Exluded Councillors

[marky]

I see someone has pointed out that all the references on the mail comments to ofca hijacking the seaton money have been removed.

We used to have a newspaper; now we have an extension of the council's spin department.

[DRiddle]

Earlier this week I exchanged correspondence with various people. I reminded them, in no uncertain terms, that next month we will see a situation play out within the judicial system, in which it will be shown that there was a certain element within a local council which was kleptocratic.

Indeed, it is no secret that there has already been a councillor in a town admit to stealing money which was assigned to them from tax payers money.

Within a classic kleptocracy, officials within it use/abuse their position and take advantage of corruption to extend their personal wealth.

Typically, this can involve hidden bank accounts which enable money to be transferred secretly from public funds, into their own personal funds.

Also within kleptocracies, people (involved in government) take advantage of the principle of 'economic rent'. Economic rent (in this respect) is the amount someone receives to produce or provide something.

So if you're abusing the principle of economic rent, you receive more than is necessary to produce the product or provide the service.

So for example, if you awarded a company a million pound to provide some 'toothpaste' to a few hundred people around the town in need of toothpaste (paying the company FAR more than is actually necessary, based on market forces, to provide the toothpaste), there's a strong risk of financial malpractice.

There's a strong risk of abusing the principle of 'economic rent'.

There's a strong risk such a situation points to a kleptocracy.

The same principle applies no matter what the service or product provided.

If you're paying an organisation well over the odds to do something, it more often than not, has a distinct smell about it.

That smell, if it's attached to a governance system of any form, whether it be at international, national, or local level, often points to features of a kleptocracy.

To be clear, I have no intention of libelling myself, or defaming anyone. Nor do I fancy a stint inside for contempt of court.

I'm always careful with what I say. I ensure everything I say is either true, can be proven to be true, or is already in the public domain and has been shown to be accurate.

However, the reason why I feel so strongly about commenting on kleptocracies is because within a classic kleptocracy, you end up with a situation which has adverse effects on the quality of life of citizens.

In Africa for example, kleptocratic governments have resulted in citizens living in poverty, desperate for food, with inadequate schools, underfunded hospitals non existent leisure facilities and such like.

I really believe some of the most vulnerable people across our planet are let down by their governments. They're let down by the very people elected to help them.

They're let down by kleptocracies.

[mk1]

Even though The Mail has hidden this story the censoring of comments is still going on. I believe Fred's comment from earlier today has just been deleted.

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/concern-at-lack-of-local-councillors-on-group-to-boost-seaton-carew-1-7627278#comments-area

You can be sure that the sexist pig/serial bankrupt and cowardly bully  Cranney is tearing his hair out wondering how he can stop it all. No doubt hoping he can lay hands on some of the posters as well.

[mk1]

They just put Fred's comment back up. I presume the poor soul tasked with watching the comments pulled it then rang Joy to see what is acceptable.  Shows how edgy they are though.