Monthly Archives: December 2014

HI HO, HI HO IT’S OFF TO THE OMBUDSMAN WE GO …

Opening salvo against that scabrous little Tory shit, housing boss, Hooper …

From: s-norman123@hotmail.co.uk
To: faircomment@bristol.gov.uk
CC: wayne.harvey@bristol.gov.uk; matthew.melias@bristol.gov.uk; sw1ne2001@yahoo.co.uk
Subject: RE: FORMAL COMPLAINT
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 10:14:48 +0000

On December 17 I received a letter, ‘Re: report of anti-social behaviour’ from Nick Hooper, Service Director, Housing Solutions and Crime Reduction. A copy of the letter is attached. An identical letter was sent to XXX XXXXXX.

The letter is partial, inaccurate and breaches my rights under Article 6 of the ECHR. I further believe that Hooper’s correspondence is a crude attempt to bully and harass me.

My specific concerns are:

  1. Hooper appears to have conducted some kind of investigation in to me, which I was unaware of and which I was not invited to take part in. I have been given no opportunity via Hooper’s ad hoc process to provide evidence nor cross examine the evidence of others. There therefore appears to have been a covert investigation in to me by Hooper who has then gone on to draw conclusions. This breaches natural justice and my rights under Article 6 of the ECHR while Hooper’s covert investigation also meets the definition of ‘directed surveillance’ under RIPA. Hooper’s failure to inform us of an investigation and involve us in his investigation is therefore unlawful.
  2. Hooper is a housing officer. He is neither a lawyer nor a police officer. He is therefore neither skilled nor qualified to undertake an investigation into potentially criminal matters. Hooper is acting beyond his limited powers.
  3. Hooper accuses me of “behave[ing] in an anti-social manner” and “disrupt[ing] a councillors’ surgery” but provides no supporting evidence to back up these claims. The statements are therefore defamatory, intended to bully and harass.
  4. Hooper has failed to follow your Code of Conduct for Investigations policy, which provides an easy to follow format to conduct, “Formal management investigations arising where managers request an issue to be investigated where that issue does not fall within one of the recognised policies”.
  5. I am concerned that as a candidate at the last election in Avonmouth, I have been the victim of political bias. Hooper’s letter has been written on behalf of a Conservative councillor for Avonmouth and is totally accepting of and biased to their point of view. Hooper’s post is politically restricted. This means not only should he not engage in party politics but that he needs to be seen to not be engaging in party politics

What I require:

1. Hooper to withdraw his letter and all the claims and accusations contained therein.

2. Hooper to write and apologise to me.

3. If you still wish to pursue this pointless matter, a proper investigation into the events of December 3 needs to take place that is conducted openly, fairly and according to your policies and the law by a suitably qualified and skilled practitioner.

Finally, I note that Hooper is a Service Director. Your complaints procedure states, “The manager responsible for the service will look into the concerns”. As the manager of the service, however, I do not expect to see Hooper investigating himself. I therefore request that a senior officer at a grade above Hooper look into our concerns. I’d be grateful if you could inform me, at the earliest opportunity, who this will be. Please note, I will expect this investigating officer to personally sign off their conclusions rather than dumping it on to an unsuspecting and disposable minion.

Kind regards,

Steven Norman

Tel: 0117 2398042
Mob: 07747490902

 

POSH DROOPER’S ASBO FLOP

hooperA thick smog of hopelessness, crisis and meltdown drifts aimlessly through the air at Bristol City Council these days. We now discover that useless posh twit housing boss Nick “DROOPER” Hooper is threatening local residents in Bristol with LEGAL ACTION for, er … Delivering a letter to their councillor!

The posh underperforming middle management buffon sent a legally vacuous letter to two Avonmouth residents this week THREATENING them with legal action – despite being neither a copper nor a lawyer –  for “causing harassment, alarm or distress to others” after they visited Avonmouth Community Centre and HAND DELIVERED a letter to their local councillor, Wayne “DEE” Harvey.

Drooper also requested that they “refrain from such conduct in the future” and “where issues persist we may have to take ACTION against those responsible”! Ooh er missus! Don’t go delivering letters to councillors on Drooper’s watch! Or he’ll use those DRACONIAN powers that only exist inside his deluded mind to punish you!

One resident has described this ‘incident’ to us in all its criminal glory:

“I entered the Avonmouth Community Centre with Steven Norman to present Cllr Harvey with a set of written questions as he had refused to answer our enquiries. I asked where Cllr Harvey was and was directed to the back room.

“The door was open and I walked in and apologised to the person sat with Cllr Harvey and asked if I could just drop the letter off and not take up any further time. This I did and asked Cllr Harvey to respond in writing at a later date. I then left the building to attend a remembrance ceremony for the victims of the Bhopal chemical crime.”

What a crime! Call the cops! A letter’s been delivered!

You really have to ask what pea-brained dick head Drooper’s playing at here. This OVER-PROMOTED posh wanker, no doubt with an expensively purchased MA in vacuous bollocks, is currently overseeing the worst HOUSING CRISIS in living memory in the city and doing fuck all about it apart from picking up a fat salary every month.

Surely this lazy-arsed failing boss has more important things to do than write dumbass letters full of pseudo-legal DRIVEL and EMPTY THREATS to local residents? Why doesn’t he, er, do his actual job? Sorting out the social housing crisis in the city or maybe even the homelessness crisis in the city or finding somewhere for the city’s army of battered women to live?

Coincidentally, Drooper’s absurdist legal assault on resident correspondents to councillors came the day before it was revealed that the Environment Agency’s brief dust monitoring programme at Avonmouth Port will be pulled IMMEDIATELY with the full backing of Bristol City Council’s officers. No doubt these two events are entirely unrelated?

There may be trouble ahead …

#walrustrial HOPKINS’ AND COUNCIL’S STAR WITNESS EXPOSED AS A RACIST

‘Kind But Still’, Councillor Gary Hopkins, ink and brush, 2013, Jeff from Bedminster

‘Kind But Still’, Councillor Gary Hopkins, ink and brush, 2013, Jeff from Bedminster

What was supposed to be the last day of the WALRUS TRIAL yesterday at Bristol Magistrates Court, where Councillor Gary “FUCKBUCKET” Hopkins has been personally intervening to have the GOTHIC MANSION and TOWN HOUSE (Bristolian passim) prosecuted for noise pollution, predictably descended into an expensive farce.

First, inept magistrates ruled that TWO defence witnesses, who may have confirmed the existence of a VENDETTA by Hopkins – already been exposed in open court by senior city council Environmental Health Officer Mark Curtis last week – could not take the stand. Bristol City Council then attempted to have another defence witness PROSECUTED for contempt of court for discussing the case on Twitter.

Following hours of legal argument and delay, the trial finally recommenced in the late afternoon and featured a defence witness, Ms X, who had stayed at the TOWN HOUSE. She revealed that not only did her group not make any noise during their stay as they had young children in bed by 9.00pm but that the council’s star witness, JOHNATHAN ROSS of KNOWLE ROAD, was a RACIST who had HARASSED her during her stay.

Ms X revealed that this scumbag Ross, an associate of Fuckbucket’s and a serial complainer about noise to a receptive council, constantly banged on their door one evening to complain about the noise from a film on DVD they were watching. The next day Ross called her mixed race son a “MONKEY” and a “GOLLIWOG” in the street. The following evening he was once again complaining. This time about the noise generated from music from an Ipod dock.

Ross is quite transparently an offensive and deluded nutter. Just the man to get in to supply hearsay evidence for Hopkins and his crew of bent council officers then!

An already shaky prosecution is now in crisis. Having ‘lost’ TWO logbooks recording alleged incidences of noise at the Town House and having installed sound equipment that revealed NO EVIDENCE of any noise at the house at all, the council is now totally reliant on the kind of evidence supplied by a known RACIST and OBSESSIVE, Ross.

Due to the massive delays yesterday, the trial now has been adjourned until 12 January next year. How much this is costing the council taxpayer is anyone’s guess. But we’ve been assured a figure of £50k is not unrealistic.

