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On work with Simon Harris during the pandemic
ECC had an established relationship with Simon Harris as a contractor, providing digital consultancy and delivery via social media channels for the Council's worth to support community resilience, prior to the pandemic.
During the pandemic, and given the nature of the national emergency which the council was faced with, that contractor relationship was utilised to use social media-principally through the Essex Coronavirus Action (ECVA) channel to engage with communities and share valuable information relating to restrictions, provide support to vulnerable individuals, volunteering opportunities including recruiting volunteers for vaccination centres, and share information on the various restrictions which were in place at various times, including their introduction, relaxation and what was and wasn't allowed throughout 2020, 2021 and into 2022.
Much of the activity and campaigning concerned was amplifying information which the County Council had published and shared via its corporate social media channels, enabling the council to reach and engage with a much larger proportion of its population than would otherwise have been possible. The engagement levels the council achieved through ECVA and other social media channels managed by Simon Harris during the pandemic peruied were far in excess of what the council could usually have expected during a 'normal' period of operation.
It is important to note the payments covered more than just social media content, and included activity to directly support others doing similar work across the county.
Such payments were also made through Simon Harris for expediency
No payments from ECC have been sent to Social Kind Social Kindness
When I read this yesterday, I assumed they meant (bit in bold) that he wasn't just doing the Facebook groups, he was doing those crappy videos and some Zoom calls. But now money is being funnelled through him?
Per Simon in the BBC article - " He said he had been advised not to specify the amounts of money disbursed to other people and declined to say how many others were paid. "
Has he just said the quiet part loud that the council was avoiding?
I think (any local government buffs?) that they can do that IF his company has been appropriately vetted as being in line with council requirements? So basically, been found to be of good standing by a procurement process….something from EU legislation about payments over 1-200k ish…this is super very bad
The very same Mid and South Essex ICS at which Simon Harris had been doing work, the very same Simon Harris noted as "blaireau" and attending meetings and the very same Mid and South Essex ICS at which a paper written by O'Callaghan had proposed in a paper that a Community Influencer should be indentified to fufill a specific role on the Community Assembley but must (check notes) have 100K+ followers. Well, obviously with O'Callaghan now gone, and with Southend's favourite "influencer" now having (check notes once again) 0 followers, that's sadly no longer going to happen. But we live in hope that there may be a repreive for what was obviously a capital idea.
That's the thing with whistle blowing - as soon as people begin to feel a bit safe, and have got an outlet, all manner of things that were previously hidden can begin to come out. Which is part of how the Post Office scandal was originally exposed. Thursay last week or whenever Harris did that GFM and people began to react and this all started... it all feels like a year ago now. And yet it is all so deliciously ironic.
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Nope, the stuff about the volunteer hubs, is new to me. And his DM's are open. Whatever the bad blood is between this forum and LG, an additional outlet is useful but also a way for people to siddle up and have a quiet word. I can't vouch for confidences being observed but then again, there are always worries with any third party including journalists - which is why this stuff is so hard to get out in the open - especially when people are worried about reprisals.
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My big frustration yesterday was the total lack of mentions of Kirsty and conflicts of interest in any of the media reports. So to see all these revelations about her today is good.
But she really was a right tit house, wasn’t she?!
In the meantime, can we all spare a thought for me at this difficult time please. I live in bloody Essex. I’ve decided to setup an appeal to raise some cash for the victims. I’ll be distributing “microgrants” to anybody who can demonstrate ownership of a pair of white stilettos or proof that they have worn loafers without socks on at least one occasion.
Yep. I’ve seen him twice in the wild. Both times he was in his Coca-Cola t shirt. That is absolutely true.
The second time I saw him, and you want believe this, but again it’s 100% true, it was in my gym! Not in the actual gym part, it was in the cafe and he was only there for a kids birthday party. But I suspect he probably still had some sort of allergic reaction being that close to workout equipment.
Yep. I’ve seen him twice in the wild. Both times he was in his Coca-Cola t shirt. That is absolutely true.
The second time I saw him, and you want believe this, but again it’s 100% true, it was in my gym! Not in the actual gym part, it was in the cafe and he was only there for a kids birthday party. But I suspect he probably still had some sort of allergic reaction being that close to workout equipment.
It would be easy for people on this forum to be described as reading too much into things - on the main matter at hand, I don't think so. But I am going to admit I may be reading to much into Jon Morter's twitter feed and say that. a. he is really pissed off b. he would like any journo who reads this forum to perhaps check out his profile and reach out to him and ask about what happened - who knows it may have happened already?
My evidence?
Since the story broke
1. He liked a post on the other place that said they don't think scammers are mutually right or left wing, they are just scammers (a reply to LG actually)
2. He posted the Sex Pistols' Silly Thing (all along to the chorus please...."Oh, you silly thing, You've really gone and done it now")
3. He has just posted Henry Rollins Band's "Liar" which is not what you'd call easy listening - selected lyrics: "I'll hide behind a smile, and understanding eyes...cos I'm a liar, a liar, a liar, a liar" - otherwise to be known as an "ode to kindness" in the Simon Harris/Kirsty O'Callaghan song book
I really do think he would have a lot to add to the story
I must admit, I am enjoying the images being used alongside articles. Not sure which is my favourite, The Mail and The Telegraph are closely tied in first place I think (gurning thumbs up Vs wtf am I doing here charity abseil, respectively)
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