Never mind the ballots

Jun 10 2008 by Babette Decker, The Journal

A FAILED Labour Party candidate yesterday played down claims he is pretending to be a Sunderland councillor.

Neville Padgett, of Barmston Way, Washington, lost in the race to secure a council seat in May and has since been accused by opposition councillors of acting like an elected representative.

Sunderland’s acting chief executive has written to Mr Padgett demanding answers after a number of what were at first considered harmless complaints in which the Labour representative allegedly contacted council staff asking for help in dealing with ward matters, including a problem over a wall in Barmston Court.

Officers at the council have dealt with a number of issues they believed to be from a Councillor Padgett acting on behalf of people in Washington.

Suspicions were raised last month when the three Conservative councillors for Washington East started receiving information on complaints they had never referred to the council.

Mr Padgett last night said the Conservative’s claims were ridiculous, adding: “Who in their right mind would pretend to be a councillor when everyone here in Washington knows I lost the election?”

Last month Tory councillor Ian Cuthbert contacted the council’s then deputy chief executive to complain that the “ridiculous” situation had escalated after it appeared Mr Padgett tried to book a ward surgery in a Sunderland primary school.

Dave Smith, now acting chief executive at the council, will be contacting Mr Padgett to raise his concerns.

Commenting on the Conservative claims, Mr Cuthbert said: “Washington East’s three Tory councillors all have a good sense of humour, and we can see the funny side of having a ‘Walter Mitty’ type character going around the ward pretending to be a councillor.

“Only Sunderland’s Labour group could select a candidate for the local elections who loses, but goes on to ignore the electorate’s wishes and pretends to be the local councillor anyway.

“You would have chaos if all of the losing candidates started doing this. This situation has to end because it is confusing for local residents and is wasting council officers’ time in dealing with reports from a non-existent councillor.”

Last night Mr Padgett down played the councillor’s comments. “I think there is more than a little bit of jealousy here,” he said.

“I don’t have to go out seeking these issues to raise with the council, people here know me, they know I am a member of the Labour Party and they ask me for what help I can give.

“I’ve never claimed to be a councillor, I’m just helping out where I can. If they don’t like that they could perhaps try doing a better job themselves.”

Dave Smith, Sunderland City Council’s acting chief executive, said: “I am aware of and share any concerns with regard to the alleged impersonation of a councillor. I am writing to Mr Padgett to ask him to respond to the allegations.”