THURROCK Council have launched a probe into a possible smear campaign against a senior Conservative councillor following the publication of secret filming on the internet.
On Thursday, the leader of the Thurrock Conservatives, cllr Phil Anderson and the chair of the planning committee, cllr Terry Hipsey had a dvd delivered to their respective addresses.
The DVD is a 23-second clip which shows former mayor, cllr Joy Redsell in conversation with an unknown male.
The tape, which has now been published on the video-sharing website youtube, has a date of 31st April 2011 (sic) and an address of Marygreen Manor Hotel, Brentwood.
The film (which has not been verified) appears to show the long standing member of the planning committee and an unknown male, sitting together in a bar area, with a large map in front of them.
As well as the dvd, other councillors including the leader of Thurrock Council, cllr John Kent have received a letters referring to the film.
Cllr Kent told YourThurrock. “I received the letter on Thursday and immediately sent it to the Monitoring Officer”.
A spokesperson said: “The Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Conservative group both received an anonymous letter on Thursday afternoon last week. The letter to Cllr Anderson included a CD.
“The CD was without sound, although the letter made certain allegations of what was said in the videoed conversation.
“Both Leaders contacted the council’s legal department and the matter is being looked at and the member involved has been informed.
“Under the circumstances we cannot comment further.”
YourThurrock sent a number of questions to the leader of the Conservative group seeking requesting that he give a full and detailed explanation of the events at the hotel.
Councillor Anderson called for a meeting of the Tory group, which met at the civic offices last night.
After the meeting councillor Anderson issued the following statement.
“The rules of the Council are clearly laid out in the Code of Conduct. Members of the public are always free to speak with Councillors about whatever matters they wish. If the matter subsequently came before any formal meeting of the Council, the Member involved would then need to consider declaring a personal or prejudicial interest as appropriate. All Conservative Members are aware of these rules and I am committed to ensuring that they are rigorously followed.
A similar piece of covert filming appeared on the internet last year when then Aveley councillor, John Cowell (Tory) was filmed discussing the problems of lorry park applications.
whats been going on?.
Could a suspension affect change on the 25th May? As rocket1 says Whats Going On?
This could have been Phil Andersons chance to show Thurrock residents that under his leadership things would be changing.
Here we have what looks like something very dodgy going on and out comes Phil with the normal Tory get out. Ths shows that its business as usual in the camp.
When you become a councillor the first thing that you are told is NEVER meet a developer on your own. You must ALWAYS take a senior officer with you.
As Joy Redsell has in the past had corruption allegations thrown at her you would have thought that she would to the party linemand learnt her lesson.
Over to you Phil…………….. and council legal department………………..
I’m sorry but I can’t leave this. Under Freedom of Information and a formal complaint response from the Chief Executive Mr Farrant, it has been established that this councillor met with both Directors of ICG on four occasions. the excuse being that the Gateway Development Corporation were responsible for granting planning. Not withstanding councillor Redsell was cited in formal documents as the person responsible for SUGGESTING the lorry park/operating centre that is now going to appeal after nearly four years of inaction, with no planning fees, non domestic rates or highway contributions and responsibility for bringing pollution through residential streets. All this from informal meetings. Now this
Since when do members of the public get to meet their councillor (who sits on the planning committee) in a hotel outside Thurrock?
Since when do members of the public bring maps with them as part of the discussion?
Has the hotel been contacted as part of the investigation for verification?
Has it been established who paid the bill for any meals/refreshements at the hotel and had this been declared prior to this becoming public?
All questions that can be simply answered. In fact I call on any other councillor to make a supporting statement for Mrs Redsell. Why is there no input from Councillor Redsell and do Thurrock have any idea of the words HONESTY AND TRANSPARENCY?
This woman must have asbestos skin. Would you agree Mr Farrant?
So the Constitution of Thurrock about councillors meeting without officers present does not apply to Mrs Redsell. Why is that?
Make a statement Mrs Redsell and if nothing is going on -name the man and his occupation.
I would finish by saying that by attending a meeting at a hotel with a possible developer Mrs Redsell leaves herself wide open for any challenge and the only way forward is to make a clear response.
