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Powys County Times
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Political placards may be stopped at Powys council meetings
COUNCILLORS may be stopped from having placards, signs or banners that make a political statement at future Powys council meetings. At a meeting of the authority's Standards Committee last week, members received a report from colleague Jonathan Goolden who had observed the council meeting that took place on March 6. At that meeting, opposition councillors had hoped a motion calling for a pause in the roll out of a controversial booking system at Powys recycling centres would be voted on. But their hopes were dashed as they were told that they had not submitted the motion in time. Committee lay member, Mr Goolden said that meeting had been 'good humoured, well chaired," but added: "One member displayed what I thought was a local paper headline saying 'What a load of rubbish'. 'At the time I thought this was a reference to a Powys issue, but it was a Shropshire issue.' The headline came from a newsletter published by the Liberal Democrats that highlighted they had successfully campaigned to overturn a similar booking system for recycling centres in Shropshire. The newsletter was placed in front of Conservative group leader, Cllr Aled Davies and highlighted the differing stances on recycling centres taken by Liberal Democrat politicians in Powys and Shropshire. Mr Goolden said: 'There is a balance between the right of members to express themselves freely on political matters and for a council meeting to be conducted with due efficiency and decorum – I just wish to draw that to members' attention in case it becomes an issue.' Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer, Clive Pinney, said: 'This is something we could ask the Democratic Services Committee to consider – if members think it's inappropriate we could write it into the constitution and prevent it happening in the future.' Cllr Iain Harrison said that the incident in question had been 'trivial', but with the state of the world at the moment this could lead down a 'slippery slope'. Cllr Harrison continued: 'We could see all sorts of imaging popping up that could create great offence to quite sizeable sections of the population. 'The simplest behaviour to adopt is that is that it's not allowed at all under any circumstances and we need to be very clear on that.' Cllr William Powell, council chairman, welcomed referring the issue, commenting: 'I think for a chair to be freelancing on the issue is probably dangerous in its own way and it would be better if it's backed up by due process. 'It would be a more solid basis on which to proceed.'
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Tory council leader is criticised for posting Facebook picture of luxury steak dinner and bottle of red wine with message asking: 'Wonder what all the poor people are doing?' Headline goes here
A Tory council leader has come under fire after posting a Facebook picture of her luxury steak dinner with a message saying: 'Wonder what all the poor people are doing?' Kay Mason Billig, 61, who leads Norfolk County Council and is a former Tory parliamentary candidate insisted that she was making a self-depreciating joke about her circumstances rather than mocking people in poverty But opposition councillors criticised her comment as 'shocking' and she is now facing calls for her resignation. The post by Mrs Mason Billig who is also chairman of the Standards Committee of South Norfolk Council, appeared on one of her publicly visible Facebook accounts on Saturday evening and has since been deleted. One of her pictures showed a freshly-cooked Tomahawk steak ready to be carved on a board, beside a bottle of red wine, a bowl of salad and a potato dish in peppercorn sauce. Another image featured her husband Michael sitting at a table and grinning while holding up a glass of wine, alongside the words: 'Wonder what all the poor people are doing?'. Tomahawk steaks which are thick cut with a long rib bone attached so they resemble an axe are usually cooked in the oven after being pan fried, and are often sold by Waitrose and Tesco to mark special occasions such as Father's Day last weekend. Mrs Mason Billig's steak is believed to be from Tesco's Finest range which was last week selling Tomahawk steaks for between £25 and £32.50 depending on the weight, complete with star shapes of wild garlic butter. Tesco described its Tomahawk steaks online as being 'succulent and flavoursome' and 'matured on the bone for 30 days for maximum flavour and tenderness'. The wine in her picture is thought to be an award-winning bottle of Amarone Della Valpolicella. Similar bottles of the Italian red are currently priced at £21 in Morrisons. Mrs Mason Billig, who represents the Loddon division south of Norwich and reportedly gets allowances of more than £51,000 a year from the county council, failed to answer multiple emails and messages from MailOnline asking for her to comment on the post. But she told the Eastern Daily Press today: 'My husband and I have sometimes called ourselves 'the poor people'. 