

This page presents an overview of what happened. At the foot there is a link to detailed presentation of the facts sourced mainly from minutes of meetings.

The problems started in late March 2020 at the start of the Covid lockdown as the details of the gateway scheme were being finalised.
Plans by SPC to have an exposition and presentation of the scheme in the church hall had to be abandoned.

During this period there were deliberate attempts by a group of people to disrupt the operation of Sambourne Parish Council by a series of communications - social media, letters (anonymous and blackmail threats) and email. Many of these were unreasonable, without foundation, frivolous, repetitive, burdensome, unwarranted or vexatious. They included frequent use of intimidatory expressions like: attorneys at law, my legal advisers, very serious matter, all relevant agencies and, of course, highest authorities. Often fixed deadlines for reply were set together with consequences of not complying. The phrases "Private and Confidential"/"Strictest Confidence" were often added, completely unnecessarily, to the header. All designed to harass the recipient(s) - namely the clerk or SPC. These communications caused distress to the recipients and within their households. No actual good came from them.

The events that led to complaints and investigation into the former chairman can be presented. Residents have been given part accounts and in several instances they were deliberately misled.

From September 2020 to date, issues which could be discussed in public by SPC were restricted. Initially this was because of the Monitoring Officer's insistence that matters be kept "Private and Confidential" (flouted by some) and then additionally by an order (issued by police) restricting what could be discussed in public. If there was such an outcry for transparency and accusations of a cover-up, then why was this legal order introduced and at whose request? It was certainly not the former chairman. Who would benefit from the enforced silence?

Those who dismissingly say "Oh, just move on" simply fail to recognise the malicious and vexatious intent (in emails and on social media) that was directed at SPC, the clerk and the former chairman in particular. Such actions were prompted by sheer rancour; they represented deliberate attempts to discredit SPC and bring about its downfall.
Such scurrilous practice should be exposed. It involved hijacking meetings, complaints to the Monitoring Offficer at SDC, unbased accusations, distorted reports to the press and involved the police on several occasions.

However, there are a number of facts which have not been made public because:

Whatever the reason(s) for reticence the full story should be presented; if not, people will remain in the dark as to what actually happened. This lack of disclosure continues, despite cries of transparency by the reborn SPC and statements that it will be "taking a much more open position with regard to parish affairs". The facts should be presented before elections to the Parish Council in May 2023 which, if more than five candidates stand, will be decided by ballot. This would enable a fresh start.

Because matters go back two years and involve a range of issues, then any description is of necessity quite lengthy. Nonetheless, if you want to know the truth please read this link.

To read extracts from the complaints and the comments made by the Monitoring Officer please click.