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North Yorks Enquirer

“The Perpetual Run-Around”

June 21, 2017 Letters

An Open Letter to SBC Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Project Leadership, Harbours, Coast and Flood Protection Councillor Mike COCKERILL, from Adrian PORTER, a Scarborough Harbour user who is tired of the perpetual run-around. Topically typical.

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Dear Councillor Cockerill,

I am writing this Open Letter because I have serious issues with you concerning a vessel I owned.

However, you did reply to tell me that it was receiving “appropriate attention”.

Unfortunately your Harbour Office’s idea of “appropriate attention” was to go running to David Kitson SBC lawyer, where I was threatened to be made a “persistent complainant” –  just for asking some very simple questions.

Harbour Master Ian Vasey refused to answer them.

Clearly, making me a “persistent complainant” stops you from dealing with me or answering any question. How very convenient!

I put my questions to you once more:

  1. Does SBC follow the codes and regulations of the MCA – the Maritime and Coastguard Agency?
  2. Has Harbour Master Ian Vasey or the Harbour Office contacted the MCA to confirm my claims?
  3. Does SBC accept that my vessel was not surveyed in compliance with the relevant MCA codes?
  4. Does SBC now accept liability for the loss of my vessel?

The MCA have supplied me with information which proves, without doubt, that my survey was not carried out in compliance with the relevant codes and regulations of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

David Kitson has told me that he is not in receipt of any credible evidence, but refuses to tell me if he has contacted the MCA. All he has to do is make a phone call or send an email.

In my opinion, David Kitson is a cover-up merchant and has blatantly lied to me concerning a corporate complaint. He has also ignored my requests for DPA material. This is all unpleasantness I have received – and it gives me no faith whatsoever.

This would clearly point to liability for the Council and is probably why he has not been in contact to clarify my claims. But I thought local Councils were supposed to be fair and even-handed – to help and not hinder residents. This is certainly not the case here and points, amongst other things, to “maladministration”.

I have also asked my local Councillor and SBC Leader Derek Bastiman to look into the matter for me. He has not replied, despite a couple of attempts, and more or less hides from me. However, he is happy to be seen opening sports centres and having his photo taken at water parks, etc.

I have to ask, Mike, why people like you and Derek Bastiman (and many others, but not all) enter into local government at all? From what I have learned over many years, its clearly not for the residents, my local Councillor Bastiman won`t even trouble himself to reply.

In my opinion, if they are not serving the residents, they must be serving themselves. Why else would they be in it? I do not include all Cllrs in this as there are good Councillors who bend over backwards to help and listen to residents in their wards.

I have also emailed Jim Dillon CEO of Scarborough Council; no reply from “Silent Jim”.

Robert Goodwill MP, when approached by a former local Councillor, told him he wasn’t getting involved!

This has been a complex and prolonged case. Could you please answer my very simple questions or simply accept liability.

Thank you and kind regards,

Adrian Porter

Adrian PORTER, Scarborough. 21st June, 2017.

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