A Thanet councillor has appeared at Canterbury Magistrates Court today (April 24) after the Information Commissioner’s Office issued her with a summons.
The Thanet Independent Councillor faces three charges related to Freedom of Information requests for details about last year’s dog dna scheme.
The scheme was launched last July in a bid to trap owners who failed to clear up after their pets but was later ditched.
The charges, outlined in the summons by Aaminah Khan, prosecution lawyer to the Information Commissioner, accuse Cllr Brimm of blocking, concealing or destroying records held by Thanet council “with the intention of preventing the disclosure by TDC of information” in response to FOI requests between July 31, 2017, and September 2 and 5, 2017.
A further charge says that between May 7, 2015 -when Cllr Brimm was first elected – and February 9, 2018, Cllr Brimm “being a data controller, processed personal data without having entry in the register maintained by the Information Commissioner.”
Cllr Brimm, of Birchington, has pleaded not guilty to the accusations.
She will go on trial at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on September 3.
This is what happens when you have a self indulgent bigoted councillor who think she can hide information and think she won’t be caught out. Deceitful and dishonest and untrustworthy comes to mind. This is not an open transparent councillor. She ought to be struck off what a disgraceful person.
You know it all jay. She is guilty. You of course know she is guilty. Of course you do…. No fair hearing here then. Because jay days so. .
Jay, you are the bigot. I feel for Suzanne Brimm, she was only trying to solve the continuing problems with poo and rubbish that blight the whole of Thanet. This another example if TDC executive using public money in the courts to punish an individual. It does sound like a power mad revenge action by those who have more to hide than this hapless Councillor.
Is,officer, are two missing words from the above.
Guys this prosecution is nothing to do with TDC or officers or other Councillors. It is a prosecution initiated, investigated and undertaken by the Information Commissioners Office. It is nothing to do with whistle blowing or anything like that, it is purely about possible criminal action in relation to FOI requests. Read the charges.
I think the issue surrounding this prosecutor is that the residents don’t really understand what she’s actually being bought to book for. She’s clouding the story by making out its a TDC witch hunt over whistleblowing when quite obviously it isn’t. Could you elaborate for us Chris Wells as you were the leader when these crimes were alledgedly taking place
The charges mean that Cllr Brimm is accused of deleting information she held regarding an FOI request she was aware of. If proven, that is a criminal offence.
Yes and thank you councillor Wells. I knew this was this would be much of the case and clouding and deceiving people still on her Facebook is all she can do to deceive again. So much for the honest and transparent councillor. It’s time the public knew what this case was really about.
Let’s hope that, if proven, that this is the nail in the coffin for her political career. Far too many scandals with her. I do find it strange that for someone associated with Whistleblowers that she was trying to hide and destroy information. Total loss of credibility on that front. You have to feel for the residents of her ward that have to suffer the embarrassment after voting for her.
Would be nice to know how much this idiotic scheme cost. Quite how a voluntary dog crap scheme was supposed to work is beyond everybody-except it seems the nincompoops at the council, who it appears thought the vermin that let their dogs defecate & then walk away were going to let themselves be charged & were surprised that the only ones who volunteered were the ones who do clean up after their pet. Incredibly they showed zero interest in all the horse mess left behind by Sanger’s Circus opposite their park depot which stayed there for months until finally melting away, but the council thought it was good publicity to let some dirty gypsies let their horses crap all over Dane Park & the surrounding areas for several days before moving on.
Kathy Bailes is running a local online news for you and you repay her by making prejudicial comments while case is awaiting hearing.
Is this the third councillor who was originally elected under the UKIP banner to be hauled into court? 33 of them were elected originally so that makes nearly 10% of them who have been charged with misconduct.
Don’t forget about Gary Hillman aswell. He had a restraining order put on him.
Time to get rid of bad rubbish. She has deceived the public as to why she is in court with her Facebook post. Trying to become the victim, again, and hide under the pretence of ‘Whistleblowing’. Sadly, it’s not always what Brimm does which is bad, she clearly seeks to improve her community, but it’s how she goes about it,