An Error of Omission (WTC)

LETTER #1

“A Missed Opportunity”

Dear Editor

Further to your article “Accountability: NYC & WTC”, may I respectfully point out that your reporter has perhaps overlooked a rather significant aspect of the recent resignation of (ex)-Councillor Mrs Noreen Wilson, formerly a Mayor of Whitby.

Some months ago, North Yorkshire Council announced that recharges for administering by-elections at town and parish councils in North Yorkshire would be waived until its first year of administration had been completed; see below:

I think the above notification was circulated to all town and parish councils in North Yorkshire. It still appears on the NYC website – https://edemocracy.northyorks.gov.uk/documents/s20846/Appendix%20A%20-%20Parish%20Recharge%20Policy%20NYC%202024.html?CT=2 .

It follows that Mrs Wilson, had she timed her resignation only a couple of weeks earlier, could have seized the opportunity to save Whitby Town Council (and thereby the people of Whitby) something in the order of seven or eight thousand pounds in recharges applicable to any by-election arising from her resignation.

This sum could have offset the entirely necessary external audit investigation fees that would never have come about had ex-Cllr Wilson exercised due diligence as chair of the finance committee. Her actions are a double whammy to Whitby taxpayers.

Perhaps Mrs Wilson should be called upon to make good the losses arising from her inaction and irresponsible timing?

Yours,

Rachel Henderson (Mrs)

~~~~~

LETTER #2

“Another Truly Great Whitby Councillor Departs”

Sir,

I read Nigel Ward’s article http://nyenquirer.uk/accountability-nyc-wtc/ with great interest, but I was truly saddened to read that Councillor Noreen Wilson has resigned from the Council. This marks the end of an era, as one of the truly great Whitby Town Councillors departs.

As you can see from the following illustration, dear Noreen has been a steadfast and staunch supporter of the NYE, second only to our good and loyal friend “Hebo” http://nyenquirer.uk/praise-hebo/ in providing the NYE with great stories and good laughs. She leaves after a long period of devoted service, to the Labour Party, to the Town Council, to the people of Whitby and to the NYE.

A shy and demure lady, always quiet, well-spoken, considerate of the feelings of others and reserved in her opinions, she was a staunch defender of her right to free speech at the expense of everyone else’s. Dear Noreen’s finest hour came when she indicated her displeasure at being photographed by a media photographer in her normal quiet, reserved way. First she resigned and then she didn’t.

Happily, the WTC complaints regime, run at the time by Scarborough Borough Council, sprang into action and the formal complaints were effortlessly kicked into touch by SBC’s Monitoring Officer. While on the face of it a defeat for decorum and normal standards of behaviour, this was great news for the NYE because it allowed Noreen to continue providing us with excellent stories. The cameraman was not so lucky. His encounter with Noreen was so traumatic that he had to take six hours off work and have specialist counselling for post traumatic stress disorder. He still has nightmares and wakes up in the middle of the night screaming forthe help of a proctologist.

Uncompromising to the end, Noreen’s timing of her resignation this time around will ensure the full cost of a by-election will be charged to the good taxpayers of Whitby. Brilliant!

On behalf of the entire NYE Newsroom, we wish Noreen good luck for the future.

Tim Hicks