Cllr Brice Standards Report Shame

The full report on the antics of disgraced former Conservative Nick Brice, from the Standard's Committee, has been released to the public a full 12 months after the incident.

The report is damning on the antics of Councillor Brice and effectively states that whilst there is no formal recourse to expel the Councillor, they demand that he resigns immediately.

The Medway Conservative Group need to issue a statement following this independent committee advice on whether they will call for him to resign, as per the recommendations.

It is now simply unacceptable for them to sit on this issue. He was selected by the Rochester & Strood Conservative Association to be their representative. He continues to wear a blue rosette and is an active campaigner for the Conservative Party.

It is time they put public decency before narrow partisan interests and put their position on public record.

The main conclusion of the Report is as follows:

“That at the time of the incident in November 2009 there was no evidence to prove that Councillor Brice was not acting in his private capacity. As a result, the Sub-Committee were unable to find a breach of the code of conduct.

Sub –Committee recommendations

The Sub-Committee found Councillor Brice’s behaviour in relation to this incident unacceptable, and considered that Councillor Brice should resign from the Council. The Sub-Committee accepted that this was a matter for Councillor Brice, but felt that his behaviour had brought both him and the Council into disrepute.

The Sub-Committee believed that he had acted improperly and without integrity, in breach of the principles of public life, and that he had shown a serious lack of judgment.

The Sub-Committee took into account the views of the Director of Childrens Services, and recommended to the Council that Councillor Brice should not be appointed to any committees, or to substitute on any committees, or to represent the Council in any way.

The Sub-Committee were of the opinion that the law should be altered to cover actions such as this, when carried out by a councillor in any capacity, and agreed to write to the Secretary of State to bring this to his attention"

Down, but not out

But the public have spoken...

The phrase first appears in English in the Geneva Bible, 1560, in Job 19:20, which provides a literal translation of the original Hebrew:

"I haue escaped with the skinne of my tethe."

Teeth don't have skin, of course, so the writer may have been alluding to the teeth's surface or simply to a notional minute measure - something that might now be referred to, with less poetic imagery than the biblical version, as 'as small as the hairs on a gnat's ........'

This may come close to home but either way, this is one way of considering the Cllr Brice affair that is once again dominating the local press this weekend.

This blog has been relentless in its dismay about how Councillor Brice, and the Medway Conservatives more generally, have handled this issue in public. Councillor Brice was caught kerb-crawling in Medway by Kent Police. He pleaded guilty when challenged by the Vice Squad.

This blog accepts that he has now been formally vindicated by the Standard's Committee, because they could not define a line where the antics of one's private life interfere with that of a Councillor.

This issue is of course complex. The private life of individual politicians is not the business of the public, so long as the antics are not directly impacting the job of being a Councillor. If an individual is engaging in legal activities then what happens in private remains that. Now it seems, if they engage in illegal activities, this is also the case.

Obviously, there is a level or degree; a Councillor getting 3 points on a drivers licence should not be a resignable offence, a Councillor engaged in domestic abuse would surely be an immediate dismissal. The manner in which a Councillor can remain in office if the act does not interfere with his role is legally correct, but at some point someone will need to define the limits to the public / private interface. Obviously the line in this case erred on the side of caution based on previous case-law.

Whilst it is absolutely true that Cllr Brice formally did not break the rules, he must surely understand that in the eyes of the public, the voters, he is now simply toxic goods. His colleagues must now accept that the public are very unhappy that he continues to receive a salary as a Councillor.

The Council will discuss this issue in public on the 27th November and will probably remove all responsibilities and access to children and vulnerable adults.

No one cares what happens on the 27th November in the Council chamber. They care for a full public statement and apology and an absolute assurance that Cllr Brice will be banned from Conservative and Council events where children and vulnerable adults are involved. The Council can give this assurance on the 27th November, but we also need to see a full acceptance in the Conservative ranks, that what he did was damaging to the Council, and that he should now withdraw from public life.

There is absolutely no reason why Medway Conservatives can not release a statement. Not only would it be sign of basic decency and courtesy to the people of Medway, but it would also finally put this issue to rest.

