Stockport Council News

08 February 2009 16:13

Dear Councillor Smith

I don’t know if you know, I didn’t, that Local Ombudsmen are usually former senior council officials with an interest in not rocking the boat. I used to work for the Chief Executive of Manchester City Council and the Lord Mayor – I was just a temp but stayed for years as an afternoon job. I know Anne Seex, our Ombudslady, was there when I was there – maybe 1996ish. I don’t think she was an outstanding employee and there were some amazing people there at the time – Euro 96, the Manchester bomb, preparing for the Commonwealth Games etc. Yes, Mr. Parnell’s case has been with the Ombudsman for many years, as has our school on the toxic waste site one, without any progress being made.

Mr. Parnell does not claim any benefits and therefore I believe is not entitled to any Legal Aid. Indeed, he is having to represent himself in the court case (as you know, after the 50 now arrests he is charged with assaulting a council employee with a sneeze with intent to inflict him with a cold – what a waste of taxpayers’ money!) The council has told him they will not allow him to speak to any council officer without a legal representative present. How could he afford one? He has lost his job due to what has happened to him over the last 10 years. The CAB is funded by the Council, as are the local police. He tried to speak to the Chief Constable as he left this week’s full council meeting but a council heavy prevented him from doing so. Maybe the Law Centre in Longsight (presumably not funded by SMBC might be an idea) – thanks for that I will tell Mr. Parnell.

I read the comments of Ms Shoesmith and also felt some sympathy for her. My feeling is we should not all retract into our shells when things go wrong but learn from the mistakes, try not to attach blame and try to make things better next time

The knitted Cllr Goddard, or Listening Dave as we should more correctly call him, would be very cuddly.

I too am not a very good knitter. I stay with scarves basically. I am a bit better at crochet, but am still capable of producing items which cause me great embarrassment.

Yes, I think it would be wiser not to knit in council meetings but to gaze up with rapt attention at Tiddles, Cllr Weldon, Cllr Derbyshire et al and bask in their loving benevolence as they steer the Stockport ship of state ever upwards and onwards to even higher levels of greatness.

Lots of love

Sheila

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Sunday, February 08, 2009 12:37 PM

Subject: RE: Mr Parnell

I thank it was only the Children and Young People’s Division at Haringey that was judged as being OK and I do take your point about Baby P. That point has been raised in various meetings that I have attended. I listened to part of the interview with the ex Director at Haringey yesterday I think her name is Ms Shoesmith, and was interested to hear an alternative point of view from her. In my experience, these matters are never as cut and dried as the media/politicians would like to make out. I think most people who have any responsibility in whatever way for Children’s services experience great worry and concern that something may go wrong with their service. I know I do.

Can I ask whether Mr Parnell has been to the Ombudsman or elsewhere with his complaints? And has he ever asked for legal advice regarding his situation. I realise that legal advice is expensive but there is CAB and the Law Centre in Longsight where they don’t charge.

To me this would seem like the obvious route to take but maybe he already has.

I am trying to imagine a knitted David Goddard. What a scream. I challenge you to do it. I’m sure you could find sufficient stuffing it you tried.

I used to knit a lot although was never very good at it. I have been considering taking it up again recently but it does take up a fair bit of time and I think these days would be expensive. Haven’t completely given up on the idea but I think I wouldn’t be doing it at Council meetings. I think that would go down like a lead balloon both with Members of the Council and with Members of the Public. I can just imagine the story in the local rag.

Ann Smith

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Dear Councillor Smith

Do start council meeting knitting; that would be brilliant. I know Cllr Weldon sends his emails during the meeting, so why not (he has emailed me during a full council meeting). The reporter, Peter Devine, told me last night there is a knit-in happening at Chadkirk Chapel so I might go along. I think I will knit a Councillor Goddard, if I can get enough stuffing.

Wonderful if you make your own enquiries about Mike Parnell – that is just what we need.

The Council won’t get a bad report if it never acknowledges official complaints, will it? Scullion still hasn’t acknowledged receipt of mine since July over several million pounds. Also maybe you should speak to the parents of the autistic children regarding what has happened to them. I can give you their email addresses if you want. Don’t forget Haringey got a glowing report too before Baby P died. I would love the Council to get things right because people would have a better quality of life, the council tax wouldn’t be wasted and I could go back to reading and tackling the damn Himalayan Balsam everywhere.

Lots of love

Sheila

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Sent: Friday, February 06, 2009 1:07 PM

Subject: RE: Mr Parnell

Thank you for your reply.

I heard your comments at Council last night but was more intrigued by the knitting. Brilliant idea particularly when things get a touch tedious.

Will have to make my own enquiries re your comments and draw my own conclusions.

Incidentally, in the light of your campaign against the Lib Dem Group, the news of Stockport Council’s latest performance assessment – 4* and improving – wouldn’t have gladdened your heart presumably. However, we must be getting something right.

Ann Smith

04 February 2009 19:17
Dear Councillor Smith

Thanks for your response.

I think when I saw people had elected another LibDem I just blotted the details from my mind. I haven’t heard you make any contribution in full council meetings, but maybe I missed it if you did.

Mr. Parnell is the pressing issue at the moment. The most significant thing that has happened to him has has happened since you have been a councillor. For background, he adopted two troubled daughters, which was an out of area adoption. Due to a foul-up on behalf of SMBC these girls were never officially registered with Stockport. As these poor young ladies hit problems because of their past life, Mr. Parnell merely asked for some counselling help for them. I think that was a decade ago. If they had remained in care they would have cost SMBC a fortune. After getting nowhere for years he started his protest, maybe one and a half years ago. He is, I am sure you will realise, a decent and gentle chap. SMBC has had him arrested 44 times and he is currently awaiting trial on charges of assault on a council employee with a sneeze with intent to infect him with a cold. Mr. Parnell has been taken to court before by the Council and had the proceedings dropped on the day of the hearing. This time it will have to go through to the bitter end. The Council is trying to criminalise and break this very simple, gentle man. You could look into what has happened, it is all a matter of record, and speak out against what is happening to him. The LibDem Executive Councillors have repeatedly refused to do so.

I am trying to find out if the lady who jumped off the Humber Bridge with her 9 year old autistic son had similar problems with the Council to Mr. Parnell.

There are other problems. The houses in Bredbury are already slipping into the coalmines below. I merely asked the LibDem Bredbury Councillors to read the A6 Bypass geological survey, which pointed to the further problems local residents would have if the road goes ahead. They couldn’t be bothered.

The local residents around Aquinas were telling me the other night how the local LibDem councillors were all over them like a rash before the election. Now they are having major problems, there is no sign of Cllrs Derbyshire or Humphreys.

If you look around Offerton (entirely LIbDem councillors), especially the Precinct, I would be astonished if you could point to any improvement the councillors have made. I managed to get £80,000 for children’s play equipment by putting the squeeze on a council officer. Cllr Meikle claimed she had got the money. She had done diddly squat.

At a past budget meeting where there was a £10 million shortfall, Cllr Derbyshire hadn’t read the documents with regard to her own transport portfolio at the Executive Meeting a few days before and she hadn’t read them for the Full Council meeting later in the week. This was over an issue she thought was £425 million and it was actually , I think but can check, £665 million. “Where does Mrs. Oliver get these ridiculous figures?” she asked. From the documents in front of her that she should have read (twice).

At that same budget meeting, two severely mentally handicapped people addressed the full council meeting (which must have taken guts). The Council was going to close a special centre where they could look after their baby. (Obviously, it wouldn’t be safe to leave the baby with them unsupervised). They begged the Council not to close the centre. At that same meeting, despite the £10 million deficit, councillors voted themselves an increase, which I believe none of the Tory councillors accepted for themselves.

Add to that the fact that we are paying millions and millions of pounds over the odds to put children’s lives in danger regarding the Harcourt Street school, and that I have been asking for a year now for an explanation of these financial anomalies, it is impossible for me to have any respect for the ruling LibDem councillors. In trying to expose these funny goings on I have been banned, threatened with exposure in the press, and had an illegal FOI ban put on me and everyone else in the town – just to stop me getting at any documents. If you are going to be a breath of fresh air, then I am delighted.

At a full council meeting I saw Cllr Candler gesture rudely to the local people in the gallery (people who pay is £35,000 pa) over his shoulder and accuse them of planting asbestos on the site.

If you want to see documentary evidence of what I am saying, particularly about the danger to children, let me know and I will show you anytime.

I don’t see any desire to serve the community from the LibDems and I have seen the money-grabbing.

Jolly good news re your Tesco commitment. Thanks very much. I always stand up to bullies, always have, always will.

Kind regards

Sheila

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Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 3:24 PM

Subject: RE: Mr Parnell

Thank you for this.

It may be that you have experienced difficulties in your dealings with Stockport Council. If so, I do not know what they are any more than I know what Mr Parnell’s problems are.

Whatever has taken place did so when I was not a member of the Council.

Sorry if my existence was not known to you and indeed, why should it, except that your vehement dislike of all things Liberal Democrat/Stockport Council makes it a little strange that you do not inform yourself as to who it is that is being targeted in your vitriolic comments.

Incidentally, I don’t believe that you intended the term ‘simple’ to be interpreted in the way that you say you meant. You have never struck me as striving for simpliciity if your comments and campaigns are anything to go by.

