Anything to Declare?
Thursday, 2nd March, 2000 BBC2 South
An investigation by BBC Southern Eye has found that freemasons in local government do not always declare their interests. The programme has discovered that there are at least 14 councillors with masonic connections in Dorset. Twelve of those are involved in the planning process.
According
to the local government code of conduct, councillors should
always declare an interest if a freemason from their lodge
submits a planning application. Southern Eye show
how four of the councillors failed to follow the code.
Derek Burt
has been on the planning committee at East Dorset District
Council for 34 years and for the past 20 of those he has been
in the same masonic lodge as the developer Harry J Palmer. He
did not declare this interest when he considered planning
applications from Mr Palmer's company to build in Corfe Mullen
and Wimborne. Mr Burt is
one of three freemasons on the 15-strong planning committee
and there is no suggestion that he improperly influenced the
decisions. But according to the local government code of
conduct, he should have left the meetings while the
applications were being
discussed. There are
also masonic councillors on West Dorset District Council.
Terry Farmer has been in Sherborne lodge since 1985, but he
did not declare this interest when three different members of
his lodge submitted planning applications. Mr Farmer
tells Southern Eye that none of the applicants were personal
friends: "All the lodge members don't go to the lodge. Some
people like me are not frequent attenders because they have
other commitments in public life. I don't think in practice
you could keep to the rules."
The Local
Government Ombudsman, Jerry White, cannot comment on
individual cases. But he insists it is vital that councillors
do keep to the rules. He says: "This is after all a secret
society. It works on secret signs, secret codes of language,
meetings are held behind closed doors, and many people are
suspicious that masons are there to further the ends of other
masons. Well that’s a suspicion that really can't be allowed
to visit local government." Two years
ago, the Government announced it was setting up a register of
freemasons in the criminal justice system, but at the moment
it is only voluntary. Southern Eye considers whether a
compulsory register of freemasons working in public life is
necessary. Did you
see the programme? BBC
Online: Freemasons: The silent destroyers? Grand
Lodge of Great Britain Internet Lodge Provincial Grand Lodge of Dorset ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/PGL_Dorset Provincial Grand Lodge of Sussex Provincial Grand Lodge of Berkshire Masonic
Regalia Showroom. UK Freemasonry in the News, have the 'Brethren' finally met their Waterloo?
Mr Farmer
Jerry White
Let us know what
you thought
southern.eye@bbc.co.ukLinks to external sites/organisations that may be of
further interest.
Freemasons - moral guardians or centre of
corruption? news2.thls.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_57000/57463.stm
www.bilderberg.org/masons.htm
http://www.grand-lodge.org/
internet.lodge.org.uk
http://www.sussexmasons.org.uk/
http://www.berkspgl.demon.co.uk/
www.cix.co.uk/~craftings/crafting/welcome.htm
Further Reading:
