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UPDATED
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FRIDAY Last Update: Friday 6th January, 2006 |
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PUBLICATION
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DIARY
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Cllr Dimoldenberg was vocal in his anger at the body which found that he had acted in the public interest when he revealed Westminster Council’s “go-slow” in pursuing the Dame Shirley Porter surcharge. Now the leader of Islington Council, Cllr Steve Hitchins, and four other councillors, have been cleared of cronyism, charges brought by Labour opposition members. The whole three-and-a-half year investigation cost a staggering £1.1 million of tax payers’ money. But yesterday (Thursday), Cllr Dimoldenberg, who still has his own huge defence bill to pay, did not hold back in his condemnation of Standards Board. He said: “Hundreds of thousands of pounds have been wasted and no doubt lives of those involved have been made miserable by the inexcusable delays by the Standards Board. “No matter the rights and wrongs of the case, people are entitled to be treated properly by the board which clearly has not happened in this case. I think the board owes everyone involved, Lib Dems and Labour, a full and public apology.” He added: “I think there is an answerable case for the standards board to be replaced by a proper organisation that investigates allegations in a much quicker and professional way. “There needs to be a proper discussion before a new body is launched but it is clear to everyone that this board has failed.” Critics of the current Standards Board system include the newly ennobled leader of Westminster Council, Cllr Sir Simon Milton, and former shadow leader of the Commons, Eric Forth MP. However, Diary is not holding its breath for the government to make changes. Andrew Trotter - an apology
Unfortunately, our reporter was misled into believing he had met Mr Trotter in a Soho pub. In fact, it was not Mr Trotter in the pub at all and it follows that Mr Trotter did not make any of the statements we attributed to him. We have unreservedly apologised to Mr Trotter and, as a mark of our regret, have agreed to make a donation to charity on his behalf.
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