Just to keep you updated, I have had a 'courtesy call' from the Chief Inspector of Dyfed Police Police (no less) wanting to know my plans for Wednesday's Council meeting. He said he'd picked up information that I'd be at the meeting from the 'internet'. Whether or not he phoned me on the instructions of the Council, I cannot say. I said my plans were to attend the Public Gallery, simple as that. He said he would now discuss matters with the Council, he also said that the police were 'likely to be called' - why? I understand their concern about the negative publicity they recieved after what happened last time, particularly as I had not broken any laws, but quite why they should be so concerned about me attending Wednesday's meeting, I have no idea. I also have to say that at no time did he tell me I would not be able to attend the meeting.
According to him, the previous incident, the #daftarrest, is an ongoing issue with their Legal Services Department, which is odd as I haven't put in a formal complaint of wrongful arrest yet - that is also ongoing.
My intention is to attend the public meeting at 10am, as is my right and without interference. Whether I choose to film or not is irrelevant as it is not against the law, if it was, I wouldn't do it.
20 comments:
If I see a woman with a moustache there, I will know its you, trying to get in unrecognised by the Council and Police.
PS - As there must be a few Chief Inspector's, what was his name?
@Andrew Lye
It was Ch Insp. Mark Bleasedale.
Andrew, with regards to your earlier comment, I hope you will be able to attend.
Are the constituents of Carmarthen now to be assessed as to their suitability to attend public meetings? Could we be told what criteria will be used for this assessment?
Hang on a moment, why are the Police asking you what your plans are for a particular day? It's al beginning to smell a bit to me. I have a funny feeling that they may try and stop you attending...tax and tyre check on the way...calling at your house a few minutes before you leave...#daftdelay may well be done out of the public eye. Take care and ensure you have a witness with you at all times.
Did you ask the Ch Insp what assistance he was going to give you should you be in some way prevented from exercising your right to attend a council meeting? I flipping well would, and i you didn't, ring him back and ask!
@Mrs Angry
I take your point. He said he would be discussing the 'police's role' with the council for Wednesday. Also said he would phone again before Wednesday if he does, I shall ask him. All a bit odd to say the least. He even said something about human rights at one point - not sure who's he was referring to though.
We hope that News reporters will be attending at the Council meeting on Wednesday in order that they may record that everything is conducted in a democratic manner according to the Constitution!
What do the police think you are going to do that they are so concerned about you attending a public meeting???? Go there, armed with a mobile phone?? God forbid you might tweet on it, or even text on it!! Maybe you wouldn't even use it all! How worrying is all of this for our friends in uniform, the protectors of law and order. I do hope they are not conspiring to find a reason to make another 'daft arrest'! What will it be this time 'woman arrested because Mark James doesn't like her very much???' Where is this going? Police at the beck and call of dear 'ole' Mark and his cohorts? They should remember, and reflect upon what their own statutory duties are; they are not Mark James's personal bodyguards!!!
Seems like the banner heading for your blog is spot on. Dyfed Powys Police are clearly in bed with this shower and are assisting them. Since when did the police become the council's own security force, with their intelligence surfing the net to get the low down down your personal movements. You must be 'high priority'. Still, it bodes quite well, in that there clearly is not much crime around this area for them to be putting all their resources into watching you!!!!
There is no reason to believe that Chief Inspector Bleasedale is anything other than a decent and honourable officer of the Dyfed Powys police service whose sole interest in this matter is to ensure that the law is upheld.
Let's hope, therefore, that he attends the meeting in person tomorrow and sits in the public gallery, where I am sure he will see members of the public sitting quietly and observing the council meeting, as is their right in law.
If tomorrow's meeting goes anything like the last one, the only people disrupting the meeting will be a handful of councillors and unelected officials.
Let's also hope that the council solicitor has the courage to remind his colleagues of the council's legal obligations to hold meetings in public, and that the council may not exclude individuals simply because the chief executive does not like them.
simply take care, Caebrwyn! It all appears to be very odd that the police should contact you about your intentions. Personally, I have a feeling that somebody is trying to "trip you up" so that you cannot stand as County Councillor! CCC are very worried indeed and like a trapped rat...they can act nasty! So do take care and I would get the media involved, so that everything is witnessed, recorded and hopefully filmed.
Oh God! What on earth are these people doing? How many laws do we need to remind them of? Human Rights Act 1998. Equality Act 2010.
This is totally out of hand. I thought the police were overstretched, so why are they wasting a Chief Inspector's time on someone who is breaking no law, and caused a disturbance only by virtue of the councillors' hysterical reaction to a camera.
I'm sure there is a public-spirited barrister out there willing to take this whole thing on on a conditional fee arrangment. Think of the positive publicity they'd get when you emerge, triumphant from the High Court!
To be fair the police are in an awkward position and the Chief Inspector may be just trying to please everybody and may end up pleasing nobody.
What I find so strange about al this is the strange comments made by the chief executive when you were arrested ? you would think he would be a little more proffesional especially as he knew he was being filmed.
I think the next elections will be a watershed moment for a lot of councilors who have been on the council for too long. Surely Meryl must be vulnerable this time.
And another thing - why are the Police Legal services involved and how much is this costing ?
Best response? A campaign to put sensible, modern and probably younger candidates forward, come next election time. If they won't listen to the public, kick them out!
An even better response would be for a complete overhaul of council's, how they are run and by whom.If they truly wanted to cut costs, get rid of all the hangers on, such as Chief Executives, directors etc. Councils could be organised to run along the grounds of a large company, with Heads of Departments, with our councillors being the equivalent of directors in a company. Another very important issue, is that all personel employed within councils are accountable, as everyone else is, who work in the public sector.
many thanks for all the comments and advice. I trust that tomorrow will pass without incident and I will be able to attend the Public Gallery - there will not, and should not, be any reason for anything to be otherwise.
Jacqui
Hi - print out the standing orders (they appear to explicitly limit the council's power to bar people), print out the definitions of breach of the peace (Google led me here: http://bit.ly/jKfuZ - although I'm not a lawyer and can't vouch for its accuracy), don't travel in your own car if you can help it, don't film it today or even carry a camera phone, sit quiet in the gallery, and see if they DARE try to call the police due to the dignified silent legally permitted presence of a person the chief executive personally doesn't like - imagine the PR nightmare if they do. Tip off the local press, talk to their reporter beforehand about what might go down and why it would be a huge local story. Are there any councillors friendly to your cause? They really ought to be contesting the minutes of the previous meeting.
Good luck! Let us know how you get on.
Good luck and I trust that at last some common sense and some positive progress will be made on this. Many are watching out for todays events. I hope we do not have any repeat performances of any kind. I really do think it is time some Councils in Wales were dragged into the 21st century.Might the Petitions you have put to the Assembly be recognised and acted upon? Well it is high time they started shifting themselves down there in The Bay.Take care.
I'd like to hope that his call was just a 'so we know what to expect' call so that he can brief his officers as to what they can and can't do.
I'd like to hope that it was possibly even a supportive call in the vein of 'police are likely to be called *unspoken* by the chief executive for no good reason, so have some media there'. Most police officers do not like being used by officials in their civil spats. I hope he's one of them.
I fear I'm being too optimistic and idealistic though. Good luck today!
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