ANOTHER Crewkerne Lib Dem Councillor in Council Tax Arrears! Robin Pailthorpe

Lib Dem Councillor Robin Pailthorpe

Residents of Crewkerne must be wondering what they have done to deserve not one, but two councillors who have persistently failed to pay their own council tax.

We have reported on Lib Dem Councillor Ben Hodgson, but Councillor Robin Pailthorpe has also failed to represent Crewkerne properly.

As we have previously reported, a group of residents has contacted Somerset Independents to raise their anger about Cllr Pailthorpe and Cllr Hodgson.

These residents of Crewkerne were angry about Councillor Pailthorpe, after they had read our articles and the report on our work in local newspaper "The Leveller".

The spreadsheet response to our questions from South Somerset District Council to Somerset Independents' investigation stated that Councillor Pailthorpe's record on failing to pay council tax was as follows in 2020 and 2021:

Oct-20 - Two outstanding liability orders for 2018 and 2019 can not vote unless pays £878.64 in full before budget setting meeting. If not paid by then will attach to allowances.
08/12/2020 - No payments this financial year, Liability order for 18/19 remains unpaid and £260.62 in arrears so far for 2020
22/01/2021 - Two outstanding liability orders for 2018 and 2019 totalling £878.64.  No payments received this financial year and in arrears for this year by £520.62
29/04/2021 - Vacated this address with outstanding balance of £1328.66, £470.62 of which is in arrears and subject to a liablility order.  Full balance due 10th May.  Not liable at forwarding address.

Somerset Independents has offered Councillor Pailthorpe several opportunities of a right of reply to the questions below. Councillor Pailthorpe has not answered any of them. 

"1. Would you like to give the public an explanation as to why you did not pay your council tax for two months or more?

2. How much did you owe South Somerset District Council at the time of the February 2021 Budget Full Council meeting?

3. How much do you owe now, and for how long have you not been paying council tax?

4. When will you be paying up, in full?

5. Have you voted on council tax and related matters when in arrears, in this year or previous years?

6. Would you like to let everyone know whether you will be paying your council tax in the future?

7. Or will you be resigning your seat, which would seem reasonable? We ask you to consider resigning your seat.

8. What role, if any, did you or any other councillor or officer of SSDC play in keeping your identity secret for several months, before SSDC named you as a non-payer? Please provide full details of any interventions, despite Jill Byron ruling that your identity be revealed."

 

Leader of Somerset Independents, Andrew Pope, says:

Andrew Pope

"Councillor Pailthorpe could try to explain, but he has not.

He could apologise to residents, but he has not.

He could resign, but he has not.

Councillor Pailthorpe has continued to receive councillor's allowance, at taxpayers' expense.

Robin has been robbing from the taxpayer. And the Liberal Democrats have done nothing to remove him or Councillor Hodgson.

I understand from the group of residents that they are discussing what action they are going to take next. We will be supporting them."

Somerset Independents has asked the other Crewkerne Lib Dem councillor - there are three - what he thinks of his Lib Dem colleagues' refusal to best. His name is Councillor Mike Best.

Lib Dem Crewkerne Councillor Mike Best

We have also informed the Lib Dem Leader of the Council, Councillor Val Keitch, who was named in the scandal surrounding the dismissal of senior Council officer Clare Pestell. The scandal has been reported widely, following the investigations done by The Leveller newspaper.

Liberal Democrats Gambling Millions of Taxpayers Money

And we have informed the Leaders of the "opposition" groups - Independent Group Councillor Dave Bulmer, and the Conservative Group Councillor Martin Wale.

We have told these "opposition" councillors that they need to take action over Conservative, former Conservative and current Liberal Democrat councillors who were persistently in arrears - Councillors Osborne, Clarke, Hodgson, Bloomfield and Pailthorpe.

But we are sceptical that they will do so, because these councillors have provided little scrutiny or action on the wrongdoing at scandal-rocked SSDC. 

If they had done their jobs as opposition councillors, then SSDC might not be hit with scandal after scandal relating to Leaders of the Council and senior officers:

• Ric Pallister (jailed)
• Clare Pestell (dismissed)
• Alex Parmley (resigned)
• Val Keitch (still in post)
  

We understand that the previous Leader of the Conservatives, Linda Vijeh, resigned suddenly during the revelations regarding Clare Pestell, Alex Parmley and Val Keitch. Whether there is any link, may become clear over time.

Somerset Independents will continue to stand up for residents. We have more to reveal, when we are ready to do so.

Standing Up For Residents