Perhaps if enough people watch the video – we may yet get the name of the ‘member of public’. Anyone want to give any odds as to his line of work? No I didn’t think so.
Mr Anderson has made a sorry start as the New Leader in showing what can be expected. Let’s say nothing and hope it all goes away. No change there.
I don’t understand a possible smear campaign was cllr Redsell forced to go to a Meeting in Brentwood outside the borough. As for Cllr Anderson he accused Mayor Anne Cheale of being Judas and he informed her of the weight of a silver coin how many a silver coins has Cll Redsell Carried back from her unreported meetings. I also believe Thurrock’s legal department is an expensive misuse of the Tax payers money Grahame Farrant for his £200,000 another waste of space when is this council going to do some think about this Councillor at the very least she should face an immediate suspension. Since the legal department are quite unwilling for whatever reason what is beyond my comprehension to do nothing surely the leader of Thurrock council Cllr Kent Should intervene and call in the police because this cannot be tolerated any more enough is enough I PERSONALY WILL BE TAKING OUT A STANDARD CHARGE AGAINST CLLR REDSELL AND I URGE EVERY BODY WHO HAS READ MR CASEYS ARTICLE TO DO THE SAME AND INCLUDE THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IN THE COMPLAINT AND MR FARRENT this is the only way to forward this nasty episode because obviously Thurrock council will do nothing about this situation as usual as the legal department and Mr Farrent have demonstrated this by their inaction . Furthermore Cllr Anderson or should I say Hans Christen Anderson you know the story teller because that’s what you are why don’t you get hold of this situation and do some think decisive about this situation instead of keeping this councilor about for her vote on Wednesday tell the truth Cllr Anderson and shame the devil
Once again this councillor resell hits the head line with queries about corruption and secret meetings and we the residents are ment to believe that this is a member of the public with maps across the table at a well known business meeting place for movers and shakers he doesn’t look like a member of the public to me this easily resolvable if he is a member of the public ok if it transpires he is a developer there’s no option but for her to go and go now discussed and let down resident of Thurrock councillor Anderson come down off your cross and shame on you
“The rules of the Council are clearly laid out in the Code of Conduct. Members of the public are always free to speak with Councillors about whatever matters they wish. If the matter subsequently came before any formal meeting of the Council, the Member involved would then need to consider declaring a personal or prejudicial interest as appropriate. All Conservative Members are aware of these rules and I am committed to ensuring that they are rigorously followed.
As above if these are the rules then Cllr Anderson you must have had plenty of opportunity to ask Cllr Redsell exactly who this person was so you are expecting the members of the public to believe you received this DVD onThursday last week and you have not had an opportunity to question Cllr Redsell regarding this gentleman’s identity and his professional title if not I’m sure you can get on the phone and inquire now to save time regarding this serious occurrence. And by you quoting the rules above please don’t tell me you have not asked her before now. So stop trying to be deceitful because you must think the taxpaying residents of Thurrock are as unintelligent as yourself the only persons intelligence you are insulting is your own.
Cllr Anderson “I am asking you a direct question at this time”. On your honor do you or do you not know the identity of this gentleman and his profession.
I will be checking with Thurrocks legal department what councilor Redsell describes this individual professional status as. Given that she must have been asked by Thurrocks legal department for a statement of facts with the time and dates from Cllr Redsell. Just to keep things on a professional level
I would like you to print your answer on your thurrock to demonstrate transparency to the resident who voted you in who had faith in you. If no answer is forthcoming I think the members of the public can make up their own mind
georgy
I think I will do the same
For the last week Phil Anderson has been promising a new approach to Tory politics in Thurrock.
Yet he has failed to deliver on this promise at the first hurdle.
Had there been nothing to the article both he and Joy Redsell could have come out with a full explanation of what she was doing in a hotel in Brentwood with the property developer. Instead we got a weak press release that skirted around the issue.
Joy Redsell has put out a statement in the Thurrock Gazette saying she doesnt need to reply to anonymous DVd’s. But as she seems to forget she is accountable to the THURROCK RESIDENTS and we have a right to know why she was there, Every month she takes her monthly allowance from our council tax money and that gives us every right to know the full details around this recording.
