WTC: Dep. Mayor’s Carp
- – an “In My View” article by NIGEL WARD, responding to an email to the North Yorks Enquirer from Whitby Town Councillor Jonathan HARSTON (from his [now redacted] private email address, pointing out (but requesting no action upon) what he has apparently misunderstood as errors subject to “correction” in two recent NYE publications. What a pranny!
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A curious phenomenon which arises quite frequently in the NYE In-Tray is that of people mentioned in articles somehow managing to read into the text words that are simply not present at all in the original. It is a consequence of what is known as ‘the red mist’ (when objectivity gets trashed by wrath).
Instead of studying and digesting the actual text, they manage to convince themselves that something outrageously untrue has been written about them. In fact, they are so inflamed to have apparently pounced upon a stick with which to beat us that they fail to check the accuracy of their ‘findings’, having already convinced themselves that they have been scurrilously defamed – when, in point of fact, the they have simply taken a pratfall over their own haste and stupidity.
In this context, my Editor has asked me to comment on an email from Whitby Town Councillor Jonathan HARSTON [LibDem], our esteemed Deputy Mayor – strongly-touted to be expected to assume the Mayoralty at the Annual Meeting in May 2025. (It is routine for the Deputy to step up to the Mayoralty on a next-in-line basis; merit does not enter into it – how do you imagine we got blighted with DALRYMPLE?).
I have numbered the Deputy Mayor’s errors in RED, for convenience of reference.
Forgive me for carping, but in response to the most trivial (and erroneous) of carps, one really must respond in kind.
Especially when the school-boy errors in question have been committed by a public servant with some considerable responsibility for accountability for the Council’s management of the Public Purse – which, at the present moment, is under deep scrutiny because of the public conveniences ‘shortfall’ and the mystery of the depleted Reserves – the so-called “missing millions”.
If it is beyond Councillor HARSTON to get his carping right, how can one have confidence in his overview of complex commercial contracts and ring-fenced accounts (e.g. the DANFO fiasco)?
Alleged ERROR #1
Councillor HARSTON’s first trivial error appears in his Subject Line:
- “Some corrections”
There are, in fact, just TWO suggested “corrections” in Councillor HARSTON’s email – not “Some”. The dictionary definition leaves little doubt on that point:
Petty? Yes, I know. But when correcting someone, first get it right oneself.
So, as we see, the Deputy Mayor kicks off with an error of at least 50%. Try applying a margin of error of 50% to the public conveniences revenue shortfall or the depleted Reserves!
Alleged ERRORS #2 & #3
Councillor HARSTON’s second and third citations (excerpted from Mr Peter COOPER’s widely-applauded Letter to the Editor [MUST READ!], entitled “A View from the Public Gallery” (URL-link: https://nyenquirer.uk/view-from-public-gallery/ ) reads:
- “the sheer number of Councillors present for what is a relatively small parish.”
In his second school-boy error, Councillor HARSTON has rushed to the conclusion that the cited passage states “…a relatively small parish in the old Borough.”
It does not. The citation states no such thing at all. But poor old HARSTON ploughs ahead through his ‘red mist’ to set his gripe in the context of “the old Borough” (never mentioned in the original) and then on to “North Yorkshire” (where there are, in fact, 731 Towns/Parishes – also never mentioned in the original) – and makes no mention that, of the almost 10,000 Towns/Parishes in the UK, Whitby is indeed relatively small.
As far as Town Councils in North Yorkshire go (and one wishes they would), Whitby is one of only four (out of thirty) that has still not succeeded in formulating a Town Plan.
Councillor HARSTON put himself forward to be on the “Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group” (one of 5 WTC Councillors who did so). Sadly, he never bothered to turn up, never proffered his “apologies”, nor ever even contributed his input via email – a total abdication of his commitment. Consequently, his name has been removed from the webpage listing the people on the Steering Group.
And anyway, as if “relatively” matters a tinker’s cuss in the given context. Talk about nit-picking for the sake of nit-picking. Unless Councillor HARSTON is using the word “relatively” to signify the difference between the budgeted £55K anticipated toilet revenue and the thirteen-quid-odd actual toilet revenue via the card-machine – a “relatively small” shortfall, by some standards.
One does not have to be a halfwit to grab a seat on Whitby Town Council – but it would appear to be no serious impediment.
Alleged ERROR #4
Councillor HARSTON’s last citation refers to my article “WTC Precept Now Under 5%” (URL-link: https://nyenquirer.uk/wtc-precept-under-5/) reads:
- “The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Jonathan HARSTON, also failed to attend.”
Here, he can take no issue: It is absolutely TRUE that Councillor HARSTON failed to attend the meeting. Other were there; he was not.
His explanation as to why he did not attend is both entertaining and, well . . . completely irrelevant. Frankly, it is entirely a matter for him whether he visits Japan to do his banking or to purchase exotic lingerie – or for any other lawful reason.
But whatever the reason for his oriental sojourn, he did not attend the meeting and my report was absolutely accurate.
And speaking of non-attendance and attendance, Councillor HARSTON has good reason to chime in with his trivial distraction-material at present; he has been a keen member of the Finance, Policy & General Purposes Committee (FP&GP) since the inception of the now-infamous DANFO contract back in July 2017. No excuses there, then – and no way to wipe away those fingerprints.
And, lest we forget, in May 2024 it was Councillor HARSTON’s Amendment that killed off Councillor RIDDOLLS’ Proposal to form a Working Group to investigate the toilets fiasco. He must have missed the memo – the one about “When in a hole, stop digging!”.
But although Jonathan desires no investigation of the DANFO fiasco, he is generally a ‘good egg’. He has just allowed himself to mix in bad company.
A ‘tick’ in the box for it being he who Proposed the original motion for WTC to REJECT the Planning Application for the Maritime Training Hub (MTH) and, indeed, voted AGAINST the subsequent motion to support it. And he ABSTAINED on the recent (failed) motion for WTC to withdraw support for the MTH. He must be one of the few who actually studied the Reports.
All considered, I am delighted to allow Councillor HARSTON his moment in the spotlight. Come to Daddy.
I remain surprised that he did, though, because now is really not the time to draw attention to an inability to examine records carefully. It stands to give the (scarcely-credible) impression that the leadership at Whitby Town Council is even dumber than meets the eye. And Jonathan is not the most stupid.
But then, to make my day, within minutes of the arrival of Councillor HARSTON’s thigh-slapping email, up popped the following FB ‘meme’. It must be all of ten years since last I saw it:
