THE EXASPERATION on Thurrock Conservative leader, cllr Phil Anderson’s face said it all as he asked the Labour leader to give the council an update on the investigation into the conduct of reclusive Ockendon councillor, Aaron Kiely.
Councillor John Kent remained firmly tight-lipped. He said: “As there is an on-going investigation, I cannot comment.”
Cllk Kiely did not attend the meeting on Wednesday (Jan 23rd) although he did submit his apologies. Cllr Kiely attended a meeting in May 2012 and in November 2012 but missed meetings in Jan, Feb, March, June, July, September, October, December and now January 2013.
The rules indicate that a councillor must attend a minimum of one meeting in six months. Technically, cllr Kiely can attend on meeting every six months until May 2015, when he is up for re-election.
Perhaps Comrade Kent can sack a cleaner or two to make up for the money we have to pay to Kiely becasue he managed to manipulate the electoral system to make personal financial gain out of it. How dare the evil Tories ask questions about a democratically elected official Doesn’t he know he’s a Labour councillor and Labour style democracy doesn’t allow them to be questioned over such matters. Just ask Ed Miliband. He knows all about Labour style democracy.
Well said, NoVoice. Kent can’t dismiss him from his party because he will loose overall control of the Council. Keily knows this so he can call John’s bluff!
The honourable thing would be to dismiss him, however we all know there is not that level of honour in politics.
And still the people in Mr Kiely’s ward go unrepresented. Is this Labour’s idea of democracy at work? This should be a much bigger scandal than it appears to be, maybe I’ll pop into McD’s on Saturday and bring the issue up with my local MP.
they seek him here, they seek him there but the illusive Cllr Kielly is nowhere to be found around his electorate.
Cllr Kent is sitting on his hands with regards to the investigation and the local Labour Party are complicit in defrauding the local people of Thurrock by not removing him from the party.
Come on Cllr Kent grow a pair of cojones and kick this waste of space into touch
I would put my money on a by election in Ockendon in May 2013, on the same day that the rest of Essex votes for the County Council – Thurrock has no elections on that day. Surely Kiely can’t be allowed to carry on for much longer?
Jonno66_ that would seem the fairest way foward for the residents of Ockendon, but I dont think you should wager too much on it happening as I dont think Mr Kent would willingly lose his majority in the chamber. I get the imprssion that apart from the few who comment here and on other local wevbsites, the Thurrock/Ockendon electorate in general appear not to care.
What is it that requires the Labour party and Comrade Kent to hold an investigation. Fraud is defined as the act of gaining money by deceiving people. What about that is so confusing to the Labour party and Comrade Kent. In any other walk of life Kiely would stand trial for fraud. Are the Labour party’s ethics and morals on the behaviour of their councillors so low that they accept fraudulent behaviour carried out against the council and the electorate by one of their councillors that clearly has no intention of even attempting to carry out his duties as a councillor. Why do the Labour party not accept that his behaviour is simply wrong and kick him out of the Labour party. If the Tories had any sense this would be splashed all over the media at a time when the council are saying they are going to sack people to save money. They should also campain on it at the next elections held in Thurrock. It may not worry voters in Ockendon but it may cost them the odd seat elsewhere.