'It's a private joke as we live fairly modestly, so when we have a treat, we will sometimes post about it. This is asking if friends wonder what we (the poor people) are doing. 'It's not intended to be about anyone else and is no reflection on people who are less well off than ourselves. It's a bad state of affairs when I can't even joke about myself without it being twisted into something it isn't. Talking about her post being leaked, she added: 'I am deeply disappointed that someone has decided to be this horrible when they must certainly know it's actually self-deprecation. What a sad world we live in.' But Steve Morphew, leader of the Labour group at Norfolk County Council, said: 'People like to have council leaders who show they are in touch, care about the plight of others and show humility and pride in the public positions they hold. 'This is a nauseating example of the exact opposite. I find nothing amusing here.' Michael Rosen, the Labour group leader on South Norfolk Council, told MailOnline: 'It is quite a shocking thing to say when we are freshly out of the winter period when so many people in Norfolk had to make a choice between heating or eating. 'It 100 per cent calls into question her suitability to lead Norfolk County Council which has a number of the country's most deprived areas in its boundaries. A lot of Norfolk residents have to make careful choices about what they eat very night. She is really letting her own side down by posting things like this.' Dr Catherine Rowett, the Green Party group leader on Norfolk County Council, said: 'I find it really distressing that someone in public service could be so snobbish, so devoid of empathy. 'She surely needs to resign now! Norfolk is a county with extremes of inequality. People are struggling, with two or three jobs, wishing they could see their children for Father's Day. 'My thoughts would be on how we could help those families enjoy Father's Day too, rather than mocking people who are less fortunate.' A senior Norfolk Conservative, quoted by the Eastern Daily Press, said they believe Mrs Mason Billig, should quit over the post. They said: 'I think she should resign. We are entitled to a private life and to let our hair down, but I don't think anybody should degrade those less well off than others. 'Under Conservative party guidance, there's a case that she has brought the party into disrepute and the party should be carrying out an investigation. 'This falls well below the Nolan Principles for Public Life.' Another Tory said: 'Most politicians are wise to avoid social media. It's hard to win votes, but easy to lose them.' A furious source who forwarded a screenshot of Mrs Mason Billig's post to MailOnline said: 'I couldn't believe it when I saw it. 'Lots of people post pictures of their nice dinners, but her comment about poor people and wondering what they were eating was in incredibly bad taste.' The source who asked not to be named, added: 'I have had to deal with the county council on occasion and they have a reputation for being so righteous with the letters they send out and employment stuff you have to fill in. 'Yet you have the leader of the council writing silly comments like this. She must have realised it was a stupid remark because she deleted it.' Mrs Mason Billig stood unsuccessfully as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for the Norwich North constituency in 2001. She has been a South Norfolk district councillor since 2011, and was the council's deputy leader from 2018 until her appointment as the county council leader in May 2023. She was re-elected as a county council for the second time in 2021. Mrs Mason Billig is reported to have had a 'legal background' with a career in the marine sciences industry in Great Yarmouth which led to her becoming a Group Company Secretary. A spokesperson for Tory-run Norfolk County Council said they could not comment as Mrs Mason Billig's Facebook post was 'not relevant' to her council work. The spokesperson added: ''It is not posted on any council accounts or relevant to her (council) business so it is not one we can comment on at the council. It's certainly one she may be able to comment on. A message has been forwarded on to her.' Daniel Elmer, the leader of Tory-run South Norfolk Council, failed to respond to calls for comment. His council's communication team was also approached and did not comment. Mrs Mason Billig was criticised earlier this week for comments made during a debate over Norfolk County Council's vision for a single council for when all eight of the county's councils are abolished and new ones created. She said children could die should plans to abolish all eight Norfolk councils and create new ones result in two or three different councils delivering social services.
