Today I have been informed by the Standards Board for England that they will be taking 'no further action' after the 23 local Tories made a complaint about comments I made at a full council meeting. I blogged earlier this year that the Conservatives stopped me from speaking at full council after I accused them, amongst other things, of holding pre-planning meetings to decide how they would vote on planning issues. This is a fact - it was reported to the Standards Board many years ago and was also admitted in a public meeting by a Conservative councillor.

Still, the Tories opted to report me to the Standards Board for these comments. It's ironic really as the Conservative-led government wants to abolish the Standards Board so there can't be any investigations into councillor's conduct!  I firmly believe there should be an independent watchdog but it should only be used in serious cases, such as when members may or may not pay their business rates, just to pluck a random example out of the air. Anyway, I was not surprised to be told this afternoon there is no case to answer.

What does concern me is that taxpayers' money will have been used to investigate this non-issue. Staff have been made redundant by this Tory-led council because we apparently have a lack of cash, yet the Tories are still wasting it on pet projects. They're redecorating the foyer of Pittwood House and have cut down a number of trees in Central Park - by accident!!  Maybe that should be investigated instead....