Councillor Chris Devine (Conservative – Wiltshire) Named and Shamed

Councillor Chris Devine (Conservative – Wiltshire) Named and Shamed

9:11 AM, 24th December 2015, About 8 years ago 114

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Ever since the Summer Budget we have been encouraging Property118 members to actively lobby their local elected officials to explain the real life consequences of Clause 24 of The 2015 Finance Bill (Restrictions on Finance Cost Relief For Individual Landlords).scrouge

The vast majority of responses have been gratitude for highlighting the consequences of clause 24 and the increased homelessness issues it is likely to create. Slowly but surely we are amassing a growing level of public sector support, and concern in terms of how the consequences of a shrinking or stagnating private rented sector will affect local economies and homelessness as of 2017 when the new legislation begins to get phased in.

Below is the shocking response received from Councillor Chris Devine (Conservative – Wiltshire) to a very polite, very well worded report sent to him by one of our Property118 campaign team members.

Councillor Chris Devine - Wiltshire - Conservative

Chris Devine Cllr.

“So Gareth, how many properties do you own?   Your email is deeply flawed, do you seriously believe that the `buy to let` brigade give a fig for those they are exploiting with high rents and short tenancies. 

Stop thinking about your own pocket and think about society, you lot are nothing, but, parasites and the sooner you are taxed out of existence the better. 

Just because I am a Conservative does not mean that I do not have a social conscience, well done to George Osbourne.  As for you. Try doing some public service and stop snivelling. 

Chris Devine, Cllr”

Needless to say, we were shocked!

We asked Cllr James Fraser (Conservative – Stevenage), who has been incredibly supportive of our campaigning, what could be done.

Cllr Fraser immediately wrote the following email to Cllr Chris Devine …

“Dear Cllr Devine,

I refer to your recent email to Gareth Wilson, a friend of mine who, like me, is somewhat surprised by the level of rudeness and ignorance shown in your response (not to mention the lack of grammatical skill nor the simple ability to spell Osborne).

Gareth had correctly tried to bring to your attention the impossible position small investors and businesses were being put in by some government policy that, directly or indirectly, several million people will be affected by over the next four years.

Perhaps not surprisingly, you have proven how little an understanding you have of the situation. Has it not occurred to you that many of your constituents, even people who voted for you, are investors in homes? Do you feel that the large percentage of Conservative MPs who rent property are ‘parasites’? Or is Wiltshire unique among English counties in that they have an unending supply of council stock to offer to the tenants you would so willingly displace from their privately-rented homes?

Incredibly, you feel that insulting people who contribute vast sums of money and endless hours of time to alleviating the pressure on council stock is you having a conscience and doing something useful for society. What a strange way to view yourself.

You don’t offer any explanation for why Gareth’s email is ‘deeply flawed’, probably because it isn’t. The information contained within it is referenceable from the highest and best researched of sources and luckily has been received with a lot more intelligence by other Conservative councillors nationwide.

Your deeply offensive descriptions and frankly ill-informed opinions are an embarrassment to those of us who are both Conservatives and who work in housing as a profession. They fall well short of standards expected of public officials. To this end I have reported your email to your group leader, the council Chief Exec and your local press, who ought to know how their elected representatives address members of the public expressing their genuine concerns.

Sincerely

Cllr James Fraser
Deputy Leader of the Conservatives
Stevenage Borough Council”

Cllr Fraser then followed this up by making the following formal complaint to Cllr Devine’s boss ….

“Dear Cllr Britton,

I feel I must bring to your attention the reply below received from Cllr Devine after an email from one Gareth Wilson outlining some consequences of the government’s Clause 24.

Gareth Wilson had written a well-researched and intelligent piece to bring to your attention a ruinous policy that will affect millions of people nationwide and no doubt a good many of your constituents.

This reply falls well short of the standards required of a public official. To call the writer – a friend of mine – a  ‘parasite’ who Devine wants ‘taxed out of existence’ and who should ‘stop snivelling’ is deeply offensive and worthy of reporting to your local press.

Devine clearly has no knowledge of the sector, nor its contribution to relieving pressure on council housing stock, nor the kind of care and commitment it takes to be a private landlord, of which I too am such a worthless parasite who should clearly do more for society.

Sincerely

Cllr James Fraser

Deputy Leader, Conservatives

Stevenage Borough Council”

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Comments

Mandy Thomson

7:50 AM, 4th March 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "David Price" at "03/03/2016 - 13:14":

"In the current case there is no evidence that the statements complained of were more than colourful comments in the hurly burly of political debate and therefore even if the subject member was acting in an official capacity at the time (of which there is no evidence) there is no evidence of breaches of any of the provisions of the Code of Conduct."

BULLY (verb bullying) definition:
use superior strength or influence to intimidate (someone), typically to force them to do something.
"a local man was bullied into helping them"
synonyms: persecute, oppress, tyrannize, torment, browbeat, intimidate, cow, coerce, strong-arm, subjugate, domineer;

COLOURFUL (in the context of character):
full of interest; lively and exciting.
"a controversial and colourful character"
synonyms: vivid, graphic, lively, animated, dramatic, striking, arresting, picturesque, interesting, stimulating, fascinating, scintillating, rich, evocative, detailed, highly coloured
"he regaled her with a colourful account of that afternoon's meeting"

In other words, I fail to see how the use of inappropriate and offensive name calling to a constituent constitutes "lively debate" especially as the comment wasn't even made in the heat of the moment in a debate in council chambers, but in a private letter.

Anyone with an interest in this might like to see this example of how councils set their standards of acceptable behaviour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-qoeX_CkzI

Barry Fitzpatrick

11:45 AM, 6th March 2016, About 8 years ago

I've an unconfirmed report from another Tory Councillor on Wiltshire Council has informed me that Cllr. Devine has been deselected by the local Conservative Party.

I don't have the precise reason as yet, I'll let you know if I find out more.

Dr Rosalind Beck

11:50 AM, 6th March 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Barry Fitzpatrick" at "06/03/2016 - 11:45":

That's good news, Barry. Maybe it will be a lesson to others that they need to behave professionally when engaged in 'public service' rather than throw out ignorant and offensive insults to the people who have elected them to office and to their constituents in general - notably in this case, private housing providers who perform an essential function in the community.

Mandy Thomson

11:57 AM, 6th March 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Barry Fitzpatrick" at "06/03/2016 - 11:45":

Even if it is for that reason, I doubt they would admit it publically. No doubt his remark in the letter to the constituent is one of many such "gaffs"...

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