ARENA: BREAKING THE BANK?

IS THERE A BLACK HOLE IN THE WHITE ELEPHANT?

Bristol Arena - white elephant - Dru Marland

The budget for mayor “Uncle” George Ferguson’s major VANITY PROJECT and RE-ELECTION STRATEGY is spiralling dangerously out of control.

Despite efforts from the mayor to GAG councillors from revealing the financial shambles, we know that CANCELLATION of any on-site car parking and the LOSS of revenue has smashed a £10m-sized budget black hole into mayor’s £90m Arena project.

Meanwhile a council Scrutiny Committee in August UNCOVERED a further £4m worth of costs for the project, pushing the total budget up to at least £94m.

Now it’s been revealed that the owners of the land, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), are DEMANDING payment for their land, which the council had originally claimed would be a freebie. The HCA are believed to want around £4m for the land.

So just a year into the project and costs have been already pushed up by around NINE PER CENT to £98m before a shovel’s got anywhere near the site. The total FUNDING GAP for the project is now at least £18m and this will have to be met by council taxpayers and through cuts to services already being hammered by austerity.

Concerns have also been expressed about other aspects of Uncle George’s funding proposals. He claims £53m will come from the City Deal ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND.

A complicated mechanism based on borrowing against any increased receipts from business rates in the TEMPLE QUARTER ENTERPRISE ZONE. At present there’s little sign of much growth in these receipts, which leaves Bristol council taxpayers, as lenders of the last resort, to pick up that tab too.

Uncle George claims a further £38m of funding will come from rental and operating income from the arena. Although this figure has been described to us as “VERY AMBITIOUS” and, again, any shortfall will have to be met by the council taxpayer.

Uncle George, however, remains wedded to his basketcase project, which was one of the few actual promises he made in his election campaign. Delivering an arena, regardless of cost, may also be the only chance this highly unpopular mayor has of getting RE-ELECTED.

So worried is Uncle George about these PRECARIOUS FINANCES being revealed, he got his useless new legal boss SANJAY “UNDER” PRASHAR to invent a so-called ‘BLANKET EXEMPT STATUS’ gag to stop anyone discussing them.

Uncle George now has also removed the responsibility for the arena from the council’s PLACE SCRUTINY COMMISSION who had been asking some tricky questions and given it to the friendlier OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMISSION.

The commission’s Labour Chair, STEVE PEARCE, has already been quoted as saying “I won’t be pushing the mayor too hard on this.”

Thanks Steve. Nice to know you’re looking after us so well.

#thewalrustrial TORY IDIOT RESPONDS TO CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS!

 

‘Local Taxi Driver’, Councillor Gary Hopkins, ink, 2013, Durston Fletcher

‘Local Taxi Driver’, Councillor Gary Hopkins, ink, 2013, Durston Fletcher

Steve Norman’s received a reply to his email sent to all councillors last night pointing out that their local authority’s resources and officers have been used to pursue a PERSONAL VENDETTA against a member of the public on behalf of Bristol City Council’s Lib Dem leader, Gary “FUCKBUCKET” Hopkins.

And what a reply! It comes from none other than former Bristol Tory boss and all-round twat, PETER ABRAHAM. Abraham’s combination of stupidity and pomposity and his puppy-like willingness to turn a blind eye to corruption at the council make him an ideal spokesman for all Bristol City Councillors.

And Abraham is no stranger to sharp practice himself is he? Wasn’t he the chair of the Public Rights of Way Committee that UNLAWFULLY AGREED to allow billionaire Steve Lansdown to build a football stadium on a Town Green? A case that eventually ended up in the High Court with Bristol City Council unable to offer any defence.

Below is Abraham’s email in full. Below that we’ve Fisked it for you to reveal our councillors’ ignorance and stupidity in all its glory.

From: peter.abraham@bristol.gov.uk
To: s-norman123@hotmail.co.uk
CC:
Subject: Re: IS THIS THE WAY A COUNCILLOR SHOULD CONDUCT THEMSELF?
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 21:29:07 +0000

Good Evening

I find it very difficult to follow what allegations you are making and a letter sent to all members does not seem to me to be the most responsible way of deal with this issue, I do not understand your involvement and if you have information please summit them to the Head of Legal Services.

