The East Riding Mail carried a report today regarding a complaint against our Gilberdyke Ward Councillor, Paul Robinson.In my personal opinion, the whole issue is a result of Mike Whitley, the complainant, conducting a long running, vexatious campaign against Paul Robinson in particular and Gilberdyke Parish Council in general as can readily be seen by study of the Parish Council minutes and reports in the local press. The saga started in the aftermath of the floods of 2007 when it was discovered that Mr Whitley, against drainage board advice, had installed two 12" pipes as an unofficial culvert into the critical water course carrying the majority of the surface water out of the village. Despite this action contravening more than one act of parliament the authorities tried hard but unsuccessfully to obtain a solution through agreement.Eventually as a last resort, the legal route was used and a legal notice was served on Mr Whitley by the Drainage Board. Subsequently the phase one works were completed, albeit approximately two years after an agreed, co-operative solution would have provided. The delays did result in a higher cost to the community insofar as the loan interest rate rose during the delays and the effects of rising contractor costs also came into play. Personally I would have used the legal notice immediately the obstructive behaviour started but that is now water under the bridge and the recently completed large culvert worked exactly as designed during the last heavy rains this year.
I am not medically qualified so can only give a laymans personal opinion but for Mike Whitley to conduct his ensuing aggressive campaign of misinformation and obstruction to hamper the flood defence work improvements plus personal unfounded attacks on members of the Parish Council I consider shows a considerable degree of paranoia. Readers will not be surprised to learn that the same individual made three failed complaints against me via the Standards Board but each of these was rejected. In addition he has made failed complaints against the chairman of the Parish Council and previous failed complaints against Councillor Robinson. It seems obvious to me that he used the procedure as a free (to him) vehicle to cause disruption and a pattern of vexatious behaviour is established