RNZ News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Auckland solicitor Gautam Jindal suspended for six months after harassing fellow lawyer
By Ric Stevens, Open Justice reporter of Gautam Jindal committed "disgraceful and dishonourable" misconduct, a standards committee found. Photo: An Auckland solicitor faces possible suspension for six months and having to pay more than $62,500 after a "vengeful crusade" against another lawyer. Gautam Jindal set up a website and printed leaflets alleging the other lawyer "lied under oath" after a civil court case went against him. A Standards Committee of the New Zealand Law Society found Jindal committed "disgraceful and dishonourable" misconduct. It imposed penalties on Jindal, but these have been stayed after he appealed the committee's decision to the High Court. The standards committee, in a recent decision, said Jindal had been consumed by his "crusade" after he perceived an injustice to himself. The committee imposed a non-publication order on the other lawyer's name and identifying details, referring to him as "Mr Y". A judge in the court case between Y and Jindal determined that Y had not told lies in court. The committee said that, in addition to the website, Jindal printed off leaflets and delivered them to Y's home, his neighbours' houses, and to his law firm, where they were seen by staff. Jindal did not take the website down even after a settlement in the legal dispute had been reached and a complaint made against him to the Law Society. "We have no doubt that the harassment involved in Mr Jindal's conduct is very serious misconduct," the committee's decision said. "It was appalling conduct to react to a judicial decision by setting up a web address featuring Mr Y's name, to intrude on Mr Y's private home for seemingly no purpose other than to harm him, and to retain the website even after ... notice of complaint to the Law Society." The committee censured and suspended Jindal from practising law for six months from 22 May - the delay was to minimise inconvenience to Jindal's clients and legal firm. It also ordered him to pay $4784 in compensation to Y, $40,866 in costs to the standards committee, and $16,874 to cover the costs of the NZ Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal. However, Jindal appealed to the High Court, which on Wednesday ordered a stay of the committee's decisions. Jindal's barrister Steve Keall told NZME Jindal's appeal "has merit". "He expects to be vindicated in time when the appeal has been determined," he said. The committee's decision earlier said that the harm caused to Y and his family was significant. "Mr Y talks of sleepless nights, his wife's fears, and loss of enjoyment of activities," the decision said. Y also had to engage another lawyer to try to stop Jindal's actions. When asked about his reaction to the committee's decision, Jindal said: "I've just been pinged for being too vocal about my thoughts. "I think it is a very, very peculiar case and sometimes, unfortunately, people get caught in very peculiar and unfavourable circumstances." Two successive standards committee decisions reveal that the dispute began with a $999 fee charged to Jindal by Y. Y took district court proceedings against Jindal when he did not pay, and the judge found in Y's favour. Jindal appealed, but withdrew that appeal after a confidential settlement out of court. In the meantime, however, Jindal had put up a website carrying a large photo of Y, his name and the words "lied under oath". He printed the web page out as a leaflet and delivered it to Y's house, his neighbours, and law firm. "We regard the intimidatory nature of the home (and neighbour) delivery of the leaflets ... an aggravating feature," the committee said. Jindal, who used to work in information technology, had also bought an internet domain which matched Y's name, and which would have put any content about Y published on it at the top of search engines. In his defence, Jindal, who was admitted to the bar in October 2021, told the committee that he was acting in his personal capacity and not that of a lawyer when publishing the website. He said that it represented his opinion and thoughts, and was done in good faith. He also said that lawyers have a right to freedom of expression. * This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.