You ge the feelng we havent heard the last of this story………….
Until we have seen the full DVD with sound it is very difficult to make a sound decision on 20 or so seconds of film with no sound.
We don’t know what was said, when this took place or what it is about?
However, a member of the planning committee having a secret meeting with a developer stinks.
While the seeds of doubt have been planted about the impartiallity and integrity of Councillor Redsell may I suggest that Councillor Anderson removes her once and for all from the Planning Committee?
This would be the only way to restore trust in the planning committee. Keep this woman away from any planning decisions while appropriate investigations are made.
Sting is that correct the disillusioned Cllr Redsell who has been on meetings with developers doesn’t have to respond to questions and facilitate the residents of Thurrock who pay her wages!!!!! Well I am one of those residents who like to know the answer.
Joy Redsell has put out a statement in the Thurrock Gazette saying she doesn’t need to reply to anonymous DVD” course you don’t want to they might incriminate you “except you are accountable you are not a law onto yourself”
Many right minded members of the public will perceive this situation has completely unacceptable how dare you issue statements the pair of you Cllr Anderson, Redsell as if everything is genuine. If you acknowledge this as true in cooperation carry out an interview with Mike Casey and verify this to all of the residents.
We all believe Cllr Redsell is in the press as a result of her immoral meetings how much more humiliation can the conservative party take. Even another government body the TTGDC wrote to Thurrock council with their grave concerns about Councillors’ meeting. And yet it blatantly carries on
I call for the residents of Thurrock to protest to their Local MP Jackie Doyle Price and insist Cllr J Redsell be held accountable to the Residents. Bear in mind we vote these councilors in to look after our welfare and wellbeing not their own personal gains
Dave never mind about her being removed from the planning committee , remove her from the bloody council! I believe She should have been suspended over the. Incident with the minor last week, that everyone is talking about. Let her deny that aswell
The councils legal department and the chief executive have a duty to the tax payers of Thurrock to suspend this woman and investigate the seriousness of the dvd and i will be writing to Jakie Doyle Price because she should of stepped in long ago instead of sitting on the sidelines.
Blimey I did not realise there were so many detectives posting on here, how people have come to the conclusions that they have from a 20 second vid without sound is amazing, and there I was thinking that Essex Police were short staffed 🙂
I am sure if we dig deep and hard enough there would be many more councilors of all parties that have done excatly the sam or worse, anyone who believes that local politics is squeeky clean is either blind or naive, these practices have been happening over and over for decades where palms are greased to get the ball rolling, no it ain’t right but it happens in all industries and government departments.
Having read all the above posts and composed myself after falling about laughing at them, I have to say that Lambo has injected a bit of common sense into the debate. How people can make some of the hysterical statements they have after viewing a few seconds of grainy footage that reveals nothing is beyond me.
I hardly think that anyone, even a Thurrock councillor, intend on carrying out some dodgy planning deal would do it in what is one of the most public venues going – a hotel bar! It is entirely appropriate for councillors to discuss planning matters with members of the public. If they sit on the planning committee, and if they are meeting to discuss a planning application that is due to come before that committee then yes, they should have an officer with them. Even if she is discussing a planning application (and we do not know), as long as she declares the appropriate interest when it comes before the committee, there is nothing to worry about. I would urge Cllr. Redsell to simply ignore the baying mob that seems always to sit around waiting for such an event to occur.
If anyone has a problem with what they have seen then my advice is to make a complaint to the Standards Board and/or the Police. If the prospect of doing this frightens you then shut up and put up.
Lambo you are correct!! Practices like this do go on all the time such as prostituting, Robberies vat fraud except when the members of the public are caught the appropriate people send you to prison or a large fine. You even could be sentenced to carry out community service
So Cllr redsell has been caught out so she should hold her hands up. The honorable thing for her is to resign furthermore not bring the whole of the 48 councillors in to ill repute.
Ps you would make a brilliant agent Lambo
Albert, what has Cllr. Redsell been caught out doing exactly? Are you really suggesting that councillors who meet with individuals/businesses to discuss (alleged) planning matters should resign from office?
I think she should apply for a super-injunction after all this is a gross
invasion of her privacy
we should not be able to see her, meeting up with a strange man, in a hotel,
possibily in the afternoon,
having a quiet drink before getting down and dirty…. greasing palms… and
spreading documents, its all far too intrusive. We the general public,
should not be witness to this type of very private liason, it should be kept
secret in time honoured council fashion in the back of cars, with brown
envelopes passing between sweaty fingers not in broad daylight !!!!!!
shocking truely shocking
Fishy vey fishy… and if you leave fish long enough they always start
to stink
Not sure why a Cllr would have a meeting in a hotel if the meeting was legitimate. Why not meet in the council offices? Was the meeting in her diary? Were minutes taken? I would love to know exactly how many meetings between Cllrs with planning powers and property developers take place. In the real world this probably happens all the time with the rest of us all oblivious to this. Planning permission often goes to property developers despite local people being very unhappy about it and without any benefit to the local community. Why do you think that happens? Where does all that good will from Cllrs for these projects come from against the express wishes of the electorate?
Albert, a hell of a lot of business transactions go on behind closed doors and also a lot of them in the Golf Club, so this is nothing new and it has nothing to do with prostitution, Theft or VAT fraud, how people have come to the conclusion that something is amiss with this DVD is beyond me, we have not had the benefit of the sound and all of it is based on congecture and hearsay.
I am sure if something dodgy has been going on the standards committee will get to the bottom of it.
Oh by the way I saw Cllr Kent walking down the road the other day and he was talking with some bloke next to him, good job he didn have a map with him or there would be total uproar 😉
jinksbella, you are completley correct in your statement about meetings taking place everyday of the week and we are oblivious to it, indeed there have been several occasions where developments in the borough has been erected and then the planning committe have rubberstamped the developments retrospetivley………allegedly 😉
If any councillor is found to be acting illegally they should be held to account immediatly. We are six days down the road from the DVD being delivered and other than a very weak and unbelievable statement we have silence from the Tory ranks.
Anybody would think that Phil needs Joys vote tonight to take control of Thurrock Council……………..
This whole story could be put to bed very quickly.
Cllr Redsell or Phil Anderson just need to answer some simple questions and do so very publicly before tonights meeting.
Who is the man she is with?
Is he a constituent who has requested a meeting?
Why are they meeting in a hotel lounge out of Thurrock and not the council offices?
OR
Is he a developer with a view to putting forward a planning application in Thurrock?
What do the plans before her relate to?
Has this developer ever developed other land in Thurrock?
Was Joy Redsell part of that planning decision?
Simple really…
Phil you normally contact the Press at the drop of a hat – I am sure that Michael Casey wil take your call today.
Lambo I think you are completely missing the point. The rules of the council are there for a reason and you cannot meet a property developer on your own, Without an officer present full stop. All councilors know this so there for if you meet a property developer without an officer present it can only be for one reason and one reason only because you’re up to no good. Otherwise you’d have an officer present wouldn’t you Lambo. There is absolutely no reason for meeting a property developer without an officer being present. I hope you now realize the seriousness of this situation and why she was obviously meeting him alone and was obviously discussing planning with him hence the Maps. Furthermore she could have put it in her diary or she could have an interview with Mike Casey and explain it and identify this individual. As for her comments in the Thurrock Gazette, and as I mentioned in my earlier post don’t tell me Lambo that thurrock councils legal department and councilor Anderson haven’t asked her already who it was she was meeting and why. Hence (no comment) if she hasn’t anything to hide let her say so in her statement because she’d have every right to be offended as I would. And not say “I’m not commenting”. Remember Lambo one of the best lies in the world is keeping silent and lambo if you think this situation is ok vote for her again but the vast majority who voted for her she owes a statement.She was very verbal when she was getting elected and knows how to talk publicly. Should be a walk in the park for her to talk her way out of this one. So lambo let’s wait for her statement which I can tell you will defiantly not be coming for the simple reason, her and the council would have issued a statement to kill this story from the offset due to the vote tonight. If there was nothing in this situation she could have made political points but instead what do we get? Guilty silence.
