Clan of the Trumpet Angels - The Seeds of Doubt

I think anyone who is involved with this man need to take a much closer look into him and what he really stands for, in this light I have published part of the Parish Council Meeting Minutes to show that his proposal has upset a lot of people. I would like you to pay particular attention to the 'statement'.


Minutes of a meeting of Alfriston Parish Council (APC) held remotely via Zoom on Monday 15th March 2021 at 19:15

Present:
Cllr Watkins [Chair], Cllr Daw, Cllr Beechey [Vice-chair], Cllr Rabagliati, Cllr Cooper, Cllr Bell

In attendance:
Victoria Rutt - Parish Clerk Approximately 42 members of the public

134. Chairman’s Welcome
Cllr Watkins welcomed everyone to the meeting and reminded attendees to keep the mute button on unless they wished to speak, in which case please raise a hand.

135. Public Questions
Clerk reported that two public questions had been submitted.
The Clerk explained that the first question concerned a video, which surfaced on social media over the weekend of 6th/7th March, of a private Zoom meeting recording which included Cllr Savage, not as a Parish Councillor, but as a member of the public, who gave his views on the current covid vaccine and invited 1,000 people to a Freedom Festival at Pleasant Rise Farm over this Easter. A number of complaints have been submitted to the Chair and Clerk. The procedure when receiving complaints is to refer them to the Monitoring Officer [MO] at Wealden District Council [WDC]. The Clerk liaised with the MO on Monday 8th March to seek advice. No formal investigation has been undertaken as that would require a member of the public to make an official complaint in writing to the MO, and none has been received. The MO reviewed the information provided and suggested that Cllr Savage was spoken to. Two emails were sent to Cllr Savage by the Clerk, with the Chairman copied in. It was noted that neither WDC or APC have the power to suspend or remove a Councillor from office. All complainants were updated with the procedure that the Clerk has undertaken.
An email from Ms Martha Lawes was received which was also on behalf of 8 other named residents, providing the following comments and associated questions:
On behalf of the parishioners listed below I would like to submit the following questions for inclusion at Monday’s APC meeting. The questions relate to the You-Tube video dated 8th February 2021 (viewed by over 8000 people) in which Cllr Savage invites up to 1000 anti-vaccers to camp at Pleasant Rise and hold a Freedom Festival over Easter.
In light of the fact that such a gathering will still be illegal under the current Corona Virus legislation and the fact that inviting 1000 unvaccinated people to gather en masse in Alfriston will potentially put parishioners at risk of disease and possibly even death, our questions are as follows:
1. Does Cllr Savage believe he has met the standards of conduct required of him as a Parish Councillor?
2. Does APC believe that Cllr Savage has met the standards of conduct required of him as a Parish Councillor?
3. Will Cllr Savage publicly withdraw his invitation and formally apologise to Parishioners for seeking to put them in harm’s way?
4. And finally will Cllr Savage now stand down from his role as Parish Councillor?
The Clerk explained that Cllr Savage was due to attend this evening but was not present at the meeting this evening which will be discussed under apologies. Cllr Savage was sent the public questions ahead of the meeting and in his absence he had submitted a statement to be read out. This is as follows:
I was disheartened to hear of the reactions of people to my impromptu appearance on Rachel Elenaugh’s zoom support call in early Feb. The ethos of the call was to provide an open uplifting forum for people to share in these times of difficulty. There are many people who are lonely depressed and at times feeling suicidal. The statics are terrible!
Rachel set up the call as a support mechanism to give a platform on which to openly and freely express oneself. As a young policeman my oath had three major tenants. 1. To uphold the peace. 2. To protect life and property. 3. To prevent and detect crime.
I have taken this binding oath seriously. Lately being involved in helping people less advantaged than me. It was with this in mind that I offered the opportunity of a festival at Pleasant Rise. I have organised many over the years at the farm!
As many countries have and are lifting ‘lock down’ restrictions I had no reason to think given the changing nature of COVID that there was not a possibility to hold a festival in April. Obviously this would not be done, given my background, in contravention of any applicable rules. As regards to being anti vax I have had vaccinations through my life. I suggest that as is well know in psychological terms, the complaints are classic cases of mirroring or projections, when you see it in someone you clearly have those unresolved issues within you. Time for some deep reflection here maybe! The admin of one site that attracted some comments had to take them down as they were very inflammatory!
The Clerk explained that questions 1, 3 and 4 were for Cllr Savage to answer, and no response has been given by him, nor can APC answer on his behalf. In regard to question 2 this was handed over to the Chair. Cllr Watkins explained what has been done so far and explained APC have no power to do anything and that the police will not do anything unless a gathering actually take place. Cllr Beechey said that the question is straightforward, and that APC should answer it. Cllr Watkins then asked each Councillor what they had to say.

