What is one to make of this press announcement from The Mayor of Margate's Parlour this morning? Is this a resignation or isn't it? I presume that for 'Today's hearing', Mrs Ezekiel means 'yesterday's hearing'.
PRESS RELEASE
After Today's hearing The Mayor of Margate, Cllr Ted Watt-Ruffell is intending to step aside as Mayor, and that Cllr Michael Tomlinson, the Deputy Mayor, will take over his duties. The sentence is subject to appeal.
Editors noteThere will be no further statement subject to the appeal.
What I find strange is that the impression is given that the sentence is the issue and thus no further comment will be made until that has been appealed!
Let's just pinch ourselves for a moment and then wake up.
Mr Watt-Ruffell ( I will no longer give him the courtesy of his title and no longer regard him as my ward councillor) pleaded GUILTY to a serious animal cruelty/neglect charge and was then FOUND GUILTY. That is the issue why his full resignation should have been made this morning and why he should resign from TDC as a Councillor. The rules on Councillor convictions do not require it but an honourable Conservative councillor would have resigned as Mayor and as a Councillor, long ago.
This mealy mouthed press-release obfuscates the issue. If Mr Watt-Ruffell wishes to appeal what appears to be a lenient penalty of 80 hours Community Service that is his private business and whilst some might consider that foolish, that is a matter between him and the Courts. It does not alter the fact that he has been found guilty and has thus brought The Mayoralty of Margate and TDC into disrepute.
It really is time for The Charter Trustees to step in on the Mayor issue and demand his resignation and TDC Conservatives (if there are any left) to remove 'the whip' and whisper in his ear that it might be best that he resigns as a Councillor.
12 comments:
I predicted we would have another resignation fiasco, they don't want to have to have a by election until after the general election as another loss would not help the position for the Conservative candidate in South Thanet.
About time Central office started to take notice of what is happening in this corner, it is bringing the name of Conservatives into ridicule! The same motley crew who are canvassed in Dane Valley are to be rolled out in South Thanet and so they will be a wee bit busy!
We need a resignation and we need it now or even sooner would have been preferable. I wonder why this wasnt in the Sun rather than the amount of empty shops. The Conservative main party must be pretty pissed off with Thanet.
The man has no moral compass and should be sacked if he wont resign. He obviously has no idea of right from wrong. Is this what we have to look forward to after the gen election. God help us, expell him from his party and ask any supporters he has why we should support him. Don't for one minute I am an animal lover I have no pets and have never had any but I know what is right and wrong. I'm also not a tree hugger, born again or work in the public sector I am just sick of these pillars of the community abusing their positions and thinking their above the law.
The trodden path is to become treasurer of the North Thanet Tory Assn
Beggar up the books.
Try to blame the wrong lady who sues yer backside successfully for libel and bankrupts you in the process.
Then take your qualifications (Thanet tory variety courtesy of Cyril) and try unsuccesfully to hold down a proper job.
All been done Ted. Way to go.
This begs the question, what level of behaviour would they tolerate before sacking of forcing a resignation of a councillor?
Any of the councillors care to answer this one as it is pertinent to us who vote for you?
Don't forget this is the new improved package!
The 'old' Ted Ruffell resigned as the Labour Deputy Mayor when his unpaid fines story became news.
But this is the new improved Edwin Watt-Ruffell. He was accepted in to the Ezekiel party with all his baggage, and then promoted within them.
None of this shower have any morality, or integrity. When the others hang on for dear life regardless of standards and scandal, why should he act any differently.
The shame that this has brought on the party will no doubt be seen later in the year in the General Election. I feel deeply sorry for the Tory MP and prospective MP for Thanet South who have to put up with this millstone around their necks.
But at the end of the day, it's up to the party to sort the problems out; or be destroyed because of their weakness.
The conservative head office couldnt give a toss about right and wrong !
http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news/Police-removed-material-from-ex__mayor_s-computer-newsinkent11572.aspx?news=local
Makes one wonder when the dodgy ones will make a reappearance, a bit like a bad penny they just pop up somewhere else.
I bet he does funny handshakes.
19:54, how right you are. Why even Cameron himself would not answer my questions about how bad the conservatives are/were running/ruling TDC.
I will dig it out Bertei and you can blog the entire letter to him from me.
Like yourself I will have nothing to do with them and allowed my membership to lapse.
Malcolm
16:31, forgive me but I have had to make a slight edit on your comment!
Anonymous said...
What type of exaqmple are the Tories of Thanet setting for our youngsters?
Watt-ruffel should have been stripped of all public office duties Cllr/Mayor etc the same should have been given to Cllr Broadhurst who took public money and did nothing for it in return, got people to sign him into meeting in his absence so he wouldn't loose money and his position as Cllr, this was extortion of Tax Payers money.
They both are a prime example of the ****** members the Tories have managed to acquire within their party.
12 February 2010 16:31
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