Labour Cllrs use public money to pay for their election leaflets.

It is not only common sense but common knowledge that political figures cannot use taxpayers money from any kind Governments, local or national. It is common knowledge and expected that you cannot use taxes that are paid into local or national government.for political material or elections.

However, the Labour Cllrs on Shevington Parish, don't respect the law. Why do I say this because at last Thursday Parish Council meeting even one of them, whilst talking about this issue, said that there are ways around the law. Shocking. Obviously he thought this was one of them.

The issue is that last year the Labour controlled Parish Council gave money, in the form of financial aids, a number of time to Shevington Horticultural and Allotment Society ( Shevington H&A Society). Money that people have worked hard for and paid as their tax's. Then during the last Election Shevington H&A Society paid money for leaflets for all the Labour Candidates. This is illegal at this point. Now money that has been passed from the Council to the group have now been paid for political election leaflets and now active in political activity.

So can what I am saying be proved and how did we find out?

The first piece of evidence is the minutes from the Council showing some of the money that has been passed to the group here. Please scroll down to see the highlighted area.



After each election candidates that have been in the elections have to put in a return to show how many leaflets they put out, what they cost and that they have been paid. Reason to put a return is because there are laws to make sure that things are fair and equal. After the elections, you are given a number of days to put all the returns in and supporting documents. Once that last day to put your returns has passed the public can go and view the documents.

When I reviewed the candidates for the Labour Candidates for Shevington Parish Council Elections I saw a number of issues. First of all none of them had completed a section that says how many leaflets where printed and if they were paid for. Not to much to send them to jail for put raises alarms. Then one of the candidates hadn't signed her returns. Then I learnt that she actually hadn't put it in but the Parish Clerk, who is an employee of the Parish Council - who has to be political neutral - had.

Then bingo the chair of the Parish Council, Cllr Ira Whiteley, put on her form that the gardening Club (which was now the commonly known name for the Shevington H&A Society) had paid for her leaflets and the other Labour Candidates. The final nail in the coffin, so to speak. Below is her return and the evidence I have just talked about. Please scroll down to page 3 to see the underlined area.



What now?

What they have done and what we can demonstrate and prove is illegal and I have reported the matter to the Police to investigate. Also I will be reporting the Cllrs concerned to Wigan Council, the parent Council over Shevington Parish Council.

At the Parish council meeting I went allowed to present the evidence to the cllrs concerned and see what they say about this. What I heard was a disgrace. First of all I learn that the residents group want money again from the tax payers of Shevington, no doubt because they had paid for the election leaflets. One of them, Cllr John Ball, said there are always ways round the law. Shocking and disgraceful.

A number of residents have said that they are outrage an want them out. I can see why. A number have said a petition is needed.

We know the residents are getting outraged when they hear this and want them out for this corruption and if they don't resign then we will be looking to take the matter to legally.

Finally we are looking to deliver a ward why leaflet informing people about the matter and issue that their tax's have been used to pay for political leaflets.