The reason why is clear. Councillor Brice still parades and troops around with a blue rosette. He is given succour by the total lack of response from his former associates in the Tory ranks who are happy for him to attend by-election counts.

Sometimes saying nothing can be perceived by people as tacit support, and the 'down, but not out' attitude that we have noted, is simply taking stubbornness to a new level. His colleagues now need to publicly put a line in the sand. Ambiguity is a not acceptable.

This is not a witch-hunt by an opposition looking for an enemy scalp, because if he had stood down in January 2010 as this blog suggested, the resulting by-election would probably have been a Labour rout. Every one with a fair mind gave Councillor Brice a fair chance to fall on his own sword in the interest of public decency. The press made themselves fully heard. Everyone was resolute. He should go.

Instead, time and time again, he has chosen to cock-a-snoop, in every sense, at the public sensibility. His seeming total inability to understand the perception of his antics and the manner in which he casually dismisses it, underscores a major problem.

The CfJ Newswire, and writer Rebecca Hughes, have also been a leading cheer-leader in bringing the news on Councillor Brice and it has used innovative media techniques to garner public opinion.

They are currently running an online poll on the matter

A poll whose results will prove a problem not just for the Rochester & Strood Conservative Association who have selected the wrong type of person again, but also for vulnerable adults and children in his ward who may not feel they are able to approach a Councillor.

Moment of Madness, Nick?

Yes, it really has to be read to be believed...

Disgraced (ex) Conservative Nick Brice has today come out in the press with a reason for being caught with a prostitute in his vehicle in the Medway red light district, days after the Standard's Board sub-committee decided the matter should be considered at a further hearing.

The politician, who did not have the decency to quit after being charged with kerb-crawling, remains on the Council pay-roll pocketing thousands of pounds of public money.

Cllr Brice was considered a senior Conservative prior to his 'spontaneous action' and had stood in the leadership elections for the Conservative Group. He also had been given responsibility for Council audit. He was not just a backbencher. He had influence.

According to Cllr Brice, now an Independent, he was on business along the New Road after attending a Tory fundraising event where he was socialising, before being caught in a sting operation.

He was caught by Kent Police with a prostitute in his car after driving through the Red light district to collect and return people home. According to his account (read above) after driving past not once, twice but um, four times, Cllr Brice 'spontaneously' stopped to do a u-turn in the road and allowed a prostitute into his vehicle before being caught by the Police. According to Cllr Brice, 'as the car stopped, a girl appeared ... and proceeded to open and the door and sit in the passenger seat'

After months of delays, we now have a full account of his activity which has some similarity with former Labour MP Ron Davies. It has to be read to be believed and then read again. The difference of course Ron Davies, actually, resigned.

This blog is not seeking to moralise the conduct of law-abiding citizens and what they consent or otherwise in their own personal space.

This case however highlights a public servant who broke the law and was charged.

Ordinarily this is a shut book case in other areas. Councillor apologises, stands down, by-election.

However, the response by Cllr Brice and Medway Conservatives has and continues to be totally shocking. He and they simply don't get it.

Instead of standing up at the time and resigning, as was demanded by public, press and opposition, he indicated to the press that he was 'down but not out' before continuing to be paid for his services as a Councillor.

As is usual over a Tory scandal, we have yet had no statement at all from Medway Conservatives. They have had almost 12 months to call for his resignation.

Medway Conservatives need to take responsibility. This man was selected by Rochester & Strood Conservative Association, he campaigned and still campaigns for the Conservatives. He wears blue rosettes to every election and by-election. He is, in every sense, an active Conservative.

This blog has attacked Medway Conservatives for the casual disregard for basic public decency and its failure to call for Cllr Brice's resignation. It believes the attitude of Medway Conservatives is symbolic of decay at Gun Wharf.

Not one Tory Councillor has had the moral courage or human decency (and it is basic manners), including ward colleagues, to apologise and call for a resignation. Not one Parliamentary spokesperson, not one member, no one at all.

Simply trying to hide dirty laundry may be a political strategy but it is a coward's one.

The fact the Rochester & Strood Conservatives were foolish enough to pick not one, but two, Councillors who have brought Rochester South & Horsted ward into disrepute, serves to highlight why this Association needs to be closely watched by CCHQ.

They have simply failed to stand up to expectations, time, time and time again.

Rochester & Strood Conservatives are arguably a total mess politically. We continue to have an ongoing complaint over attacks on the Police from a Councillor, who stood to be leader of the group. The area has suffered international converge and embarrassment after our MP was so drunk he collapsed in the Commons bar on the crucial budget vote. A vote he did not attend, but in hindsight, though not in attendance, can claim Labour were 'irresponsible' with the economy. Just a tad ironic.

When VAT goes up to 20% next year, that excuse wont wash with the public.

We have had open warfare with Councillors backstabbed out of office. We have even seen an Association which has tried to cover up getting its River ward candidate's name wrong. We have incompetence over eligibility and the £11,500 by-election cost still not refunded.

This is but the shortlist of errors in one year. We can go back to sterilisation comments, lost membership lists... its endless.

It is incompetence as standard.

What is more worrying to political insiders is that this is a one year record of the Conservative faction that are actively seeking the leadership of the entire Medway Conservative Group. It is damning, if it was not so scary!!

Alternatively, next year people can vote for a centrist Labour Party, that will stand up for hard working people. A new generation is ready to take lead that, whilst not perfect, has the right values of public decency.

The values of standing up for the poorest and most vulnerable.

It is time to kick this lot out of office once and for all. Their record is on public record.

Read it in the papers, judge it in May

What is going on?

Front page article calling for Cllr Brice to resign... yet he still sits on the Council!

The issue of errant Councillor Dennis McFarlane has been resurrected for one last outing on the widely read and award winning blog from Alan Watkins.

Dennis McFarlane was correctly dismissed as a Councillor and removed from the Labour Group as soon as the issue of benefit fraud became apparent. As this blog stated last week, no one political group has a monopoly on honesty and Mr McFarlane was convicted and found guilty.

According to Alan Watkins, what he did was 'dishonest, lacked integrity, brought the Council into disrepute and failed to uphold the principles of public life'

He was rightly shamed for his actions.

It is then with a slight sense of bewilderment that whilst the issue of Mr McFarlene has been correctly raised and dealt with by the Standard's Committee, we are not seeing the such swift response to other Councillors who have also led themselves into 'disrepute and failed to uphold the principles of public life.'

Noticeably the numerous numbers of Councillors who happen to be members of the ruling Conservative group.

Former (said very very loosely) Conservative Councillor Nick Brice, who continues to wear a blue rosette, has still not been called to book for what on the face-of-it is a shut book case. Cllr Brice was caught kerb-crawling by Kent Police in River Ward in November 2009. He admitted to the offence and was given a conditional caution.

To the general public at the time this was a simple case of resign as you can read from the press cutting.

There are also incidentally further cases pending of staff bullying, problems with leading cabinet members disclosures and accusations of skullduggery over the recent primary school re-organisations. Each of these involves Conservative Councillors.

So why is it taking the Council so long to actually deal with the Cllr Brice issue?

The mere fact that it is Tories that seem to be getting of the hook is seemingly becoming visible to all. We need to see Cllr Brice held accountable.

In issues such as public accountability, no individual from any party can be above the rule book. It is simply not in the public interest for Cllr Brice, who has sullied the reputation of the Council and himself to be allowed to sit in a position where he is making decisions on vulnerable adults and children.

The Conservative Party locally have closed ranks behind all those who still stand to be called to the Standards Committee. Cllr Brice, the most public, meanwhile still continues to sport his rosette and still votes with the Tory whip (though not as a formal member).

This blog, the local media and the public have all been calling him to honourably resign. Unsurprisingly, he has not taken the advice.

Incidentally, the issue of kerb-crawling is very much a concern in parts of River Ward.

Perhaps the new River candidate [Mr Alan MacKness] can give his opinion to the press on the delay for action which impacts his potential residents, and what punishments should be meted out to kerb-crawlers in his ward?

It seems like they are getting away with it from this bloggers angle.

Cllr Brice thought at the time that he was 'down but not out'

It looks like he might be right