Where in the interview from Mike Casey does it say this person is a property developer all it says is an unidentified male, maybe this is all smoke and mirrors and people are jumping to conclusions, blimey I would hate to have some of the people on here as Jury members, they would be calling for the rope before the trail begins.
Mybe the silence about this is due to nothing going on or maybe they are leaving it to the authorities to sort out before publishing a press statement.
We have all seen this type of thing in Central Government, remember Mr Blair and his Weapons Of Mass Distruction dossier, how much of that was hushed up when he was found out also when Mr Brown turned a blind eye 9no pun intended) to the banking crisis and then denied everything.
Lets leave it to the relevant authorities to sort out any wrong doing before we all call for the executioner, then when the full facts have been laid out then we can start to prime the axe.
Oh and before anyone says I am a Tory in disguise and just covering the party, they are so far from the mark…..
I have never been one to comment on these blogs, yet feel the time has come.
I have no interest who or where Cllr Redsell meets people.
What I do find distasteful is here we are talking about some body who has been elected by the people of Thurrock to represent them.
If this film is nothing to worry us, then why will Cllr Redsell not explain to us who the gentleman is. What the plans are & why they meet out of Thurrock.
The reason I believe Cllr Redsell needs to do this is time & time again we are hearing stories regarding this Lady.
If she was a member of the public she could do as she wishes, yet she isn’t.
So come on Cllr do the people of Thurrock & yourself some good and come clean .if you have nothing to hide stand up to the gossips.
We had all the problems last year with the collison report he was obviously looking at wrong horse i say horse I will re alliterate that I mean crocodile because that’s how thick her skin is matches her handbag.
How this woman will have the front to walk into the chamber tonight
shows you the calibre of this woman she is shameless but then again she has most likely made promises she has to fulfil so she has to get back on the committee other wise the bloke will still be waiting for her in the hotel next week but its not all bad news joy a dickey bird told me Jeffery Archers trying to get hold of you for a date
I agree with Lambo / Turner leave this one to authorities – if you have any eviedence make Standards Team at Council aware. All will be revealed in due course.
wont that be a bit hard as madam Morgans husband sits on this committee and she is a paid up member of the conservative party
listen Vince Redsell has a big enough mouth other times just get her to name of the property developer, and lets have a look at how many other considerations in the planning department have been put forward why joy has been on the committee for this developer. You can think what you want Vince but thinking can get you into a lot of trouble lets stick to facts
Am I wrong? It doesn’t need the standards committee. Don’t tell me legals and farrent I don’t know who that man is why they won’t issue a statement
This would stop all this bickering and she could have stopped all this by just going and saving all her colleagues being tarred with the same brush
OMG
Lets hope this women wasnt just getting FRUITY over a map with a married man.we have all hung drawn and quatered her yet she could just be doing a giggsy??????
or she may of been using the map to find his hotel room.
part of me feels so sorry for her, the other part thinks come on Cllr start talking
Put it all to bed for once and for all or HIM
Just when I thought the accusations couldn’t get any more hysterical, or distasteful for that matter; we are now supposed to believe that the Standards Committee has a secret Tory bias. And the local Police are all secret Tory party members too I suppose?
No wonder Cllr. Redsell won’t lower herself and respond. I wouldn’t mind betting she is rather amused by it all.
turner joy resell you couldn’t get any lower and as to being rather amused i bet she is crying into her bank account by the sound of it in the general talk of working class people like my self joy should either make a statement or go. There is no other two ways about it you know it i know its everybody knows it she is banged to rights and i predict when this gentleman’s name does come out into the open and planning considerations are checked out i will guarantee you that he has had more than enough planning considerations through the committee she sits on so let her just make a statement and there’s an end to it and all this bickering toing and throwing will all be over and finished in one fowl swoop everybody is accountable me you joy Redsell. everybody she gets paid for being a cllr and it looks like she gets a few perks on top as well so why don’t she put the record straight and shame people like myself and i will have to shut up and stop writing on this blog because that would be the most sensible thing to do i know she wont because she’s banged to rights
turner Joy Redsell has resign cought bang to rights do you think shes ammused now apologues anybody.