Below is the latest threatening & vexatious letter from Herefordshire Council, this time composed by Kate Coughtrie (deputy solicitor) & sent to me via email from Mandy Appleby former Head of Safeguarding and currently Assistant Director of Adult Social Care.
I had hoped with a new CEO would come change to their culture, but I was foolish to think so.
I do however stand by what I have said regarding these individuals and the others involved in concerns, incidents, deceiving & perniciously destroying my family over the years.
My comment and remarks regarding the above fundamentally flawed letter, while not exhaustive, are as follows.
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The letter which Appleby refers to can be seen in this link, along with my remarks and letter to councillors:
another-vexatious-letter-from-herefordshire-council-11th-feb-2021/
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Aside from ignoring my democratic right, they allege in their letter I have written to councillors ‘on a ‘scatter-gun’ basis’, which is untrue.
For anyone reading who doesn’t know what the term ‘scattergun’ is concerning communications. It’s a method used for communications not targeted at particular individuals.
As opposed to my letter of invitation to councillors, which Herefordshire Council refers to, in actuality was sent to targeted individual councillors.
Additionally, the letters of 5th March can be viewed in the above paragraph 1 link while the letter to councillors of 7th July 2021 can be viewed here:
a-letter-to-councillors-july-2021/
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It is evident that Herefordshire Council continues to monitor my personal social media, yet have disregarded concerns & evidence posted to date, choosing only to respond with erroneous claims and vexatious threats and accusations, not even with a vague hint as to what they allege is untrue, but merely attacking and demanding.
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It is concerning to read that Herefordshire Council is satisfied that the phone conversation recording discloses no issue with KC’s disregard of mine and my mother & brother’s statutory right to family life at the time of the conversation. Particularly as it followed an earlier threatening letter of proposed legal action against me by Herefordshire Council if I did not agree with how The Priory Group decided, without lawful process, how and when my mother and I should see my brother, and not allowing us to choose. Notably, as I had two vulnerable loved ones’ wishes and best interests to consider.
I often wonder how many families have faced similar.
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The ‘Unreasonable Behaviour Policy’ referred to has now been in place since 13th November 2017. Communications were blocked, then restricted and ignored when they did happen unless I involved a legal firm.
The punitive policy was started by Martin Samuels (one of the former directors of Adult Social Care) on the aforementioned date and since extended by Stephen Vickers (also a former Director of Adult Social Care) and MA (current Assistant Director of Adult Social Care). Prejudice restrictions which have hampered other parts of my personal life and the undesired necessity for contact with local authority staff since, including denying my brother and I of being together for two family funerals; one of those our mother.
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With regard to their drive that I obey restrictions, which in my opinion I consider discriminatory and exhibits a controlling culture toward members of the public, particularly those with loved ones in their ‘care’, I am once again reminded of Lord Justice Munby’s words. ‘The local authority is a servant, not a master, a truth which on occasions is too easily overlooked.
Vulnerable adults and their carers, look to the State – to a local authority – for the support, the assistance and provision of the services to which the law, giving effect to the underlying principles of the welfare state, entitles them.
They do not seek to be “controlled” by the State or by the local authority. And it is not the State in the guise of a local authority to seek to exercise such control. The State, the local authority, is the servant of those in need of its support and assistance; it is not their master. And any attempt to control is likely to be nothing but counter-productive when it comes to a local authority ‘working together’, as it must, with family carers.
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This confined paragraph implies if I do not agree with Herefordshire Council’s letter content I must raise concerns via MA, all concerns to date have been considered and ignored, and that I may only take matters to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, yet it does not mention in any part I am can seek recourse or redress via other routes.
While their campaign of harassment and psychological abuse continues, I remain documenting & recording.