Associated Press
13-05-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
The Autism Commission on Quality Seeks Nominations for Committees
Volunteer committee members support ACQ'S mission to promote quality and evidence-based ABA through accreditation 'Our governance structure helps ensure the standards adopted and enforced within our industry come from within our community.'— Erick M. Dubuque, PhD, LBA, BCBA-D Director ACQ LOUISVILLE, KY, UNITED STATES, May 13, 2025 / / -- The Autism Commission on Quality (ACQ), a nonprofit accreditation body for organizations providing applied behavior analysis (ABA) as a healthcare service, is seeking nominations for its Standards Committee, Accreditation Committee, and Appeals Committee. ACQ's essential accreditation decisions are made by independent committees comprised of experienced experts and diverse representatives involved in receiving, delivering, supporting, and funding applied behavior analysis services for autism. 'ACQ's accreditation standards and application determinations are made by independent volunteer committees that share our commitment to addressing the barriers preventing families from accessing the quality care they deserve,' said Erick Dubuque, director of ACQ. 'Our governance structure helps ensure the standards adopted and enforced within our industry come from within our community.' 'ACQ's committee system facilitates important peer review, ensuring that both our standards development and accreditation review process is thorough and incorporates current quality-based requirements,' notes Eric Larsson, PhD, LP, BCBA-D, ACQ Standards Committee chair. 'I appreciate the in-depth discussions associated with the drafting and revising standards to ensure the relevancy of ACQ's accreditation program.' 'ACQ utilizes a broad array of experts to ensure objective and informed decision-making,' adds Andrea Waks, JD, MA, ACQ Accrditation Committee chair and Standards Committee member. 'ACQ committee members assume an essential role in promoting transparency, standardization and accountability, and our accreditation review process is meaningful and consistent.' Nominations are open to any individuals with experience or expertise in applied behavior analysis or autism, including consumers, caregivers, providers, executives, support staff, funders, faculty, regulators, etc. To volunteer or nominate a candidate for a committee appointment please complete the ACQ Nominations Survey before midnight on Saturday, May 31, 2025. ### About Autism Commission on Quality (ACQ) The Autism Commission on Quality (ACQ) is a nonprofit accreditation agency that recognizes applied behavior analysis organizations serving individuals and families impacted by autism. ACQ's mission is to continuously improve the impact of applied behavior analysis services for the autism community through education and accreditation of provider organizations. ACQ is a single-member LLC of the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP), a known and trusted nonprofit trade association for organizations serving individuals with autism. ACQ receives financial and in-kind support from CASP but maintains firewalls that protect the integrity of its essential accreditation activities. Our vision is for all recipients of applied behavior analysis services to reach their full potential through access to organizations offering the highest level of care. Learn more at Andy Beres The Council of Autism Service Providers +1 410-375-7259 [email protected] Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
BBC News
01-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Ex-MP Bridgen 'should have apologised' for declaring loan late
A former MP should have apologised to MPs over a late declaration relating to a loan totalling more than £4m, Parliament's standards watchdog has Bridgen, the ex-member for North West Leicestershire, received payments totalling £4,470,576 between 12 October 2020 and 18 December 2023, which were declared on 19 December standards commissioner found that failing to register all of them within a 28-day timeframe amounted to an "inadvertent" breach of the MPs' code of Bridgen said he had not registered the funds from businessman and Reclaim Party donor Jeremy Hosking because they were to pay for a "strictly private" matter rather than political purposes. The watchdog said the "donations were a registrable interest" because the two men were associated through political connections and because the interest and repayment-free terms made it a financial first payment was registered 1,135 days late, the commissioner a report published on Thursday, Parliament's Standards Committee said it hoped Mr Bridgen would "behave honourably and acknowledge that he was wrong, even if honestly wrong, to believe that the £4.47m... was not a registrable interest".The report added: "We agree with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards that he should have apologised to the house."The purpose for which the money was provided was private and personal. Mr Bridgen's relationship with a political donor nonetheless raised sufficient reason to make such donations a matter for registration." Family potato business Responding to the report's conclusions on Thursday, Mr Bridgen said: "The committee concluded that I should apologise to the House."I believe that the House of Commons should apologise to the people for promoting the experimental vaccines as being 'safe and effective'."For legal reasons I am not able to elaborate on the situation regarding Mr Hosking but all will be revealed over the coming years."The former MP believed he was being unfairly pursued by the standards watchdog following his decision to criticise the Covid-19 May 2023 he joined the Reclaim Party, which was founded by actor Laurence Fox and heavily funded by Mr Hosking, who has donated more than £2m to the Bridgen did register other donations from the businessman which he regarded as directly related to his parliamentary work, but said staff and colleagues had agreed with him that the loan was "purely private".The purpose of the funds was to cover legal fees in relation to a civil case involving Mr Bridgen's brother and other shareholders in their family potato business, the committee's report Bridgen resigned from Reclaim in December 2023 after becoming the party's first MP. He lost his seat after standing as an independent candidate in the 2024 general election.
