EXCLUSIVE

POLICE INVESTIGATE SANDWELL COUNCILLOR

09-03-2007

A Sandwell councillor is under investigation after claims that he took part in Tuesday's annual budget meeting despite being in arrears with his council tax. It's illegal to vote on a budget if you are more than two months behind with payments. The Stirrer understands that the probe centres on the BNP.

Sandwell Council would not identify the party involved in the allegations but said: "The council has a duty to take action if someone participates and votes in a budget debate when they are in council tax arrears of more than 2 months.

"Council lawyers will shortly be passing information on to the police about a
member who took part in Tuesday's council tax vote and will fully cooperate with any criminal investigation which may result."

If anyone is found guilty, they would be forced to resign from the council under the Local Government Act of 1992, and could be fined or imprisoned for up to two years.

With local elections due in May, the BNP will be hoping these enquiries come to nothing, as they have recently become mired in a series of incidents which have underscored their thuggish reputation.

The Lagoon in Tipton, a pub run by the party's leader on Sandwell Council James Lloyd, was recently closed down on police advice after a series of violent incidents. It was commonly regarded as the BNP's unofficial HQ in the area (see our story here)

Another of their councillors, David Enderby in Redditch, was recently convicted of assault and fined after beating his wife.

Simon Darby, the BNP's West Midlands organiser, said he wasn't aware of any inquiry involving his party in Sandwell.