I also find the political edge to your email again not the best way of dealing with any issue which might have a case to answer.

The member officer relationship is a very important to good governance of our city and I would wish any allegations to be fairly and properly investigated.

Yours
Sent from my iPad

Cllr. Peter Abraham

“BRISTOL : THE BEST CITY IN BRITAIN ” The Sunday Times.

Our comments in red:

I find it very difficult to follow what allegations you are making [Can’t this thick Tory shit read? The allegations are that one of your officers committed PERJURY and the other admitted to helping a councillor organise a VENDETTA against a member of the public you gormless fucking halfwit] and a letter sent to all members does not seem to me to be the most responsible way of deal with this issue [Well, how fucking stupid. Writing to complain about corruption to the people who are actually in charge of the organisation. Why would they want to know about that? It might spoil the smooth running of their pointless meetings], I do not understand your involvement [How dare a member of the public get involved in Abraham’s council going about its bent business!] and if you have information please summit them to the Head of Legal Services [Good idea. Submit a complaint to the head of one of the departments involved in the corruption. We’ve seen emails from Abraham’s Legal Services regarding the detail of the ongoing court case that have been openly copied into Gary Hopkins. This is so unusual it’s entirely unprecedented. Why is confidential legal information being shared with a councillor? This usually never happens. A councillor should not be party to that level of detail. Especially as the information relates to an action against a house in Knowle Road in the Windmill Hill Ward. Hopkins is, of course, the councillor for Knowle. What exactly’s the point in complaining to a bent manager about their bent service? They’ll just do what they always do. Cover it up and lie to councillors about it.]

I also find the political edge to your email again not the best way of dealing with any issue which might have a case to answer [A Mickey Mouse politician like Abraham complaining about politics? What the fuck?]

The member officer relationship is a very important to good governance of our city and I would wish any allegations to be fairly and properly investigated [So who’s going to investigate? Your bent legal services or your bent Internal Audit? Why don’t out councillors get off their lazy, underemployed arses and do it themselves? And do it properly. Or are they scared what they might discover?]

Over the last eighteen months The BRISTOLIAN has exposed corruption in the council’s Markets Service, the Cash-in-Transit Service, among facilities managers, the Docks Service, the Internal Audit department and, now, Environmental Health. The Planning Department are also now seriously implicated in this latest piece of council corruption.

How much longer do councillors intend to sit on their arses doing nothing, pretending there isn’t a problem in an organisation that clearly appears to be bent from top to bottom?

Bristol City Council isn’t a public service organisation run for the benefit of the people of Bristol any more. It’s a nasty little gangster organisation run for the benefit of a few managers and councillors.

Something must be done.

