Sir

When Cllr Cranfield-Adams dismisses the matters I have placed before the full meeting of Richmond Council this week as a "difference of opinion" between us (RTT 16 April), he misrepresents the seriousness of the facts underlying the three questions concerning his reprehensible and unprofessional behaviour as a Councillor which I have tabled.

He seeks now to cast himself as the hero in the drama unfolding around Cllr Dance, since her letter condemning gay and lesbian relationships was published in this paper last November, and casts "some in the gay community (including myself)" as villains. However he has, unfortunately for himself, left behind him an email trail of evidence which shows him to be not the hero but the villain of the drama, as the following extracts from his emails to me, written as a Councillor and utilising the Council's email address and communication pathway, will establish.

The first time I engaged with the situation vis a vis Cllr Dance was when I tabled three questions to be asked at the full Council meeting on 2 March, and the first time Cllr Cranfield-Adams publicly engaged was in his unsolicited email to me on 1 March, in which he commented on my questions. I was to receive two further emails from him, on 2 and 3 March, which commented further on my questions and on the responses from the Leader Cllr Arbour, and in these emails he made the following astonishing claims and suggestions.

He claimed that "The Leader has told Dance not to attend tonight (the 2 March Council meeting)" and, further, encouraged me to report Cllr Dance to the Conservative Party Leader as "The issue might be better raised with Michael Howard as Party Leader. She may be in breach of Party rules also! (sic)". He also stated that he was "amazed the 'pink' (gay) press had not picked up on it (the Cllr Dance furore)". It is highly unlikely that either Cllrs Dance or Arbour were or are aware of his covert activities against her behind the scenes, behaviour which can perhaps be fittingly described as "vindictive and spiteful".

The covert campaign by "some in (Richmond's) gay community" against Cllr Dance is therefore now exposed as actually having taken place, but with Cllr Cranfield-Adams as sole perpetrator. No evidence exists or can be provided for such by any other party or parties simply because there has been no such campaign by anyone else. It is noteworthy that in none of his emails to me does he make any reference to any covert campaign against Cllr Dance by myself (whom he was later to single out in his letter to this paper on 12 March) or others.

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly agree with Cllr Arbour in his statement to this paper on December 13, when he said "If he (Cllr Cranfield-Adams) had any honour he would resign from the council so that the residents of North Richmond could be represented by three councillors who put a safer, cleaner and better borough above their own personal, private agenda".

Yours sincerely
Cass Mann

N.B. I enclose below the emails from Cllr Cranfield-Adams referred to in my letter. They were sent via the official Council email pathway and utilised the Council's official email address.

cllr.mcranfield-Adams@richmond.gov.uk wrote:
Subject: RE: Questions to Full Council
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2004 13:49:22 -0000

Dear Cass
I can't say that Cllr Arbour dealt with your questions as diplomatically as possible, but then he has a very combative approach.

Insofar as the issue relating to Cllr Dance is concerned, I think the matter is best left now. She recognises the upset she has caused and regrets having communicated her personal beliefs so publicly using her title as a Councillor and the e-mail pathway. There is a danger that those of us seeking tolerance and acceptance are demonstrating an intolerance of those with different views which is equally as unattractive. I have said as much in a letter to the Richmond & Twickenham Times today (which I am told won't be published until a week next Friday). There is a fine line to be trod in the debate on freedom of speech and expression.

That said, whether Cllr Arbour's replies to your questions gives the argument fresh impetus is a matter for you. I have to be honest with you and say that I am unaware, having talked about the matter with numerous gay friends, that the streets of the Borough have suddenly become unsafe as a consequence of Hilary Dance's ill-advised comments.

Keep in touch.
Kind regards
Marc

From: Posh UK
Sent: 03 March 2004 12:48
To: cllr.mcranfield-Adams@richmond.gov.uk
Subject: RE: Questions to Full Council

Dear Marc
These are my observations about last night.

(1) Council refused to address the issue that Cllr Dance's original communication was sent as a councillor using council's official email pathway and address, by claiming that she "meant" to write personally.
This is not acceptable.

(2) When my question 4d elicited from Cllr Arbour the response that he found my comments "hard to believe", I found this homophobic and deeply insulting as he had not interviewed or communicated with any of the people who raised the issues covered in my question, but merely dismissed their concerns as not worthy of belief.

In consideration of the fact that Arbour is Cabinet member for Combating Crime, he must be aware that most crimes of homophobic origin go unreported UNLESS the parties feel they will be listened to and their complaints acted upon. Arbour's response clearly indicates that he is unfit for his Cabinet role as any person who was told, without their evidence being checked and their being communicated with, that their complaint was "hard to believe", would feel abused and violated a second time.
Arbour will have to account for his comments publicly.

My supplementaries were not as I wished them to be as I was so taken aback by Arbour that I did not recoup in time!
Best wishes
Cass

cllr.mcranfield-Adams@richmond.gov.uk wrote:
The Leader (Cllr Arbour) has told Dance not to attend tonight.

From: Posh UK
Sent: 01 March 2004 13:21
To: cllr.mcranfield-Adams@richmond.gov.uk
Subject: Re: Questions to Full Council

Hello Marc
You may be interested to know that Cllr Dance has just resigned as trustee of Richmond Council for Voluntary Service.
I look forward to hearing Council's response to my three questions tomorrow and have prepared my supplementaries to cover forseeable scenarios.
Until 7 pm.
Best wishes
Cass

cllr.mcranfield-Adams@richmond.gov.uk wrote:

Cass
I have read your questions for tomorrow night and have mixed feelings. Cllr Dance's views are not shared by many of her Tory colleagues. That said I am
amazed the 'pink' press have not picked up on it. The issue might be better
raised with Michael Howard as Party Leader. She may be in breach of Party
rules also!

Look forward to hearing your supplementaries!!
Regards
Marc

Cllr Marc Cranfield-Adams MIPR (North Richmond )
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames