He’s quoting bloody Shakespeare!!! Something’s going down …
Possibly David Bishop after documents were released today by Bristol City Council under Freedom of Information legislation that pile increasing pressure on the beleaguered city council planning boss.
These documents clearly demonstrate that the £120k a year senior officer – or “strategic leader” as Chief Exec Bum Disease Ormondroyd calls them – did indeed make what amounts to a private arrangement with multi-millionaire, Merchant Venturer architect George Ferguson to sell him a plot of public land on the Bristol and Bath Railway Path at Greenbank.
In making this odd decision, Bishop ignored not only democratically created city council policy (the Parks and Green Spaces Strategy) but the advice of his own conservation, parks, leisure, property and transport officers.
One of them even comments on George Ferguson’s sudden stroke of good fortune in acquiring the land that was off limits to him, “It’s amazing what a meeting with the right person can do!”
Isn’t it?
Personally I find it hard to see what the difference between Bishop’s behaviour and straightforward corruption is.
The episode also casts a serious question mark over new £180k pa Chief Exec Ormondroyd’s judgement. While Bishop was busy selling this land Ormondroyd was busy reappointing him on an increased salary and describing him as “the best in the business“.
David Bishop not only overrules his underlings, he doesn’t even bother to let them know. It is particularly choice that council officers were learning of the sudden change of heart from Squarepeg’s solicitors. So much for “One Council”.
Aaah, “best at what”, one might ask?
Taking bungs?
As above, so below.
Hey, this guy’s still a junior. Advice to modern Local Authority foot soldiers; engage with The Master, Lord High Meddlesome himself. Worth every penny.
Debasing democracy: “a new breed of public relations men who, normally in exchange for a large fee, would massage the links between the wealthy and the political class.” Peter Oborne, Daily Wail, 25th October 2008.
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