I was impressed by your very successful campaign against Tesco and have never shopped at Tesco or used any Tesco product since that time. I just wish that someone having your level of energy and commitment would stand for the Council/Parliament/Europe instead of the rather silly sniping from the sidelines which you seem to get so much pleasure from.

I have a real problem with the stererotyping that your comments betray. Politicians, whether local or national are very used to the line that all politicians are motivated by less than honourable intentions and that we are all on the make. But to have this line peddled by an obviously intelligent person such as you is very sad.

I have been involved in local politics for many years and have not found that politicians are that much different from the rest of the community. In other words, most are there because they genuinely care about the people they represent. Inevitably, there will be exceptions but in my experience (more than 25 years) they are very rare indeed. Indeed, with the level of accountability required from local councillors, it would take more guile and energy than most of could muster to abuse the system.

If you are really serious about the issues you publicise then maybe you should be a little more aware of the impression you create with your comments which the press delight in reporting.Of course they do. But it all comes across as somewhat vicious and hysterical and therefore not to be taken seriously.

I assume that whatever your issues with Stockport Council, you have approached the Ombudsman/Standards Board and that you have had a response. I assume also that if the response was not to your liking, that you have approached local members of parliament, both Lib Dem and Labour for their assistance notwithstanding the fact that we are all, at the end of the day, a waste of space.

Cllr Ann Smith

02 February 2009 21:05

Dear Councillor Smith

Mr Parnell told me you were upset by my comments in the Guardian and the Express. I didn’t mean you – to be honest I didn’t know you existed.

I have extensive experience of how awful the LibDems are at representing the people of Stockport, how they are willing to put children’s lives at risk and how they condone the appalling treatment of Mr. Parnell.

I can give you masses of documentary evidence should you be interested. I would be delighted if there was one LibDem willing to work for local people. I voted LibDem for 25 years; how daft am I?

If you are interested I look forward to hearing from you.

By the way, to be simple is a good thing. I aim for simplicity in my life.

Kind regards

Sheila

Majothi has the habit of asking for information then stonewalling when he gets it. I have had extensive dealings with this man.

From: Anwar Majothi <anwar.majothi@stockport.gov.uk>

Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:14:55 +0000

To: ‘mickysara@btinternet.com'<mickysara@btinternet.com>

Subject: RE: Assault complaints

Dear Mr Parnell,

Thank you for your email.

I am afraid that I will not be investigating your complaint further, at this stage. You previously drew attention to video clips which appeared on a website involving you and two members of Council staff which I was not aware of until quite recently (as you know one Officer has since left the Council). I have been advised that the remaining Officer has already been warned in relation to his dealings with you during the period relating to when the video footage appears to have been shot. I therefore see no purpose in investigating your complaint further, unless you have further video footage which I would be happy to review. You may recall that I have already asked you for further information, which has thus far not been forthcoming.

Yours sincerely,

Anwar Majothi

Corporate Complaints Manager

Stopford House

Stockport Council

SK1 3XE
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From: mickysara@btinternet.com [mailto:mickysara@btinternet.com]
Sent: 09 June 2013 13:47
To: Anwar Majothi
Subject: Fw: Assault complaints

Mr Majothi

RE: Complaints of assaults that took place on council property, “Duty of Care”

Following correspondence from the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), received on 22/05/2013 i must inform you that I complain that Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council has not complied with its statutory duty of care,

I formally complain that Stockport metropolitan Borough Council has failed in its Duty of Care to protect me as a service requesting customer in the council’s service center stockport from harm (injuries sustained while attending council offices) on more than one occasion with results of injury occurring causing alarm distress and severe ill well-being.

For your further information supplied below please read previous correspondence sent to you (please read fully, skipping over the fact doesn’t represent your previous findings).

As instructed please correspond receipt of the complaint within 5 days, further delays would be open to complaint.

Michael S Parnell.

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From: MICHAEL PARNELL <mickysara@btinternet.com>
To: “mickysara@btinternet.com” <mickysara@btinternet.com>
Sent: Friday, 4 May 2012, 2:43
Subject: Fw: Your Stage 2 complaints

Dear Anwar Majothi

I write in reply to your Email dated 2nd May 2012 10:54hrs which I opened on the 3rd May 2012 at 16:00hrs.

In rely to your request for the dates and names to progress my complaint to stage 2, the facts for further investigation must be those that would cause no further delay to the same as those said to have been already investigated at stage 1.

So as not to duplicate my complaint, please could you supply to me the dates and names that were investigated by Mr Denis McCarthy at stage 1 which was found by him not to contain any evidence that the security guards had assaulted me or made threats to my life.

There are many assaults on different dates that are required to be submitted separately for investigation and each of those individual complaints justification.

