Had a bit of a rant yesterday on Facebook page ‘Maltby Past Present & Future’. The discussion started on roads in and out of Maltby and then progressed to other things. I said I would post it here, so here it is … 

It seems to me like everyone can go on complaining and giving our  views on here, but when it comes to it, who’s going to stand up against what’s been going on with MTC for years ? Joe Robinson has, but he’s going to need a hell of a lot of support to get anywhere. Not just sitting here day after day and saying what should be done and what’s not right with the council, or anything to do with Maltby come to that. Joy (Bradford) you have been on MTC for 6 years now. You have struggled I know with lots of ‘incidents’, which should be worked out as a team but are as you say, discussed by the chosen few. But where does that bring us ? Back to exactly what it was like in 2008. Where’s all the voices when it comes to standing up for all these things we are saying ? How many who give their views on here have written to MTC, or RMBC or individual councillors or the Standards Committee, or the national papers … ?

How come no one has questioned Kathryn Astbury still being a councillor when she broke the “6 month rule” about attending meetings ? How come no one questioned where the vacancy that Joe has filled came from ? How come MTC never even bothered informing the public that Stewart Platt wasn’t a councillor anymore because of the same “6 month ” rule ? Who really knows or questions what went on with co opting Andy Searson and then somehow just “letting him go ” ? How many really know of the plain bullying that goes on so that anyone who has an opinion that doesn’t go along with the Labour Party members view get slowly and callously broken down ? As you say Julie, there are so many “dodgy” political dealings going on – and always has been – that it’s difficult to know where to start sometimes, but surely at this time of honesty and integrity that is supposed to be happening in the media and in the government , we need to do more than talk on Facebook.

I am not going to apologise for this “rant” as Cliff did, because it’s the way I feel and I am not sorry for it. Also, before any one suggests, this is neither a promotion for Remembering Maltby (am trying to keep politics out of that) or for MaltbyBlogger – though as I have said, in earlier post I know that those who can do something about these things read it- and that’s got to be a good thing.  But if they see it as oh it’s only that nutter going off on one again – which I also know is said – then we are not going to get very far. All for one and one for all and all that. If we really do care about what happens in Maltby then only WE can do something about it.  

 I will post this on maltbyblogger too, and name more names. Those who know their actions are honest, have no care whether their name is used or not, as long as what is said is accurate and the truth.

The discussion carried on and some of the contributors have agreed to their opinions being posted on here, so more of these to come. 

I acknowledge Cllr Joy Bradford’s response to me that she “is still standing though ”  and credit to her for that.

To ex councillor Andrew Searson’s response that he was elected fairly as no one stood against him and that he was not “let go” but resigned, my response is that I did not say that he wasn’t fairly elected, but would question (as I have done previously on maltbyblogger) his reason for resigning after such a short time and the reasons why MTC did not inform the public that this was about to happen or indeed happened at all. 

(Coming soon … Suggestions from Maltby residents )