Cllr Rabagliati – he supports free speech but does not support any action that would breach legislation/rules. The video was made before any announced timetable to lift lockdown was made.

Cllr Bell – does not wish to knock Cllr Savage as he has doesn’t think he has done anything particularly wrong. He may have been unwise, and he might want to withdraw the invitation and answer the questions asked of him, as he hasn’t.

Cllr Cooper – feels that Cllr Savage is entitled to his own opinion but very wrong to invite people given the current circumstances and that he should withdraw the invitation and apologise. She feels he has not breached the Code of Conduct as she can’t go against the MO.

Cllr Daw – Agreed with everyone else and said and as Cllr Savage often says Alfriston is precious to him, it was a very very silly invitation. She noted that APC have done all they can and our hands are tied. He should make sure he retracts and apologises.

Cllr Beechey – The question asked does not relate to the Cllr Savage’s views, which he is entitled to hold and are not abusive or offensive. The question also was not, has he breached the code of conduct. The question was whether Cllr Savage has met the standards required of him. The question related to the invitation to 1,000 people to Pleasant Rise Farm. The meeting recording was on the 8th Feb so prior to the announcement of a route out of lockdown. He felt it is unnecessary to refer in the question to anti-vaxxers and unvaccinated people attending in the question as it’s not necessary to the question and risks an accusation that the answer is based on Cllr Savage's beliefs. Cllr Beechey is of the opinion that the invitation does not meet the standards expected of a Parish Councillor and it was not in the interests of the parish or its parishioners for the invitation to have been made; all Councillors know they need to be careful what they say.

Ms Lawes was asked to speak as she had sent in the public questions. Ms Lawes stated that she wanted to make it clear that it may have been a private Zoom meeting but someone put it on social media for her and others to view freely. She thanked Councillors for their responses and is aware that APC can’t remove Cllr Savage, nor has she asked this to happen; what Ms Lawes wanted was Cllrs’ views on Cllr Savage’s behaviour. She felt incredibly let down by Cllr Savage, after a year in which the community has worked together to keep everyone safe, and for him to publicly invite people, against the law, to attend to put residents in harm way, is very disappointing. Ms Lawes felt very let down by Cllr Savage’s actions and by the fact that he didn’t have the decency to attend and respond to her questions, which would have been appropriate and polite of him. Ms Lawes would still like a real response to the questions asked of Cllr Savage.

Cllr Watkins said that Cllr Savage would be written to and informed of the views expressed, and see if he has any response. Ms Lawes said that she would like to have a real response, and not a statement that does not answer any of the questions. Clerk confirmed that she will write to Cllr Savage. Action 1.

The second public question was received from Ms Liz O’Neill, copied below:
In light of the very public claims made by Cllr. Savage on his YouTube ‘Pleasant Quantum Rise’ Site on Friday 19th of February, that he has, “Talked to the park (SDNPA?) and has put in a planning application, a pre-planning , for 9 affordable houses because the village doesn’t have that sort of accommodation. They were very open minded that I didn’t have the money or cooperation from family to go forward so we have done a lot of preparatory work there.” Was this considered a potential site for affordable housing by APC and in any way linked to the recent Housing Needs Survey for Alfriston and are the APC aware that he is making these claims?

