Peter Sandy is somewhat unique as a councillor, he actually works with and acts for the community that elected him.

Most days he is to be found out on the streets talking to his constituents, and taking up their cases when asked. Unlike the majority of his fellow councillors, he believes being a councillor involves more than simply attending committees, rubber-stamping what is placed before the committees by officials, and filing an expense claim for a hard day's work. He believes in accountability, in holding the officials to account for their actions.

This not surprisingly, has not made him very popular with council officials, although all he is doing is what his constituents expect of him, demanding that officials carry out the jobs the long-suffering local taxpayer pays them for.

He has met bloody-minded obstruction from officials, particular in planning and housing.

When Peter Sandy was elected, his election was met with consternation by councillors and officials.

He was hauled before the leader of the Lib Dem group and told his criticism of Rushmoor and a local housing association had to stop. Eventually Peter Sandy found it was too much of an embarrassment to be associated with a group of councillors who are seen locally as a laughing stock, and resigned from the group. He now sits as an Aldershot Lib Dem councillor. [see Community activist Peter Sandy quits Rushmoor LibDems]

Since his election, there has been a conspiracy to silence Peter Sandy, and if that does not work, by hook or by crook to have him removed as a councillor.

He has been met by bloody-minded obstruction by officials who refuse to supply requested information, question every request. Complaints to the borough chief executive Andrew Lloyd have got nowhere.

Peter Sandy has had had several visits in his own home from Andrew Lloyd in a crude attempt to intimidate him into silence.

Matters came to a head at the end of last year, when just before Christmas, Andrew Lloyd referred Peter Sandy to the Standards Board for England. It was seen as a crude attempt at intimidation of a hard working councillor. The crux of the complaint was that Peter Sandy had dared to criticise council staff.

The reaction of the local community was, well done Peter, it is about time someone started to demand accountability and hold the council staff to account. The action by Andrew Lloyd was seen as a declaration of war on the local community, as all Peter Sandy had been doing was raising issues on behalf of the local community.

This is not the first time Peter Sandy has been placed in this position. Before he was a councillor, he was raising with Pavilion Housing Association the poor state of their housing stock, the treatment of their tenants. Pavilion responded with the threat of an Asbo and eviction from his home. Peter Sandy was fully vindicated by a damning report by the Audit Commission, the then chief executive Mervyn Jones was forced to resign, and Pavilion was forced into an unwanted take-over by Eastleigh-based Atlantic Housing Association. [see Audit Commission savage Pavilion Housing Association]

It would seem though, that lessons have not been learnt.

That Peter Sandy has been cleared, leaves Andrew Lloyd up the creek without a paddle, his bluff has been called. Not only has Peter Sandy been cleared of all allegations by the standards Board, following an investigation, but Andrew Lloyd has withdrawn his complaint, which only serves to reinforce the view that there never was a case and it was a crude attempt at intimidation by Lloyd.

Last year, the Standards Board for England (unlike the case of Peter Sandy who was cleared) found four Rushmoor councillors guilty. All four still sit as Rushmoor councillors. Although found guilty, no action was taken against them. [see Rushmoor councillors guilty!]

Having had his good name cleared by the Standards Board, Peter Sandy is now calling for a full and unreserved apology from Andrew Lloyd, and for Andrew Lloyd to consider his position, for disciplinary action to be taken against those officials who conspired against him, and if necessary, for the ringleaders to be fired.

He will expect to see in the future, full cooperation from council officials.

He is calling on his fellow councillors to join with him in working with the local community not against and to join with him in his demand for accountability.

Rushmoor councillors backed an unwanted airport in Farnborough, are currently falling over backwards to back a developer who is destroying the town centre. Even having the cheek to demand that objectors back the council and the developers. [see Farnborough Lib Dems back town centre destruction]

This type of behaviour by councillors who do not act in the interested of the local community is not restricted to Farnborough. At Upton Park, the Mayor Robin Wales has got into bed with St Modwen (the same developer destroying Farnborough town centre), to destroy the Queens Market, the knock on effect will be to drive out of businesses all the independent traders in Green Street. [see Queens Market and Friends of Queens Market newsletters]

A story that can be repeatedly told across the country. [see Trashed towns and corrupt councils]

A full and far reaching independent investigation is now being demanded into the Rotten Borough of Rushmoor.

A small footnote: Andrew Lloyd now finds himself in further difficulty as he has appeared on an election leaflet of one of the candidates in an Aldershot by-election. As the Returning Officer, Andrew Lloyd has to be beyond reproach and cannot be seen to be acting for one of the candidates. There are calls for him to resign as Returning Officer, but so far he has chosen to brazen it out and has refused to resign. The matter may have to be referred to the Electoral Commission. [see Rushmoor Returning Officer mired in scandal]

Reference

Friends of Queens Market Newsletter, November-December 2005

Friends of Queens Market Newsletter, January-February 2006

Keith Parkins, A sense of the masses - a manifesto for the new revolution, October 2003
 http://www.heureka.clara.net/gaia/democracy.htm

Keith Parkins, Audit Commission savage Pavilion Housing, Indymedia UK, 27 July 2004
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/07/295403.html

Keith Parkins, Community activist Peter Sandy quits Rushmoor LibDems, Indymedia UK, 28 September 2004
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/09/298350.html

Keith Parkins, Queens Market, Indymedia UK, 11 April 2005
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/04/308927.html

Keith Parkins, Rushmoor councillors guilty!, Indymedia UK, 8 November 2005
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/11/327535.html

Keith Parkins, Trashed towns and corrupt councils, Indymedia UK, 15 November 2005
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/11/327884.html

Keith Parkins, Farnborough Lib Dems back town centre destruction, Indymedia UK, 19 January 2006
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/01/331866.html

Keith Parkins, Rushmoor Returning Officer mired in scandal, Indymedia UK, 23 January 2006