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Police to investigate over election bust-up
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| POLL BUST-UP: Richard Denton-White |
CLAIMS that a candidate in the borough elections published misleading campaign material are being investigated by police.
Weymouth and Portland Borough Council deputy mayor Tim Munro is under attack about a leaflet he distributed by defeated fellow independent candidate Richard Denton-White.
Coun Munro won the vote in the Underhill seat on Portland in last week's local elections after three recounts by council staff.
The closely fought race saw him defeat Mr Denton-White by just 32 votes.
Mr Denton-White alleges that a campaign leaflet distributed to Underhill homes by Coun Munro lost him the election.
He has filed a complaint to Weymouth police, who are carrying out enquiries into the allegation.
The leaflet suggested that if Mr Denton-White were elected council tax payers might see their precept for Portland Town Council increased from £6 to £146 - a claim Mr Denton-White denies.
The leaflet also suggested that Mr Denton-White was not as committed as Mr Munro to saving the Officers Field at Osprey Quay from housing development.
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| Tim Munro |
It said: Be clear that the only candidate fighting to save the Officers Field is me.'
Mr Denton-White said: "The leaflet might well have made all the difference between winning and losing given the closeness of the result."
Mr Denton-White is now calling for the election to be declared null and void by the Electoral Commission.
He has sent copies of his complaint to the commission and to Weymouth and Portland Borough Council's chief returning officer Tom Grainger.
Mr Denton-White claims Coun Munro has broken electoral law under Section 106 of the Representation of the Peoples' Act 1983, which deals with election literature which is intentionally misleading.
Coun Munro said the first he heard of the allegations was when the Dorset Echo contacted him for comment. He declined to comment on the election material, but said: "I'm content for the due process to take place as things progress."
A Dorset Police spokesman confirmed that they had received a letter of complaint from Mr Denton-White and that officers would be making enquiries.
1:40pm Saturday 10th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: joe of weymouth, weymouth on 3:56pm Sat 10 May 08
Here we go again if you have lost you have lost more waste of money let get on and save officers field
Here we go again if you have lost you have lost more waste of money let get on and save officers field
Posted by: Portland nipper, Portland, Underhill on 4:44pm Sat 10 May 08
It Does not matter now, But one thing dissapoints me...Why wasn't Mr Denton White present at the Day of action for officers field? Surly, if he cares so much for the fight to save officers field, then he would have been there with me and others, even if Mr Munro and his team organised it. Did he forget that the majority of his election promise focussed on the officers field?
It Does not matter now, But one thing dissapoints me...Why wasn't Mr Denton White present at the Day of action for officers field? Surly, if he cares so much for the fight to save officers field, then he would have been there with me and others, even if Mr Munro and his team organised it. Did he forget that the majority of his election promise focussed on the officers field?
Posted by: Fabian, Weymouth on 5:26pm Sat 10 May 08
[quote]The closely fought race saw him defeat Mr Denton-White by just 32 votes.[/quote]
I would think it is impossible to say exactly what made him lose by 32 votes, especially to prove it was due to any leaflets. Dirty tricks (if there were any) are all part of politics, aren't they?
The closely fought race saw him defeat Mr Denton-White by just 32 votes.
I would think it is impossible to say exactly what made him lose by 32 votes, especially to prove it was due to any leaflets. Dirty tricks (if there were any) are all part of politics, aren't they?
Posted by: l_andrews@btinternet
.com, weymouth on 1:23am Sun 11 May 08
Dirty tricks should not be part of any politics, my belief is what goes around comes around. I think that belief has already shown in the general election results, referring back to the last year elections (2007).
Dirty tricks should not be part of any politics, my belief is what goes around comes around. I think that belief has already shown in the general election results, referring back to the last year elections (2007).
Posted by: Fabian, Weymouth on 9:12am Sun 11 May 08
[quote][bold]l_andrews@btinternet.com[/bold] wrote:
Dirty tricks should not be part of any politics, my belief is what goes around comes around. I think that belief has already shown in the general election results, referring back to the last year elections (2007). [/quote] Do you mean when Ed Matts doctored that photo? I agree that was unacceptable. But dirty tricks whereby they say 'We'll do it better' I think is just political rhetoric.
l_andrews@btinternet.com wrote:
Dirty tricks should not be part of any politics, my belief is what goes around comes around. I think that belief has already shown in the general election results, referring back to the last year elections (2007).
Do you mean when Ed Matts doctored that photo? I agree that was unacceptable. But dirty tricks whereby they say 'We'll do it better' I think is just political rhetoric.
Posted by: anneofportland, Portland on 8:45pm Sun 11 May 08
It is a shame beaten politicians wont accept the result of the vote, by however narrow a margin. I have always found Counsillor Munro very courteous and most keen to get the best for Portland on a council that is heavily biased towards the mainland.
We need councillors fighting SWRDA who are still determinied to build the maximum number of houses on Officers field and not outvoted counsillors fighting those who were elected.
It is a shame beaten politicians wont accept the result of the vote, by however narrow a margin. I have always found Counsillor Munro very courteous and most keen to get the best for Portland on a council that is heavily biased towards the mainland.
We need councillors fighting SWRDA who are still determinied to build the maximum number of houses on Officers field and not outvoted counsillors fighting those who were elected.
Posted by: DingDonG, Wilds of Wiltshire on 10:28pm Sun 11 May 08
[quote]Mr Denton-White said: "The leaflet might well have made all the difference between winning and losing given the closeness of the result."[/quote] I have not seen the turn-out figures, but I bet hundreds, if not thousands did NOT vote AT ALL !!
Draw your own conclusions from a majority of 32.
It's called democracy, but ONLY IF YOU TAKE THE TROUBLE TO VOTE ?
Mr Denton-White said: "The leaflet might well have made all the difference between winning and losing given the closeness of the result."
I have not seen the turn-out figures, but I bet hundreds, if not thousands did NOT vote AT ALL !!
Draw your own conclusions from a majority of 32.
It's called democracy, but ONLY IF YOU TAKE THE TROUBLE TO VOTE ?
Posted by: Old Synic, Wyke on 11:19am Mon 12 May 08
Same old story with our demorcratic system.If you total up all the votes I suspect more people actually did NOT want Tim Munro than voted for him.But that's the system and if beaten the defeat should be taken "on the chin"
Same old story with our demorcratic system.If you total up all the votes I suspect more people actually did NOT want Tim Munro than voted for him.But that's the system and if beaten the defeat should be taken "on the chin"
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