My Letter to Nick Clegg regarding Cllr.Opplers decision to sanction Mrs Warr's winter holiday expenses

Mail-onLine article regarding Mrs Warr's expences.
Link to Mail-on-line

I have written to Nick Clegg the deputy Prime Minister regarding Cllr Francis Opplers role as leader of the Lib Dem group on Arun District Council,  Cllr Oppler sanctioned Mrs Warr's conduct in claiming expenses whilst holidaying for the Winter months for at least the last seven years.

Cllr Oppler does not seem to think that Mrs Warr has done anything wrong, so I have sent the following letter to the Bognor Observor which I publish below.

I am hoping they will print it and I am hoping Cllr Oppler will make some sort of public statement regarding his role in this scandal.

                             

                          Cllr. Paul Dendle

Budds Corner 84 Burpham West Sussex BN18 9RH

Email: pauldendle@aol.com    www.pauldendle.org

         

The Editor

Bognor Observer

Place St.Maur

Belmont Street

Bognor Regis

PO21 1BJ

20^th March 2014

Dear Editor

Re:  Expense Scandal

I felt again compelled to write after reading Cllr Francis Opplers recent statements regarding Councillor Mrs Warr’s expense claims whilst spending the winter in Florida.

Cllr Oppler states that Mrs Warr went away for health reasons, I’m sorry I can’t accept that, it’s not compulsory to claim your expenses and Mrs Warr has gone away for 4 months in winter for at least the last 7 years.  By claiming her expenses shows a systematic disregard for the public purse and tax payer.

Cllr Oppler sanctioned Mrs Warr’s expense claims which is shocking, but he does not seem to think that Mrs Warr has done anything wrong,  He tries to divert attention from his own lack of judgement and Mrs Warr’s claims by trying to smear Conservative Councillors who simply live in two places and spend their weekends away.

Mrs Warr’s claims were not illegal, but I believe they were indefensible, but also

I believe there are direct parallels to the MP’s expense scandal; many MP’s defended their claims stating that their claims were within the rules and legal, but as elected representatives we all have to hold ourselves to a higher standard.

Cllr Oppler needs to consider his position and accept that what has happened is wrong, until he makes a public statement to that affect, then no one will be able to take him seriously as Leader of the Lib Dems on Arun District or the Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate

Yours Faithfully

Cllr. Paul Dendle

Arundel Ward & Cabinet Member

For the Environment on Arun DC