DEAR COUNCILLOR, REGARDING THE PERSONAL VENDETTAS AND THE OPEN PERJURY …

‘Meat Zeppelin’, Councillor Gary Hopkins, watercolours, 2013, @guriben

‘Meat Zeppelin’, Councillor Gary Hopkins, watercolours, 2013, @guriben

From:
To: gus.hoyt@bristol.gov.uk; rob.telford@bristol.gov.uk; wayne.harvey@bristol.gov.uk; matthew.melias@bristol.gov.uk; colin.smith@bristol.gov.uk; mark.bradshaw@bristol.gov.uk; daniella.radice@bristol.gov.uk; tim.malnick@bristol.gov.uk; kevin.quartley@bristol.gov.uk; richard.eddy@bristol.gov.uk; mike.wollacott@bristol.gov.uk; mike.langley@bristol.gov.uk; rhian.greaves@bristol.gov.uk; jackie.norman@bristol.gov.uk; alex.woodman@bristol.gov.uk; mark.wright@bristol.gov.uk; charles.lucas@bristol.gov.uk; barbara.janke@bristol.gov.uk; simon.cook@bristol.gov.uk; christian.martin@bristol.gov.uk; neil.harrison@bristol.gov.uk; anthony.negus@bristol.gov.uk; afzal.shah@bristol.gov.uk; faruk.choudhury@bristol.gov.uk; mhairi.threlfall@bristol.gov.uk; mahmadur.khan@bristol.gov.uk; christopher.jackson@bristol.gov.uk; jeff.lovell@bristol.gov.uk; lesley.alexander@bristol.gov.uk; bill.payne@bristol.gov.uk; naomi.rylatt@bristol.gov.uk; mark.brain@bristol.gov.uk; mark.weston@bristol.gov.uk; chris.windows@bristol.gov.uk; barry.clark@bristol.gov.uk; michael.frost@bristol.gov.uk; glenise.morgan@bristol.gov.uk; clare.campion-smith@bristol.gov.uk; noreen.daniels@bristol.gov.uk; phil.hanby@bristol.gov.uk; claire.hiscott@bristol.gov.uk; olly.mead@bristol.gov.uk; tim.leaman@bristol.gov.uk; jason.budd@bristol.gov.uk; christopher.davies@bristol.gov.uk; margaret.hickman@bristol.gov.uk; hibaq.jama@bristol.gov.uk; estella.tincknell@bristol.gov.uk; gill.kirk@bristol.gov.uk; fi.hance@bristol.gov.uk; martin.fodor@bristol.gov.uk; jenny.smith@bristol.gov.uk; brenda.massey@bristol.gov.uk; sean.beynon@bristol.gov.uk; charlie.bolton@bristol.gov.uk; s.pearce@bristol.gov.uk; fabian.breckels@bristol.gov.uk; ron.stone@bristol.gov.uk; sue.milestone@bristol.gov.uk; jay.jethwa@bristol.gov.uk; david.morris@bristol.gov.uk; john.goulandris@bristol.gov.uk; peter.abraham@bristol.gov.uk; geoffrey.gollop@bristol.gov.uk; alastair.watson@bristol.gov.uk; helen.holland@bristol.gov.uk; tim.kent@bristol.gov.uk; mark.bailey@bristol.gov.uk; sam.mongon@bristol.gov.uk

Subject: RE: IS THIS THE WAY A COUNCILLOR SHOULD CONDUCT THEMSELF?
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 21:13:02 +0000

 

Dear Councillor,

I feel I must bring the following to your attention as a matter of urgency.

This afternoon a senior pollution control officer stated in the Bristol Magistrates Court – while on the witness stand and under oath – that Councillor Gary Hopkins has a personal vendetta against the defendant in the case in which he was giving evidence.

In addition to this alarming fact, the defendant has powerful evidence to show that a second pollution control officer has openly perjured himself under oath.

It begs the question as to why or how a councillor has been able to influence officers in the conduct of their office? Clearly Mark Curtis was not prepared to take the fall for Councillor Hopkins.

I further hope that other councillors will rally around Mark Curtis and support him in what I have no doubt will turn into a witch-hunt to have him dismissed.

The defendant in this case is the same defendant who was denied planning permission recently for the Gothic Mansion, 100 Redcatch Road. Again one can only assume that Councillor Hopkins was involved behind the scene in orchestrating this refusal because he was the person who actually called this planning matter before committee. The very same committee in which I accused Mr Calabrese of being corrupt.

In light of today’s revelation, Mr Woodman should note, that I feel somewhat vindicated.

I have no doubt that this particular case will end up costing tax payers tens of thousands of pounds and all because an overgrown bully, Gary Hopkins, wanted to run a vendetta against a citizen of Bristol who stood up to him.

Unfortunately what has been disclosed here is only a fraction of the evidence that supports Mark Curtis’ statement. However I am unable to disclose further evidence at this stage as it would be prejudicial to the case and because it has not yet been heard in open court. Methinks a big scandal is about to hit the Lib Dems and the big house on the green.

Yours Sincerely

 

Stephen Norman

The case continues tomorrow and Monday at Bristol Magistrates Court (free entry) …

Background to the case here: thebristolian.net/2014/10/23/knowle-noise-annoys/