Dear Sir
Questions to Labour Councillors
Following the Santa Tours on Christmas Eve 24th December 2017, the next time any comment was made by Council staff was in item 10 of the Recreation Committee 17th January 2018. There was no mention of anything that would suggest that the Santa Tours faced any issue as now outlined in the Events Sub Committee minutes of 3rd October, 2018.
Nothing reported whatsoever for over 9 months.
Nothing was mentioned about the Santa Tours at Recreation Committee on: 7th March, 11th April, 16th May, 18th July nor 5th September. And at meetings of the Events Sub Committee nothing was mentioned about Santa Tours on: 22nd May, 4th July nor 22nd August.
Why has nothing been said or done for 9 months? The Recreation Committee on 17th October is being asked to agree the minutes of the Events Sub Committee which considered a 16 page report on Santa Tours by the Leisure Manager, yet that report was not sent to members of the Recreation Committee, the parent Committee for that Sub Committee. The Report refers at paragraph 3.1 to a serving police officer volunteer Santa and his asserted view of the law. Has this been verified with the Durham Safety Advisory Group and the Police?
If so when? If not, why take over 9 months to tell us only now, with one cycle of meetings left before the next Santa Tour this Christmas Eve? What have the previous and existing Chairmen of the Recreation Committee done to look into this since January 2018? When did the Officers, and likewise, the Chairman and Vice Chairman of Recreation become aware that Santa’s would not be allowed to travel on the back as per para 5.6.1 of the report? Why has the Council not sought additional volunteers via Newton News since January 2018?
Can we hire enough 4×4 vehicles and Santa suits in time for this years tour?
Given enough 4×4 vehicles hired or volunteered with owners, and volunteer Santa’s can sit in the back of these vehicles without riding on the back. The woeful and deliberative decision to say nothing and do nothing for over 9 months beggars belief!
These Tours have happened year on year since 1974, yet now, face a threat with Councillors having been kept in the dark for over 9 months, OUTRAGEOUS.
“We oppose Labour killing of Santa Tours” says Cllr Arun Chandran and Cllr Ken Robson, Independents on Great Aycliffe Town Council. Cllr Arun Chandran added “What I do not understand is, why has the controlling Labour Group left it until now, 10 months later, to seek to curtail or abolish the current Santa Tours. By deliberately leaving this issue to the last minute Labour have deliberately sought to prevent all options and circumstances being investigated and have effectively presented the Council with a fait accompli, too late to do anything . . . they tried this on with the Fireworks display but we stopped them on that, they succeeded in abolishing the Great Aycliffe Show, sneakily and the Festival they brought in to replace it is now being abolished too.”
“Why is Labour being so deceitful and sly in trying to abolish the Santa Tours which have taken place every year since 1974 – Outrageous . . . absolutely outrageous! We as Independents will oppose the abolition of Christmas by the Labour Group, lets see if any Labour Councillors have the guts to stand up and be counted and defy the Labour Whip”
Cllr Arun M Chandran
Independent
Great Aycliffe Town Council