Following our meeting on Monday the 30th April 2012 I forward in this reply submit a further complaint that is one of the many assaults that have been reported to the police, following levies paid to the police service from the council tax I forward the correspondence (below) sent of the assault by coumcil employee’s, the council has a duty for submitting complaints to the policing service within the stockport community neighbourhood policing teams.

(As above) letter submitted to the police along with attached statement

Chief Superintendant Neil Wain

Stockport Police Station

Lee Street

Stockport

Greater Manchester

SK1 3DR

04 April 2013 23.18

Dear all.

Hello how are you, I wish you all are well, firstly let me introduce myself my name is Michael I am married to my dear wife Karen and we have two lovely adopted daughters, you will see from the subject title Stockport Town Hall has a Peaceful protester and yes that is me who is now, if you would like, telling yourselves why I am stating I am a peaceful protester, I was not in the first instance having cause to protest but there was a need to call on a request for services, that was not for myself but for our troubled adopted children on their calls for help, I am of a kind and peaceful nature and always willing to help, I was a cub, boy scout and while being a venture scout volunteered to help less able persons through the duke of Edinburgh award scheme to assist their needs of help to do things which they could not normally do, it might look that I praise that which I am proud of and why shouldn’t I, doing it has rewarded me to be able to help others, I am proud of everything I have done, but when it was that I couldn’t find a way to help those who had suffered a terrible trauma I asked for help for someone to help me to help those in need, when that help is conditional at a cost and not as unconditional as given by myself, where are we now with me rambling on, well when services are not forthcoming if we are not happy I was told to make a complaint, which I was reluctant to do yet to help others this had to be done it is not for my own selfish gains but for children I submitted the complaint, I won’t trouble you with the rights and wrongs of a complaints system but help for children when they are children that the time taken to respond and then process the complaint the children then were no longer children but more surely troubled adults. Responding to these needs how can the requests progress, well I was told to be patient and wait, that is what I did outside the stockport town hall neatly dressed with polite manners and holding a A4 size piece of paper that i had wrote on it HELLO HOW ARE YOU and I was there firstly each day for over 12 months, peacefully well again what is peaceful protest well nobody unless they asked, knew what my protest was about apart from Stockport Council who have cause to hide their failings, how did they do this? Peaceful protest!! they falsely made allegations accompanied with assaults discrimination intimidation victimisation and with other related unacceptable treatment, where did this leave me, assault injury caused Barretts cell and for a unlucky few, 2 percent risk, develops into cancer, that is now something I have to stand up too, and requires removal by high risk surgery, and when in preparation to get my affairs in order, some loose ends had to be tied up the council knowing my illness and in their cause tried to divert the true course of justice by alleging my arrest for a section 4A public order offence, by my putting in writing as requested from the police what threats had been made towards myself and that was that “Mr Stephen Duggan Council security guard has said he would smash my head in or kill me”, today 5th April 2013 I should have gone into hospital for op tomorrow but surgeon not available postponed to next week, the above arrest trial discontinued but today was revived and as I was not going into hospital was requested to attend court which I did to be acquitted in less then 10 minutes in and out of the courtroom, a stress lifted something not needed when facing high risk surgery,

I have to rest from this for a while, i will if you would like to know more carry on with what has happened further.

Keep well and all look after yourselves
Michael

From: MICHAEL PARNELL <mickysara@btinternet.com>
Subject: letter of authorisation requested by SMBC
To: mickysara@btinternet.com
Date: Friday, 27 January, 2012, 23:28

14 October 2013 18:26

Sheila,

I have already reviewed the below incident with Mr Parnell but am happy to discuss the matter with you. Could you let me know what days / hours suit you and I will see when we can meet.

This is a complex case which am more than happy to look into and try to resolve to the satisfaction of (hopefully) everyone concerned.

I did have productive conversations with Mr Parnell regarding his wishes in terms of resolution which I have addressed although I couldn’t do everything he wished and regrettably was not able to give him an update as he went into hospital several days after our last meeting.

I am concerned by the mention of this case on Twitter, I do not think it is a subject for discussion in such a forum. Should you still have a grievance following our meeting you are of course free to discuss as you wish but already key elements of comments on twitter are inaccurate and do little to help resolve this.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Alan

Insp Alan Clitherow
J1 North INPT
X 69701
Mobile 07795 811575

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Email sent – 14 October 2013 18:5
Inspector Clitherow

If this case had been broadcast on Twitter years ago, it would have been sorted out before Mike died.

I am happy to correct any inaccuracies. Just give me evidence of what I have got wrong and I will correct it immediately.

I haven’t got time to be led a merry dance. When you have the relevant documents I requested and can suggest some way forward, I will meet you at any time.

Kind regards

Sheila