I read with great interest an article in your publication dated 27/6/19 about action taken by SHDC with regards to anti-social behaviour and, in particular, comments made by Coun Taylor in his capacity as portfolio holder for communities and facilities, in which he states “we are working hard to crack down on anti-social behaviour within South Holland and are committed….” as well as “we would encourage anyone with an issue around anti-social behaviour to let us know….”
These comments, by Coun Taylor, appear to be a set of entirely self-serving political statements, given my on-going experience.
The anti-social behaviour team were first contacted, on my behalf, on 30/5/19, which is seven weeks ago today I have NEVER received any form of reply or communication from them.
Hardly “working hard to crackdown” or being “committed” is it, Coun Taylor?
This matter is further compounded by the fact that internal communications, from an environmental health (enforcement) officer, working on another aspect of the case, have been submitted, as well as lobbying from Coun Beal, one of my ward’s newly elected members, who has been marvellous and so much more pro-active than our previous councillor.
The failure, to the point of bordering on refusal, of the anti-social team to act has empowered and emboldened the transgressor to cross over into outright threatening criminal behaviour, leading to the direct involvement of the police and the victim support system, whom I have also had cause to request that they lobby on my behalf, something that could have been avoided had the authority’s team not displayed all the zip and pizazz of a sloth overdosing on Mogadon!
In the fullness of time, I intend to see this raised, by way of complaint, at the Performance Monitoring Panel.
Should the reason, or put another way, the pitiful excuse, be promulgated as pressure of work (which in itself does not excuse an initial acknowledgement) then I’m sure a Freedom of Information Request will show as to whether or not such “get out of jail free card” is factually based or just follows the usual mendacious culture, so overwhelmingly prevalent at Priory Road. There can be no excuse for this serious failure of duty of care.
However, in the immediate here and now, I would like to invite Coun Taylor to withdraw, through your paper, his comments from 27/6/19, and to publicly admit that they were based on a quaint, naïve faith based belief in the policy rather than on a tangible evidence based belief, otherwise, given my first-hand experience, one might be forgiven for assuming that he is knowingly espousing, and engaging in, terminological inexactitudes, in an egregious attempt at policy misdirection.
Tony Bown
Whaplode St Catherine
