27/04/2024
Lymington and Pennington Town Council.
It never did apologise for this abuse:
https://www.facebook.com/lymingtonwatch/posts/pfbid0zy42MeFMQtjGYVrNSKviJ46gCXjVgKefqto9WNoqtaJc5qYzTxLKScrNScA1gBEbl?__cft__[0]=AZWwyehiPZOSsWALAntOlfoz7tExWFrdTz0d78mVG7W1x4S6G2_Q1HkSaiJYpwB3zv718l9D2kh-BMwODptzHqXq9D8v5vqI6bNyBpIfVCjKn7nQanLyjefhj2qt90xAYggnskKcomtbkqB40fUo0XpEMRadp2RNMqjPqCaPUESsCxVSWUHyoiI8NXQ7eIwMrG1fN0xmCJYc7zNpIHd4mFWSz_t0cytoGhlfoWwa0lfUckkG4Ur5DuHVJzrP58Ds6CI&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
It's overdue and owed. Will whoever gets in next make sure it happens?
LW
In loving memory of the people's friend Michael Thorpe. Who passed away a year ago today.
Excerpts republished from NMW post of July 1 2017.
Lymington and Pennington Town Council.
The unrelenting mental abuse of three times Mayor Mr. Michael Thorp and others who dare to speak out.
Mike Thorp three times Mayor in 1983, 1984 and 1985 and one of the founding members of Lymington and Pennington Town Council sadly and unexpectedly passed away on the 15th of May this year. But what most people do not know about but should is the degree of mental abuse directed at him by various current members of this morally bereft and bullying council.
Of course Mike was not alone by any means in being targeted and pursued in this way. In recent years this council has made no bones about maliciously targeting and harassing anyone who speaks out against them or dares point out its failings, of which there have been many. Too numerous to go into here. .......
Former three times Mayor. Public servant for well over 30 years and one of the founding members of LPTC along with the first Mayor Cllr. Gene Sargent back in July of 1979.
Mike was a man who regarded fighting for what was right as his civic duty no matter what. Given his vast experience and knowledge of council affairs he was very good at pointing out council incompetence whenever it reared its head. Which I am afraid to say was quite often. His strength and conviction drove him to point out LPTC's failings for the benefit of the public (us) even in the face of his mistreatment by them. In fact he continued to speak out right up until his death despite their best efforts to silence him.
Mike took issue about this council's more than apparent lack of transparency, its repeated failure to keep proper minutes and it's continual push to exclude the public. And its failure to properly document expenses and refusal to give out information. These are just some of the things he pointed out and fought to get corrected. Important ideals that underpin that little thing we call democracy.
An ongoing litany of harassment and disrespect
------------------------------------------------------------------
Well of course LPTC first went down the route of arbitrarily banning him for twelve months. That's without ever giving him the chance to defend himself or challenge the decision on the record, or anywhere else for that matter. So much for democracy and fair play, and openness and transparency and all that. All Mike did was point out the hypocrisy of a sitting councillor by reciting an embarrassing written statement which he had made. Perhaps they should have banned the councillor for bringing the council into disrepute or being stupid and not Mike for pointing it out. But they clearly decided it was more politically expedient for them to "shoot the messenger" instead. Which they did. Read Mike's letter all about it here:
http://www.valuenetuk.com/dropbox/mike_thorp_letter1.pdf
Then more recently an official Information Commissioner's decision earlier this year confirmed LPTC had misused Mikes personal information in an attempt to discredit and smear him. This is a criminal offence under the Data Protection Act 1998. Mike was actively pursuing an apology from LPTC in reference to this right up until the time of his passing. However one was never forthcoming albeit he was entitled to one for these breaches to his rights by LPTC. What did this council do instead you might ask?
Well you might have guessed it, as is LPTC's habit when faced with outspoken constituents such as Mike, the council sent him a threatening legal letter from Moore and Blatch up (who must be earning a fortune out of this council) accusing him of being abusive and threatening. He was 78 and all of 5'4" and worked in care home looking after people. Then to drive the point home they sent two burly police officers around to his house to warn him off too. Read the notice here:
http://www.valuenetuk.com/dropbox/mike_police_warning.pdf
Read Mikes letter about it here:
http://www.valuenetuk.com/dropbox/mike_thorp_letter2.pdf
All he wanted was an apology and one that was rightly owed as confirmed by an official finding of incompetence and negligence (at best) on the part of LPTC.
What he got instead was intimidation and abuse.
Mentally abused in life and disrespected in death.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
So no apology to Mike in life and LPTC has still not extended one to him in death either, although it is owed. Yet despite this they had the audacity and arrogance to show up at his funeral at St. Thomas's Church on the 31st of May (2017). This is even though they knew full well they would not have been welcome. Mike would have vehemently resented their presence at his family's and friend's time of remembrance and grief, and they knew this only too well.
Everyone knows the usual suspects on LPTC shunned and ostracised Mike at every opportunity in life. They were even petty and malicious enough to try and stop him participating in the Remembrance Day Parade last year (2016). This is even though he had every right to participate in it as a three time ex mayor and long serving councillor.
Yet despite all this there they all were at his funeral, knowing full well he regarded them as the "enemy" and with the full knowledge he would have balked at the very idea of their attendance given his well known disdain and dislike for them.
Attending someones funeral when you know you would not be welcome (to say the least), knowing full well you owed the deceased an apology you had withheld and still had no intention of making, coupled with sending the police around to shut him up a few weeks before is beyond the pale, even for this lot. LPTC has truly excelled itself this time.
No credit where credit is due
----------------------------------------
What LPTC is also not letting you know about is the fact that without Mike Thorp the recent 1.7m windfall the town has just enjoyed and they are now publicly aggrandising themselves about would not have been possible without him. Mr. Ted Jearrard a longstanding friend of Mike's for over 30 years and also an ex councilor made this known in his eulogy about Mike. Mike was in fact the Town Mayor in 1984 and the person who had ensured the land which has just realized this money was registered to the council. Credit where credit is due, but you won't hear it from LPTC despite official land registry documents proving it.
Thanks Mike
------------------
We need more people like Mike Thorp standing up for what they think is right in the face of bullies and hypocrisy no matter how it is disguised.
Thanks Mike. Very well done. It was a pleasure knowing you. You had the heart of a lion and fought a good fight for all the right reasons.
You counted, they never will.
RIP
John Caine
NMW
Pictured below:
People's Champion and 3 times LPTC Mayor Mr. Michael Thorp.
Remembrance Day 2016.