The Clerk confirmed that she had looked into this following receiving this question. A pre-application was submitted to SDNPA in March 2018 which is on the website for anyone to view. Cllr Savage is not obliged to inform APC of submitting a pre-application. Clerk reported that some confusion has arisen about the Housing Needs Survey [HNS] so to clarify, the idea of a HNS came from a member of public asking for it to be considered at an APC meeting under public questions. This was placed on the agenda for next meeting and discussed. After many discussions it was agreed that a HNS would be commissioned by APC, however no public money has been spent on this as it has been entirely funded by the Alfriston Community Land Trust. The HNS was not commissioned due to this pre-application. The Clerk confirmed the answer to the questions was that the land had not been considered by APC and the pre-applicatin was not linked to the decision on a HNS. The Clerk was not aware the claims were being made. Cllr Beechey confirmed that APC have never considered any specific sites for potential affordable housing since he has been on the Council; he also had never heard of this Pleasant Quantum Rise website so was not aware of the claims. Cllr Bell reported that he and Cllr Watkins went to a SDNPA Planning workshop 3/4 years ago where possible sites were discussed and only two were raised by them in Alfriston. Pleasant Rise was not one of them. Ms O’Neill was at the meeting and was asked if she would like to add anything further. She thanked Councillors for their time and felt the question had been answered.

Cllr Watkins stated that as 30 minutes had passed, the meeting would now be closed and no more public questions accepted at this current time.

136. Apologies for absence Clerk reported that apologies had been received from Cllr Savage as he said he was in an area where he had no internet coverage. Cllr Beechey noted that APC had to decide if the apology is accepted and had some questions. Cllr Beechey asked when the apologies were received, Clerk confirmed this evening at 18:15. How were the apologies received, Clerk confirmed via email. When did Cllr Savage receive the public questions and had he acknowledged, Clerk confirmed he would have received them same time as all other Councillors had and he confirmed verbally with the Chair on Friday 12th. Clerk could not answer where Cllr Savage was and why he was travelling during a period of lockdown restrictions. Cllr Beechey indicated that absent satisfactory answers to these questions he would not accept the apology. All Councillors confirmed their agreement not to accept this absence and the Clerk will email Cllr Savage asking for further information. Action 2.

Isn't it interesting that he keeps harping on about being an ex-police officer and how he is an upstanding citizen, absolute hypocrisy!

Facts
During a full lockdown (level 4) he made an unnecessary journey from Southern Ireland, travelled across Wales and across most of the south of England.

He stayed in Alfriston for less than 10 days before moving on again!

He invited 1,000 people to an illegal gathering before the route out of lockdown was even published, not only that, but the field he was proposing to use was the one his nephew runs his camping business on. Strange how there is a current court case regarding the farm and how strange that his nephew runs his business on that precise field and wasn't included, he just made anyone turning up liable to a fine, and set them up as patsies as well in my opinion.

During the now infamous zoom meeting he slandered his ex wife and no one said anything or brought him back on track so he then continued to tell people they should take an illegal potion which in the wrong hands could be potentially lethal, so this is our fine upstanding ex-police officer?

He uses the fact he was a police officer to gain trust and status, the fact that he left over thirty years ago and was a double glazing salesman after, never gets mentioned, I wonder why?

You also have to wonder why there is so much negative stuff on the internet about him, for example, https://hoaxteadresearch.wordpress.com/2018/04/20/45909/ 

That is just one example and there is a whole heap more if you want to explore that particular rabbit hole.

Here is another fact, he states that there are a couple of minor problems, these are tenants he would give notice to leave and of course the fact that there are two current court cases one to settle whether to sell or not and the divorce he has been trying to avoid as a settlement will reduce his claim, so he is happy to disrupt peoples lives for his dream

The Afordable Housing that was mentioned, it isn't being done for anything other than money as he gets to buld at least two private dwellings on that land as part of the deal and considering this is in the South Downs National Park adds a lot more to the price he could ask, again the co-owners were not consulted or informed again the universe had to step in.

The plans also stole part of his neighbours garden!

Because yet again this was done in an underhanded way, Notices were put on the land, that can be checked out at the land registry, and he cannot have them removed.

His claim that he owns 100 acres is incorrect, he part owns the farm and what he does own is subject to settlement in court!

In his statement he has the audacity to tell others to reflect, yet he planned a festival by inviting 1,000 people to a field he knows his nephew runs a business on, ignores others in the village who may have fears and like a bull in a china shop makes a grandiose gesture, something he is very good at.

One other point he was allowing an unregistered and against South Downs National regulations 'glamping ' tent to be on 'his' land, this is upholding the law?

For someone who states they are on a 'Spiritual' journey, he does seem to leave a lot of hurt people in his wake.

I have taken care not to personally mention the person this concerns!

Beware for what you wish for, the giver may have a price