Inept councillors had nothing to offer

Sonia Gable | Saturday, 7 April 2007 Source: Searchlight

Finally to Barking and Dagenham where the BNP's 12 councillors have been some of the most inept in the country since their election last May. But their stupidity knew no bounds at the budget Assembly meeting on 27 February. They showed that despite nearly a year in office, they understood nothing of the workings of the council.

The BNP councillors form the official opposition in Barking and Dagenham. They are the only voice on the council apart from Labour. Not only did they fail to put forward an alternative budget, they even boycotted the meeting, claiming they only had a few hours to go through a bulky budget report.

This is a lie plain and simple. As Labour Councillor Charles Fairbrass, the Leader of the Council, pointed out: "When the BNP councillors were first elected they were given an induction session where the Chief Executive explained to them they were able to produce an alternative budget at the appropriate time and that officers would be happy to assist them with this."

The BNP councillors were given ample time to view and comment on the budget papers and were offered a briefing session which they chose not to attend. A council press release explained: "The Council received assurances from the BNP that their own budget ideas would be submitted, but the deadline was missed on each and every occasion."

The BNP then put out a misinformation leaflet claiming that they were prevented from asking questions on the budget at the council's Executive meeting. In fact the budget is decided by the As-sembly not the Executive so the Assembly was the appropriate forum for questions, as was explained clearly to them.

The truth is that the BNP councillors had nothing to offer residents. As Councillor Fairbrass said: "The BNP have continually ignored deadlines and have not taken up the offer of assistance from officers. They had a final chance to present their alternative budget at the Assembly but because I believe they had nothing to present they chose not to attend the meeting and enter into a debate.

"It is unfair to spread misinformation among residents and the local community to try and conceal their failings," he added.

It is puzzling that the BNP should be so hopeless in Barking and Dagenham of all places. Richard Barnbrook, the BNP's council group leader, runs the party's national training sessions for councillors and council candidates. And last month Lawrence Rustem, one of his colleagues on the council, advised all BNP candidates to learn about council issues so that once elected "you already know your stuff".

Ironically he continued: "Between those of you who are going to be candidates begin learning how to set a council budget, learn from within the council how this is done, you can approach the appropriate department."