Kingston Tory councillor was BNP member

The local paper in Kingston leads on a strange story that one of Kingston's Conservative councillors was a  member of the BNP in 2009.  Councillor Terry Paton claims that this was because he was working undercover as a private investigator having left the Met police.

The Kingston Guardian quotes that when he left the police in 1999 - ten years earlier - he set himself up as a private investigator and his BNP membership was simply part of an undercover investigation.

Paton was the Tory candidate in the July 2013 New Malden by-election caused by the resignation of disgraced former Lib Dem council leader, Derek Osbourne, on child porn charges.  Paton was interviewed at the time by a local community website 'this is our town' where he said "I was a Metropolitan Police Officer until the end of 1999 when I retired following an injury in the execution of my duty. After retiring from the Police I started my own company carrying out Gas Safety and Inspection Certification in New Malden and across South London."

This is backed up by Companies House who registered his company - Paton Heating Ltd on 5 January 2000.

There is no evidence of Terry Paton being a director of any other company (or a sole trader) since he set up Paton Heating Ltd on his retirement from the Met.

So if he was running a heating company since 2000 - what was he doing in the BNP in 2009?

Former Kingston council leader pleads guilty to child porn charges

At Southwark Crown Court today, Derek Osbourne - former Lib Dem leader of Kingston Council - pleaded guilty to 17 charges of making and possessing indecent images of children.  He had in total more than 5,000 images - some involving children as young as three.

The Surrey Comet reports that he faces up to five years in jail.

Former Kingston Lib Dem leader charged with possessing 'thousands' of child porn images

The Surrey Comet reports former Lib Dem Leader of Kingston Council has been charged with possession of 'thousands' of images of child pornography - including 50 at the highest level 5 and more than 150 of bestiality.

If found guilty at Southwark Crown Court later this month he is likely to face a custodial sentence of years rather than months.

Beverley voters go to the polls

Today is polling day in Beverley Ward in New Malden to elect a replacement for Derek Osbourne, who quit after his arrest on child porn charges.

It's going to be a close run thing and an active Labour campaign with a well liked candidate combined with a lacklustre UKIP effort may bring bad news later today for local Lib Dems and MP, Energy Secretary, Ed Davey.

Labour have proved to be strong in the well heeled detached houses of Malden Hill where their candidate lives (and traditionally good for Lib Dems) as this photo shows:

But a big increase in the Labour vote with the Tories not being challenged by UKIP to the same extent is likely to hand the vacancy to the blues.  And that would mean these anti-Tory voters waking up - for the first time in 28 years - with a Tory councillor...

Kingston Council leader quits after child porn arrest

More here.

Social work death cover up threatens senior Kingston Lib Dem councillors

Kingston council's child protection department has been the subject of various enquiries since serious failings were uncovered by OFSTED last year.  This latest report from the BBC suggests that social work managers engaged in a deliberate cover up following the murder of Charito Cruz in 2011 - despite her circumstances having been repeatedly reported to the council.

So far Cllr Trish Bamford, Lead Member for Children and Young People, has resisted opposition calls for her resignation, as has council leader Derek Osbourne.  But the news of the timing of the former director's departure (plus the obligatory six figure golden handshake) and the fact Lib Dem councillors are asking Kingston taxpayers to fork out even more council tax to 'protect services' will put more pressure on them.

People may be prepared to pay extra to safeguard children and vulnerable people.  But I can't imagine there being much enthusiasm for tax rises if the tax paying public simply see it ending up in the back pockets of incompetent council staff. 

Lib Dem councillors in Kingston will have to do a lot more to prove they have sorted out the mess in social services and explain exactly how the additional money they are asking residents to stump up will make a difference - particularly for those at risk.

Is the leader of Kingston council moonlighting as a human statue?

Council Leader Derek Osbourne:

Human statue: