‘Holier than thou’ councillor transgresses – yet again

An Oldham Councillor whom routinely presents himself in the civic chamber as a God-fearing moral guardian has been allegedly caught out, not only parking on two sets of double yellow lines, but, much more seriously, using his mobile phone whilst driving.

These revelations were made on the ‘Failsworth Moan’ Facebook community group by a local resident, Michael Jones.

Cllr Brian Hobin, whose snarling, sneering attacks on fellow Council Members, notably from the Labour Group, usually discolour meetings at which he is present, has been asked the following questions by way of a right to reply:

1.  Are you the owner and or user of this vehicle?

2. Were you the driver at the material time?

3. Were you on Oldham Council business at the material time?

4. Why did you park behind Failsworth Town Hall where it is very plainly illegal to do so?

5. Do you agree that there is ample parking for your vehicle nearby at the shopping precinct?

6. Do you admit that you were driving whilst using your mobile phone as, apparently, witnessed by Mr Jones?

7. Do you agree that as a bus driver, employed by Stagecoach, the effect of such a transgression is amplified?

8. If so, and as a sitting councillor and Failsworth Independent Party Group Leader, will you self-report the matter to the police?

9. Do you agree with Mr Jones that these matters set a very poor example to your ward constituents and residents of the wider Borough?

10. If so, will you apologise publicly at the next Full Council meeting in December, 2022?

Cllr Hobin’s responses will be posted here when available.

Brian Hobin, before he became a councillor, was convicted of false accounting and theft – and received a prison sentence of nine months, suspended for two years.

More recently, he lost his role as Chair of Governors at a primary school in Failsworth after inspectors found safeguarding irregularities.

In February this year, the charity, Hope Not Hate, found that the Failsworth Independent Party was ‘a haven for racists and the far-right’. Cllr Hobin was not mentioned in their annual State of Hate report, but his Party Chair, Kathleen Wilkinson, was. Likewise, her husband, Cllr Mark Wilkinson (read more here).

Page last updated Sunday 6th November, 2022 at 0835hrs

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Picture credits: Failsworth Moan

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